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  1. #31
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    OMC always had quality issues. I was 19 years old when I went to work for a local Johnson dealer. Even at that age I could see the failure rate of everything was too high. Power heads, gear sets, ignition systems and that great thing called VRO. I saw first hand what happened. When customers were given another choice with Yamaha their brand loyalty ended. People got tired of their weekend recreation getting ruined by an inferior product on the back of their boat.
    Oh, that Johnson dealer that I first worked for became a Yamaha dealer in 1984. All of a sudden all there was to do was rig boats. No failures. The owner realized he no longer needed four service techs so he let three of them go, one of which was me. So, I went to work for another and bigger OMC dealer so I would have, once again, a job fixing all of OMC's common problems that never ended. They lost market share because of their refusal to fix the problems. Today I own a Yamaha. Six years old and zero issues. I have no interest in the new Evinrudes either. An incredibly complicated two stroke 'pressure cooker' so it burns clean......no thanks.
    1970 15' Allison/135 Chrysler stacker
    RC Mod-VP Boats

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  3. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by powerabout View Post
    does Yam own any US boat companies?
    Yamaha has G3 aluminum boats as well as their jet boat line. I'm not sure if they have any more than that though.

  4. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by wicheckmate View Post
    they are just trying to capture more market share by buying boat companies. not saying its right or wrong
    Right or wrong, it didn't work and it's still not working. Alumacraft was the #1 selling aluminum fishing boat in our area before the buyout. Customers are jumping ship to other brands left right and center. Fact is 95% of the population wants 4 stroke power. It might not be true for the go-fast guys but the average consumers demand it.
    Last edited by InjectorService; 11-24-2019 at 11:42 PM.

  5. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Poole ModVP View Post
    OMC always had quality issues. I was 19 years old when I went to work for a local Johnson dealer. Even at that age I could see the failure rate of everything was too high. Power heads, gear sets, ignition systems and that great thing called VRO. I saw first hand what happened. When customers were given another choice with Yamaha their brand loyalty ended. People got tired of their weekend recreation getting ruined by an inferior product on the back of their boat.
    Oh, that Johnson dealer that I first worked for became a Yamaha dealer in 1984. All of a sudden all there was to do was rig boats. No failures. The owner realized he no longer needed four service techs so he let three of them go, one of which was me. So, I went to work for another and bigger OMC dealer so I would have, once again, a job fixing all of OMC's common problems that never ended. They lost market share because of their refusal to fix the problems. Today I own a Yamaha. Six years old and zero issues. I have no interest in the new Evinrudes either. An incredibly complicated two stroke 'pressure cooker' so it burns clean......no thanks.
    I started late 70's to end of 80's very few issues, and all were fixed.
    It seemed to go crap in the 90's re quality and Yam were there waiting thanks to Merc help and both Merc and OMC with heads up their ar7es ignoring asian markets and cheap manufacturing.
    I guess Lee Iococca had the same issue when he told the Fords we should be selling cheap little sh1tboxes sourced from Japan to ensure we stay relevant....
    Merc and OMC assembled engines in Australia and OMC did some commercials in HK back in those days
    Last edited by powerabout; 11-25-2019 at 02:56 AM.

  6. #35
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    I loved their outboards but have to admit the newest one owned was an 89.
    I still have that 89 70HP today. Flawless.
    1998 22' Progression 300XS
    1988 15' Boston Whaler Johnson 70

  7. #36
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    Neighbor bought a 60 hp Evinrude around that time. Same 3-cyl design. Not too long after the introduction of VRO, I remember. Lots of problems.

    Quality must have gone south already then (if it ever was good).

    He had the engine for a few years, then got a Yamaha, which was flawless.
    Markus' Performance Boating Links:
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  8. #37
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    My original VRO is still operating. The problem with the early VRO failures was the pulse limiter. When the engine case fired it would take out the pump diaphragm. With the updated (Blue) limiter the problem was solved.
    1998 22' Progression 300XS
    1988 15' Boston Whaler Johnson 70

  9. #38
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    My brother's 89 200 GT is still going strong. Less trouble than my 1990 Merc XR4. We had a 115 HO for 6 perfect years and are two years into a 150 HO. Small sample size but OK for us.

  10. #39
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    check out all the old outboards as in 40+ years old in saltwater 99% OMC
    A Merc couldnt survive till 84 and on
    Japs learning fast
    Last edited by powerabout; 11-25-2019 at 09:20 PM.

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  12. #40
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    This thread is kinda like the orig Honda ads targeting the old Smokey 2 strokes.

    Look at their early ads though snd theyre targeting 30 yr old, neglected, sitting in a field w/3 yr old gas in them and many w/orig plugs.
    Lets try that w/a 4 stroke ��

    In the 9 yrs I lived in Fla, I worked for a Honda dealer and he took us out on his lift stored cat w/twin 225 Honda’s. He warned us they had been neglected recently.
    One wouldn’t run well enough to get us off the lift, the 2nd barely did!
    Said they got better once warm.
    He was wrong. The one never would run bellow 3k and this was a Honda dealer!
    I went home feeling way better about the $2500 I had in my mid ‘90’s junk V-6 loopers on my Sonic project ��

    As to the VRO’s, I bought every blown up 90* V-6 looper in the state of Fla for the 9 yrs I was there.
    A VRO takes out the entire p.head and turns all shiny internals blue.
    Zero of my donor motors died of failed VROs!

    As to Yammi, remember they got sued by OMC for patent infringement?
    Rumor was you could bolt a Yammi I-3 or V-6 head on an OMC.
    All they Did was bring Jap electronics/ignition to the game.
    Look on s.fla/Craig’s in boat parts at all the blown up 4 strokes��

    Buying boat companies?? That’s how they ALL buy market share.
    Always have.

    Powerabout commented about all the olds in the salt, helll, in general!
    Same age Mercs are “classics”, the OMCs are still pushing boats.

    You can still shop Craig’s in the Keys and find all orig, never apart, “water test available”, 1500 hr OMCs down there.

    In Fla, when we lived by the water we had one neighbor w/a 5 yr old 250 Yammi (lift stored, fresh water flushed) that corroded a hole through the block, right under the flywheel, that sprayed salt water all over p.head when running!
    Still remember owners face when I showed why water was running out of cowling!

    Neighbor #2 had a 5 or 6 yr old 4 banger (I think) Yammi that I sold for his widow when he passed.
    Bought new, log book maint files, lift stored, fresh water flushed.
    It started and ran on 3. Wouldn’t come off the lift under power.
    Buyer had identical motor on his charter boat, wanted a 2nd (loved the motors) one and agreed w/me that it was likely a clogged injector.
    Thought if we could get in the water/under load, and build some heat maybe it would clear.
    Wrong.
    It blew up!
    W/a cover on the p.head it still formed enough condensation (Fla sun) that it drained to oil pan then pumped through motor when started.

    The EPA killed OMC and almost Merc. Remember all the failed new Optis?
    I do.

    The tree huggers bougt What Honda was spewing, prompted their politicians to ban/fine/target 2 strokes.

    Then you got the shade tree mechanics that tuned their neighbors V-6 loopers (w/20 - 30 yr old ign components) by setting idle speed by adjusting throttle cables which opened mid range jets so then they wouldn’t even start.
    Instead of lynk and sync ����
    So if they did run, they smoked like freight trains and tree huggers pointed and took pictures.

    I can still take a grand, go to Fla, buy a complete 200/225/250 looper, w/functioning VRO (ever tell you about my box stock, ‘94 225, 7400 RPM looper on my STV that I ran the VRO on, Sonic work bench motors w/VRO’s, 300 HP 3.3 Ficht converted to the horrible big bore plastic carbs on VRO??), bring it home and clean the carbs (almost always reusing orig gaskets), replace the 30 yr old stator (seller bitching about dying at idle when warm ��) and go boating for yrs.
    Hell bought two last yr for $2500 for my Checkmate project and that counted gas down/back to get them.


    Yeah, OMC sucked.
    Last edited by Instigator; 11-25-2019 at 10:17 PM.
    I'd rather be competitive w/junk I built in my garage than win w/stuff I bought.


    I refuse to allow common sense to interfere w/my boat buying decisions.


    Checkmate 16' 140 Johnson
    Hydrostream 17' Vector FrankenRude I
    Laser 480 (?) 21' w/GT 200
    Glastron Carlson Conquest w/XP 2.6
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    24' Sonic w/twin 250 Johnsons
    24' Sonic w/twin 250 HO Johnsons
    19' STV River Rocket w/FrankenRude II
    Allison XR 2002 w/Frankenrude II
    Hydrostream 18' V-King w/Frankenrude II

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  14. #41
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    Im still amazed at the amount of water I drain out my fathers 75 Mer. ..err Yamaha oil sump at the end of each season. Knock on wood it still runs well but has become quite smokey on cold starts. Not to mention others Inservice. 10-12 year old oil sumpers are starting to die off round here quite frequently.

    I will still buy an etec over just about anything else. The new merc 4's intrigue me a little. But I'd have to throw the cowlings away and put a big grocery bag over their head.

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  16. #42
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    I still believe buying the market is not the best way to guarantee market share. Build a great product and the market will follow.
    I agree the EPA was part of the problem. Look how long the auto industry struggled. Only in the last 10 years did true performance and reliability return.
    I owned a pair of Honda BF150's, They were clean,quiet but expensive and complex.
    If OMC had better management they still would be with us today.
    1998 22' Progression 300XS
    1988 15' Boston Whaler Johnson 70

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  18. #43
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    Kodak had a great product for a long time......shame about the management

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  20. #44
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    IMO, the EPA and our government acted like they were dealing w/the “big three” when dealing w/the O/B mfgs.
    Difnt Care that their pockets weren’t as deep, market tiny in comparison, plus pushed by a contingent that think all boaters are rich and killing their planet.

    If our hobby has to die to support their agenda, they were fine w/it.
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve G View Post
    I still believe buying the market is not the best way to guarantee market share. Build a great product and the market will follow.
    I agree the EPA was part of the problem. Look how long the auto industry struggled. Only in the last 10 years did true performance and reliability return.
    I owned a pair of Honda BF150's, They were clean,quiet but expensive and complex.
    If OMC had better management they still would be with us today.
    I'd rather be competitive w/junk I built in my garage than win w/stuff I bought.


    I refuse to allow common sense to interfere w/my boat buying decisions.


    Checkmate 16' 140 Johnson
    Hydrostream 17' Vector FrankenRude I
    Laser 480 (?) 21' w/GT 200
    Glastron Carlson Conquest w/XP 2.6
    Glastron Carlson CVX 20 w/XP 2.6
    24' Sonic w/twin 250 Johnsons
    24' Sonic w/twin 250 HO Johnsons
    19' STV River Rocket w/FrankenRude II
    Allison XR 2002 w/Frankenrude II
    Hydrostream 18' V-King w/Frankenrude II

  21. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by powerabout View Post
    Kodak had a great product for a long time......shame about the management


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