How Long Do Outboard Motors Last: A Newbie’s Guide

Every owner wants their outboard motors to last forever. However, there is a limited lifespan for all marine engines.

So how many hours do outboard motors last? What’s the average life of a boat motor?

A generally accepted lifetime rule of thumb is that an outboard motor can last about 1500 hours to over 4000 hours (if used and serviced regularly).

The outboard motor life will vary with different types of boat motors:

• The old 2 stroke outboards had an expected lifetime of 1500 hours, while the modern 4 strokes are expected to have 4000 hrs.
• An electric motor can last for tens of thousands of hours* (with battery replacement), with a notable increase over the 4,000 hour average of high-end petrol outboards.
• Inboards tend to have longer life expectancy with an upper lifetime range of around 5000ish hours if you maintain them well and they don’t sit for long.
• The brand also matters. Outboards from big brands (Yamaha, Mercury, Honda, ePropulsion, etc) tend to have longer boat motor hours life.

*Electric outboard motors have a HUGE advantage when it comes to longevity since they need significantly less maintenance than their combustion counterparts. They are also less prone to mechanical failures.

As you can see from above, there is no real way to know the exact outboard motor hours life as there are a lot of things to consider. Read the following top 4 factors to figure out the life expectancy of your desired outboard motor.

#1. How Outboard Motors Run

The secret to any engine life is proper usage. You might be surprised but most problems develop when they sit for months without use.

Also, the outboard working environment also matters. If the outboard motors are on a heavy boat, it will put more strain on the engine and can wear it out quicker.

Besides that, the average life of an outboard motor will depend on how hard you run it. For example, running at idle, mid throttle, and WOT will have different impacts on the engine lifespan.

#2. Maintenance Schedule

Maintenance and upkeep will significantly impact how long it will last.

It’s very rare that an engine wears out. It’s rarely heard that any outboard engines are naturally retired in its running condition.

Instead, the outboard motors are more likely to break before they reach their peak life hours (in theory), due to overheating, lack of oil, saltwater exposure, freeze damage, etc.

All the above mentioned matters can be avoided by proper maintenance (regular engine checkups, proper cleaning, and winterization) and therefore extend the outboard motor life expectancy.

One Tip: Getting electric outboards can save you tons of trouble on maintenance, providing extraordinary outboard motor lifespan with little effort.

#3. Quality and Brands

As we mentioned, 1,500 – 4,000 hrs is what modern outboard motors can get on average for lifespan (mainly about the powerhead) under proper maintenance.

However, different brands can make a slight difference here. So how long does a Suzuki/Honda/Mercury/Yamaha outboard motor last?

You can easily get that information on their official website. For example, a Yamaha outboard is said to last for 1,500 and up to 3,500 hours before needing a major overhaul or being replaced.

You may expect a similar outboard engine hours life with other big brand combustion outboard motors.

#4. Outboard Motor Types

As mentioned above, the outboard motor life expectancy varies depending on what kind of engine you have.

Generally speaking, an inboard, electric motor or 4 stroke outboard (if you prefer combustion motors) should last longer before they crap out on you.

It’s always suggested to go for modern types and technologies if you want a long-lasting outboard motor with better experiences onboard.

For example, the 4 stroke outboard motors are quieter with better fuel economy, and engines are easier to find in better condition (if you are looking at a used one).

If you are looking at used boats, you must be familiar with the boat motor hours life.

But how many hours on an outboard motor would it take to say no to a used boat?

What is considered high hours?

Some say 500 hours and others might say 1000 hours.

Is 300 hours / 900 hours a lot for a boat motor?

Some might say yes and others say no.

In fact, there is no single answer, and hours alone aren’t always a good way to judge an engine about its condition.

So how to evaluate the health of the outboard motor? Here are some tips to help you settle on a good purchase:

• Check compression. When compression begins to drop on a cylinder, that’s a reliable ‘high mileage’ indicator.
• Ask for maintenance records of the outboard motor. Maintenance is far more important than running hours. A high-hour outboard may outperform one with half the hours if it is taken care of properly.
• Hire a technician to come with you to check the technical conditions of the boat and motor (including the oil and fuel, spark, compression, etc).
• Check the boat/motor conditions in person. Always stay away from boats with issues that arise from neglect, such as seats in poor condition, random broken handles or latches, super dirty, etc. This can be a sign that the owner was not very attentive to maintenance.

Beware of the “low hours” trick (rather than “high hours”).

Too few hours can also be an issue, as outboards are very likely to just sit around being neglected for years, and outboard motor parts can easily go bad if just sitting.

Therefore, stay away from extremely low hours on an older boat or boats that have sat for a long time.

Generally, 50-100 hours per year is typically a good range (not running too hard but still used enough) for a recreational cruising boat, and 50-60 hours for a one-season boat.

Personally, 500-1000 hrs seem reasonable and wouldn’t bother me too much. Over 1000 is when I am starting to consider potential repower or maintenance costs.