posted 06-16-2002 10:14 AM ET (US)            

[Ficht] is named after its creator, Wolfgang [incorrectly attributed to wrong person]. He designed DFI (direct fuel injection).

DFI is different than EFI. DFI has [solenoids] that pump the fuel [into the] top of the cylinder. The [solenoids] use about 40-watts of power and pump on average 250 lbs. PSI. This process is more fuel effceiant.

I know a gentleman who has a Evinrude 250-DFI and is getiing 2-1/2 MPG, compared to the 225 Mercury Optimax EFI he had last year he was only getting around 1 MPG. There is no wasted fuel in these [DFI] engines. [Mercury] and Yamaha offer them as well.

The fuel is sprayed on top of the cylinder. In the older...EFI and [cabureted] versions, fuel came through on a fuel intake port inside the cylinder chamber. When the piston came up and ignited with the flash of the spark plug, some [fuel] didn't burn and escaped, making this a waste of fuel.

EVINRUDE/JOHNSON [Ficht]s had some major problems in the the late 90's. With a lack of funding and OMC going [bankrupt], a lot of owners were very unhappy. [I]t [?] had many design flaws. Spark plugs were being knocked out every 20-hrs. and at 18-bucks a [piece], it [?] made HAVOC. With Bombardier now its new owner everthing is now corrected.

They actually started first by redesigning the lower unit. OMC carried a history of weak lower units; they broke very easily.

[N]ow with Bombardier all flaws are corrected. [You're] gonna pay a few more $$$ for a [Ficht], but you will have more MPG. Hope any of this helps,

posted 06-16-2002 12:05 PM ET (US)            

Wolfgang's name is Ficht, not [as previously cited with misspelling].

An important part of all direct injection systems is computer control. Because the computer can determine the exact amount of fuel to be injected and when, the fuel is almost completely burned.

In EFI and carbureted engines a fuel/air/oil mix is circulated through the crankcase. When it scavenges the exhaust from the previous combustion, part of it goes out the exhaust port and the rest is more or less uniformly distributed in the cylinder. Some will still be unburned when the exhaust port opens and will exit without making power.

Hope that helps Pamlico's good description.

Red sky at night. . .
JB :)

posted 06-16-2002 03:32 PM ET (US)            

In light of the article in Southern Boating in January or February of this year regarding FICHT engines (a partial quotation is listed in an old post called "FICHT--fatal or curable") I would not purchase one of these engines until they have passed the only test that matters--the test of time.

If you were situated similarly to dist6b, would you incur the cost of repowering with an engine which has not been proven? What objective data do you have to substantiate the statement "everything is now corrected"?
None, I'll bet. Everyone loves positive anectodes until things go wrong.

The FICHT was touted as the wonder engine when it was released. The unsuspecting boating public went along with the press hype--then the truth came out. Who paid for that? OMC did by going bankrupt. More importantly, however, the boating public paid for that with their hard-earned money.

The new FICHT engines, under the umbrella of Bombardier, may be quite good. The key operative is "MAY." I'll wait, and I suggest that others do so as well.

posted 06-16-2002 10:25 PM ET (US)            

I don't dispute Mr. Eastwoods OPINIONS, but ask you to:

1. Learn the difference between fact and opinion.

posted 06-16-2002 11:15 PM ET (US)            

In as much as you question was about a rather particular ouboard motor, a 2001 75 HP Evinrude Ficht, I don't think you will find quite the depth and breath of first hand experience with this particular engine that you would with questions about Classic Boston Whaler boats.

Accordingly, your advice may have to rely on third party information, reports read elsewhere, perhaps correctly recalled or paraphrased, repetition of widely held opinions, etc.

In short, I don't think you are going to find many people who frequent this website who actually own a 2001 75-HP Evinrude Ficht engine and also have that engine on the transom of a boat similar to yours. (We don't really know what kind of boat you have, actually.)

As regards Ficht engines in general, they, too, are not the focus of the website's area of concentration. They have been discussed from time to time, often with some debate.

As for the historical facts about OMC's sale to Bombardier, these are well documented in many places, but not really at all here. Here we have documented the history of the Boston Whaler company, but not the OMC company or Bombardier.

According to some data I have collected and posted about mid-range-horsepower engines, the retail price of a 2002 Evinrude 75-HP Ficht engine is $8,535.

Your dealer's offer to sell you a new 2001 engine at almost $5,000 off of the list price of a 2002 model is certainly a generous discount on his part, but I am afraid that it reflects the reality of the marketplace for those engines. They cannot be sold at anywhere near their original price and are only able to be moved at steep discounts.

posted 06-18-2002 08:22 AM ET (US)            

Heard thru my Johnson mechanic that Bomb claims that in the entire run of 2002 engines (they built them) a total of 4 power head failures occurred. Data or anecdotal.

posted 06-18-2002 09:34 AM ET (US)         

Bombardier is handling the original 2 year warranty on 2000 and 2001 engines produced by OMC. At this point in time I guess most 2000 warranties have now expired.

The 1999 and 2000,200hp and 225hp engines had upgrades to correct a potential fuel leak from the injectors and 2001, 200hp,225hp and the 250 hp engines had all problems corrected prior to shipment. Again the smaller engines in 2000 and 2001 under 150hp experienced few problems for some reason once OMC crossed the threshold to 200hp engines in 1999 significant problems still cropped up after they thought these had been solved. The tale of OMC's management incompetence is well documented which lead to the final chapter with total bankruptcy and Bombardier and Genmars purchase.

We own twin 225hp, 2000 Fichts with all necessary upgrades completed last year and they have been excellent engines. The warranty expired April 1,2002 and we had the boat in the water in March 2002 the only items which after testing in March failed were an electronic filter which was causing a battery drain (replaced immediately by Bombardier) and the port engine tilt and trim hydraulic cylinder (Bombardier replaced the entire unit not just the cylinder). So far this Spring these have performed flawlessly.

posted 06-18-2002 10:26 AM ET (US)            

If one considers an "n" of one year for reliability ratings of a series of engines acceptable, he would call it "data." I, however, do not.

If engines were designed to last one year, four powerhead failures might be acceptable. However, their service life is (hopefully)considerably longer. What if the number of powerhead failures is 400 (or 4000) in year two?

There are important bits of information missing: What is included in the definition of "powerhead failure?" How many "failures" of other components were reported? For that matter, how many failures of powerheads occured versus those that were reported? How many of the run of 2002 engines were sold? How many were operated for one year?

posted 06-18-2002 12:47 PM ET (US)            

The content of my post is neither an attack on Bombardier/OMC products nor an attempt to discredit the opinions of others. My intent is to encourage providing objective data which visitors to this forum can utilize when researching a costly undertaking such as repowering.

Unfortunately, this type of information is not often readily available. Anectodal reports are all that we have sometimes, but caution must be taken not to apply them as generalizations.

Palmico's reference to a contest involving urination is both inappropriate and uncalled for. Clearly, by the content, context, and capitalization in his post (after my earlier one in this thread) suggests that he misunderstands the reasons for my statements. I wish to avoid a repeat performance thereof, as I can only imagine what type of challenges involving excretia will be suggested next!

posted 06-07-2004 07:31 PM ET (US)            

You can always go back and change your profile.
At the top right hand of most of these pages, click on the small underlined word profile.

posted 06-07-2004 09:52 PM ET (US)         

Not that this is related, but last year (2003) I paid $3800.00 for a New 2001 75hp Mercury 2 stroke that was also a floor model. Sounds like the motor you are looking at is priced well. I also think it may be a better motor than my Mercury because of the fuel injection.

What I am getting at is there are 2001 75hp motors out there new for under $4000.00. Just because the price appears too low does not make it a bad motor.

posted 06-07-2004 11:00 PM ET (US)            

If it is an OMC engine then I would think about it a bit. If you can purchase an extended warranty (assuming it comes with one that is honored by Bombardier), then I would have zero problem buying it. Whether you buy the warranty or not is not as important as the fact that some insurance company is willing to insure it at a reasonable rate (actuaries have been hard at work).

A new 2003 was in the neighborhood of about $7000-$7500 or so (don't actually recall exactly). A two stroke Johnson 1995 70HP, last year, had a trade in value of about $2000. So, if you can get a new motor for <$4K and it has a warranty and you have the option of extending it - well, how bad of a deal can it be?

The risk comes in if was an OMC engine that has no warranty. Bombardier bought the assets of the brand, but OMC as a company still has all the liabilities (and is out of business). If Bombardier honors the warranty, then you should be in good shape.

Heck, if you bought an extended warranty for $1000 on top of the $3700, I think you still would be money ahead.

J

posted 06-08-2004 09:48 AM ET (US)         

An obvious consideration would be resale value. If you planning on keeping your whaler for many years, I would not hestitate to outfit it with a well-priced Ficht.

posted 06-08-2004 08:24 PM ET (US)         

One recall on the 200/225 hp and that was for injector becoming loose. The recall provided a brace to lock in the injector and replacement screws.

The other hp fichts never had a problem.

posted 02-27-2005 12:40 PM ET (US)            

The only complaint I have and did not consider when I purchased the engine was the extra weight. It weights about 100lbs more than conventional 2 cycle engines of similar h.p. I had to move my fuel tank (fixed 18 gal.) 5 feet forward to better balance fore and aft trim on my 17' Boston Whaler Super Sport Limited.

If trouble develops I'll report it here.

posted 02-27-2005 01:59 PM ET (US)            

The inventor of the Ficht injector was Wolfgang Heimberg. He was inspired by the potential to improve the East German Trabant automobile, a vehicle notorious for spewing smoke and guzzling fuel.

After the cold war, Heimberg relocated to West Germany and went to work for Ficht Gmbh. It was there that further development of the hydraulic shock method of injecting gasoline into a combustion chamber took place. The OMC company became interested in what was now known as the Ficht fuel injector and purchased the rights to use it in their outboard motors.

More information available at:

Hyperlink
By the way, that is Herr Dr. Wolfgang Heimberg:

http://www.hti-bio-x.com/english/cnt0201.htm

For more on the history of the Ficht Fuel Injector (FFI), see:

http://www.provenion.com/e_history.htm

To see an animation of how the FFI works:

http://www.provenion.com/e_ffi.htm

The FFI has since been improved or further refined by Bombardier into the E-TEC fuel injector. The principal difference is the E-TEC injector uses a voice-coil actuator instead of a solenoid/spring to provide the motion. This allows for faster movement with less electrical energy and better control. For more information on the E-TEC, see my article in the Reference section which has links to many technical references on the E-TEC:

posted 02-19-2009 01:11 AM ET (US)            

Plugs, 1x per year and x50 oil, which is pricey. My understanding is that the powerheads were blowing early on or not at all. And to again clarify it was for 150 hp and above but thankfully not mine!

If one goes due to old age, 800 hrs now, Ill get a new powerhead no sweat they are cheap because they are so horrible- lol!