Many boats are equipped with a hour meter that tracks of how many hours the motor has been used. While this knowledge may not seem useful, knowing the. Mercury outboard motors have an hour meter called a MercMonitor. It is a high-value digital vessel monitoring system that allows up to 3 data selections to be shown at one time.
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LSU Fan
On the water somewhere
Member since Oct 2007
6576 posts
Can't seem to find the meter on it. There is no hour meter on the dash panel either.
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Oct 2006
297 posts
![Hour Meter For Outboard Motors Hour Meter For Outboard Motors](https://i0.wp.com/ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB13utVaovrK1RjSszfq6xJNVXap/52-m-RPM-Boat-Tachometer-With-Hourmeter-for-Car-Marine-Auto-Generator-Outboard-Motor-Rev-Counter.jpg)
LSU Fan
Houma
Member since Dec 2007
19558 posts
![Hour Meter For Outboard Motors Hour Meter For Outboard Motors](https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1d00CJFXXXXc8XpXXq6xXFXXXy/Digital-Hour-Meter-Tachometer-for-Outboard-Motor-Lawn-Mower-Motocross-motorcycle-marine-chainsaw-pit-bike-snowmobile.jpg_640x640.jpg)
LSU Fan
On the water somewhere
Member since Oct 2007
6576 posts
LSU Fan
Houma
Member since Dec 2007
19558 posts
LSU Fan
BSL
Member since Sep 2007
2377 posts
Hope that helps
TBD Fan
No man's land
Member since Jan 2008
33360 posts
It's getting pretty expensive though; in fact, I've thought about learning how to change my oil. I think there's a pump I'd need but have no idea.
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Oct 2006
297 posts
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Many boats are equipped with a hour meter that tracks of how many hours the motor has been used. While this knowledge may not seem useful, knowing the estimated usage of an outboard boat motor is important in determining if the motor needs maintenance. Wear and tear occurs inside the motor carriage when the motor is used for many hours without maintenance. Therefore, knowing how many hours an engine has been used is crucial in understanding more about your outboard motor.
Step 1
Inspect the engine for an installed hour meter. The meter can usually be found above the engine or somewhere around the steering area of the boat. The numbers on the meter show how many hours the engine has been in use. If there is no hour meter, one should be installed by a marine mechanic.
Step 2
Contact the previous owner of the boat if possible to see if the hour meter was installed after the boat was purchased or if it came with the boat. Sometimes the owner's manual has this information. If the meter has been on the boat since production, the reading is accurate.
Step 3
Calculate a rough estimate of the hours. Use simple multiplication to determine the runtime. For example, if the boat is five years old and has been used primarily only once a month at five hours a day, the estimated usage would equal 300 hours.
Conduct a compression test on the engine. The test, which can be completed by a marine mechanic, determines the amount of wear the engine has endured. While the number of hours cannot be determined by a compression test, an estimate of the runtime can be calculated from the wear the engine has endured. A well-worn engine has seen more hours of use than a less stressed motor.
Tips
- If the hour meter was ever disconnected during the boat's life, the number of hours will not be accurately reflected.
- A compression test may also point out early signs of engine damage or pinpoint necessary repairs.
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