Best Outboard Brand for Owner Maintenance?

D

Darkwater

New member
The high quality of all modern outboard brands has been discussed here.

I live in a remote area, far from factory authorized service dealers for all brands except one. I would appreciate opinions on the best brand(s) from an owner-maintenance standpoint. Some possible factors:
-Availability and price of factory service manual.
-Can the owner read all available electronic codes from the ECM with a laptop or other reasonably available code reader?
-Availability of factory parts by internet.
-Availability of needed special tools.
-Engineering design for easy disassembly/assembly for common maintenance tasks eg. replacement of impeller, thermostats, filters...

Thank you mechanically inclined C-brats!
 
I would never attempt to judge which brand of outboard is the best. They all seem very good these days but I have to say that we have traveled to some very remote places where the native tribespeople are far from repair service and the brand that we see predominently in these places is Yamaha. Don't know the reason. Better remote marketing or what, but where there are few outboards around, there are always Yamahas. Just an observation....not an endorsement of a brand.....even though I own a couple of them......but I have owned Hondas too and have no bias.

Cheers :beer
Tom
 
Don't know how easy they are to work on, but the Yamahas have a huge following in the Northern BC area due to their dealer network. See Grumpy's adventure in Powell River with his Hondas for comparison.

We rarely need dealer support here in WA but we dread the thought of having problems in the Broughtons due to lack of a dealer. All the modern 4 stroke outboards are just as complex as your new Lexus and need special tools to diagnose and repair.
 
Yamaha had a intensive campagne to sell outboards in 3rd world countries--and succeeded especially in Mexico, Central American and Caribbean. But many of these motors were the lower HP. Yamaha is a good engine. In the last 10 years I have owned: 4 Suzuki's, 3 Hondas, 1 merc (2 stroke dinghy motor and the easiest to work on), one Yahama and two OMC outboards. I would not say that for routine maintenance as above that any were much more difficult that the other.

On the other hand Fort Bragg is not the end of the earth--or even a remote village in Honduras. You should do fine with any of the outboards. Get the one which suits the boat the best. If you get a Tom Cat--then the Suzuki 150's. If a C Dory 25 then an E tec (probably not need service during the time you own the boat...)

Welcome aboard.
 
I am the proud, happy, nay, thrilled owner of 2 ea Honda outboard motors. One a 150 main and a 10 kicker. And I'll make a few comments.

First, no question, Honda motors are good. Work well, few problems, I can do the regular service. They are heavier than the rest which you begin to notice about the 5th time you hoist the kicker up onto the bracket, when launching. The 150 is a car engine set on end, so the maintenance is straight forward. The kicker is simple, so ditto.

Second, I don't have a very high opinion of several of the Honda dealers with which I've dealt. They don't seem to be too knowledgeable and are intent on doing things to the motor you don't want done. And charging for that service, whilst not worrying about the problem for which the motor is there. I do know of a good one 100 miles away in LA and I go there if I need any repair. Which brings up another point. If you're out in the boondocks, Honda dealers are hard to find. For example, Port Alberni, which isn't really the boondocks, has a Yamaha dealer, but they don't handle Honda anymore.

Third, as for parts, I wouldn't worry about the local dealer, but order them via the internet. I just got through paying $4 ea for the gearcase oil plug o-rings, and they're 95 cents at boats.net. Even paying shipping, you save about 1/2. There is a week lag, but if the dealer has to order them, there's a delay there, too..Spark plugs are the same as in the car, so you can get them for $6 via the internet, $15 at the dealer.

Finally, several of the big outboards have a standard data interface with the motor, but not Honda. That little specialized readout device costs a bundle from Honda. And if you want their digital dash display, it gets really expensive.

Great engine, but so are some of the others. My advice is: if there's a knowledgeable, cooperative dealer in Ft Bragg, buy what he sells. Otherwise, buy the engine for which you can get the best deal, do your own maintenance and get parts off the internet. And for the record, when we bought the boat, Honda financed it for us.

Boris
 
Yamaha seems to have almost anything you need available online. Yamaha's have pretty easy access to be able to display engine data to onboard electronics. They have a good reputation, good corrosion resistance and are usually faster and lighter than a Honda. But make no mistake about Honda they are terrific engines by anyones measure. I have Honda generators and a couple of their cars can't say anything bad about Honda's durability.
Can't speak for Suzuki, ETEC, or Mercury but I would think for resale in most areas Honda or Yamaha would have the widest acceptance.
D.D.
 
You can buy all the Suzi parts on line too from Browns Point Marine in NJ. Good parts diagrams and quick to ship. Been using them for awhile now.

Charlie
 
Captains Cat":3imnkbw8 said:
You can buy all the Suzi parts on line too from Browns Point Marine in NJ. Good parts diagrams and quick to ship. Been using them for awhile now.

Charlie
Click to expand...

I have no idea how hard it is to work on the other major brands. I own two Suzuki 150's for the block - largest 150 block on the market - the adage applies 'no replacement for displacement' and working on them for routine maintenance has not been difficult. Winterization, spring prep (including oil, filter, low pressure fuel filters, outdrive oil, prop removal, engine fog, greasing the moving parts, plugs, etc.), replacing impeller pumps, etc.

Good luck with your research.
 
The question is not best outboard for owner maintenance for me, it is the best owner for outboard maintenance - and I KNOW it is not ME! The first rule is do no harm! Thank heavens for Pete and crew at West Coast Marine in Bellingham!
 
I'm with Pat. I have a 2010 yamaha 90 efi and can identify perhaps 4 things under that cowl. I am no dummy but what is all that stuff? I take it in like my yamaha mechanic says and so far it makes noise and goes when I turn it on! I take my F150 to my Ford guy and they keep it nice it too has a bunch of "stuff" under the hood I enjoyed monkey wrenching as a broke kid but now as a "wealthy retired yachtsman with a c dory. .".....Money is no object!! These new motors are a wonder but other than oil and plugs etc if something really goes south not sure what you can do. I have had 2 yamaha and in BC that is the major brand. Honda has funny dealer support here. George
 
...and Bing Bing Bing the winner of this post is..........Yammie!

Bob- Yes I have seen Yamaha seems the motor of choice in Mexico and the Caribbean. And in terms of "remoteness", Fort Bragg has been "just right" for me for over 20 years now (I am one of many SF Bay Area transplants here).

Pat and George- I am with you on "do no harm", as I have done harm more than once in my amateur mechanic ventures. It's amazing how one little mistake can have huge consequences (especially with a stern drive)... Problem is, when I have had mechanics do work, they have "done harm" about as often as I have (e.g. neglecting to glue and clamp the u-joint shaft bellows to the gimbal housing). So for me, it's a crap shoot whether the work is done by me or someone else.

Thank you all for your responses. What a great resource!
 
I am lucky to have a really good Yamaha trained guy here. He has been a top local guy for 20 years and when you find a guy like that send him business and bring in your motor. I bet you would need to start off with a pre electronic everything engine to be able to do all your own maintenance. Like pre 1995? Miss out on some great new engines.
 
I'm with George AND Pat and Yamaha. My Yami mechanics do their thing and my Yami's do their thing, everytime I turn the keys -- (yup -- twins.) About all I do is put in the marine stabil, like they told me to. . . .. and do it every time, like they told me to and the Yami's do their thing. Good stuff :thup :thup

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
******

In our NC coastal area.........
most all of the commercial fishermen (crabbers) use.... Honda's
that's a very good indicator for me!!!!

One thing I noticed.........
the parts fit... is a very precision fit.......
...make sure you have extra O-Rings........
they are sure easy to cut.........
when replacing some of the parts (fuel filters)........

I never throw out an old O-Ring.....
and keep a couple of extra NEW O-Rings in stock.


It seems like everyone that walks the dock
always have a complement for the Honda's
sitting on the back of our TomCat.

******
 
Repeat after me:

It isn't about the brand, it isn't about the brand, it isn't about the brand.

You guys sound like a bunch of dudes sitting around the bar arguing over the best truck; that's (at least) a 60-year-old argument that's never going to end as long as there's more than one manufacturer. :lol:

There is no best. It's always a combination of personal preference, what's "hot" in the local market (usually fueled by a good dealership (or dealerships) in the area), and access to parts and service.

All new engines are complex and highly engineered and most (except kickers) are EFI with lots of sensors, a computer that runs the whole thing, and have a need to be diagnosed by a computer hooked up to it.

All of them can be easily connected to digital gauges or to NMEA 2000 for output to a navigation system.

All of them can be easily maintained and repaired by technicians with proper training and experience. None of them can be properly maintained or worked on by incompetent or inexperienced technicians. You can't do any more as a "home mechanic" to a modern outboard than you can to a new car. If you open the hood of your car and don't feel comfortable diving in it's not any easier on a new outboard (of any brand). Modern outboards are now built to automotive standards (at least the 4-strokes) and share more similarities to them than to outboards of days gone by.

There are far more similarities than differences between all the current engines on the market. The largest being between 2-stroke technology and 4-stroke technology but even at that they all have pistons, all have fuel systems, and all have electronic ignition and control systems.

In about 20 years when we've worn out our Yamaha, or Suzuki, or Honda, etc we can all sit around and argue which is the best engine. In the meantime any one of them will get you where you want to go with a minimal of fuss if it's properly maintained for the next 20 years or so (barring the engine that really does have a problem and that can happen in anything that has an engine...car, motorcycle, snowmobile, ATV, RV, ad infinitum).

I've heard horror stories about every brand on the market, none of them are immune. I can tell you with certainty that there will always be 3 groups for any product: 10% are those that love it and wouldn't have anything else, 10% are those that hate it and would never own it, and 80% are those that do just fine with whatever they have.


********************

By the way, Grumpy's issue was very simple...a dead ECU (the same thing that happens to cars when the Black Box (ECU) goes dead). Takes about 10 minutes for a non-mechanic to change. His "issue" was not having a mechanic that could diagnose the problem where he stopped. It wouldn't have made any difference what brand the engine had been if he had stopped at that same service place; the mechanic just didn't have the expertise to properly troubleshoot and diagnose a problem on a modern complex outboard (ALL outboards (other than kickers) are now run by an ECU)...at least not the ECU.

Since he has twins the simplest test was to swap the ECU's in the engines (about 15 minutes) and see if the problem followed the ECU. It did...done deal...get a new one (UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc go most places in the world)...install it (10 minutes)...and get back to cruising. This would have worked on any brand (though the level of ease of access to the ECU may be different on various brands/models).
 
My first question is always "Who's your local dealer?"

Because the "best" outboard in the world will be the "worst" if you don't have good local support.

We handle four lines of engines- and people ask me which is "best"- I always ask what horsepower, because each line has it's strength and weaknesses.

It is possible to get Yamaha's software and cable to hook your computer to the motor- but then what? Not many owners have the technical knowledge to know what they're looking at and determine what the correct course of action is.

And will that online parts site offer technical support? Sure their parts are cheap, but is there somebody there who is factory trained that can offer advice? Or who has actually worked on these engines and may know a trick or two?

Hands-on experience can be invaluable, as our techs see repeat issues and their cause. They may know from hand-on which parts is likely to cause an issue, and the best way to repair it.
 
Les Lampman":ojby4ul3 said:
All of them can be easily connected to digital gauges or to NMEA 2000 for output to a navigation system.
Click to expand...

I wish that were the case with Honda BF90s. I love my Hondas, but I wish they didn't exclude certain motors from having NMEA 2000 capability. I sure have a lot of slick looking dashboard gauges on my chartplotter that are unused.

But as usual, your overall point is well taken.
 
beermanPDX":3h79sbjd said:
Les Lampman":3h79sbjd said:
All of them can be easily connected to digital gauges or to NMEA 2000 for output to a navigation system.
Click to expand...

I wish that were the case with Honda BF90s. I love my Hondas, but I wish they didn't exclude certain motors from having NMEA 2000 capability. I sure have a lot of slick looking dashboard gauges on my chartplotter that are unused.

But as usual, your overall point is well taken.
Click to expand...

Ah...I should have included a qualifier rather than writing in generalities. My bad. :(

It's not so much and exclusion thing, rather it's been a rolling change so it's been added to models that have been changed more recently first and now they're working toward also including other models.

It took a lot longer than any of us wanted because many electronics manufactures didn't follow the NMEA 2000 standards and so what we didn't get was a standard. It's only now starting to sort itself out a bit (and many connectors still aren't standard). So some engine manufactures waited for the dust to settle and some just thumbed their nose at it and still don't output NMEA 2000 directly.

Les
 
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