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#1
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Del,
REMEMBER BACK 9 YEARS AGO, WHEN YOU STARTED READING THIS NEWSGROUP, A LOT OF FOLKS POSTED ABOUT THEIR FICHT PROBLEMS WITH THE '98 AND SOME '99 150-175HP ENGINES? OMC CAME OUT WITH THE FICHT 150 IN LATE SUMMER OF '96. IT WAS ONLY AVAILABLE IN A 20" SHAFT AND 150 HP AND THE MOTORS MET THE 2006 EPA EMISSION LIMITS 10 YEARS BEFORE THAY HAD TO. IN '98 THE FICHT CAME OUT WITH A 25" SHAFT FOR OFFSHORE BOATS, AND ON THOSE APPLICATIONS, PROBLEMS SHOWED UP AFTER A WHILE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. DAVID JONES, THEN PRESIDENT OF OMC, STATED THAT 1 IN 5 FICHTS WITH A 25" SHAFT HAD PROBLEMS, AND THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING AND FIXING THEM. ALL THIS WAS IN THE MARINE MAGAZINES, ON THE INTERNET, AND WAS SPREAD BY WORD OF MOUTH. EVEN THE AUSTRALIAN BOATING MAGAZINES HAD ARTICLES ON THE PROBLEMS AND ON WHAT OMC WAS DOING. TO OMC'S CREDIT, THEY SENT OUT SERVICE TEAMS TO RE-DO ALL THE '98 AND '99 150-175'S IN THE FIELD WITH NEW CYLINDER HEADS AND REMAPPED SOFTWARE, SPARK PLUGS, LINKAGE, ETC., ABOUT A 4 HOUR JOB PER MOTOR. THE TEAMS WENT ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY TAKING CARE OF CUSTOMERS AND DEALER'S MOTORS. THE MOTORS WORKED OK AFTER THE FIXES. NONE OF MY CUSTOMERS HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS BUT I SAW MOTORS FROM other places that did. I also did a lot of upgrade kit installations. I still service operational FICHTS that are still used by families every season. Merc's problems with Optimax resulted in a class action lawsuit, and there may be one for the Yamaha 250-300 hp problems, but OMC did not have any due to their effort to fix engines in the field and not just gloss over the problem. Also in 1999 OMC came out with the V4 FICHT in 90 and 115 hp sizes, as well as a big block 200-225hp, and these motors did NOT HAVE THE PROBLEMS THAT THE MID-SIZED 150-175'S DID. FOR 2000, the FICHT system was improved quite a bit and called FICHT Ram, and really did well. It was quieter and smoother than the earlier series, and was better on fuel use. In 2001 they came out with a new block, the 3.3L and it is still used today, and that really made the motors perform even better while the hp increased to 250. These versions are still being produced today. If the FICHT was so bad why is it still in production after 9 years? Wouldn't you think that all you would read about was blown up motors and powerheads stacked by the roadside? Why would a company still make motors that are "blowing up"? Whay would Bombardier buy Johnson and Evinrude knowing the motors were junk? Think about it ! After a rocky start, FICHT and now its new E-TEC cousing is doing well. It is only in the mind of "Karen-down-under", without any credentials or experience in the outboard industry that FICHT is no good. You asked about buying a '98 150 FICHT. Well, if you believe Karen, then there is no such thing. There could not be any used FICHTS. Every one blew up, there are piles of powerheads littering the landscape, and owners have something else. I stll maintain old FICHTS for customers who are doing fine with them. |
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#2
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#3
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Karen wrote:
This is dealer BS 98 was only 7 years ago:-) By claiming they were released late 97 when the US season is over, they try to make it sound longer. The first 1997 FICHT was introduced in June of 1996, about 8 years and 8 months ago. That's pretty close to 9 years, wouldn't you agree? Karen wrote: It was all you could read about, they were all over the place even bill boards ("Bill" boards get it:-)) were put up in Texas because Ficht were blowing up & OMC dealers were not fixing!!!!! Hmmmm, how come you don't find piles of blow up FICHTS all over the place? If there was a billboard it ain't no more. If all the newer FICHTs were blowing up, where is the outrange, the articles about them, the lawsuits, more billboards, sky writing, etc?? .. |
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#4
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#5
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"Del Cecchi" wrote in message ... Yamaha problems? Are they having HPDI problems? The information is still not reaching the general public. There was just a 300 HPDI article in Bass and Walleye boats, and I don't recall so much as a hint of any problems. Like the '98-'99 FICHT problems, the Yamaha 300 problems only affect certain applications, mostly offshore fishing boats. It does not affect the freshwater bass boat motors. Part of the problem is salt water intrusion, but the "fix" takes 12 to 15 hours to do, and it is a whole series of changes, including wiring harness, ECU, adding a reverse switch, etc. and can only be done by factory approved locations. They are not fixing all at this time, just the offshore folks on certain makes of boats. You can read all about it and some horror stories (as usual) on various web sites and forum. It is also known in the trade journals. Use Google. FOR 2000, the FICHT system was improved quite a bit and called FICHT Ram, and really did well. It was quieter and smoother than the earlier series, and was better on fuel use. In 2001 they came out with a new block, the 3.3L and it is still used today, and that really made the motors perform even better while the hp increased to 250. These versions are still being produced today. So what did they change? As an engineer I am interested in stuff like that. The combustion process at 15% power was changed so all cylinders did not switch over from stratified to homogenous mode all at once. This smoothed the engine operation in that range (while the boat is plowing, and not on plane yet) and cut down on the sooting of the rings which caused most of the engine problems. There was a lot written about the re-engineered FICHTS and the new EMM's that replaced older ECU's, 40 volt systems vs. 24volts, exhaust pressure sensors, etc. Look for back issues of various boating magazines in the library or do a lot of searching with Google. There was a lot of information put out back then. An Australian boating magazine had a very good article about the technical changes, but of course Karen didn't believe any of it. Bill Grannis service manager |
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#6
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Billgran wrote:
"Del Cecchi" wrote in message ... Yamaha problems? Are they having HPDI problems? The information is still not reaching the general public. There was just a 300 HPDI article in Bass and Walleye boats, and I don't recall so much as a hint of any problems. Like the '98-'99 FICHT problems, the Yamaha 300 problems only affect certain applications, mostly offshore fishing boats. It does not affect the freshwater bass boat motors. Part of the problem is salt water intrusion, but the "fix" takes 12 to 15 hours to do, and it is a whole series of changes, including wiring harness, ECU, adding a reverse switch, etc. and can only be done by factory approved locations. They are not fixing all at this time, just the offshore folks on certain makes of boats. You can read all about it and some horror stories (as usual) on various web sites and forum. It is also known in the trade journals. Use Google. Read this also Tom than apply what we say about these things, high end of lean burn mode??? Nose high ploughing along??? suddenly accelerate at the end of the no wak zone??? If you buy E-Tec I want it noted:-) K This lying idiot has manufactured a story about his father being the biggest OMC dealer on the US NE coast, needless to say Krause then says that's where he learned all he obviously doesn't know about boats:-) Here's just one of the lies from the "father" series, try to remember he's talking $3000000 in the 70s!! Honestly it's embarrassing that a grown man would lie like this I guess that's the standard of union thugs ??? I sold off nearly $3,000,000 in new motors and boats, depressing the new boat industry in southern Connecticut for an entire season. Everything was sold...every cotter pin, every quart of oil, 30 days after I started. For near full-retail, too. FOR 2000, the FICHT system was improved quite a bit and called FICHT Ram, and really did well. It was quieter and smoother than the earlier series, and was better on fuel use. In 2001 they came out with a new block, the 3.3L and it is still used today, and that really made the motors perform even better while the hp increased to 250. These versions are still being produced today. So what did they change? As an engineer I am interested in stuff like that. The combustion process at 15% power was changed so all cylinders did not switch over from stratified to homogenous mode all at once. This smoothed the engine operation in that range (while the boat is plowing, and not on plane yet) and cut down on the sooting of the rings which caused most of the engine problems. There was a lot written about the re-engineered FICHTS and the new EMM's that replaced older ECU's, 40 volt systems vs. 24volts, exhaust pressure sensors, etc. Look for back issues of various boating magazines in the library or do a lot of searching with Google. There was a lot of information put out back then. An Australian boating magazine had a very good article about the technical changes, but of course Karen didn't believe any of it. Bill Grannis service manager |
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#7
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On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 18:27:57 +1100, "K. Smith"
wrote: Billgran wrote: "Del Cecchi" wrote in message ... Yamaha problems? Are they having HPDI problems? The information is still not reaching the general public. There was just a 300 HPDI article in Bass and Walleye boats, and I don't recall so much as a hint of any problems. Like the '98-'99 FICHT problems, the Yamaha 300 problems only affect certain applications, mostly offshore fishing boats. It does not affect the freshwater bass boat motors. Part of the problem is salt water intrusion, but the "fix" takes 12 to 15 hours to do, and it is a whole series of changes, including wiring harness, ECU, adding a reverse switch, etc. and can only be done by factory approved locations. They are not fixing all at this time, just the offshore folks on certain makes of boats. You can read all about it and some horror stories (as usual) on various web sites and forum. It is also known in the trade journals. Use Google. Read this also Tom than apply what we say about these things, high end of lean burn mode??? Nose high ploughing along??? suddenly accelerate at the end of the no wak zone??? If you buy E-Tec I want it noted:-) I already have. Later, Tom |
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#8
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Del Cecchi" snip-snip-snip Also in 1999 OMC came out with the V4 FICHT in 90 and 115 hp sizes, as well as a big block 200-225hp, and these motors did NOT HAVE THE PROBLEMS THAT THE MID-SIZED 150-175'S DID. Don't have to shout at me, I am a very reasonable person. Hey, Del, I was not "shouting". My first post must have been lost in cyberspace and when I cut and pasted what I had saved to send you another post, using a memory resident program, It came out half in capital letters, and I was not going to retype the whole thing. Sorry if you took offense, that was not my intention. By the way, I 'm glad you read Bass and Walleye, that is one of the magazines that I write for, you will see my name as a field editor. I've written several articles over the years about servicing the FICHT motors. I was not writing back in the '98-'99 FICHT problem days, but Jim Barron, the technical manager for B&WB wrote about the problems, the fixes, and many engine tests over the years. Don't forget that most of the problem FICHTS were the 25" shaft models that were used primarily offshore. Bass Boats (and walleye boats) mostly use 20" shaft engines, and those did not have the problems. That is why many are still doing fine today. It's hard to keep all the facts and figures straight, but the V-4 FICHTS and the 1999 200-225 hp FICHTS did not have the problems that those '98&'99 150-175's did. Bill Grannis service manager |
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#9
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wrote in message oups.com... ----- Original Message ----- From: "Del Cecchi" snip-snip-snip Also in 1999 OMC came out with the V4 FICHT in 90 and 115 hp sizes, as well as a big block 200-225hp, and these motors did NOT HAVE THE PROBLEMS THAT THE MID-SIZED 150-175'S DID. Don't have to shout at me, I am a very reasonable person. Hey, Del, I was not "shouting". My first post must have been lost in cyberspace and when I cut and pasted what I had saved to send you another post, using a memory resident program, It came out half in capital letters, and I was not going to retype the whole thing. Sorry if you took offense, that was not my intention. By the way, I 'm glad you read Bass and Walleye, that is one of the magazines that I write for, you will see my name as a field editor. I've written several articles over the years about servicing the FICHT motors. I was not writing back in the '98-'99 FICHT problem days, but Jim Barron, the technical manager for B&WB wrote about the problems, the fixes, and many engine tests over the years. Don't forget that most of the problem FICHTS were the 25" shaft models that were used primarily offshore. Bass Boats (and walleye boats) mostly use 20" shaft engines, and those did not have the problems. That is why many are still doing fine today. It's hard to keep all the facts and figures straight, but the V-4 FICHTS and the 1999 200-225 hp FICHTS did not have the problems that those '98&'99 150-175's did. Bill Grannis service manager I was wondering about the caps. I don't recall Jim Barron or anybody from BWB saying much of anything. But maybe it was too subtle for me. I know that these kind of trade pubs often require reading between the lines and judging what they don't say as much as what they do say. It's hard to understand why the shaft would make a difference. I guess it is usage conditions. Your articles in BWB are always interesting. del |
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#10
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"del cecchi" wrote in message ... Your articles in BWB are always interesting. Thanks for the kind words, Del. Did read my story "Duke of Oil" from earlier last year, March I think, that tested the different outboard 4-stroke oils and compared them to car oils? That story took a lot of research and ruffled a few feathers. It was turned in for a technical writing award. If you are going to look for old backissues for the FICHT fixes, etc., try Trailer Boats (also Jim Barron) and Boating Magazine. Sal****er Sportsman may have had one also. It was 5 or 6 years back. Bill Grannis service manager |
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