Bought the 258, which engines for upgrade?

C

c1steve

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2024
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I just bought a 258, the 2004 Yamaha F250 runs well but needs the exhaust system upgrade. The original engine has 500 hours on it, summer time use only.

I may upgrade to either twin Suzuki 150s (5.8L total), single Suzuki 300B (4.4L, dual prop), or a single Honda BF350.
The Honda is a 5.0L engine, and probably burns less fuel than the other options. I can buy two 150s for about the same price as a 300B. If I used a 300B, I would most likely install a kicker motor.

A BF350 with kicker would be about 900 lbs.
300B with 9.9 kicker weighs 850 lbs.
Twin 150s are 1060 lbs. total. That is an extra 200 lbs. hanging on the stern. When tuna fishing we bring a lot of ice, so saving weight is important.

Any suggestions?
 
I would definitely take a look at Merc - they've been doing some really nice things. And the dealer network and parts availability is way above Honda.

Don't focus on displacement only - that old adage of "there's no replacement for displacement" doesn't hold up as well as it used to. It was true when all engines were basically the same using dinosaur technology... but engines have evolved

Personally I wouldn't worry about a couple hundred extra pounds - if you're going offshore I think twins are the way to go. Other benefits than just safety, too. Maintenance cost increase per year is minimal.
 
I have been reading about Mercs, and mechanically they are the best. Efficient, powerful, etc. However they have had many electrical issues in the recent past. I will check to see if those problems have resolved..

I looked at the Merc 150s, and they are extremely well designed. However the 150 are not digital, so for Mercs I would probably go for a single, for simplicity.
 
Last edited:
When you say "needs the exhaust system upgrade" I'm assuming you mean that the motor has the dry exhaust corrosion issue? If so, why not just repair what you've got, especially if the parts are available to do so? I believe the kit itself is around $600 and then labor I've heard can be anywhere from $1k-$1,500 or so, putting you at roughing $2k total. To me, that beats spending $20k-$30k+ for new outboards. If wanting to go brand new, I'd also consider the Suzuki DF250AP... comes with a 5 year warranty, they have the digital throttle controls, they can be found brand new for less than $20k and I've heard nothing but great things about them. You mentioned that the current outboard runs well, what makes you say the exhaust needs to be upgraded? Has the lower unit been dropped and scoped? Is the boat fast enough as is? As mentioned, if so then you could always stick with a 250, which would save some weight as well as money on having to buy twin outboards. You could then, as you mentioned, always buy a kicker motor for the boat as well, if you did decide to keep it with a single outboard. The dry weight for your current outboard shows as around 600 lbs per Google, if that's indeed accurate. The Suzuki DF250AP is 640 lbs, so roughly only 40 lbs more, and then a Suzuki DF9.9/DF15 are around 108 lbs, putting you at around 750 lbs total. The Suzuki DF300B shows as weighing in at 727 lbs and then a Suzuki DF9.9/DF15 are around 108 lbs, so if you went with the 250, you'd save around 100 lbs in doing so. If going for an outboard kicker motor, I'd go with Suzuki as even their 9.9 has EFI compared to others like Yamaha and Honda being carbureted. A second Suzuki option would be twin Suzuki DF140B's, which weigh 420 lbs a piece, or 840 lbs total. Which will save you 200 lbs as opposed to going with the Suzuki DF150's, and only lose 20 hp.
 
Last edited:
From an efficiency angle, both fuel and maintenance, go with the single 300 with dual prop. I think a 25' can be managed with a single.
You save weight on motor vs twins but also can possibly carry less fuel weight.

I run twin 200 zukes on my 265. 1000 hours in 5 seasons. 100 to 200mile roundtrips for tuna. fantastic.
My hull would not do well with a single. If I moved down a 25', I would go with the single.

IDK about the need for a kicker. I know its common in PNW for salmon. These fuel injected 4 strokes are not a problem trolling at idle speed like old two strokes.
Some people worry about hours on the motor. Why? you saving it for the next guy?

Some worry about only having one motor. You either believe or you don't. I know all the commercial boats here only have one motor.

Get digital controls. don't be that guy....
 
Merc's are solid - whatever electrical issues you're finding on the net are likely old/outdated and... keep in mind that because Merc sells a crapload of these that skews online reviews. People don't generally write good reviews - they typically only complain. If every manufacturer has, say, 10% issues being complained about... but a certain manufacturer sells twice as many items, then the math equals twice as many bad reviews - but it's still the same percentage.

Honda, while good, probably sells the least amount of engines so the math would then equal a whole lot less "reviews"... which would wrongly lead one to believe they're better.

......... I'm not sure if any of that made sense once I put it into actual words.......
 
c1steve
I already answered your question regarding the BF350 in THT.
it would be the most silent and fuel efficient engine for your boat, it just a amazing outboard.
My option if installation would not had been possible where either twin DF350 what are considerable cheaper.
You may opt for DF300B (the DF300 with dual prop) or the DF350 with dual prop, but the DF350 is also considerable higher and heavier.
Your boat should run very well with a single 300, a bit better if the dual prop model and much better with the BF350.
Chris
 
Thanks for all the replies. As to my current 3.3L engine, it does not have much mid range torque, which would be very helpful to me. Where I am there is always a swell running, and our cruising speed is 17 knots to 22 knots 90% of the time. Average wind speed north of San Francisco to the Oregon border, from April to December, is 20 knots so the seas are rough. Even at 25 knots you are flying off the top of a wave most of the time.

At the Bodega Bay area, the wind and seas are significant, and the shore is rocky. On average 1 person a year dies. Some years none, other years several. Last year 3 boat sank at the beginning of recreational crab season, and 7 died. so reliability is super important in this area, as well as common sense which some fishermen definitely do not have.

When albacore come into range, it is not uncommon to catch 50-80 of these if you have storage capacity. It is best to start with at least 300 lbs. of ice, mostly for the ice slush bath. So returning to port you really need 1,000 lb. or more of carrying capacity.

If I bought a new motor, I would probably leave the kicker at home. The Suzuki 300B is high on the list, and the Honda BF350/300 is at the top if it will fit. I think it will but I might glass on a 1" spacer to the transom for a little more clearance.

Dennis, good point about the Mercs. They sell a huge number of them, and the number of electrical issue complaints appear to have dropped way off. That V8 300 is a great motor.
 
Last edited:
I looked at a 258 the other day ... it's a pretty nice boat ... Let me go back in time to my 204c and to my 240 offshore ... the offshore was ordered with the transom package to accept twins.. (twin Evinrude 150 two strokes... The transom scuppers were always under water.. It was a wet boat at the stern when two guys fishing at the stern ... But that was an open transom and not like the Euro transom found on the 258. Back to present time . I took a look at a 258 (just to look ) Sitting at the dock (I don't know how much fuel) I saw the the deck drain scuppers were half way below the water line.... This boat had twin F150s. ... Grady's are generally well designed and well built boats, but they have some areas where they could have done better.. Like WHY do engine brackets have to sit in the water ??? Actually, a question for any builder ??!!! ( increase the transom height and install a longer shaft motor ?? what am i missing here ?? How about designing a self bailing cockpit where the scuppers are above the water line??!! ( in the real world with fuel and people ) So getting back on topic, I think I would go with a single 300 ... Weight does matter .. I think the 258 is a very nice all around boat ... I had good luck and was generally satisfied with all those Gradys that I have owned from the 204c to two Marlin 300's .. (love the Marlin) .. Just my 2 cents.. Good luck .. PS save a lot of money and fix the 250 that you have !!! Outboard prices are insane !! How can an outboard motor cost more than a car !!! Or maybe it's the boaters who buy them, (myself included) are insane !!! LOL
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Halfhitch
I'd price them all including Yamaha. I'd lean toward twins if you can swing it.
 
The Zuke 300B, 22.5k plus tax, best price. 4.4L engine.
Honda BF350, probably about $25k. Nearly a 5L engine!
Merc 300 V8, about 27k I believe. 4.6L.

The Zuke does have dual props which is an advantage.
The Honda would last the longest and have the best reliability. If it fits on the transom reasonably well, this is most likely what I will buy.
 
Last edited:
I regularly fish on a 2006 journey 258 with twin yamaha 150's and it is fantastic. It will still get on step with one engine with some gentle coaxing. I can not imagine not having twins on that model.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Halfhitch and c1steve
How far is the cockpit floor above the waterline? What about when crew are aft fighting fish, and the built in cooler is partially filled?
 
I just checked, and $25k is a possibility. This is the super discount price. Add sales tax and rigging for about $5k more.
I would self install, and have the dealer hang the motor and sea trial.
 
For 25K in US i would not even think about and put down a deposit immediately,
I paid 28K including VAT as a super discounted price from my friend + 2500 for removal of old and installation of the new ones.
I was parti of the time in the shipyard when they installed the two BF350 and it's not that easy and you need the diagnostic system to set up the motor. If your dealer accept that you do some parts of the install then it should be ok

The BF350 is as most other outboards picky with battery power and will first throw low bat errors and if too low not start. Not sure about your battery setup but you need a dedicated engine battery and a system what charges it first and only after full the house battery and a parallel switch to be able to put batteries in parallel in case of engine batterie problems.
I run a 100Ah AGM battery for each motor and have a 140Ah LiFePo battery for house use and a Victron Orion XS DCDC charger connected to stbd engine battery and switch on only if engine is running and disconnect if engine is off.
For the high load and all the things you have aboard i suggest to get the 350 as weight is the same and he has more as anough mid range grunt. I lowered my rpms from 4200 to 3500 and still go 25 knots with a 18.5 gph fuel flow for both engines what is about 9 gph less than the 2011 F300 at 4300 rpm for 25 knots installed before.

Chris
 
You must log in or register to reply here.