Mercury outboard

[gino]

Hey everyone, I am trying to see some opinions about a 2014 Mercury 25 hp 4 stroke outboard motor...the owner says it has around 400 hours of operation.  But runs good...to me it sounds like high hours...what you guys think?

Thanks!

[DRIFTER_016]

400 hours is not high for 4 stokes.

We used 30 hp 4 stoke Mercs up at the lodge I worked at and they probably had 2000 hours or more when they were replaced.

I believe once you get over 1200 hours they are starting to get up there.

[porkpie]

I don’t consider that particularly high hours.

[OhioFisherman]

https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/446047-what-considered-lot-hours-outboards.html

A lot of variables, a 25hp motor may not have been on a boat with a bow or transom electric motor and was the only source of power?

[gino]

8 hours ago, DRIFTER_016 said:

400 hours is not high for 4 stokes.

We used 30 hp 4 stoke Mercs up at the lodge I worked at and they probably had 2000 hours or more when they were replaced.

I believe once you get over 1200 hours they are starting to get up there.

Thanks Dave, now the question is ...should I replaced my 2003 Yamaha 15 hp, 4 stroke with this 25 hp Merc? My boat is rated for 30 hp max. I might looking to get some more speed when loaded.  Yamaha is just perfect, can't complain...just looking for some more speed.

Thanks!

[gino]

7 hours ago, OhioFisherman said:

https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/446047-what-considered-lot-hours-outboards.html

A lot of variables, a 25hp motor may not have been on a boat with a bow or transom electric motor and was the only source of power?

Good read, thanks ?

[gino]

Another question would be...how much mph would I gain if I change from a 15 hp 4stroke to a 25 hp 4 stroke?? Is it worthy? I have a 14 ft aluminum boat. 

Thanks!

[Sinker]

3 hours ago, gino said:

Thanks Dave, now the question is ...should I replaced my 2003 Yamaha 15 hp, 4 stroke with this 25 hp Merc? My boat is rated for 30 hp max. I might looking to get some more speed when loaded.  Yamaha is just perfect, can't complain...just looking for some more speed.

Thanks!

That would be a major downgrade imo. 

 

Mercs don't hold a candle to yammies. 

 

S. 

[DRIFTER_016]

4 hours ago, gino said:

Thanks Dave, now the question is ...should I replaced my 2003 Yamaha 15 hp, 4 stroke with this 25 hp Merc? My boat is rated for 30 hp max. I might looking to get some more speed when loaded.  Yamaha is just perfect, can't complain...just looking for some more speed.

Thanks!

You should gain some top end as well as better performance when loaded.

As far as Sinkers claim of Yammies being that much better than Mercs I don't believe it. 

Sorry Sinker

We had Mercs and Yammies and they were equal in performance and reliability.

I would not recommend Honda's though as we tried a batch out at one of the lodges and the lower units were much less robust than the Yammies and Mercs. The lower units would blow apart itf you hit rocks while the others would hold up well under most impacts. 

 

[dave524]

1 hour ago, DRIFTER_016 said:

 

We had Mercs and Yammies and they were equal in performance and reliability.

 

Doesn't Tohatsu / Nissan make just about everything under 30 horse for everybody now ?

[Old Ironmaker]

I was told Yamaha make the bottom ends for Merc.

You will get noticeable performance with 10 extra HP Gino. A 25 HP is 64% more than the 15. Think of it that way. Check my arithmetic I just woke up. Put in a shift at the Niagara Casino last night. I should have stayed home. 

I'll look for a pic without my shades and hat on Gino pisano mio. 

Edited August 23, 2019 by Old Ironmaker

[John Bacon]

10 hours ago, dave524 said:

Doesn't Tohatsu / Nissan make just about everything under 30 horse for everybody now ?

Tohatsu makes/made small Evinrudes, Mercury, Nissan (I'm not sure they're still available), as well as their own brand.  I believe that Honda, Yamaha, & Suzuki make their own.

[Old Ironmaker]

Tohatsu is who again? 

 

[porkpie]

A Japanese company that is one of the largest manufacturers of outboard motors in the world.

Edited August 24, 2019 by porkpie

[grimsbylander]

Personally, if your boat is rated for 30hp, I’d hang on to your Yamaha until you decide to upgrade and then go to a 30hp. Wouldn’t be overly concerned or influenced by brand opinions. 

[Sinker]

On 8/23/2019 at 10:28 AM, DRIFTER_016 said:

You should gain some top end as well as better performance when loaded.

As far as Sinkers claim of Yammies being that much better than Mercs I don't believe it. 

Sorry Sinker

We had Mercs and Yammies and they were equal in performance and reliability.

I would not recommend Honda's though as we tried a batch out at one of the lodges and the lower units were much less robust than the Yammies and Mercs. The lower units would blow apart itf you hit rocks while the others would hold up well under most impacts. 

 

No need to apologize. I just haven't had good experiences with Mercs. All Brands are good, and they all have lemons. I had no trouble with my 1993 40hp yamaha built Mariner, and just repowered with a 2019 40hp Yamaha. The old one is still running like a top, and hanging in my garage. I just can't bring myself to sell it lol 

I really like the suzukis too. 

 

 

S. 

[OhioFisherman]

10+ addition in horsepower is a big increase in smaller motors, you would be 5hp from doubling your hp. Prices and resale value for what you have and want to get?  On a bigger motor I wouldn't go crazy spending for 10 more hp.

[gino]

Thanks for replies, guys. ?

[chris.brock]

It seems like it's shrouded in secrecy who tohatsu makes engines for, you can do all the googling you want and never figure it out, you've gotta have the engines side by side and pull the cowls off and take a look to figure it out

any brand can be great or be a lemon, but I've had good luck with Yamaha over the last 40 years, I just had a brand new merc cause us grief at a remote outpost last week, that seems pretty typical from what I've experienced with merc over the years

 

 

[ecmilley]

They all have there moments Ive seen more.problems in Merc mostly because there's more of them. Most issues I've had over years weren't manufacturing issues but rather operator has a screw loose 

[dave524]

On 8/24/2019 at 11:30 AM, OhioFisherman said:

10+ addition in horsepower is a big increase in smaller motors, you would be 5hp from doubling your hp. Prices and resale value for what you have and want to get?  On a bigger motor I wouldn't go crazy spending for 10 more hp.

I have found that sometimes an increase in HP when both engines are built on the same block is marginal in reality compared to the same increase if there is a corresponding increase in displacement.

[chris.brock]

16 hours ago, dave524 said:

I have found that sometimes an increase in HP when both engines are built on the same block is marginal in reality compared to the same increase if there is a corresponding increase in displacement.

that's interesting and makes sense

the same block could have a bigger pistons and bigger displacement

kinda interesting too, the new Suzukis the 9.9, 15 and 20 are all the same block, same bore and stroke, 327cc, and they all weigh the same 

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by chris.brock

[Old Ironmaker]

33 minutes ago, chris.brock said:

that's interesting and makes sense

the same block could have a bigger pistons and bigger displacement

kinda interesting too, the new Suzukis the 9.9, 15 and 20 are all the same block, same bore and stroke, 327cc, and they all weigh the same 

 

My 15 HP Mariner kicker weights the exact same as my buddies Merc 9.9 does, 100 lbs. Size matters but there are 500HP V 4's out there, or even higher. In cars, maybe boats too. 

400 hrs. for a Merc is just breaking in. If I was to upgrade HP I would go max for the boat. There will be a line up of boaters looking for your 15 HP Yammy. Sell it and get yourself a 30HP fill in the blank _______. 

Edited August 29, 2019 by Old Ironmaker

[dave524]

8 hours ago, chris.brock said:

that's interesting and makes sense

the same block could have a bigger pistons and bigger displacement

kinda interesting too, the new Suzukis the 9.9, 15 and 20 are all the same block, same bore and stroke, 327cc, and they all weigh the same 

 

Often if you look a little closer at the specs you will see the higher horsepower comes at a higher rpm when they are the same displacement, they tune them to run a bit faster for the increase in HP.  which does very little for acceleration and time to get up on plane.

[David Chong]

400 hours is nothing for a four stroke engine! I’m a big Yamaha guy and have run their big block 4 strokes for many years with no major problems at all!