new owner of a 99 2000 Ficht

OK guys, I have read a lot of posts on here and it seems like the buck stops here when it comes to getting the truth about these engines.....I just purchased a 99 stratos with a 2000 rude ficht...am I correct in saying that provided the last owner didnt thrash this engine, that I shouldnt be too worried about all the problems that plagued the 150 and 175hp? I have been crapping my pants for the last two weeks since I bought this setup because I didnt do my homework.....I guess Im just looking for some reassurance. All my local mechanics just roll their eyes when I mention ficht. It is at the shop right now getting checked out so I will know soon enough. One other question...is there a specific brand of oil that stands above all the others that I should be using witht his motor? Thanks in advance for all your help!!!

I owned a 1999 Ficht 200 for 5 years and it didn't have a hiccup. However after I sold it, it did blow for the next owner.

You want to run the Evinrude XD50 or XD100 oil in it, make sure the plugs are indexed and de-carb once a year. If you are not absolutely sure that it has been de-carbed within the last three month then do it now. have your shop check the temperature of the two heads once it has warmed up. if one or both do not come up to temperature get the thermostats replaced. running cool means more carbon in the cylinders. If you are going to do any maintenance yourself then get the repair manual and the diagnostic software, you will be glad you did.
I think they are great motors and if properly maintained will perform great for you. I hope I have answered your questions.

Dan

Hi,

I owned a 2000 175 HP ficht and it runs very well (350 hours). If you follow Danrude's advices you should not have any problem. Do you know how many hours on it?

If you post your serial number and model number the gurus will give you the history of the engine.

As soon as I get the boat back from the shop I will post the serial #'s....I have no idea as to the history of this motor...purchased it online, apparently the last owner dropped dead and his family just wanted it sold. Thanks for all the tips on maintaining....I am willing to put in the extra work to keep this thing running...the alternative is just too damn expensive. Other than posting info about the motor, is there a quicker way to find out how many hours are on it?

The quicker way to know how many hours are on it is to connect a diag software. Every BRP dealer should have it.

If you want to make maintenance yourself on your engine you should also get this diag soft. And remember to use XD50 or XD100 oil only!!

like everyone said, make sure you run XD50, de carb once a year. There are great motors. Most of there problems were on the 150 and 175 pre 1998. Most 200s were good.

Make sure that you prop it correctly to enable it to run between 5500 & 5800RPM when running at full throttle. Not less than this. This will allow it to not be "under reving" or lugging through its full operating range. Another bad thing to do to ANY outboard is to run it at sub planing speed (Pushing a great wall of water) for extended periods. All this does it make it use heaps of fuel & possibly cause incomplete combustion in the cylinders. Let us know what RPM it does it now at full throttle & what size prop you are using. We can then advise you.

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Modified by LIQUID NIRVANA at 7:48 PM 10/8/2007

I purchased a new 1998 Ficht 150. It blew at 100 hours. A new 2000 powerhead was installed in the fall of 1999. I ran RingFree in every tank of gas after that to preclude carbon buildup. When I sold the rig in 2005 I had an additional 1200 hours on that engine without a single problem. I used the boat in fresh and saltwater. I bought a 200 hp Ficht in 2005, so I guess you can figure that I really like that engine. If it has been treated properly you will have a fine engine. You'll know after you get it back from the mechanics. Good Luck.

Thanks again for all the tips....I just purchased a prop from Phils props in California...in case you guys havent heard of them, they are pretty much the authority on the west coast for bass boat apps...anyway, talked with them for over an hour about the best prop....their recommendation was to start with a renegade 23P 4 blade for a number of reasons. They referenced a number of 295PE's running a 200FICHT that were running a raker 24P that ran great but were a bit tougher to drive (really floated) and they said I may or may not like that feel, so with the 4 blade I might lose 1-2mph top end but I would gain holeshot and driveability at WOT and over rough water. They said that prop was actually closer to a 25p 3 blade so I will just have to see......it seems like a good starting point.

I have swapped props in and out, 23 renegade, 25 renegade, 24 raker 26 raker, the 25 is the best prop, i know my 21ss Extreme is a little different than yours, but for boat control, the 25 cant be beat, i was all over the place with the 24 raker, with the 25 i can run hard through almost anything.

good to know.....I plan on running a couple different props, I may give the 25 a try as well....what sort of top end are you getting?