Stay Away from Evenrudes

I am on my way to pickup my boat again at Frankies Marine. This is the fourth time I have had my Ranger 620VS with a 225 Evenrude HO in for service. The boat and engine are three years old. First time it needed a software update. Second time to replace the power head. Third time to adjust the new power head. This time a fuel injector.

My previous Evenrude (2004 150hp on a Lund) blew a lower unit and cylinder. The lower unit was replaced under warranty but the cylinder had to be replaced by me. Even though it was technically under warranty, Evenrude filed Chapter 11 and sold to Bombardier and we all know how much fun that was.

Do I need to say more? Should have bought a Merc or an old Sea Horse. At least they still run.

Sea Horse = Johnson = OMC = Evinrude

Seriously, I work on my outboard all the time and anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Seems to be the nature of the beast. Sucks about your outboard though.

Man, that sucks. I have been lucky so far with my Mercury’s, but to cut down any issues I can, I pretty much do almost every darn maintenance suggested by the manual.

Hopefully this is your last trip up Hwy 8 unless you are fishing…

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… 225 Evenrude HO in for service. The boat and engine are three years old.

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Ouch, sorry to hear that, my dad has that exact motor but 2 years old.

They sure must not make me like they used to. Sorry to hear about your troubles.

Buy a HONDA you cant break em ive tried REALLY hard duck hunting, and fishing

Didn’t know Sea Horses were made by Evenrude. I take it back. Maybe I will put my Minn-kota on the back. At least I will get to where I am going (eventually).

Bottom line, once is a fluke, twice is a trend!

Sorry to hear about the problems. Once would have been enough for me (your 04) But I guess I can understand giving them another chance.

When I was shopping for a new 60 hp four stroke I nearly had a E-Tec jammed down my throat. Glad I went with a Yamaha instead. To bad the salesman insisted on a E-Tec, wouldn’t even quote me on a Yamaha!! Bought elsewhere, but did hear some interesting tidbits on the salesman later.

Hopefully they get the bugs worked out on yours and it runs flawlessly for years to come.

There is a darn good reason why Yamaha sells more of just one model (150 hp 4 strokes)than Evinrude sells of all of thier outboard models combined.

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There is a darn good reason why Yamaha sells more of just one model (150 hp 4 strokes)than Evinrude sells of all of thier outboard models combined.

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You mean other then having a world wide saltwater market AND their own boat company?

i’ll 2nd 3rd and forth that. i just solved an 2004 75 etec problem thats been nagging me for @ 3 years. no help from two dealers with certified mechs. i was having intermittent loss of tnt, elec power to start the motor. something was tripping it out. maybe two, three times a summer until a few weeks ago then it happened after every run across the lake. accesory wiring losing ground blah blah blah was all i heard. long story short ,a bolt vibed loose from the starter. tightened it and solved the problem, til it came back. touble was the 3rd bolt that was tight and secure wasn’t tight and secure. it vibed loose and the starter to fly wheel torque mangled the bolt and the mounting hole making it feel tight. anyway the ground is fixed and i’m a little more confident that i can start the motor. no lock washers, thread dressing or alignment pins from the block to the starter. they could have just as well mounted the starter with wing nuts.
while fixing this problem, i notice that some of the bolts that secure the water cover behind the emm have been weeping water,not the seal itself. i put socket on a couple and they turned with moderate pressure. i haven’t beed in the water yet to see if that fixed it, but hopefully at worst i need a new seal. i’ll order it along with a new starter. if anyone has an earlier etec check,check and triple check any bolt under the hood

Don’t put Minnesota ethanol gas in it. Will burn down any two stroke. I’ve heard that garbage eats injector o rings too. Ethanol is junk, optipops will burn down on ethanol eventually too.

I have a 1976 SeaHorse. Great Motor!!! Just remember the two best days of owning a boat:
The day you buy and
The day you sell it!

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Don’t put Minnesota ethanol gas in it. Will burn down any two stroke. I’ve heard that garbage eats injector o rings too. Ethanol is junk, optipops will burn down on ethanol eventually too.

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Do you believe everything you hear?

Bummer on the motor, I’m glad I went Yamaha myself, sounds about as built proof as they come. Be interesting to see if their new motors are as good as their 150. Gotta think they’ll have the market cornered if so.

I’ve had all of the following motors and I’ve never had to do anything but change the oil.

Yamaha:

1987 20hp 2 Stk

2001 25hp 4 Stk

2001 75hp 4 Stk

2003 90hp 4 Stk

2001 115hp 4 Stk

2005 25hp 4 Stk

2003 115hp 4 Stk

I’d be willing to bet there aren’t too many people that could say that about any other brand motor.

With that said, I have heard Suzuki makes a great 4 stk motor now.

Interesting – owned 13 different Yamaha’s and had my share of issues also – blew a powerhead on a F250, trim out on a T8, loose main ground connection on a F250 that left me dead in the water in 6 MPH current, along with a host of others. I think there are issues with all brands out there.

I switched to Evinrude in ’08 and ran a 250 E-TEC HO that was trouble free and now have a ’10 – 150 E-TEC tiller that works great, wouldn’t change back for anything. I also own a Yam 150 4-stroke on my pontoon that’s been trouble free.

Sorry to hear about your troubles and luck but again all brands have had their issues – my $.02

-ted