Question about hours.

[kemer1]

Let me ask you veterans a question. If you were in the market for a used boat, what would be your "Oh hell no" point when it comes to engine hours? Would 275 hours be too much? 300? 500? 600? Where is the "RUN AWAY...Run far far away" point? I understand it's a matter of how it's maintained, but I also know there is a point in which the engine needs a rebuild or replacement. So where is the point at which you're buying a ticking time bomb?

 

[Silverbullet555]

All I can tell you is that I was talking about freshening up my motor with close to 400 hours and I was told I wasn't even close. As you mentioned, maintenance is key. To menthe other thing is consistency of use. A boat that sits for years at a time is scarier to me.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Question about hours.

no such thing.... I've seen junk engines at 100 hrs and I've seen strong runners nearing 2000.... I have 700 and 900 on my engines before they were sunk in the hudson river... I bought the boat they were in (saw it on the "funny tlc needed" thread) cleaned em up and put em in my boat... No worries at all.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Question about hours.

no such thing.... I've seen junk engines at 100 hrs and I've seen strong runners nearing 2000.... I have 700 and 900 on my engines before they were sunk in the hudson river... I bought the boat they were in (saw it on the "funny tlc needed" thread) cleaned em up and put em in my boat... No worries at all.

Absolutely agree. Yes, lower is better in some cases but if the motor is original to the boat and the boat is 10 years old with 100 hours on it then I'd probably shy away, somethings wrong. Why buy a boat and never use it unless it's alway in the shop. If it was 10 years old with a 1000 hours on it and it was clean, I'd be lookin at it really close.

 

[Handyman1]

Re: Question about hours.

Hi it is hard to say it all depends on the condition of the motor. You should do some tests on the motor. Compression test and drive test. When you take it for drive test drive it hard and at least for an hour go slow go fast go hard. If the seller won't let you test the motor for any reason now that is the run away point. Get the compression specs for the motor and test it. Make sure there is no more then 10% difference between the cylinders. Check the oil gear,motor if it is a 4 stroke. I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Question about hours.

Absolutely agree. Yes, lower is better in some cases but if the motor is original to the boat and the boat is 10 years old with 100 hours on it then I'd probably shy away, somethings wrong. Why buy a boat and never use it unless it's alway in the shop. If it was 10 years old with a 1000 hours on it and it was clean, I'd be lookin at it really close.

Bought my '92 this year w/ 1245 hours on it (equates to only 65 hours a year). Heads have never been removed and only parts attached to the engine that has been replaced are the risers / manifolds and raw water pump. Only put 50 hours on this season, but the BBC still purs like a kitten and has good oil pressure / compression and no bad noises coming out of it. All depends on how it was cared for and if she was abused or not. Buy an older well used / cared for boat = sure. Buy a young abused boat = nope.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Question about hours.

The inline 6 on my '72 has about 600 hours - over her lifespan that's 15 hours per season. I've taken the per season usage number up a little since I've had it, but I agree with everyone else - it's about condition. I haven't had to do anything to the engine since I bought it except rebuild the starter.

... now the stern drive on the other hand

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Question about hours.

Boat engines typically run at a higher RPM than automotive motors however here's a basic way to compare a boat engine to an automotive motor. I know there's multiple variables that I'm not taking into account....however this is just a very basic comparison.

If you drive a car at 60mph (approximately 2,000rpms)for 2,000 hours non stop, you'll have travelled 120,000 miles (60 X 2,000 = 120,000)

A boats crusie RPM is somewhere between 3,200-3,500 rpms......which would naturally put more wear and tear on the motor.....along with extended period of WOT use as well.

 

[kemer1]

Re: Question about hours.

Thanks for all the wisdom fellas. I'm looking at a boat right now that is 11 years old with only 97 hours on it. However I might have to postpone pulling the trigger fir a couple weeks longer. So I was poking around at possible second options in case that one gets snatched up before I have a chance to get down there. Well those second option boats are 15-16 years old and ranging from 275-500 hours but the common thread amongst them is that they're all 454/bravo combos with the exception of our first option which has a 5.0 Volvo Penta unit.

So the concern was that I didn't want to plop down a nice chunk of change on a boat that was going to need an overhaul. But thanks to you guys I feel a bit more confident about getting something older but well taken care of.

 

[mpdive]

Re: Question about hours.

All depends on maintenance. My 03 just turned 119 hours. We use it every other weekend and sometimes we may go a month without using it. I can eat off the motor and it runs like a champ. No issues at all. I keep the maintenance up on it and technically baby it. It get's 2 oil changes a season even with low hours. It just all depends on how well people take care of their stuff. Park at Walmart sometime and look in the cars as you go in the store. I have seen 1 year old vehicles trashed on the inside, so I can just imagine the maintenence schedule. Who want's to drive in a car with 10 Mcdonald's bag's in it anyhow?

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Question about hours.

Who want's to drive in a car with 10 Mcdonald's bag's in it anyhow?

I saw a fairly new car like that at my son's football practice last night. I believe it was an '09 model. When I walked by the car, the tires were low, the car hadn't been washed in forever and you could tell the windows hadn't been cleaned either by looking at the foggy grime on the inside of the windows. When I walked by the car, the windows were slightly down and I could smell the funk eminating from the car.....it was horrendous. There was trash piled up all inside the car too....truly disgusting. I can only imagine how the inside of their house looks like.

 

[mpdive]

Re: Question about hours.

I saw a fairly new car like that at my son's football practice last night. I believe it was an '09 model. When I walked by the car, the tires were low, the car hadn't been washed in forever and you could tell the windows hadn't been cleaned either by looking at the foggy grime on the inside of the windows. When I walked by the car, the windows were slightly down and I could smell the funk eminating from the car.....it was horrendous. There was trash piled up all inside the car too....truly disgusting. I can only imagine how the inside of their house looks like.

I know this FUNK of which you speak!:facepalm:

 

[JimS123]

Re: Question about hours.

Thanks for all the wisdom fellas. I'm looking at a boat right now that is 11 years old with only 97 hours on it. However I might have to postpone pulling the trigger fir a couple weeks longer. So I was poking around at possible second options in case that one gets snatched up before I have a chance to get down there. Well those second option boats are 15-16 years old and ranging from 275-500 hours but the common thread amongst them is that they're all 454/bravo combos with the exception of our first option which has a 5.0 Volvo Penta unit.

So the concern was that I didn't want to plop down a nice chunk of change on a boat that was going to need an overhaul. But thanks to you guys I feel a bit more confident about getting something older but well taken care of.

I have a Kicker Outboard (1984 Evinrude 9.9) with 600 documented hours on it. Never seen a mechanic yet. Only routine maintenance. Our 27 year old I/O (Mercruiser 3.0 liter) has almost 1300 hours with no repairs either.

Personally, I would be concerned about an 11 year old boat that FEW hours on it. If you only put 8 hours on in a season, would you be inclined to go thru all the trouble of changing the oil (after all it must still be clear!) and fog it? Ask to see service records.

All I know is, I've personally seen 2 cars that were owned by old ladies and only driven to Church on Sunday, both looked perfect on the surface, and both turned out to e money pits in the end.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Question about hours.

Boat motors are one of those things that everyone says there is great condition based upon what little time they put on them. Take one of those motor out and run it 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 6 months straight and get back to us what great condition it's in.

Sitting idle is death to an internal combustion engine. Ever teardown a low hour, low use motor and take a look at one inside? I've seen them with rust on the rocker arms after only a couple of weeks.

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Question about hours.

I know this FUNK of which you speak!:facepalm:

Personal experience MP or a "Friend/aquantance"???? Lol...

 

[mpdive]

Re: Question about hours.

Boat motors are one of those things that everyone says there is great condition based upon what little time they put on them. Take one of those motor out and run it 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 6 months straight and get back to us what great condition it's in.

Sitting idle is death to an internal combustion engine. Ever teardown a low hour, low use motor and take a look at one inside? I've seen them with rust on the rocker arms after only a couple of weeks.

I might only half agree with that. If properly stored I don't see why that would be an issue. Put away or running old oil in the motor then yes because of the corrosive agents suspended in it. But if lubricants are kept fresh I don't see it being an issue. Now dry rot on rubber items I could see and understand but again, they should be replaced anyhow.

 

[QC]

Re: Question about hours.

If you drive a car at 60mph (approximately 2,000rpms)for 2,000 hours non stop, you'll have travelled 120,000 miles (60 X 2,000 = 120,000)

Yeah this is very important math and get's to the heart of it. The only thing I would suggest when considering this comparison is that most cars only average around 25 MPH So that would be 2000 hours equals 50,000 miles.

 

[mpdive]

Re: Question about hours.

Personal experience MP or a "Friend/aquantance"???? Lol...

Hold on I can't hear you right now. My Whopper wrapper just fell on my eirpiece! LOL:facepalm:

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Question about hours.

Hold on I can't hear you right now. My Whopper wrapper just fell on my eirpiece! LOL:facepalm:

Hahaha. Thanks for the "after lunch laugh.".

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Question about hours.

I'm looking at a boat right now that is 11 years old with only 97 hours on it.

You may also be looking at a boat with a recently replaced hour meter....just sayin'.

Several years back we had a local car lot that sold a TON of low mileage mostly newer Chevy trucks. The investigation revealed many gauge clusters were replaced with lower mileage clusters. The suspect would take a truck with 70K on it and replace the cluster with one that had 25K on it from a wrecked truck. Take the 70K unit and put it in a truck with 140K on it and so on. It's legal if you follow the proper procedure but he wasn't.