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Apr
Younger owners tend to allow for no warm up etc just roar off. The average marine gasoline engine runs for 1500 hours before needing a major overhaul.
Most marine engine manufacturers recommend an oil change every 50 engine hours.
How many hours do boat engines last. An engines weight and horsepower can impact the performance and the longevity of your motor. How Long Do Boat Motors Last. Boat motors typically last at least 2000-3000 hours before they need serious maintenance.
Inboard motors will sometimes last longer because they are more protected from wear and tear. The Life Expectancy of the Marine Engine. The average marine gasoline engine runs for 1500 hours before needing a major overhaul.
The average marine diesel engine will run for more than three times that long and log an average 5000 hours under the same conditions. How often do boat engines need to be replaced. The average marine gasoline engine runs for 1500 hours before needing a major overhaul.
The average marine diesel engine will run for more than three times that long and log an average 5000 hours. As for a diesel outboard motor they last about three times as long as gasoline outboards coming in at about 5000 hours of service. If dedicatedly well maintained some can work up into 8000 hours of work.
If you were to boat 200 hours a. Most marine engine manufacturers recommend an oil change every 50 engine hours. Our 1000 hour boat serviced every 50 hours would have had the same 20 oil changes.
Similar levels of wear can be assumed in this example. Some newer vehicles have an engine hour meter. Here is a picture of the hour meter on one of our shop trucks.
A gasoline-powered motor might last around 1200-1800 hours before needing a lot of work and a diesel engine might last 5000 hours before needing a lot of work. This might not seem like many hours but many boat owners might only run their boats for 50 hours a year. The use of the engine and the location.
For boats that live in Florida and get used regularly we would say that the average number of hours for a boat will be around 2000 hours. That is just the average number of hours that are going to be on a 5-10-year-old engine that has been used regularly throughout the years. If a boat is four years old then about 200 hours would be about normal.
If its five years old 250 is about right and so forth. Rindas TechMate diagnostic tool can help with determining engine hours on a used boat with electronic fuel. Use your eyes and ears.
A well maintained engine with 600 hours may well be in better shape than one with 200. Younger owners tend to allow for no warm up etc just roar off. Taken care of you should be able to get 2000 hours.
Go for the best cared for boat–that tells a lot. As mentioned above there is no reason not to expect a gas marine engine to reach 2000 hours. While many dont last half that long there are some well loved ones out there pushing 4000hrs.
The test drive is a must but if you can get a mechanic to do a compression and leakdown test on it. But I do know a few tricks that the average boater can use to make his enginesbe they gasoline or diesellast for a very long time. Maybe even as long as the boat itself.
This 1987 135-bhp Ford Lehman SP135 diesel has approximately 3671 engine hours on her and yet she still purrs like a kitten thanks to lots of TLC. If it is now or ever has been seriously overpropped deduct 1500 to 2000 hours from that realistic 3000 hours bondo mentioned. Its has always been the OEM Bravo III props since purchased new.
When that is compared to a lorry or van engine they will do 8356 hours in 4 to 5 years. The older diesel engines are relatively simple engines and easy to fix to compared to modern ones with turbos and electronics both which are prone to fail. Like the truck a boat with 745 engine hours has many years of optimal running performance left.
In fact its just past getting broken in. There are a few things to consider when looking at boat hours. Unless you are looking at a really high hour boat 2000 hours there are typically very few drawbacks to the number of hours a boat has.
Marine gasoline engines can run 2500 hours or more if properly maintained before needing a major overhaul. Most boats greater than 15 years old and even some built today with certain power options do not have an hour meter. If you find an older boat with an hour meter how do you know if it is original equipment.
The hour meter on a boat doesnt even come close to indicating the true condition or real value of a marine engine its much more complicated than that. Why hadnt this term Marine Age surfaced or mean what I know it means today 30 40 or 50 years ago when there were marine diesels even back then. An engine block that has been heated-cooled heated-cooled heated-cooled sucesfully many times Like a old MOPAR Big-Block in a metro PD carThats a seasoned block made for great builders.
It wasnt the total miles that made them sought-after builders it was the seasoning of the block lent to more stability as it had more cycles. Joined Mar 19 2008. 6 Jul 30 2011.
There are mainly four drive systems. Volvo Mercury Mercury Outboards and OMC style units. In stock application most units need service every 50 hours.
If youre the type guy that runs the boat hard all the time then a shorter service intervals is needed. No way never going to happen. Most people say average engine life of a 350 57 class engine in a tow boat is between 2000-2500 hours.
700 hours on a 10-15 year old boat that is well kept is no big deal. In this video we address the misconception of engine hours on a used inboard towboatFor a more in-depth reading of comparing boat hours to miles on a car. On the flip side if you are considering buying a used boat or a used engine based on hours displayed on the boats console you could be deciding with wildly inaccurate data.
If the boats owner replaced the gauges at any point during the engines life the hours. A jet ski with a 4-stroke engine lasts about 350 hours while a 2-stroke engine will last around 150 hours. Many factors go into how long your jet ski will last but you should get a few hundred hours out of it.
The better you take care of it the longer the engine will last.