Thread: Some general questions.

To check for rot I take a small hammer with a flat face or a pocket knife, and begin tapping around lightly on the transom beginning in the top outside corners. This is usually a solid area and you will hear a sharp sound when you tap. Moving in inches go towards the holes in the transom, motor bolts, transducers, drains for bilge and splashwell and listen for the taps to dull and sound spongy. Get my drift? Also, remove the transom saver, trim the motor level, and add a significant amount of weight on the end of the decavitation plate, above the prop, and look for movement between jack plate and transom, or motor and transom if no jack plate. Better if someone else adds the weight and you look for the movement. Mine cost a serious chunk of change to replace, But I felt the boat was worth it.

Originally Posted by skeetbum

To check for rot I take a small hammer with a flat face or a pocket knife, and begin tapping around lightly on the transom beginning in the top outside corners. This is usually a solid area and you will hear a sharp sound when you tap. Moving in inches go towards the holes in the transom, motor bolts, transducers, drains for bilge and splashwell and listen for the taps to dull and sound spongy. Get my drift? Also, remove the transom saver, trim the motor level, and add a significant amount of weight on the end of the decavitation plate, above the prop, and look for movement between jack plate and transom, or motor and transom if no jack plate. Better if someone else adds the weight and you look for the movement. Mine cost a serious chunk of change to replace, But I felt the boat was worth it.

Thats awesome info Skeet. I know how to check now for sure. If i'm going to spend some good money on glass I'm checking the boat for rot.

Originally Posted by Archerguy1

Well the average guy can do about 2 things on an Etec, change the spark plugs or the water pump imellor, everything else on that motor reqiures an Evinrude dealer with the laptop and comunication cable to access the ECM , I have worked on them since the FICHT days that caused OMC to go down the drain and as good as they have become they still need that mechanic.

So are the newer ones good and the older ones junk? Which years should I be concerned about.