2004 Evinrude 225 HO ?? heard scary things but found a great buy please help

[flipnstick91]

Obviously there are horror stories about the old fichts but ive heard mixed reviews about the newer 'rudes. Seems to depend on which website i search but people either swear by em or have had multiple trips to the dealer because of them.. I found a 98 stratos 201 pro xl fully loaded with a 2004 evinrude 225hp HO. The evinude has newer powerhead, which also raises a red flag with me... what are your experiences with this motor? the boat is a great buy at $10500... i want to jump on it but am hesitant. Please help.

[Ky Bullet]

Great motors

[Danrude]

The BRP built DI motors are solid performers! If you decide to purchase, giving the age of that boat, make sure the fuel lines from the tank to the motor has been replaced with the ethanol resistant hose.

[flipnstick91]

thanks a lot guys, im gonna have a compression test done, inquire about the new powerhead and if they ever found the source of the problem, and ask about the fuel lines. anything else I should be worried about before I hand him a check? lol

[Bassmeister]

They can give you a print out from the EMM/computer that will give you some idea of what the new p/h has done during it's short life. Other than that, run xd100 or a quality full syn oil.

[Lou r Pitcher]

Check to see if the new power head has the improved fuel injectors...they will have easy to see large letters "E-TEC" on the metal injector housings. If not the injectors were before the improved redesigned ones.

Check to see that in addition to the front oil manifold, there is a rear oil distribution manifold( will have several clear oil filled tubings)...if missing, the block does not have the improved oiling points providing needed oil to key motor locations.

Run the model number shown on the diagnostics to reference/find the actual production year or the new head.....will need to be a ~2010 or later to have more changes/improvements/fixes/protections such as the anti-knock sensors.

If a 2004 model now with an R in the EMM's model number report, which means it now is a repowered E-TEC, already having a history of a blown/replaced head, still has an older than a 2010 head and is intended for use on a bass boat, I'd pass.

[flipnstick91]

other motors im lookin at are 98 vmaxs..or similiar year merc 200-225s... Is an older motor going to be a safer bet than the newer 225 evinrude HO w/new powerhead?

[ChampioNman]

other motors im lookin at are 98 vmaxs..or similiar year merc 200-225s... Is an older motor going to be a safer bet than the newer 225 evinrude HO w/new powerhead?

Look at the first letter after the 5 if it reads E225F it is a DI motor if it is E225D it is an ETEC. The first year for the V-6 Etec was 2005. If it was a 2004 it is a DFI motor built by BRP. Pretty good motor. But as stated above have all the pre-purchase checks made.

[flipnstick91]

thanks for clearing that up brother, all the talk about pre-2010 rudes had me nervous but I see those are entirely different motors he was referring to.

[Lou r Pitcher]

Evinrude introduced the E-Tec system, an improvement to the Ficht fuel injection, in 2003, based on U.S. patent 6,398,511.^[62] In 2004, Evinrude received the EPA Clean Air Excellence Award for their outboards utilizing the E-Tec system

So its a 225HO F and not an E-TEC which was sold in calendar year 2004?... yet has a newer year powerhead than 2004????

...a posting of the actual model number would help.

[flipnstick91]

don't know the actual model # the boat is around 5,000 miles away from my hometown and the sellers are slow to reply to say the least. That is a good point though, if I ever get them on the horn I will obtain the model # and inquire about the powerhead. Their hesitance to reply along with the forementioned warning signs are kind of scaring me away..

[ChampioNman]

Do you have a link for the boat for sale? You can tell immediately from the motor cowl if it is a DFI or an Etec.

[flipnstick91]

Http://coloumbus.craigslist.org/boa/487/4871060881.html

[Tom G.]

Stratos Bass Boat 225hp

[flipnstick91]

Yup thats it ^^^

[Lou r Pitcher]

Doesn't look like an E-TEC I have seen.

225HO E-TEC pic is in my sig below

[flipnstick91]

So an all around good buy? The price seems too good to be true..

[ChampioNman]

Doesn't look like an E-TEC I have seen.

225HO E-TEC pic is in my sig below

It's not, it is a 225 HO DFI model the next to last year for them. And he could get a Reman power head from Riverside Marine in N. Little Rock AR.