BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - Running Honda 90 outboard at full RPM for long periods of time?

wrote:
Ok the honda lawnmower has a governer that stops it at around
3600rpm. That is NOT full speed for the lawnmower but a
comfortable zone.

If you have that many people on board using a 90HP motor
your nutz. You want to cruise at a decent speed with a
severely underpowered motor. Either buy another motor
or just buy a twin.

Dan J.S. wrote:
The manual states to not run my Honda four stroke 90 HP (2001 model) for
more than 5 minutes at full RPM. The throttle actually backs off
automatically after about 1 minute of full RPM action.

Anyone know if running at full RPM can really affect the engine? When I have
14 people on my 25 foot Bennington pontoon boat, running on anything but
full RPM is slow (below 13 MPH according to my GPS) (especially when I go
against the current on the river that I am on).

The reason I bring this up is that when I use my Honda lawn mower to mow the
lawn, that thing runs at full RPM from start to finish, which is sometimes
hours - the mower has been working like new for the last 3 years.

Dan

Your lawn mower is running with a very light load on it, and it does
have a govenor. Running your outboard for extended periods of time at
or near wide open throttle will greatly reduce it's life. Your best bet
is to invest in another prop with less pitch in it as the one you have
now is no good when you have a lot of people on board (is it really
safe to have that many people on board?). Or you can swap propellers
when needed, but doing what you are right now, start saving up for that
next engine, you'll need it soon.