7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

[jspansel]

Hello!

I am looking at picking this up tomorrow so any quick help would be greatly appreciated!

It is a 7 HP SEAKING OUTBOARD MOTOR. I do not know the year of it... Says Motor is in excellent condition and has been fully gone through. Carburetor has been cleaned, all new fuel lines, lower unit and water pump checked and lower unit has new grease. New pull rope. Motor has been fully cleaned, painted, and tuned up and is ready to go fishing.

Wants $175

Good deal? Anything I should look for? Are these good little outboards? Looking to use it to push my 13' aluminum V... This will be my first ever outboard, ever. I use a trolling motor as sole push right now.

Pics:

 

[jspansel]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

Also, what do I do if he does not have a barrel full of water to show its running status??? Is that the only way to know it truly runs? Do I bring a trashcan with me? haha

 

[geoffwga1]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

If he says it's running but can't show you it running,don't buy it.Doesn't look familiar to me but that means nothing.Model # would help.
G

 

[steelespike]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

Just from the pics I would guess it is an Eska built motor.
Some here think they are great.I think they vibrate too much.
Are noisy.Eska has been out of business since about 85.Parts are available but from a select few
and some can be very expensive.If I was buying used I would want to see it run.
If it runs good and you don't mind the hunt and wait for parts it may work for you.
If you need to have an expert work on it you may want to find out if anyone in your area will work on it.
On the other hand parts for 5 to 10 hp Evinrude/Johnson back to the early 50s are available right here at iboats.More obscure parts are at any number of vendors on the net and coast to coast from well established BRP dealers.

 

[FiVe_O_LiVe]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

That motor is a Montgomery Ward(sears) 7hp, has a clinton engine w/ walbro carb. Its some where between '1973-75. Air cooled powerhead, with a water cooled exhaust leg. Carb and ignition parts are available locally at your lawn mower repair shop. Most other engine parts can be difficult to obtain without alot of time spent searching. Cost is another issue. I would find that purchase price steep, but it depends on what outboards go for in your area.

I have the identical engine. Picked up a few years ago with a boat purchase. Has proven to be a great little kicker for my car topper. Very simple design, easy to work on. Weight is around 40lbs. That said it, it will run faster than your trolling motor. Agreeing with Steelspike it is louder and shakes more than my Evinrudes/Mercs. The difficulty/cost of replacement parts makes it hard to reccomend as a first outboard choice. Definately hear it run, and if you do buy it make sure you check the lower unit grease regularly as water will distroy bushings and a quality air cooled engine oil, no tcw3 here.
Goodluck,

 

[jspansel]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

I do apologize for having 2 threads about this subject. Thought this one was in the wrong forum section... but since we are here FiVe_O is correct... it is a Clinton build K700. He had a can and everything set up for it and I got to gear it run. It ran super nice, not loud or shaky at all really. Hardly any smoke. He took $150 for it and I was happy with that. It is very hard to find anything for under $300 around here. I set it up today as well and ran it for a good 20 minutes in a can and it started right up and ran very nice! Shifted out of neutral smoothly and vise-verse. The 6 gallon tank fits perfect behind my rear bench where I sit. It idles down nicely too. I'm pleased with it. I wont be even using it too much. I fish mostly smaller lakes and the trolling motor will get me around the lake with no problems. This is for the few times I will see larger lakes and need to get to the other side if the fish arent biting. Heck, for the price, if I only get a couple years out of it I will be super happy!

FiVe_O.... How do I go about checking the lower grease? He said he repacked it all when he went through it. Not sure how though.

 

[outdoorsman10]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

IMHO, you got a great deal! A motor like that around here runs in the $500-$800 range. Good job, jspansel!

 

[jspansel]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

IMHO, you got a great deal! A motor like that around here runs in the $500-$800 range. Good job, jspansel!

Thanks! Hope to get it out on the water this weekend!

 

[mrcrabs]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

nice Clinton specimen, make sure your pumping water before you take it out, prop looks nice and clean. If you search this forum there is contact info for the actual manufacturer...goood luck.

 

[FiVe_O_LiVe]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

Glad to here the deal was a good one. The lower unit is extremely simple design. No bearings, its all bushings. The access to your grease is through the 4 screws located at the skeg. Very easy, just flip motor upside down, unscrew the skeg and voila. The only exterior seal is on the prop shaft, and the skeg cover. Keep an eye on this fairly regularly, water is a quick death to the bushings. Like you i only use that motor a handful of times during the season...i like maintenance free. lol
Let me know if you need anything, i have quite a few parts resources now...after hours of searching

 

[mrcrabs]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

The only exterior seal is on the prop shaft

pure fiction, there will be a seal below the water pump which is the weak link in the sealing of this lower unit...get a owners manual, ebay is a good source.

 

[jspansel]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

Ok... well I got the motor out on the water today. Fired right up, let it warm up for a bit and then went at it. Came up to full throttle no problem. Then it bogged out It would stay at full throttle for about 10 seconds and then bog out. Wonderful. Then I couldnt even get it to go more than 1/2 throttle at all without bogging. It would idle fine though. It ran great out of the water in the bucket so its only when putting a load on it. What could that be? Then, after a while I tried it again and it ran almost a solid 10 mins full throttle just fine! I let the throttle down and then it again wouldnt go over 1/2 throttle without boggin out. What would cause this? Also after running it and shutting it off, it was smoking pretty good at the base of the head. Gas was spitting out of the adjustment screw on the side of the carb. So I think it may have been that getting hot and smoking? Seems like this all may be a carb issue... easy to fix?

 

[mrcrabs]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

needs a carb cleaning and a kit, you need to clean and gap points and make sure its pumping water, if it happens to have a pickup tube for water circulation then don't run it in a barrel. If you get it hot you will damage the lower seal and even the lower crank bearing. generally the MonkyWards Clinton's used the tall Eska type water pump.

 

[jspansel]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

The engine is air cooled... the leg is water cooled. It is indeed pumping water out of the 6 holes when in gear. It puts out a good mist. So that seems ok. Hmm.. he said he went though and totally disassembled and soaked the carb. Might just need it again? I have never worked on a carb before. Will I need any replacement parts by taking it apart? Or can I just take it apart and make sure its all clean and all passages are clear and put it back together? What is this kit you speak of and where on earth would I possibly get it?

 

[mrcrabs]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

first I would Identifie the carb and then find the correct float level and check the needle and seat to make sure its not sticking, the most likly gasket to replace would be the float bowel gasket,

there will be parts info for the clinton in this forum if you search.

 

[jspansel]

Re: 7 HP Seaking Outboard info?

Thanks. I found a manual for it on ebay for a couple dollars... Once I get that, that should help a lot.