Having a properly trained mechanic do the work on your boat parts can prevent accidental damage to components and even improve the performance of the parts avoiding the need for costly repairs. You will want to keep an eye on the performance of your boat engine as it is almost always cheaper to simply keep the motor maintained than it is to shell out for a major repair.

Often the question comes up as to how you go about choosing the right powerhead. Unfortunately the answer isn’t a simple one, and will focus on the availability of new wear parts, tight tolerances and whether the powerhead has run-tested reliability.

When you are selecting your boat’s powerhead, you will need to make your choice based on whether the unit has had critical visual and Magna-flux inspection of internal and bearing surfaces. This is vital as units without this testing may not have the long term reliability of tested units.

The most common type of powerhead used for typical outboard motors is the two stroke variety, which contains two pistons. This variety of powerhead is a reliable work horse engine and has been around for decades.

The powerhead is an integral part of the outboard motor design since it is the powerhead’s elevated above water line design which allows the outboard motor to function with efficiency and simplicity.

Every manufacturer of outboard engines has a different type of powerhead for their specific brand and make, meaning that powerheads are not interchangeable between manufacturers. For example, if you need to replace an Evinrude powerhead be sure to purchase the after market version from Evinrude parts.

If you buy your powerhead at a discounted price make sure you ask if it’s been rebuilt. Purchasing a rebuilt powerhead isn’t a bad thing, as long as it was rebuilt by a mechanic who was qualified to do so. A powerhead rebuilt by unskilled hands may not only be unreliable and have a shorter lifespan, it could actually be dangerous and put you and your family at risk of injury from flying parts should the powerhead malfunction while in use on your boat.

It is also a good idea to replace the pistons or at least the piston housings when replacing a powerhead since they can often also incur damage along with the powerhead. Be sure not to over tighten the head bolts when putting a powerhead back on the outboard motor as this could crack the new head and make it as bad off as the one you swapped it for.

Powerheads are one part of your engine guaranteed to require replacement at some point during the engine’s life, due to the fact that the powerhead is under constant friction and vibration from the movement of the pistons within them and the strain of all the other parts of the engine interconnected to them. But with proper maintenance and care, your powerhead should help your boat run smooth for many years.