OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

[Laddies]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

Rodbolt, these guys will figure that out in a couple of years. I remember not to many year ago when the Opti-Max and Ficht engines were the best thing to whipped cream and now the same bunch that told us that, say they were not so good, but they have some new stuff as good as whipped cream, I sure am glad that I am almost done with repair work. I certainly hope this new generation of boaters realize what a mechanic goes thru to service the junk that is wished on us by the manufacters---Bob

 

[rodbolt]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

works great never breaks. ask any salesman.<br />

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

Buy a proven Honda and live well!

 

[rodbolt]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

yep<br /> I see honda techs in the unemployment line all the time. they dont even have a service training school. it never breaks so why waste money on training schools and service manuaal. just a rigging course and a have a great day.<br /> look at any honda dealer. they have no service center and no techs. just a couple oil changers in the back.

 

[moderator1]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

Mental note to self: Do not buy Honda...service may not be available if needed.

 

[noelm]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

hey dunno about over in the good ol' US of A but Honda does not have a great name in Australia for corrosion resistance! indeed they have a rather unflattering nickname of "asprin" because they disolve in water! any thoughts on these?

 

[rodbolt]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

like the suzukis before 90 or so. we call them alka seltzer motors. plop them in saltwater and watch them fizz. . but seems they finally got that under control. here in my salt pond Hondas run great, if they are 3 years or older it warrented you will snap off most fasteners. when prepping them we learned to pull any fastener that we may have to remove for service later and grease them well with a good nickel anti-sieze or water proff grease. this goes for lower unit studs and t-stat bolts and all rigging bolts.not bashing Hondas. they do make a quality product. just need to work on the corrosion issue a bit more.

 

[Scali]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

I've heard the rap on Tohatsu is they are good motors but sometimes have corrosion issues also early Yamahas.<br />I guess it took the Japanese some time to copy outboards correctly.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

If you use the number of posts as a guide, buy one of them "Other" brand outboards. <br /><br />As far as reliability is concerned, Merc LOSES hands-down! That's why I work on them. As long as they make Mercs, I'll have plenty to do. Before that, Force may have won that dubious title. But then Merc bought them and it took them further into the reliability basement. <br /><br />I used to have a sign posted in the shop years back.<br />Chrysler ... when you gotta get there Cheap.<br />Mercury ... when you gotta get there Fast.<br />Johnnyrude ... when you gotta get there. Period!

 

[rodbolt]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

willy<br /> the graet thing is saltwater wastes them all <br /> average saltwater life is about 6 years. then the cooling system falls apart and the fun begins. sometime in the late 9o's yamaha went to chrome plated steel fasteners. was the best thing ever happened. the steel shift shaft was an oversight lucky by 95 they corrected it.<br /> I dont care who made it if its run in waters you can catch crabs its saltwater and if not taken apart for maint there is a good chance of oxy/acetylyne and then sometimes it wont come apart.<br /> if ya dont beliveit replace the t-stat in an original 25-25 OMC that is over 6 years old and see how many cover bolts break. or remove the water cover from that 8 year old 50 merc 4 cyl and see how many break. gotta be done sometimes to clear the sand from the lower jug. takes a 5 dollar gasket. a handfull of helicoils and 10 hours labor <br />I will check my shirt to day for a maytag label. if its there I stay home, if not its off to work I go.

 

[Navigator]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

I used to have a sign posted in the shop years back.<br />Chrysler ... when you gotta get there Cheap.<br />Mercury ... when you gotta get there Fast.<br />Johnnyrude ... when you gotta get there. Period!

Your missing the last line...<br />Honda ...when you gotta get BACK too!!!<br /><br />Sorry, just too good to pass up.<br />Nav

 

[Scali]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

Rodbolt,<br />Your statement "average saltwater engine lasts 6 years "..<br />Does this include engines that have been flushed & well maintained with lowish hours ?<br />I picked up a 1994 Merc last year off a friend that I know the history of & it's in great shape & it's allways been a salty, just wondering if I'm boating on borrowed time here <br />Heck, changed the impeller, lower unit dropped right down, no signs of salt or corrosion.. <br />I think when saltwater boats are trailered & flushed they can go the distance, not allways in the saltwater enviornment ect..<br />@ least I hope

 

[noelm]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

hey who remembers the very original mariner 60HP that was, I believe, made by yamaha? before they ever ventured into outboards with the Yamaha name, I saw one the other day in pristine condition I think they where made in the late 70's, this one had no saltwater use and very low hours, still went like a dream though at idle it seemed to run on only 1 cylinder and that only seemed it fired every second revolution, the bloke that owned it said it was always like that!

 

[rodbolt]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

scali<br /> I dont think your flushed and well maintained fits the average profile. most engines get maint only when they break. then they get a bit maybe.<br /> but yes the average I see around here is about 6 years. not saying it blows up just starts having issues. but sometimes the issues can lead to failure. a classic is the #6 piston on a v76 yam with carbs. a stuck open or bad t-stat can over cool the stbd bank and cause #6 fuel bowl to run lean and smoke a piston. usually its a maint issue.

 

[Scali]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

makes sense Rodbolt, thanks for the reply ..<br />Maintence, Maintence, Maintence, is the key

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

Back to the topic at hand...<br /><br />Why are there more OMC posts?<br />Reason #1: There are more OMCs. Johnson ALONE had made over 1/2-million outboards before the first Merc rolled off the line in late 1939. Evinrude's tally was similar, so you've got a million-motor head start by OMC before the first Mercs were even on the scene. Johnson had made 2-million by 1959, whereas Merc hit their first million in late 1956 or 1957. Evinrude again had similar numbers to Johnson, so by the end of the 1950s you had over 4-million OMCs to maybe 1.5 million Mercs. Merc hit 2-mllion in 1966, and three million in 1971, if you go by their published serial number lists. <br /><br />Reason #2: OMCs are more able to be worked on by a basic shadetree/backyard mechanic. Most models don't require any fancy tools to disassemble them, and they're not hard to reassemble correctly. Mercs, on the other hand, are noted for needing a special wrench for this, puller for that, gauge for this and shimming tool for that. The level of competence needed to acquire or cobble up these tools is a bit higher, and is often enough to relegate a comparably simple "fix" to the curb. A good example of this is take a 1959 Evinrude 10hp and change the impeller... the clock is ticking... might take a seasoned mech 15-minutes, and even a shadetree can probably handle it in under an hour with a good manual. Same year, 1959 Merc model Mark 15A... the clock is ticking... a seasoned mechanic might be able to do it in an hour, with all the proper tools and shim gauges. A backyarder has killed the better part of a sixpack and still hasn't even found where the impeller is located. And when he DOES find it, located way up in the exhaust housing and requiring a special tool to get at it, he thows one of the empty bottles at the motor and starts thinking about how good of an anchor it could be...<br /><br />NEITHER of these reasons for the post differential is a direct correlation to whether or not one is more reliable than the other....<br /><br />- Scott

 

[2cycle]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

Chinewalker,<br /><br />Well said and makes complete sense. I have a mid 70s Merc 1500 and an Evinrude '76 70 HP. I've found them both to be equally great motors, although I confess that the Merc "mystique" and the inline 6's power wins me over when I have to choose. <br /><br />The OMC triples from my experience are near bullet proof and I have nothing bad to say about either brand from my limited experience.

 

[chris in va]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

Interesting thread. I just got through wrenching on my 77 Johnson and you guys are right...no special tools needed. Some screwdrivers and sockets mostly. Good thing I got this and not the Mercury, according to what you all say about shadetree repairing.

 

[b.gagnon]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

I have owned both in large and small motors(3 I6's Nothing beats the power out of that block) and I feel the mercs always seemed to give more in the performance department. As far as reliability goes I would say they are practically equal, or maybe favoring omc a bit. One good thing about omc is that you could almost rebuild a powerhead on the water if you have to!<br />I feel you could buy either and be happy.

 

[Guest]

Re: OMC vs MERCURY MERC MORE RELIABLE?

I've owned both. 2 Mercs and 3 OMCs. By a looooong shot, OMC has been more reliable for me. I hear the Merc four strokes are pretty good. Mine have all been 2 strokes (including my new e-tec). <br /><br />Trout