Yamaha 175 HP F175LCA Outboard Motor

Description

If you are after a Yamaha F175LCA for sale, this one is new, crated and ready to go out to you wherever you are. The F175LCA is the digital control version of Yamaha’s 175 horsepower in-line four. Same 2.8 litre block as the mechanical F175, same 20 inch shaft, but the throttle and shift are electronic. You move the lever, the motor reads a signal, and it does exactly what you asked. No cables to stretch, no sticky shift in cold weather.

I get a lot of questions about the difference between the LA and the LCA, so a good chunk of this page is about that. You will also find the full specs, what the motor suits, rigging, upkeep and how ordering works with us. If you have a question I did not cover, drop us a line.

Yamaha F175LCA for Sale: What You Get

• New Yamaha F175LCA outboard, 175 hp
• 2.8 litre in-line four, DOHC, 16 valves, EFI
• 20 inch shaft (the “L”)
• Digital Electronic Control throttle and shift (the “C”)
• Power trim and tilt, electric start
• 50 amp alternator
• Standard right-hand rotation
• Regular 87 octane fuel

If your boat is rated for 175, the transom is about 20 inches, and you want the smoothest controls Yamaha offers in this size, the Yamaha F175LCA for sale here is the one. The price sits at the top of the page.

Yamaha F175LCA Specifications

Here are the numbers for the Yamaha F175LCA for sale on this listing.

LCA vs LA: Is Digital Control Worth It?

The powerhead on the F175LCA and the F175LA is the same. What changes is how you talk to it. On the LA, a cable runs from your control box to the throttle and another to the shift. On the LCA, those cables are gone. The control lever sends an electronic signal to the engine and the engine does the moving.

So what do you actually feel? A few things.

Shifting is cleaner. Every shift goes in at the right speed and the right idle. There is no half-in, half-out clunk because someone pushed the lever too slowly.

The lever is light. Long cable runs on bigger boats get heavy and sloppy over time. Digital control stays light no matter where the helm is.

Less to adjust. Cables stretch and need tweaking. Digital setups do not.

Better gauges. Digital rigging pairs with Yamaha’s newer displays, which show fuel flow, trim, hours and fault codes.

The trade-off is cost and compatibility. A Yamaha F175LCA for sale needs a digital control box and harnesses, not a mechanical box. If you are repowering a boat that already has a working mechanical Yamaha setup, the Yamaha F175LA might save you money on rigging. If you are rigging fresh, or you are tired of fighting worn cables, the LCA is the better motor to own.

What Boats Suit a Yamaha F175LCA for Sale

Anything rated at 175 hp with a 20 inch transom is a candidate. In practice we see it go on:

• Bay boats from about 19 to 22 feet
• Smaller center consoles used inshore and near-shore
• Dual consoles and family runabouts
• Larger tritoon pontoons
• Deep-V aluminum fishing boats

The in-line four is lighter than a V6 of similar power, so boats tend to plane quicker and sit better in the water. If your transom is 25 inches, you want the Yamaha F175XCA instead, which is the same motor on a longer shaft.

How It Runs

On a 19 or 20 foot boat with a couple of people aboard, most owners see a top end in the mid 40s mph and a comfortable cruise somewhere in the low to mid 30s. Fuel use at cruise is usually around 4 mpg on boats like that. Your numbers will change with load, prop and water, so take those as a rough guide.

With digital control the motor feels a bit more refined than the mechanical version, mostly because shifts are so consistent. The Shift Dampener System cuts the clunk further. And it is quiet. If you are coming off a carbureted two stroke, it will feel like a different world.

The Variable Trolling RPM feature lets you step idle up or down in 50 rpm jumps between 650 and 900 rpm from a compatible gauge. Anyone who trolls will appreciate that.

Rigging a Yamaha F175LCA

When you buy a Yamaha F175LCA for sale from us, you get the outboard. The rigging parts depend on your boat. A typical digital install needs:

1. A Yamaha digital electronic control box (single engine)
2. The matching digital harness and hub
3. Key switch panel or start/stop panel
4. Compatible Yamaha gauges or a multifunction display
5. Steering rated for 175 hp, cable or hydraulic
6. Fuel line, primer bulb and a 10 micron fuel water separator
7. Battery and battery cables sized for the motor
8. A propeller matched to your hull

Let a dealer or a marine tech who has done Yamaha digital rigs before handle it. It is not hard work for someone who knows the system, but the software setup at the end matters. They will also set the engine height so the prop bites properly without dragging.

If you are not sure what you already have on the boat, send us photos of the helm and the transom and we will help sort out what you need for the Yamaha F175LCA for sale you are looking at.

Repower Notes

Repowering with a Yamaha F175LCA for sale is common, especially on boats that used to run older 175 or 200 hp two strokes. The 26 inch mounting centers line up with a lot of older motors. A few things to check:

• The boat’s capacity plate for maximum horsepower and engine weight
• Transom height, to confirm a 20 inch shaft
• Condition of the transom wood or core, since a new motor is no fix for a soft transom
• Whether your controls are mechanical, which means you will be switching to digital
• Fuel system age, since old hoses and tanks cause most early headaches

Going from mechanical to digital is a bigger change than swapping one mechanical motor for another, but it is the upgrade people are usually happiest with afterwards.

Keeping It Running

A Yamaha F175LCA for sale today is a motor you can expect to run for a long time if you look after it. Yamaha’s basic schedule is every 100 hours or every year. Typical service items:

• Engine oil and filter
• Gear oil in the lower unit
• Fuel filter and water separator element
• Spark plugs as needed
• Anodes, replace when about half gone
• Grease points on the swivel and tilt tube
• Water pump impeller every couple of years
• A look at the timing belt as hours add up

Flush after salt water. Use stabilizer if the boat sits. Keep the battery healthy, because digital controls do not like low voltage. Do those things and Yamaha in-line fours tend to give very little trouble.

Break-in

Follow the owner’s manual for the exact routine. The general idea for the first 10 hours is gentle running at first, then varied throttle, no long stretches at full throttle. Check oil often and do the first oil change early.

Compare the 175 Range

• Yamaha F175LCA for sale (this listing): 20 inch, digital control
• Yamaha F175XCA: 25 inch, digital control
• Yamaha F175LA: 20 inch, mechanical
• Yamaha F175XA: 25 inch, mechanical
• Yamaha LF175XCA: counter-rotation for twin setups
• Yamaha VF175LA V MAX SHO: the performance model

If you are on the fence between 175 and 200, look at the Yamaha F200. Same block, a bit more punch, but it wants 89 octane. Everything at this size is in our 175 HP Yamaha section.

Ordering the Yamaha F175LCA From Us

Here is how buying the Yamaha F175LCA for sale on this page works.

Condition

New, in the factory crate. Ask for photos of the crate and serial plate if you want them before paying.

Shipping

We ship worldwide with FedEx, UPS and USPS. The motor stays crated for the trip and you get tracking as soon as it moves. If you want a delivered price to your country, ask us before you check out.

Payment

You can check out through our shop. If you need an invoice for import, or you want to talk first, contact us and we will sort it.

Delivery

Check the crate before you sign for it. Note any damage on the delivery slip and take pictures. Our return policy and terms cover the details.

Warranty

Outboard warranty depends on the country where the motor is registered and used. Ask us before you order the Yamaha F175LCA for sale and we will tell you what applies to you, in writing.

You can also read what other buyers have said on our reviews page, or learn a bit more about us.

Why People Pick the F175 With Digital Control

Ask around at any boat ramp and you will find people who swear by their Yamaha 175. It is light, it runs on regular fuel, and parts are easy to find in most countries. The digital control version adds the one thing older Yamaha owners used to grumble about, which is cable feel. With the LCA there is nothing to wear out between the helm and the motor.

Yamaha’s official outboard site has a dealer locator and a lot of rigging information if you want to read up. Yamaha Motor Canada’s F175 page also lists the factory features of the digital model.

A Few Honest Tips Before You Buy

Whether you buy the Yamaha F175LCA for sale here or somewhere else, a few things will save you grief:

• Check the full model code. LCA and XCA look alike in a photo. The shaft length is the difference.
• Ask if the price includes the digital rigging kit. Usually it does not, on any website.
• Get a delivered price in writing, not just the motor price.
• Make sure the seller can tell you if the motor is new or used. Ours is new.

And if you are planning twin engines, you will need one standard rotation and one counter-rotation motor. The Yamaha F175LCA for sale here is standard rotation. Pair it with the LF175XCA only if the shaft lengths match your transom, which means checking whether a 20 or 25 inch setup is right for your boat first.

Batteries and electronics

Digital controls rely on clean power. Use a good marine starting battery, keep the terminals clean, and do not let the battery run flat over winter. The 50 amp alternator gives you plenty of charging for a chartplotter, a fishfinder, lights and a livewell pump, but it cannot fix a tired battery.

Props

The 1.86:1 gear ratio on the F175 usually works with a 3 blade stainless prop somewhere in the mid to high teens for pitch. Aim for the motor to reach the 5,000 to 6,000 rpm range at full throttle with a normal load. Yamaha’s propeller range includes models built for the in-line fours.

Living With Digital Control Day to Day

People sometimes worry that electronic controls mean more things to go wrong. In practice, the opposite is usually true over the life of the motor. A cable system has moving parts in the control box, in the cable cores and at the engine end. Those parts wear, collect salt and need adjusting. With the Yamaha F175LCA for sale here, the parts that move are inside the engine where they are sealed and protected.

What you do need is good wiring practice. Keep connectors dry and greased with dielectric grease. Route harnesses away from fuel lines and sharp edges. Do not splice into the engine harness for accessories. Run your fishfinder and lights off their own fused circuits. A clean install now saves hours of chasing gremlins later.

The other thing owners like is the start and stop. Depending on the panel you choose, starting can be as simple as a key or a push button. Shifting from neutral to forward feels the same every single time, which matters when you are docking in wind or working a current.

Docking and slow speed work

This is where a Yamaha F175LCA for sale really earns its price. When you are backing into a slip with a crosswind, you shift a lot and you shift fast. Cable systems can lag or need a firm push. Digital shifting does not. You get a quick, clean engagement at the right idle, and the boat does what you expect. For anyone who docks single-handed, it makes life easier.

Fishing at low speed

Combine the smooth shift with the variable trolling rpm and you get a motor that is genuinely pleasant to fish behind. You can bump the idle up 50 rpm at a time until the boat is moving at the speed the fish want. No hand on the throttle the whole time. If you troll for salmon, walleye or pelagics, you already know how handy that is.

Running Costs Compared to a V6

One of the main reasons people choose a Yamaha F175LCA for sale over a 175 or 200 hp V6 is running cost. The 2.8 litre in-line four burns regular fuel, it is lighter, and on most boats it uses a little less fuel at cruise than an older V6 of similar power. Service is simpler too. Four spark plugs instead of six, a single timing belt, and plenty of room under the cowling to work.

Over a few seasons that adds up. Lower fuel bills, cheaper services, and less weight hanging off the transom, which also helps the boat ride better.

Fuel tips

Buy fuel from busy stations so it is fresh. Use a 10 micron water separating filter and change the element every season. Add stabilizer if the boat will sit for more than a few weeks. Avoid fuel with more than 10 percent ethanol. These habits protect the injectors and keep the Yamaha F175LCA for sale you buy today running sweet for years.

What to Check When the Crate Arrives

When your Yamaha F175LCA for sale shows up, take ten minutes before you sign:

• Walk around the crate and look for crushed corners, holes or fork damage
• Check that the model label on the crate matches what you ordered
• Take photos of all four sides before opening
• Note anything odd on the delivery paperwork

Once it is open, check the cowling, the lower unit skeg and the prop shaft for any signs of knocks. Then let us know it arrived safe. If something is not right, tell us straight away so we can help sort it out.

Common Questions

Is the Yamaha F175LCA for sale here new?

Yes. It is new and ships in the factory crate.

What does “C” mean in F175LCA?

It marks the digital electronic control version. The throttle and shift are electronic instead of cable.

Can I use my old mechanical control box?

No. The Yamaha F175LCA for sale needs a digital control box and harness. If you want to keep a mechanical box, look at the F175LA.

What fuel does it need?

Regular 87 octane unleaded with no more than 10 percent ethanol.

How heavy is it?

Roughly 490 pounds depending on configuration and fluids.

Do you ship the Yamaha F175LCA for sale to other countries?

Yes, worldwide. Tell us where you are and we will quote shipping.

Does it come with a prop?

Props are usually sold separately because every boat needs something different. We can help you pick one.

How long does shipping take?

It depends on your location. Ask us and we will give you a realistic time frame before you pay.

Storing the Motor Between Seasons

If you live somewhere with a real off-season, a little care before you put the boat away makes spring a lot easier. Run stabilized fuel through the system so the injectors are not sitting in old gas. Change the engine oil before storage, not after, so acids from combustion are not sitting in the crankcase all winter. Change the gear oil too and look at what comes out. Milky oil means water got past a seal and should be checked.

Leave the motor trimmed down so the lower unit drains. Take the battery off or keep it on a smart charger. Grease the fittings. Spray the powerhead with a corrosion protectant if the boat lives near salt. And put a cover on it, even under a roof, because dust and bird mess get everywhere.

In spring, put the battery back, check the fluids, squeeze the primer bulb, and start the motor on muffs or in the water before you head out. Let it warm up and watch for a strong tell-tale stream. That is all it takes to keep a Yamaha F175LCA for sale like this one giving years of easy service.

Understanding the Model Code

Yamaha codes look confusing until you know the pattern. For the Yamaha F175LCA for sale: F means four stroke, 175 is the horsepower, L is the 20 inch shaft, C marks digital electronic control and A is the model version. Swap L for X and you get the 25 inch F175XCA. Put an L in front, as in LF175XCA, and you have the counter-rotating version for twin setups. Once you know this, comparing listings from different sellers takes seconds, and it is easy to spot one that does not match what your boat needs.

Get Yours

If the Yamaha F175LCA for sale on this page fits your boat, add it to your cart or get in touch for a shipping quote. Want to look around first? See all our Yamaha outboard motors, check out the 200 HP range, or read our blog for more boating advice.