What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

[enginesilo]

I am shopping for a bow rider and found a boat with a year 2000 Johnson 115HP Outboard.

What are some things to check when shopping for an Outboard?

1.) Compression - What is ideal compression in this engine?

2.) Charging System - I recall holding a meter on the battery terminals at idle and then while revving in the past to see if the number climbs as the engine is revved. Is this a sufficient test?

3.) Check for corrosion and leaks

4.) Make sure the engine is pissing water out and cooling

Anything else to check?? Tips appreciated.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

spark, compression all withing 10% preferably even. lower unit oil. you are on the right track, also a 1 hour test drive.

Buying a boat

1st you need to decide what you want to use it for, fishing, cruising, or water sports.

2nd how many people adults, children you want on board of the average outing.

3rd outboard, inboard-outboard, or inboard power plant.

4th Budget, what you want to pay, and what you are willing to pay, when you find
Exactly what you want.

You can hire a marine surveyor, to inspect the boat, or you can do it yourself.

You are mainly looking for soft spots in the deck, transom, cracks, all signs of a rotten, under frame. You walk all over the deck, that a mallot, or hammer with wooden handle, using handle, tap all over the transom, a shape rap is good solid base, a thud, is questionable base.

The motor should be clean, no spots where the paint is discolored, or pealing from heat, having run hot. (This part for outboard motors Compression should be atleast 100psi, and within 10% of each other,)
Spark on all cylinders, good pee stream, check lower unit for water in oil.

The overall condition of the boat will tell you a lot, as to how it has been maintained.

A 30 year old boat motor combo, may be in better condition, than a 3 year old.

 

[enginesilo]

Re: What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

Now that is a great response! Thanks,

I haven't owned an outboard for a while so can you confirm how to check the lower unit oil? Are there 2 screws, one towards the bottom and one somewhere higher up? Would I remove the higher screw and try to get some liquid out from there? Any specifics on this will be appreciated.

If water testing is not possible would you definitely NOT buy a boat? This boat is a 2000 and the engine is estimated to have about 30 hours total. Everything looks immaculate including the engine and hull. I am going to push to find a way either way but due to launch rules it may not be possible.

While running on the hose are there any tests I can do? Should it not be revved higher than a certain RPM while on the hose (1500rpm's) or something like that? Should I be putting it in forward, neutral, and reverse and revving a little in each, or just in neutral?

Anyone know the average temperature this engine should run at?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

1st is this a carbed motor or a FICHT, if Ficht, say thank you, and good bye.
checking lower fluid, just remove the drain plug, only a little will come out, and water will come first.
never rev over 1500 rpms on muffs, you can shift gears, just give time in neutral for the prop to slow. you can run it on muffs indefinately, to let it warm up, 20 minutes, then if you have a infrared thermo, you can check the top of the block for temp. tstats should start to open at 140, and not go above 160+-. find out when and what the last service was on the motor. if you can get as many reciepts as you can. i always take a compression guage,spark plug wrench, spark tester, 1/2 wide blade screw driver. when i look at a motor. don't depend on a seller having one.

 

[enginesilo]

Re: What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

Thanks for the additional info!

So how could I tell if it is the FICHT engine? From the serial or something? Please let me know so I can give the guy a call and get this info before I waste my time driving to see it. I think I read that 20% of these engine's were basket cases or something? Was the FICHT used on Evinrude's and Johnson's? This is the Johnson engine. Any tips around this appreciated.

Checking the lower fluid, is there 2 plugs or one? Am I unscrewing the lower plug? It won't gush out?

If the boat has a temperature gauge do you think that is accurate enough and sufficient?

I bring a similar arsenal of tools.

Can you comment on the battery charging test? I heard that it was a good idea to bring some sort of multi-meter and rev the engine to see if the guages rises. Is this an accurate and ideal test?

 

[iwombat]

Re: What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

Just unscrew the lower plug of the LU. If you leave the top in place, it won't all gush out. If water comes out first that's a very bad thing. If milky cafe au-lait colored fluid comes out, that's a bad thing too. Clear fluid of any color is a good sign. Also check the plug (it's magnetic) for any large-ish bits of metal.

 

[ezeke]

Re: What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

If you could do only one test on an outboard, the compression test is the one to do. If you don't know how to do it, ask now. If you don't have the tools, beg borrow or steal - it's your money.

 

[enginesilo]

Re: What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

Hey Guys,
Great tips on checking the LU oil, I will be doing exactly this, thanks.

Yes, I am familiar with checking compression and have a nice gauge I use. I know Seadoo jet ski engine's currently since that is what I've had for the past few years so I am mechanically inclined a bit, just not a pro. With the outboard would I be taking all 4 plugs out when turning it over? Or should I be leaving them in, but removing the spark plug wires? Next, should the throttle be set in the Wide Open position? I know that this is sometimes required.

Thanks for helping me with the learning curve.

Anyone have any comments on the testing the charging? Thought this was recommended but maybe not? Also, any info on FICHT and how to tell will be helpful.


Any other tips ?

 

[ezeke]

Re: What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

Ficht is fuel injectied - no carburetors.

Compression tests are taken with all plugs out. Be as consistent as possible and record the values.

Ideally the engine will be warm and well lubricated, but not necessary. On the 2 cycle motors it does not matter if the carburetor throttles are open or not. It won't hurt to have them open.

 

[Harker]

Re: What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

A pad and pencil also. Write all the tests down that you want to do before you go, then do them and write your results down. Label each cylinder with the compression numbers so you don't forget them. This will give you something to mull over when you get home and may help prevent you buying on excitement. Remember, when you buy, two people will be having the best day of their lives...you....and the seller. Good luck.

 

[enginesilo]

Re: What to check when buying an Outboard???Help Please

You Guys Rock,
Went up tonight and checked it all out. For the most part everything checked out. I had a question on testing the spark and single cylinders and opened a new thread so it could be commented on as a separate topic. Please take a look at it here:
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=1716239