Repowering - weight difference, power difference, choice of engines

[mattsmall1972]

I'm looking to repower a 1995 ProLine 20 Cuddy. It presently has a 1995 Force 120 Hp with a bad cylinder. This motor seems very underpowered for the boat - I feel it would do much better with at least a 150.

I am looking at a couple of options:

• 2004 Evinrude Ficht 150Hp. According to the owner, the motor has less than 250 hours on it but was purchased with a bad computer, which the present owner fixed. Owner says it runs amazingly well. Priced at $2800
• 1997 Johnson OceanRunner 175. Owner says it also runs well. Priced at $1950

My questions are this:

1) Would you have any issues with buying either engine, based on experience or rumors?

2) According to iBoats::
Force 120 weighs 310 Lbs (http://boatspecs.iboats.com/Force_by_Mercury_Marine__120EXLPT__120hp__1995/bpe/57e8856)
Ficht 150 weighs 427 Lbs (http://boatspecs.iboats.com/Evinrude__E150FCXSR__150hp__2004/bpe/57e20454)
OceanRunner weighs 375 Lbs (http://boatspecs.iboats.com/Evinrude__E175EXEU_Ocean_Runner__175hp__1997/bpe/57e15463)

Would you have any issues with the weight differences of the newer engines on this boat? Pictures of the boat and the motor bracket are here:
http://1drv.ms/1tiUEhz

3) My range is $3000 for a good engine. What do you think about the prices for the engines, assuming they are in good shape and run well?

4) Anyone have any leads on good engines within 5 hours of Myrtle Beach, SC?

Thank you,
Matt

 

[Scott Danforth]

Most importantly. What is the hull rating on the capacity plate?

 

[Bob_VT]

A FICHT motor is best avoided and was discontinued due to MAJOR problems

I looked up your boat in the specs and it should handle a 175 if your transom is still sound.

The Ocean Runner 175 will be easier and cheaper for maintenance and repairs.

 

[boobie]

My choice would be the Ocean Runner 175. Less problems.

 

[mattsmall1972]

Hi guys- I bought the oceanrunner 175. Are there any guides for rigging around?

 

[crb478]

Did you get the wiring harness/ controls with the 175? Rigging should be pretty much plug and play. Take the old motor off mount the new motor and then hook up the wiring through the factory plugs

 

[mattsmall1972]

Hi CRB - I got everything with the new motor. I am principally looking for the wiring guide for the boat-side wiring harness so I know which color wire goes to what. I haven't been able to find one online, but I think that the colors are standard so I might be ok working just with colors.

 

[crb478]

Look at the top sticky in the electrical section of this forum, under wiring diagrams. That should help you with any questions you have.

 

[max62]

A FICHT motor is best avoided and was discontinued due to MAJOR problems

I looked up your boat in the specs and it should handle a 175 if your transom is still sound.

The Ocean Runner 175 will be easier and cheaper for maintenance and repairs.

False.

I would agree if this was a pre-2000 or even pre-BRP (Bombardier) Ficht motor.
The 2000-2001+ Fichts were solid. BRP continued to make Fichts. They called them Direct Injection though (which this one is) and they were even more solid untill their last production run in 2004. Ficht were not dosconitinued, they evolved with Bombardier and with further improvement are now Etecs. It's the same software that runs them but the components and cooling has been improved.

I'd have gone with the newer Evenrude engine. It's almost a decade newer. Known number of hours. Would use less gas as DI is very fuel effecient. Use the software/cable to monitor it's state and condition. Do periodic maintenance. It would've lasted you far longer.

My advise would've been to use the same uneducated FUD (as Bob_VT disseminated here) to drive the price down further down.