re: How many hours on your outboard engines

Pair of 2005 225 Optimaxs. 750hrs each. Had an air compressor go out on one motor at about 400hrs. Changed compressors on both motors to the new design. I try to run them weekly. Sometimes they sit 2 weeks or so. All has been well, but itching to get a pair of the new Merc 4-stroke 225s.

2 hours represent the average fishing trip running time, sometimes much less but hardly ever more then that. remember, its not time on the water but just actual time it runs.

now think about how many times you go fishing each year and multiply that by 2 and thats going to be pretty close to the hours you put on a motor each year.

lets assume the average guy fishes a lot and goes every other weekend so thats 25 trips a year or 50 hours a year for however old the motor is.

now use those guidelines to judge how much wear and tear there is on a motor with 150 hours on it or even 300 hours on it. 150 hours = 3 years of frequent use and 300 hours = 6 years of frequent use.

everyone has their own opinions on how long an outboard motor will last, the biggest worry for me is less about the hours but more about the unknown factor in how well the motor was flushed after each use.

i have seen guys who hardly flush motors at all and sell them after 5 years or so knowing full well the corrosion they allowed to happen inside those motors. thats why i would never buy a used motor from a stranger and it would have to be someone i personally witnessed how they cared for it its whole life