First of all I would like to tell you that English is not my native language so please forgive me some (or many) grammatical errors...
I am about to buy a secondhand Zodiac Futura Sport MK2 with a Johnson 35HP 2 stroke 3 cil (BY 1998).
As this will be my first boat/engine I want some good tips. Also I need to drive more then 2 hours to the current owner (In europe that's already a long trip
) so I am not able to take a mechanic with me to inspect the engine. The testing will also be done on a sunday, so no dealer nearby will be open. The engine is in very good shape, never had problems and didn't ran for alot of hours (but hey, every seller would tell the same...).
Off course i am gonna take the boat out for a descent test, especially after reading alot about the potential oil injection problems...
What can a newbie like me do or look after to reduce the risk of buying a worthless engine. Going at WOT, look for smoke, sounds... Doing a compression check is not an option I guess because of no special equipment in my possesion. How can I check (during the test) that the oil consumption is sufficient or that the engine does not have damage because of lack of oil?
I found already information that this engine doen't have a VRO system, but in fact an oil pump with a constant 50:1 ratio. Do those engines have less problems then those with a VRO? If the pump delivers oil at a constant 50:1 then i don't see much advantage of having those oil pumps apart of the risk of forgetting to put the proper amout of oil into the oil tank. Just don't want to end like this (http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/196212-35-hp-johnson-3-cylinder-never-ending-problems.html)
Apart of the oil injection issues there is one more thing that holds me back: Are there still enough parts available for that engine? Found sterndrive.info but which other websites are offering Johnson parts?
Also I would like to do the maintenance (filters, water pump, carb cleaning) myself if it's clearly explained in a manual. What kind of manual should I look for (OEM manual is not offered with the engine)? Seloc or Clymer or OEM? My technical knowledge isn't that high so I need a manual with some drawings/charts and info about the working method. Don't need to have all the details: If problem is too technical I will go to a mechanic...
The Secret files from tashasdaddy will be very usefull for me i guess. Thx already !!
Looking forward for your responses, tips and ideas about the engine.
EDIT: Engine comes with a 4 blade prop and is remote controlled and oil in lower part is serviced just some months ago.
I am about to buy a secondhand Zodiac Futura Sport MK2 with a Johnson 35HP 2 stroke 3 cil (BY 1998).
As this will be my first boat/engine I want some good tips. Also I need to drive more then 2 hours to the current owner (In europe that's already a long trip
) so I am not able to take a mechanic with me to inspect the engine. The testing will also be done on a sunday, so no dealer nearby will be open. The engine is in very good shape, never had problems and didn't ran for alot of hours (but hey, every seller would tell the same...). Off course i am gonna take the boat out for a descent test, especially after reading alot about the potential oil injection problems...
What can a newbie like me do or look after to reduce the risk of buying a worthless engine. Going at WOT, look for smoke, sounds... Doing a compression check is not an option I guess because of no special equipment in my possesion. How can I check (during the test) that the oil consumption is sufficient or that the engine does not have damage because of lack of oil?
I found already information that this engine doen't have a VRO system, but in fact an oil pump with a constant 50:1 ratio. Do those engines have less problems then those with a VRO? If the pump delivers oil at a constant 50:1 then i don't see much advantage of having those oil pumps apart of the risk of forgetting to put the proper amout of oil into the oil tank. Just don't want to end like this (http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/196212-35-hp-johnson-3-cylinder-never-ending-problems.html)
Apart of the oil injection issues there is one more thing that holds me back: Are there still enough parts available for that engine? Found sterndrive.info but which other websites are offering Johnson parts?
Also I would like to do the maintenance (filters, water pump, carb cleaning) myself if it's clearly explained in a manual. What kind of manual should I look for (OEM manual is not offered with the engine)? Seloc or Clymer or OEM? My technical knowledge isn't that high so I need a manual with some drawings/charts and info about the working method. Don't need to have all the details: If problem is too technical I will go to a mechanic...
The Secret files from tashasdaddy will be very usefull for me i guess. Thx already !!
Looking forward for your responses, tips and ideas about the engine.
EDIT: Engine comes with a 4 blade prop and is remote controlled and oil in lower part is serviced just some months ago.