Re: MY FIRST!!!!
 

You can get a used 4 stroke or Etec fairly reasonably priced.

Here's an '03 Etec 250 for $6500

Here's an '01 Optimax 250 for $5950

Here's an '02 Yamaha 2-stroke 250 EFI Saltwater series for $6500

Here's an '02 Yamaha 4-stroke 225hp for $8K

Re: MY FIRST!!!!
 

Frank,

Any concern about buying an older 4 stroke/etech/opti considering the ethanol issue? What I mean is I think the new tohatsus are rated for 15% ethanol and I believe most of the other manufacturers are increasing their ethanol percentages too, especially on the newer engine blocks... (i.e. new yammi v6, new honda 250).

Even if the new engines don't have anything technically different, your story about getting $3K worth of work done under warranty seems like a good reason to avoid the cheaper used engines. I can clean carbs but I don't know if I can do whatever it was that your motor needed done, in my shed.

What spooked me most about your story was that you were dead in the water, with little warning. I would have expected some deterioration in performance, enough for you to notice, before catastrophic failure... the dirty carbs on my old OMC looper resulted in me not being able to get on plane one trip sort of without warning, but at least I was able to limp home.

Re: MY FIRST!!!!
 

The boat is an 81. did some more sanding tonight and its looking good so far. hopefully buff it out this weekend

Re: MY FIRST!!!!
 

A fellow engineer I used to work with at Pratt & Whitney became the Chief Engineer at the OMC Test Center in Stuart after Pratt moved all the fighter engine work to Ct. in 2000. I don't remember exactly when BRP took over, but he said OMC was buying off a LOT of deviated parts from suppliers in the late 90's before they went bankrupt. He said BRP was a 1st class outfit and they really "cleaned house" and scrapped any parts that were not perfect. He said any motors made by BRP were mechanically perfect. I think some of the early Ficht's had problems with the EMM's (computer) overheating, so I'd stay away from them. Don't know if any Ficht's had it, but ALL the E-TEC's have water cooled EMMs and seem to be bullet proof. The EMM on all E-TEC's keeps a permanent record of maximum EMM temperature, the maximum temperature seen by each cylinder head, maximum rpm, and total time at rpm in 500 rpm increments. This info can be downloaded into a laptop by any dealer (or yourself if you have the diagnostic cable and the free software that you can download yourself from E-TEC Owners Forum) The log also includes any faults that the EMM has ever detected, such as overtemp or no oil pressure, and when they occurred! Good thing to know if anyone is looking at a used E-TEC!

Re: MY FIRST!!!!
 

I'm a long way from knowing anything about the ficht motors except that I know 4 people that bought them new and all four either quit running or ran like crap 90 percent of the time. All four were sold or traded within a year of purchase. :eek:

Re: MY FIRST!!!!
 

Caught me offguard there with the 2003 etec. 2005 was the first year they made the etec.

Re: MY FIRST!!!!
 

Did some more sanding and buffed out a small area just to check it out. its nice!! [image]http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/...10330-1900.jpg[/image]

Re: MY FIRST!!!!
 

very nice! What did you use?

Re: MY FIRST!!!!
 

That was just a quicky. I used 120 to get the blue and the primer off then 320 then put on some die and then 600 and buff with 3M imperial compound once. I would normally skip 320 and go right to 400, 600, 800, puff twice with the imperial then fleetwax. Gel coat is a lot of work but it is the best in my opinion. Can't see why anybody would use any thing els!

Re: MY FIRST!!!!
 

Hey Jockoe,
Congrats on the acquisition, and welcome to the site. The best thing I've ever seen for gelcoat restoration is a product called Poly Glo. Search this site for the past three years and you can read all about it. It takes less elbow grease than buffing and wax, and requires much less maintenance. Did mine two years ago and it still shines.

Dave