Most reliable outboard?

[Bobby Headrick]

I have a 1998 Tracker by Merc, 90hp, it is a little cold collard, but like said above if you let it warm a little it never fails,it does flood easily, but that is my doing. Just keep em serviced and do not RWO all the time. Just show some love and they will love you back.

[stockcars6]

personally, i don't own a big motor, but i have talked to about twice as many people that have problems with mercs as opposed to yamaha. with that said, i do build some large race (car) motors, and just because you can run 8000 rpms, doesn't mean you need to, but you do need to keep it in it's power range, normally 10-12 % less rpm's than its capable of. i service my outboard every other month and have never blown one
150-200hp- i would go yamaha
5-90- i would go tohatsu

[billm_usa1]

My favorite is the Evirude Johnson v-4 from 1977 thru 1989.
It is a very simple motor easy to wrok on.
Readily avalable parts from the crank to gaskets and pistons and bearings.
Carburators, no computer, can get to all the spark plugs.
The 85 thru 140 use all the same basic parts (Crank rods and pistons block...)
This means the 85 & 115 motors are made with the 140hp components really stout.

[lured away]

personally, i don't own a big motor, but i have talked to about twice as many people that have problems with mercs as opposed to yamaha

Do you think this is because there are probably twice as many Mercs on the water as there are yamahas (or any one paricular brand for that matter)

[stockcars6]

that is very true!

[Gambler3.0]

I have a little over 400 hours on my 225HO Etech. Almost all of those hours have been at WOT. Never had the slightest issue with it. Hope I haven't jinxed myself now that spring is here.

[chadmack282]

the motor that is taken care of properly, preventative & regular maintenance(waterpump).
Fresh premium fuel always , a quality fuel additive (I personally like sea foam).
without these things & a couple other things depending on carbon or efi, 2 or 4 stroke no motor will be reliable.

[bigwormy]

I had a merc 150 for 10 years. And I've had a Johnson 175 for 6. I'm very lucky as I never ever service them, take any precautions, and basically just fish out of em. Not saying I shouldn't, but I don't. My dad never did/does and the habit wore off I guess. He never winterizes his boat and I've seen his cables in solid frozen ice many times. His boat always starts right up. In conclusion, I think if u got a good motor, u got a good motor regardless how much upkeep u do and if u got a crappy one, u just got a crappy one.

[Shellkat]

I have a 1976 85hp johnson that been on 3 boats,canada yearly,burnt a billon gallons of gas,in the river often,been beat banged and bounced off everything,only left me once over a dead battery. I put in dual batterys ,one for motor,one for other electrics and a switch where i can connect together for a jump start. Been through a dozen props.