Repower?

Brought my 70 hp Yamaha 2-stroke motor into Kettle Marine in Feb. because the motor was running rough and cut out a couple times. Last outing of the fall it ran really rough, and overheat alarm went off, and seemed to have white smoke (tough to tell, as that was Dec. 10th and air temp was 25).

1st visit they went through the motor found a broken fin on the impeller, and a couple of small items. They replaced the impeller. They ran it and alarm did not go off. 

I took it out, overheat alarm went off after 10 minutes.

2nd visit they went in deeper and found the broken fin in the water line, and found missing O-rings on the line attachments for the water line, and found low water pressure. They made the fixes, did a compression test (110 on all cylinders), and ran it for 30 minutes on idle and did a temp check on the motor (130F) after 30 min. Replaced the water pump, replaced the O-rings.

I took it out, no issues with idle, but after 3-5 minutes on plane overheat went off and it shut down. Started back up, ok on idle, shut down on plane again. Actually ran smooth until shut down.

3rd time in for service - So, it looks like a blew out at least 1 piston ring. Compression test was 110 4 weeks ago, 100 a week ago. Tests showed a 40% leak. 

I was quoted a rebuild of up to $4500. 

Motor is likely somewhere over 1000 hrs. 

If the rebuild was under $2000, I would go that route, but for some reason the 70 Yamaha is tough to rebuild. I checked online and found the shops I could ship it to only do 90hp Yamaha and up.

I am deciding whether to fix or repower. Kettle Marine quoted a price of $7300 for a 2021 Merc 75 hp. That may be the only 75/90 motor left in Wisconsin. No one else had one in stock. They dropped the cost of the earlier visits off the price of the 2021.

After I added throttle controls, Itroll/with Hunt mode, and a Bluetooth connection module (I can get all the readouts on my phone instead of getting smart gauges), with installation, cost is $9300.

I was hoping to repower with a 90, but I will have to sit out the summer, no Mercs are available until Sept or later, no Yamaha until 2022.

Any opinions?

I wouldn't say you really broke that rule, as those boats/motors are in the same 'era'...like you said - they were the same exact boat 5 years later, and without looking at the serial number on that ETec, one would never know it wasn't the same year as the boat. I was referring to someone sticking a brand new 4 stroke on a 25-30 year old boat. Obviously 4 strokes weren't really a thing in 1990, save for a 9.9 Honda or similar, and would be very obvious. I see it all the time...someone sticks a new outboard on a 30 year old boat and then thinks it is worth $12,000. It simply doesn't work like that...

I agree with that MP, it is usually not the wisest thing to put a new motor on an old boat, or an old motor on a new boat, as it definitely impacts the overall value. 

I will say I broke that rule lol.

I have a 2005, 19 foot Glastron fish and ski. In 2010 I decided to re-power with a 150 Etec.  I thought about buying a new Glastron Fish and Ski, but when I looked at the 2010 model as compared to the 2005, nothing had changed, same seats, same instruments, same everything, the boat looked identical with the exception of the model year.

So in the end, I decided to put a new motor on a five-year-old boat. 

It ended up working well for me, as I knew I planned on owning the boat for a long time, so I decided to do the most economical thing I could do to get the performance I wanted.  

I agree it’s not usually the wisest thing to do, but it worked out for me...

I blew a cylinder on my 1989 70hp Evinrude (almost identical to the 70hp Yamaha you have) last summer and was in your same boat. I didn't want to go new and between COVID, blowing the powerhead in early June and having a fishing trip in 2 weeks, I ended up buying a used boat powered by a 2003 90hp Johnson and taking it to the marina. They rigged the new motor on my boat and in return I gave them my 70hp for a parts motor. I sold the boat with no motor and in the end, upgrading 20hp and 14 model years cost me about $1800. Sometimes you have to be creative in times like these...my boat is now maxed for horsepower and the 'new' motor runs like a dream! 

Also, depending on the age of your boat, it may not be worth rigging a new motor on it. I'd be sure the transom was solid and good to go before you go from a nice, light 70hp 2 stroke to a considerably heavier, newer, higher horsepower 4 stroke. I'd guess you'll be hanging close to 100 pounds more on there making that jump...bigger powerhead, more parts, etc. If it were me and the boat is more than 10 years old, I'd look for a used motor. You'd save money and you will never get the money back out of putting a new outboard on an old boat. My boat is a 1993 and the 90hp I put on it is a 2003. In my opinion, it would have been foolish for me to hang a 2020 90hp on my boat because at the end of the day, the boat is still a 1993...

There are motors available now, just might not be at the shop next door. Like I said, check the internet, you can usually purchase and they will ship for a few hundred new in the crate.

Dealers usually call their supplier, and they check with their supplier, doesn't mean nobody has them in stock. Had it happen last year on a part. Dealer said "Isn't a full trim/tilt unit for an F225 available in the US, we've checked everywhere, it will be 4-7 weeks." I had already done my research and asked them how many they wanted by Thursday? They said "Get it here by Thursday and we'll have it done by the weekend." I used the boat that weekend!

It was an insurance claim or I would have just done it myself to begin with.

I had a 90 hr Merc 2 stroke. Nothing but a pain! Upgraded to a 4 stroke and have been very happy with it. You fish to relax. Re power and move on

I dont know if it is a scam but this motor is on Craigs list..  Chicago boat parts.

Yamaha 90 2016 F90LA - boat parts - by owner - marine sale (craigslist.org)

Go new if you can swing the $$$.  I had a 2003 Merc 60 hp 2 stroke that at the end was a complete pain in the ass back in 2016.  Rebuild this, rebuild that, replace this, replace that.  a money pit black hole.  Put a new 90 hp 4 stroke (boat is rated to a 115, it was always a little underpowered), 5 years so far of zero issue 4 stroke power and ease of operation.  The bummer for you is having to switch the controls.  

Before going 90 , what's your boat rated for max HP ? And yeah the whole Covid thing is made a mess of everything , just ordered a cap for my truck, dealer said 5 to 8 weeks , so how it came in 2 weeks , now a cap is not an outboard but , there is still a chance , plus starting to see a few evinrudes for sale in crates , now I know they are not made anymore , but a new outboard in a crate might be worth the chance , if the price is right lol 

If you really want one I would order and have it shipped in, usually one a few hundred bucks to do so.

Its tough now for sure.  I ordered a new pro kicker in Feb and was told it would come in July.  Now am being told maybe September....  So I definitely believe you are not finding much on the market now.

What size boat?  I know I had a 70 on a 16' boat and it was fine with 2 people in it.  More than that and it started to plow water for a bit until it got on plane.  I wouldn't want a 75 on a boat bigger than 16' though.

If you don't think you can get anything else this year, you could get the 75 and go fishing.  Then sell it or trade in to get a 90 once they are available.  Going to lose some money, but could look at the difference as being what it cost to fish this summer.

I feel your pain, and know your problems....I repowered in the fall of  19 before all these's shortages and the pendemic  hit. Swapped out my 2003, 60 hp Merc for new 2019, controls and everything matched up, so got away pretty lucky. Things are just nuts right now, spent 2 months this spring trying to replace boat trailer. Like motors there's none to be had anyplace in the state. Most dealers told me, they could order me one but wouldn't give me a set price or delivery time. Got lucky found a used one in Fond Du Lac, 200 mile drive. So I think you got way pretty good considering the state of things.

That is quite the dilemma! 

First thing to ask yourself is what is your lost time on the water worth?

I’d take take the 75 HP that is in stock and run with it - you get a new motor, don’t lose any time on the water, and don’t have to deal with the headaches your current motor is giving you!

Also, the 75 HP may be a detuned 90 HP - you may be able to do a few things to boost the HP of the 75.