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  1. #1
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    Question Odd motor (johnson Fitch 150) knock

    I've begin to get an usual knock coming from the engine when on plane. Not continuesly, not all time, only notice when on plane. Doesn't seem to have lost any power/performance. Checked lower unit drain plug (magnetic end) and had only fine shavings. Not gear pieces. When I pull in and out on the prop, I do seem to have a very small in/out movement. (1/16 inch or maybe a pencil lead thickness)? But, the knock created when pulling in / out does sound very much like what I hear when running. However, the knocks seem to have 2-3 second time interval between them? That seems odd if related go a prop spinning at 3,000 RPM or more.
    The motor is a 98 Johnson Fitch 150. Probably has less tha 300 hrs on it. Came with a Ranger 461 VS. Thanks in advance for any ideas/prior experiences with this.

  2. Banned
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    #2
    I really don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but the 1998 Johnson Ficht 150 was one of the biggest mistakes ever made. I owned one myself. Developed a knock, and lost a couple cylinders right after. They ran too lean, and self destructed. Many many many horror stories out there. I hope I'm wrong about yours.
    Last edited by PolarKraft195; 07-30-2021 at 01:24 PM.

  3. Member
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    #3
    run it until it dies then repower the boat with a good used or new motor
    2022 z519 cup 225 merc 4s ser # 3B210484. 2--hds12 live units. 2 poles, atlas plate, ghost, hamby's, active target, merc digital gauges
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    2000 stratos 20 ss (bought new) 200 hp Rude ficht great boat/motor sold 11-21
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  4. Member
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    #4
    Consider yourself fortunate, it's lasted 15+ years longer than any I have ever heard of.
    Run until it quits and re power.
    Not worth fixing, even if you could find the parts, which you probably couldn't.

  5. Member skeeterator's Avatar
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    #5
    I always wonder why no one here can spell ficht?

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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by skeeterator View Post
    I always wonder why no one here can spell ficht?
    I ALWAYS had a problem with that %$#@! word. And I posted often about it back in the days!

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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by skeeterator View Post
    I always wonder why no one here can spell ficht?
    Probably because most people who had them would just as soon forget they ever existed!

  8. Member skeeterator's Avatar
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    #8
    Mine blew up a few years back, biggest pos outboard ever produced. I was able to sell it for parts though.

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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by skeeterator View Post
    Mine blew up a few years back, biggest pos outboard ever produced. I was able to sell it for parts though.
    yep! mine blew on a 1998 Hydrasports 196, back in 2002'ish. I sold mine to Blackbirds

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    #10
    All outboards blow. These seemed to have it down to a science.

  11. Member
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    #11
    Motor is 23 years old. Hard to badmouth it regardless of what might be happening now. I’d say it did it’s job.

  12. Member
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by BigFishSteve View Post
    Motor is 23 years old. Hard to badmouth it regardless of what might be happening now. I’d say it did it’s job.
    Yep. I had a Ficht 175 that was about ten years old, it ran for a while but grenaded. They all blow, some now some later.

  13. RIP Evinrude 1907-2020 JR19's Avatar
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    #13
    I consider my self a 1%'er because I ran my Ficht to almost 1000 hours before I re-powered. Now it never did blow up but it did have some of the common Ficht issue with the PDP and ECU...It was running when I re-powered but it was in need of its third ECU refurbish. Once it became a $ pit and I decided to re-power I dam near had to give it away because no body wanted it. I'm pretty sure the dealer parted it out because it was worth more as a parts motor.


    As for the OP's knock, maybe you will be luck like a friend of mine...we were running down the lake one day and his motor developed a terrible knock. Bad enough we shut down and got a tow. Once on the trailer we found the fly wheel was loose and that was the knocking noise. Hopefully your problem is something simple like that. If its a internal motor issue or anything that cost more than a couple hundred to fix its not going to be worth while to fix. Some parts are hard to find for that motor and finding a mechanic that will work on one is even more hard to find.