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What engine is best

E

easterner

New member
I am replacing my Honda outboard and I am also looking at the Yamaha, but I am torn because I did have issues with the motor that I presently have but I know Yamaha is a reliably motor but I never owned one. I would appreciate all opinions and experiences that people may have had with these motors.
 
My vote is with a johnson/suzuki, I'm sure there will be more replies to come from the others, just hold your" horses"LOL
 
Based on this forum and several others, the Honda 150 seems to have an excellent reputation and few problems. Mike (Hondadude) knows a lot about these engines and could let you know if there are any significant design issues, recalls, or important service bulletins. However, I have not seen any mention on this forum.

As in all marine engines, especially the four-stroke ones, regular maintenance is the key to longevity and minimum problems - regular oil and lower unit changes, regular fuel filter changes, and basic checks and adjustments is all it normally takes. The other key to outboard reliability is regular use. The worse thing you can do to any outboard is let it sit unused for long periods of time.
 
Just my personal opinion - the 130 seems to have been a real problem for Honda. I think they were only in production for about 5 years before being replaced with the 135 - which is basically a non-VTEC 150. There were several design flaws and the engine probably had the worst service record of all of the Honda outboards. So, I suspect that your need for a replacement may have colored your opinion of the Honda outboard engines. The 135 and 150 seem to be much better engines.
 
Chawkman is correct....the 130 has had some issues. The 150, that he mentioned, is lighter and of course has more power....if your boat is rated for it.

The 150 is a real workhorse and has had no major issues even close to the 130. The key to longevity is regular servicing. I have only seen one 150 failure since they came out. That motor had about 1000 hours on it on a workboat. The motor was not serviced the way it should have been and it built up too much heat and broke a valve, which then caused a catastrophic failure. It was one of two engines on the boat. We installed a new power head and both engines have been working perfectly since then....due to the more than regular servicing.

One advantage of staying with Honda, is your existing rigging iif in good shape) can be reused. If you only have two warning lights now, I would be sure to ask for a second two light panel for the "check engine" light and the battery (charge light).

With all of that being said.....if you are looking at Yamaha or Suzuki...both are good motors too. Keep in mind, changing to them, you will have to change key switch, shifter, trim gauge, wiring harness, etc. The throttle shift cables could be reused, but if you are changing everything else, I would recommend changing those also. Depending on length, they are less than $100.

Mercury would be a much cheaper motor of all of them....but you get what you pay for. The Mercury's that size are no where as smooth running as the above three brands.

Lastly....an important consideration, is the dealer support available to you, in case of an issue. Are they close? And most important, have they handled the brand for a while and are they well trained?

Just some thoughts.

Mike
 
It is funny you should mention about dealer support because it is a vary large problem where I live, I have had more than one bad experience with the Honda dealer closes to me. This is the main reason why I have been struggling with buying another Honda and I wanted to get other peoples comments on outboards like Yamaha so thanks for all the peoples comments greatly appreciate.

Norm
 
Hondadude/chawk_man,

Other than the head issues, what were the other significant design issues on the Honda 130? What should I be watching out for on my late model ('03 I believe) 130 with approximately 400 hrs?

Thanks
 
Other than the cracks in the head, your vintage of 130 should only have potential main relay failure. It should have the updated fuel system and an updated block.

Of course, other things may failure, but most of the major issues have been addressed.



Mike
 
You may want to consider parts and service into your formula as well. It's all well and great to go purchase a Yami, Zuki or Rude and base it on reliabilty, but what happens when something goes wrong and you can't repair it? Whose the closest and most reputable in your area and what about getting parts? If the closest service option is 300 miles away, it is worth one motor over another?
 
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