Suzuki 150 hp outboard engine

[Vilinto 0]

Anyone can advice some options to choose good and live outboard engine for my boat. Location — USA. 
Like this one https://www.zeboats.com/used-boats/150-hp-suzuki-outboard-for-sale but too expensive. 

Thank you in advance.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I too was interested in Suzuki motors (and I'm a guide, full time...), the 90 horse version..   A good friend and customer of mine, also a guide, has had very bad warranty response from them very recently down here in south Florida... I won't be looking at any Suzuki because of it... When you're four or five weeks down the road with a disabled motor (will probably need a new power head...) and they can't even provide a go / no go response on a warranty repair... that's just not acceptable.  I've also heard that they treat their retail customers much better - but that's not me... My own dealer - a well respected outfit, when asked about them said, "They play games with their warranties".  At the time I discounted it since he's not a Suzuki dealer but as noted above - this is what I've learned to date....

 

In my case I"m a long time Johnson/Evinrude user (since 1974 if you can believe it...), now on my fourth Evinrude E-Tec 90 with nearly four years warranty remaining.  Last May BRP (the outfit that makes Evinrude...) quit making outboard motors entirely so sooner or later I will have to go with another manufacturer.   Can't say I'm looking forward to it since it will also mean all new wiring harness, new shift/throttle, as well as all new gauges - an extra $2000 on top of whatever outfit I go with... 

 

I've been a full time guide now since 1996 so I've had to learn more about boats and motors than I ever wanted to... Be careful what you wish for...

 

"Aren't boats fun?"

[cphubert 0]

The only large outboard I have had ownership experience with was a Yamaha 175. Bought new in a 20' Grady White package, it ran flawlessly from the day I bought it till the day I sold it, with factory recommended P/M . Unfortunately it had lower than average hours due to my work schedule (the reason for selling). While I miss that boat I will agree with that old saying about the happiest days of a boat owner life is the day you buy it and the day you sell it.

[mikechell 0]

I'm not affiliated with Honda Marine, but I do work with them through my company and the training we do for them.  I can, whole heartedly, recommend Honda Outboards.  If you're looking for reliability and fuel efficiency, they're hard to beat.

That said, modern 4 stroke engines are extraordinary compared to anything prior to 2000 and before.   Computer controlled machining and construction methods are creating engines that will outlive the vehicle they're mounted to.  BUT ... regularly scheduled maintenance, especially oil changes, are critical to the life of the engine.

If you're buying new, you really can't buy a "bad engine" as there are no "bad companies."  Even Mercury, which built throw away engines for most of their early years, makes 4 strokes that should give 2000 hours+ of trouble free operation, if the maintenances are kept up.

[Poopdeck 0]

I've been shopping for a replacement for my 91 Johnson 115/80 that runs like a top. It guzzles gas and oil like they are going out of business which is why I've been shopping motors. New motors, especially 4 strokes, scare me. I bought a 25 hp 4 stroke mercury in 2001. What a peice of poop. It was the biggest dog of an outboard I ever owned and I got rid of it. I vowed to never buy another 4 stroke but with evinrude going out of business I might have to. They are so big and heavy. I'm really conflicted on what to do. Dropping 13 to 16K on a motor is tough enough But having to buy a 4 stroke is close to a deal breaker  

[skeet3t 0]

Had a 1982 Mariner which was great on gas...at that time. Dealer said it was basically a Japanese Mercury. Good luck on making a choice.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

The good news for anyone re-powering from an old carbed two stroke is the much, much better fuel economy (and the added range that comes with that...). and the tremendously cleaner burning that all of the new four strokes  provide.  The downside is that all of them are heavier, more expensive to buy and they don’t accelerate as quickly as those old two strokes did...

Guess all of us will be learning all about them...

[Poopdeck 0]

Acceleration and 4 stroke should never be used in the same sentence without the word "joke" in there somewhere as well.  i need my boat to jump on plane instantly not eventually. If I go more HP to compensate for less torque than I have to deal with a freaking huge and heavier motor meaning I'll have to relocate my batteries to compensate for the increased weight. It never ends. Damn EPA. 

By the way did anybody actually click on the link in the OP. Looks like spam to me so I didn't. 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Before going the bigger, heavier route... consider running a four bladed prop for that jump up onto plane - might make all the difference.  Where I run there's lots of guys who really,  really need to jump up quickly (miles and miles of shallow waters to negotiate each day..) and the right four blade will get your best hole shot for you with whatever you're running.  Most of us are using trim tabs as well and with them you can do amazing things with almost any hull... 

[Poopdeck 0]

I swapped out my 3 bladed aluminum impeller for a 4 bladed stainless impeller (jet) for that very reason. The impeller alone is 6 to 7 hundred bucks. 

I have to research what other Motors my jet pump will run with. Perhaps I could save a bit if money by not having to buy another one of those. 

[mikechell 0]

You really need to get with the times, Poopdeck.  Modern day 4 stroke outboards are MUCH better than the earlier days of the industry.

If you read the reviews from people who actually run modern 4 stroke outboards, you'll see a lot of praise for the performance of current engines.  Add the fact of cutting your fuel usage to 1/3 or less what a 2 stroke uses, and it's easy to make the transition.

[Poopdeck 0]

10 hours ago, mikechell said:

You really need to get with the times, Poopdeck.  Modern day 4 stroke outboards are MUCH better than the earlier days of the industry.

If you read the reviews from people who actually run modern 4 stroke outboards, you'll see a lot of praise for the performance of current engines.  Add the fact of cutting your fuel usage to 1/3 or less what a 2 stroke uses, and it's easy to make the transition.

My experience with a four stroke 20 years ago was so bad I'm afraid I'm scarred for life. I would think they are a little better nowadays but they were so bad in 2001 that I just can't believe they could be improved to perform anywhere near like a 2 stroke in the torque department. An improved 4 stroke yes but a 4 stroke that shoots on plane like a 2 stroke?????  They all get to the top end but the low end is where the lack of performance shines in a 4 stroke. I was hoping somebody would show me some kind of factory power curve chart that shows a modern 4 stroke with more low end power then a 2. Of course the modern 2 stroke is a woolly mammoth now so any comparison would be suspect.

Cutting my fuel use would be huge and is the one and only justification for making the switch. Since I run my boat pretty much wide open all the time I go through 10 to 15 gallons of gas in a 4 to 5 hour fishing trip. I have a 40 gallon tank but only go out with 20 gallons to save weight. I suppose with a more fuel efficient motor I could just go out with 10 gallons to save another 80 lbs to offset the giant heavy big honking hunk of crap hanging off the back of the boat. 

Ive been looking for a new motor for years now. I got to get off the pot soon but I'm hoping they will find the technology to make them smaller and lighter soon.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Didn't realize you were running a jet... Almost all of what I said doesn't apply to jet drives.  They're not very common down here since their impellers don't like soft sand/mud bottoms.

As far as four strokes go - one thing they've done is to simply change the gear ratio to give them more go from a standing start... Jet drives work well in clear shallow rivers with rock bottoms - is that your situation?

[Poopdeck 0]

Rock bottoms, middles and tops.