Re: 1973 65hp johnson
I have a 1972 65hp Johnson and couldn't be more pleased with it. As pointed out above, my motor is essentially the same as yours, with the exception of the Hydro-Electric shift on mine, v. the mechanical shift on yours. Another difference is that your motor has a torque tube for "modern" steering systems, while mine doesn't. For my motor, an adapter bracket and steering arm had to be purchased in order to use the steering system in my boat.
The key to these motors, in my opinion, is the basic mechanical health. If the compression readings are good, and there are no obvious signs of other mechanical issues, you probably have a good motor. As someone also pointed out, you should take a look at the TT system (I don't have that either & wish I did) to see what kind of shape it is in.
What tends to go bad on these motors is the ignition system. That is not a huge problem, however, because both Sierra and CDI carry parts and the prices are reasonable. The items are also still available from BRP but you won't like their pricing. I also believe that what BRP is selling are aftermarket parts anyway, so you may as well get them from the aftermarket guys in the first place.
I picked my motor up from a guy in Waco, Texas two years ago for a low, fair price, and went through it. I replaced the water pump, rectifier, had the carbs rebuilt, replaced the fuel pump and probably a couple of other minor things that I am forgetting at the moment. The motor ran fine for awhile, but eventually I started getting ignition problems. Because of that, I replaced the entire ignition system, except for the stator. Since that time, the motor has been very reliable and I go out into remote areas with the boat without worry.
While I replaced a lot of things on my motor, one difference is probably that my motor sat in a basement in Waco for many years. It sounds like the one that you have been looking at may have been used more recently. That being the case, much of the work that I had to do, you may not. I would ask about the service history on the motor, if the seller knows it. Some of this will be apparent just by looking at it. For example, the original power pack on the motor has an aluminum casing. If the one on your motor is black plastic, it has been replaced at some point. This does not necessarily mean it is ok, but at least you know that its not a 36 year old power pack.
One other item that may be of interest is that these motors only have a 6amp charging system. While I don't find that to be a major issue (I don't run a lot of electronics), for some it could be. One way to work around that is to use two large capacity marine batteries. I would have (and do) two batteries in my boat irrespective of this issue, so I don't find the low charge rate to be all that big of a deal.
If you have had multiple, good experiences with this seller, just ask a lot of questions and be sure what you are buying. If it sounds like the boat and motor are in good shape, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this package. Also, since my motor is so similar to yours, feel free to PM me at any time if you have questions about it.
