OMC released the 1997 FICHT fuel injected motor in 1996 to meet stiffer EPA guidelines. This motor used gasoline direct injection developed by Ficht GmbH Germany. This motor had problems due to the transition phase of operation being exactly at the same trolling speed of many fishermen and had problems early on, and the smoking and knocking of these engines, along with many pistons and rods exploding out the sides of the engine block, created an aura of doom to potential new customers. Some outboard motor industry insiders have speculated the rush to meet EPA standards helped with the undoing of OMC.