Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to blow?

[jb93]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

$1,000???
A later model, good, used low hour motor in the 150hp-225hp range is $5k-$10k. A used high hour motor is just another live grenade.

Agree a later model motor is $5-10K. I suppose I am in the camp that the older carb V4 OMC engines are very reliable and easier to work on for basic maintenance. There tend to be lots of older boats that are rotten on Craigslist with a circa 1980-1985 outboard that are listed for around $1500. Some of those motors have excellent compression and maybe just need some maintenance on the carbs and ignition components. Just because it is a 30 year old motor doesn't mean it is high hours. I have a 2000 Boston Whaler with a 150 Optimax on it that had a verified 90 hours on it when I bought it last summer from the original owner. That is a 13 year old motor...so about 7 hours usage per year. It runs like a champ. You can find 1980s motors with lower hours that have a lot of life in them.

 

[F_R]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Well, a "would-be mechanic" has no business cracking into an engine block and you would never want to tear one down that doesn't need it. But a powerhead with say 3k hours on it should more than likely "need it" considering average life expectancy and all. If you're running an outboard with 3k hours on it you're sitting on a live grenade. Why not be proactive and have it rebuilt at 30% the cost of a new long block? Even paying a qualified mechanic for labor still puts you way ahead financially...plus those remanufactured powerheads come bored .020-.040 over..who wants .040 over cylinders?

Do you actually know anybody with 3000 hours on an outboard? I suppose anybody putting that many hours on it might be able to wear it out.

 

[gm280]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

BrokeLoser, Seems you have an opinion that differs with near everybody else on this topic. However, You can refresh your O/B or I/O engines any time you wish. I mean after all, it is your engines and nobody can tell you that you can't do such. I personally will let my engine(s) tell me when they need opened up and completely rebuilt. Until they do tell me there is a problem, normal maintenance will be my general care routine. And I don't mean this to be taken in any way but in a friendly gest...

And for the record, I have rebuilt more engines and transmissions and even differentials then I care to remember. But with each one, they had problems that were obvious to require such rebuilds. When I do go into any rebuild, I replace everything that is not in factory specs regardless of money... But that is just me!

 

[BrokeLoser]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

I don't think many if any folks rebuild their vehicle engines and transmissions and differentials and such just because. And I think that most boater do general maintenance like lower foot oil, impellor work and plugs and such. But if it isn't broken, why tear into it? Boats rarely see the same hours put on them that vehicles do. So run them until...

You can do a top-end rebuild on a single cylinder 250cc 2 stroke motorcycle for under $200. A quick scrape on ebay would suggest that a rebuild kit for a smaller V4 outboard (90-115) is $700 and more for a V6 outboard. That doesn't include the cost of having the cylinders bored or honed and cleaned up...probably $60/hole. So another $240. If I am on target, that is about a $1000 to do a rebuild on a V4 outboard if you do everything yourself except bore/hone? You can find a good engine...or at least a parts motor with good powerhead for $1000. Seems easier to swap out a good used replacement powerhead than do a rebuild.

I have a 1970 33hp Johnson, a 1973 85hp Johnson, and a 1974 50hp Johnson. I have less than $500 in any one of these motors (including purchase price and all upkeep and replacement parts). All three run great and have the same compression numbers now as they did from the factory. Forgive me if I'm missing something, but what is it exactly that I need to "freshen up". Or maybe a better question would be "What would I do to freshen any of these up that would not cost more than they're worth or would not actually do more harm than good?

By the way BrokeLoser, I didn't catch what kind of outboard you have and when it was last freshened up.

BrokeLoser, Seems you have an opinion that differs with near everybody else on this topic. However, You can refresh your O/B or I/O engines any time you wish. I mean after all, it is your engines and nobody can tell you that you can't do such. I personally will let my engine(s) tell me when they need opened up and completely rebuilt. Until they do tell me there is a problem, normal maintenance will be my general care routine. And I don't mean this to be taken in any way but in a friendly gest...

And for the record, I have rebuilt more engines and transmissions and even differentials then I care to remember. But with each one, they had problems that were obvious to require such rebuilds. When I do go into any rebuild, I replace everything that is not in factory specs regardless of money... But that is just me!

I guess I'm just wondering if we all have a simple case of tunnel vision where we all just do what the guy before us did. We do everything we can (with routine maintenance) to prevent our motors from letting go yet when we know our motors are getting close to letting go based on run time statistics we just let it blow and dig deeper into our pockets. Just wonder if we're missing something. Remember, most motors run great right up until they blow.

 

[racerone]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Explain what you mean by " freshening up a motor " to folks here.--Say you had a 1984 200 HP Johnson. What parts would you replace ?

 

[BrokeLoser]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

I don't think many if any folks rebuild their vehicle engines and transmissions and differentials and such just because. And I think that most boater do general maintenance like lower foot oil, impellor work and plugs and such. But if it isn't broken, why tear into it? Boats rarely see the same hours put on them that vehicles do. So run them until...

You can do a top-end rebuild on a single cylinder 250cc 2 stroke motorcycle for under $200. A quick scrape on ebay would suggest that a rebuild kit for a smaller V4 outboard (90-115) is $700 and more for a V6 outboard. That doesn't include the cost of having the cylinders bored or honed and cleaned up...probably $60/hole. So another $240. If I am on target, that is about a $1000 to do a rebuild on a V4 outboard if you do everything yourself except bore/hone? You can find a good engine...or at least a parts motor with good powerhead for $1000. Seems easier to swap out a good used replacement powerhead than do a rebuild.

I have a 1970 33hp Johnson, a 1973 85hp Johnson, and a 1974 50hp Johnson. I have less than $500 in any one of these motors (including purchase price and all upkeep and replacement parts). All three run great and have the same compression numbers now as they did from the factory. Forgive me if I'm missing something, but what is it exactly that I need to "freshen up". Or maybe a better question would be "What would I do to freshen any of these up that would not cost more than they're worth or would not actually do more harm than good?

By the way BrokeLoser, I didn't catch what kind of outboard you have and when it was last freshened up.

BrokeLoser, Seems you have an opinion that differs with near everybody else on this topic. However, You can refresh your O/B or I/O engines any time you wish. I mean after all, it is your engines and nobody can tell you that you can't do such. I personally will let my engine(s) tell me when they need opened up and completely rebuilt. Until they do tell me there is a problem, normal maintenance will be my general care routine. And I don't mean this to be taken in any way but in a friendly gest...

And for the record, I have rebuilt more engines and transmissions and even differentials then I care to remember. But with each one, they had problems that were obvious to require such rebuilds. When I do go into any rebuild, I replace everything that is not in factory specs regardless of money... But that is just me!

Explain what you mean by " freshening up a motor " to folks here.--Say you had a 1984 200 HP Johnson. What parts would you replace ?

Well, I'm not sure if it would make sense with a 1984 motor, you'd have to do the math I guess.
Main bearings
Crank bearings
Rod bearings
Pistons, rings and wrist pins
Crank shaft seals
And maybe even have some resurfacing done...crank, heads, rods.

 

[Big Fish Billy]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

In the olden days...there was a motto "if you can't work on it, you can't own it." Everyone did their own work or paid a reasonable hourly wage to have someone else do it, and they did it. Nowadays when you bring something in, there's a good chance you'll get it back untouched, except for the bill. That coupled with high hourly rates, and a desire to engineer something no one can work on, or need special tools for...and you end up with a situation where rich people buy new stuff every few years, and sell their stuff to guys like us who are willing to try to make it last....and the cycle continues......with a good motor manual, and a reasonable amount of mechanical skill, and a little help from your friends here, you too can do it.....

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

I'm thinking that with 3000 hrs. on it, I'd be ready for a new one. Everything on it is probably getting close to being done. The lower units are high, too! If I could afford to put 3000 hrs. on an engine less than 10 yrs. old, I'd think I could afford to invest in a new motor. Do most of you guys with expensive motors have hour meters, and would you trust the hour meter on a used outboard? If not, how would you determine how many hours were on the motor?
I like to clean fuel systems, check ignition timing/spark consistency, replace water pump impellers, and reseal lower units and run them until something changes in the sound or how they run. Even with an expensive outboard, there's a lot that can happen that will be more likely to blow a powerhead than high hours in most cases. Detonation from a faulty ignition or fuel system, overheating from a bad or fouled cooling system, or striking a submerged object would be more likely to get it than high hours from my meager experience. If I knew an engine was getting that many hours on it, I'd sell it and get a new one.
JMO,
JB J

 

[oldman570]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

In the world of boat owners, most of us upgrade to a newer motor before the one we have needs any major teardown or rebuilding. If the maintenance is done to the motor as it should be, the motor should last as many years as the boat it is on. Thus comes the upgrading to a newer setup. Most boat owners have insurance on their boats and motors that will cover any damages done to the motor if a wing dam or submerged log happens to get in the way of it. With this in mind, there is really no need to do any motor rebuild. Thus a good maintenance schedule will do the job needed. JMO
Oldman570

 

[BrokeLoser]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

I'm thinking that with 3000 hrs. on it, I'd be ready for a new one. Everything on it is probably getting close to being done. The lower units are high, too! If I could afford to put 3000 hrs. on an engine less than 10 yrs. old, I'd think I could afford to invest in a new motor. Do most of you guys with expensive motors have hour meters, and would you trust the hour meter on a used outboard? If not, how would you determine how many hours were on the motor?
I like to clean fuel systems, check ignition timing/spark consistency, replace water pump impellers, and reseal lower units and run them until something changes in the sound or how they run. Even with an expensive outboard, there's a lot that can happen that will be more likely to blow a powerhead than high hours in most cases. Detonation from a faulty ignition or fuel system, overheating from a bad or fouled cooling system, or striking a submerged object would be more likely to get it than high hours from my meager experience. If I knew an engine was getting that many hours on it, I'd sell it and get a new one.
JMO,
JB J

That 3,000 hour number is just a arbitrary figure I threw out there. I don't know what the actual realistic life expectancy is for each motor. The magic number could be 1,000 hours.

 

[BrokeLoser]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

In the world of boat owners, most of us upgrade to a newer motor before the one we have needs any major teardown or rebuilding. If the maintenance is done to the motor as it should be, the motor should last as many years as the boat it is on. Thus comes the upgrading to a newer setup. Most boat owners have insurance on their boats and motors that will cover any damages done to the motor if a wing dam or submerged log happens to get in the way of it. With this in mind, there is really no need to do any motor rebuild. Thus a good maintenance schedule will do the job needed. JMO
Oldman570

There are many boat owners who live in climates that allow for boating 12 months a year and 300-500 hours logged per year is not uncommon. Out here I don't think I've ever heard a case where the motor outlasted the boat.

Further, the question posed is not only directed at original owners. Remember, when you sell your rung out used motor someone ends up with a grenade ready to let go with X thousand(s) of hours on it.

 

[Big Fish Billy]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Well.....I guess the key is not to be a BrokeLoser.....and be the guy that buys it new......

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

As I've stated I 5 outboards in the garage. The oldest 1969 and the newest being 1988. The 1988 is destroyed because the Previous owner did not put the Oring on the driveshaft and it washed out the splines until the shaft spun. The splins inside the crank are also gone. Now if it would have been taken care of correctly this engine would still be running sweet and I wouldn't have been able to buy this whole rig for $1100.00, which I only wanted the hull and trailer anyways.

But as it is this engine is not hardly worth putting the time and money into replacing the crank and exhaust tube that was broken when they tried to remove the lower unit to replace a water pump impellar. Unless of course I can find another whole unit that has a blown cylinder for dirt cheap.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

I think the key to this problem posed by the poster is that you rarely know exactly how many hours a motor has on it. I would keep shopping if it were a high hours motor usually. If the hull was just what I wanted and in great condition, and I got it at a good enough price and the lower unit worked nice but the powerhead was in bad shape but still working, I can easily see totally rebuilding it and knowing it was reliable. I wouldn't buy a known high hours motor to rebuild, there's too many out there that don't need rebuilding.
JBJ

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

iYeah and when they blow its often caused by something that pulling apart would not of found, ie a new blockage in a jet so it ran lean. Yes you could strip a motor down and replace all the bearings etc back into spec but for that cost you could of bought a good used one and sold the gearbox and have many hours up your sleeve to work on the trailer.
Your choice to tear into it f you want too but people here wont for sound financial reason

 

[BrokeLoser]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Well.....I guess the key is not to be a BrokeLoser.....and be the guy that buys it new......

Haha...a little pun intended.

 

[59 Fatty]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

The only reason (IMHO) to keep an old worn out engine and rebuild it, is for emotional or sentimental reasons. It may be worth more to someone than just dollars. 3,000 hours is enough for retirement to be sure.

 

[ronward]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Haha...a little pun intended.

Ya think??? I was waitin for someone to say that. Maybe everyone else hasn't realized that you just wanna argue. You never did respond to my post about what kind of outboard you have and when you freshened it. Do you actually have an outboard or were you just bored the other night and wanted to compare mx bikes to outboards just to have something to do?

 

[racerone]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Helped a buddy with a donor car to restore / hot rod a 1937 Pontiac 2 door coupe.------This was back in the 1970's.---Last time I talked to him he said " I still have it "------he has had the 283 out of it 4 times , painted the car 4 times.---Says he has had it longer than the wife and kids.---Totally different emotional reasons than an outboard.

 

[boobie]

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Re: Does anyone ever "freshen up" an outboard motor or do you simply wait for it to b

Hey 59 Fatty, did you ever get that motor you were working on running ??