I have a 115 evinrude Ficht engine, (I know they are not good). I put in the water today, start it up and blast off. The spot I went to was about 2 miles from the ramp, as I backed out the motor began to shake and miss. Tried to start it back up, and no power. A guy I know said it could be spark plugs, power pack, or a blown head gasket. The motor was serviced in the winter.Does anyone know what it might be and how much it might cost?

Thanks

Without the software and interface cable, it would be a little on the hard side to trouble shoot. If this was the first time it had been run in a few months, the bad gas may have caused it to melt a piston. Compression check will show that, should be approx 125 pounds and even on all four. If it did melt a piston, it would be wise to send all four injectors off to be cleaned a calibrated, that's over $500. The problem is, you can't reinstall them if you don't have the software and cable to update the ECM.

If you do a compression test, open the throttle butterflys and don't use the key, leave it turned off.  Spin it over by jumpering the solenoid or connecting a remote starter button.   That way there is no spark going to the plug wires.  Also, nnly take out one plug at the time or it will make the bendix kick out each time it hits on the cylinder your check.   Make sure the battery is fully charge also, it needs to turn 250 rpm for a fair compression reading.

The ECM could have died, there are about 50 upgrades that are done on the ECM. A new ECM is very, very expensive and to have your's repaired and upgraded is just very expensive, probably close to $1,000.

You also have to be very carefull trouble shooting, it's possible to blow the ECM just by cranking it over without a plug wire on. You can use a timing light to see if the plugs are firing and also on the injector trigger wire to make sure the injectors a firing.

What it boils down to, if your not good with outboards and have the software, cable and manual, you are pretty much at the dealers mercy, and they usually don't have much mercy when it comes to the bill.

thats what I was afraid of. The boat has been used quite a bit this year. I fish 3- 5 times per week. It has never had problems until today.

Might be time to convert it over to a carb motor but again, that's something you would have to be able to do yourself to come out.  

Thanks for the help, apparently I had some bad fuel. The plugs were filed. New plugs, and good gas made it better!

They are very prone to fouling plugs because of the soot if the plugs are not indexed.  Indexing the plugs goes a long way to helping prevent plug fouling.