Too many hours?

[Tucker]

Gents,
Looking at 2-boats both have '98 Yami 200HP SWS two strokes, carbed. One has 900 hrs the other has 700hrs. Assuming compression testing is good; just how much life do these engines have left? Anybody got these with over 1000 hrs.?

 

[BobP]

Hours don't matter, measure compression, perhaps look are gearcase fluid. Should not look like milk need I say! Ask for records of service, when water pumps / T stats / plugs were replaced, etc.
If dealer brokered boat, expect dealer to produce last 3 yrs min service written history.

If you buy, clean entire oil system and resupply with new oil, don't use cheap oil.

Use Ringfree shock treatment then always 1 oz per10 gals of fuel standard dosage.
Shock it once a year with gals as recommended.

If you are concerned with spending 15K or more on new motor, after you get boat, take your time and look for working used replacement Yamaha 200, 1500 bucks will do it, then you have all the spart parts you need, or entire spare motor if head or gearbox or midsection blows.

Otherwise powerhead alone will cost $4 - 5K or so, at the worst time, mid season !


Good luck.

 

[Tucker]

Thanks Bob,
Did you have a good season with the 2-micron fuel filters? I didn't have a single problem.

 

[eppem]

I have a boat with a 98 sws 2 stroke, just shy of 900 hours. We are the only owner, and have maintained the engine, pumps, fluids. Aside from some problems with E10 years ago, no issues. This engine is a tank!

 

[seasick]

If well maintained and not abused, those motors have lots of life left. On the other hand, a motor can be ruined in the first 20 to 40 hours of use. It helps if you know the previous owner or can get a feeling about their maintenance habits. Maintenance logs are OK but can be fudged. Look, if the boat looks like crap and was not well kept, there is a good chance the motors weren't either.

 

[ahill]

My son is 2nd owner of a 1986 +- 175 Yam 2 stroke. Came with a boat he bought to restore and repower (old guide boat). Spent a few hundred $ on redoing carbs & some other mainteneance issues. Boat sat for 3 years prior to his use and the motor is absolutely bulletproof. No telling prior hrs. but probably a lot.

 

[Tashmoo]

I had a 1995 Yamaha 200 SWS with 1500 hours on it and it was fine. I checked the compression every year and it held always above factory spec. I was religious about fresh water flushing after every use, using ring free, fogging in the winter and following the maintenance schedule. You should look carefully at all of the gaskets in the engine that you can see as they are a weak link in the engine. If failing you will see salt deposits (assuming the boat is in salt water) around the joined surfaces. I had to replace my head gaskets at 1,000 hours, heavy evidence of salt deposits were visible. You should also expect to replace the fuel pumps if they have not been done. Find out if the t-stats have been replaced on a regular basis if not the engine was not maintained properly. If I were buying an engine of this age and hours I would have a technician pull the t-stats and inspect the water flow passages, this is a more stagnant area that flushing does not do the best job on. If the engines have not been fresh water flushed after each use the cooling passages will become clogged with salt over time. Pulling the t-stats and inspecting will give you a feel for what the rest of the engine cooling passages look like.

Spend the money and time to find a good Yamaha trained tech and have the engine checked out.