Question for the boat guys. What is considered high hours on an engine. For example I’m looking at a boat now with a Yamaha 115, 4 stroke (not the Vmax). The guy said he didn’t know exactly the hours but would guess between 200-240. Is that considered high for a 2012 model? Thanks

No. That’s low hours especially for an engine 13 years old

Very low. I’ll put that many hours on an outboard in the fall is the shrimping is good.

Yamaha mechanic should be able to pull the hours from the ECU so you're not taking the seller's word for it. Will also give you history of alarms, hours at various RPM ranges, etc.

That's generally a good motor with a long life, but with any 13 year old boat motor, you'd be well-served by having a checked out by a qualified mechanic.

Thanks guys. Yeah if I meet up with him I’m going to ask ahead of time if I can take it to somebody that can pull the info from it.

That's low hours IMO. But like Wahoo said, it's still worth the couple hundred bucks to have a mechanic check it out.

Those motors barely need touched until they get around 1500 hours on them, Unless they never changed the oil.

This!! I’d definitely change all fluids. Engine and lower unit. Drop lower unit and check all seals and change impeller on water pump. Especially if it’s been sitting for a long period of time.

My Mercury 3 years old has 50hrs maybe. Trolling motor probably has over a 1000 hrs

That's about a fisherman that knows where he's going and where the fish are.

Think of 3/4 hours playing 240/4 = 60 days of being on the water / 12 years = 5 days a year Now, if he's like Bronco 74, well all bets are off. How does the inside of the engine look, open it up. Look at the plugs, if he'll let you, etc. Look at the condition of his boat and truck and area around his house, may give you an idea of how he treated his engine. Can you take it out for a bit and listen to it?

I thought newer motor had electronics that allowed the dealer to read hours.

They do. You have to have a computer to read it. Yamaha program is expensive $$$. Most any dealer or mechanic shop can do it.

This is why I had Hevi install an hour meter on my boat. So I can accurately track when the 100 hour maintenance is to be performed.

Now do I change the oil once a year. No. Lower unit I check every 6 months. I’m always bumping something on the TN river. Impeller? If it’s pissing water and I have good water pressure on the gauge letter her rip.

Some Yamaha instrument clusters are able to show engine hours. Not sure about that year

If you were closer I could run diagnostic most likely . I bought it off eBay when I got my Yamahas 7 years ago and it hooks up to the computer. Or some wire. Tells you all kinds of stuff. I bought some engines for cheap and wanted to be able to run them myself.

But I’m getting some zukes tomorrow.

2016 will. So I’d imagine anything newer would. Probably older too. Gotta have that cluster though.

Mine were 2004

My 2006 Yamaha 115 has about 2000 hours on it. Runs like champ.
My mechanic says 5000 hours is not unheard of for them.
I’d be more concerned of the low hours on that old of a motor.

I’ve thought about the same thing on some of them having not been used enough. I’ve been offered a really good deal on a boat with a Yamaha 90 4 stroke. It’s a 2010 model, but only has 21hrs on it. Yes 21hrs. Some old man bought it new and hardly even got the boat wet. Has it on consignment at a marina. The deal is great, but I’m a little skiddish of that few of hours on a 15 yr old motor. I’m all ears on opinions of that too.