low down on force?

[hibridge]

hi all,
I am trying to get an idea on the real difference between force and the more expensive name brand motors. I have always heard a lot of negatives with force and I am considering acquiring a boat with a 90 force. I live in mexico and parts may become an issue. need some feedback.
jim

 

[roscoe]

Re: low down on force?

Not bad motors if meticulously maintained.
1994 and later were decent motors for the 90 hp.
Mercury is no longer supporting them though, and since some parts are no longer available here, I imagine they are even harder to come by in Mexico.

 

[RRitt]

Re: low down on force?

take compression on all cylinders. inspect engine for signs of galvanic corrosion (it looks like limestone deposits) around stainless steel bolts, transom clamp fittings, pivot shafts, and trim mounting. verify gearcase shifts properly into forward & reverse. If possible inspect gearcase oil for water.

If all of this is good and you plan to do your own maintenance then you will have a reliable outboard for a fraction of the cost.

Known issues:
If motor was made after 1992 then it is known to have some problems caused by poor engineering from mercury. Specifically the reed valves are known to crack and cause blown power heads. Not a problem if you know about and pay attention. Perhaps even put in a new set of boyensen every few years ($120). The other major engineering mistake is the early 90's stator. It simply falls apart. This was their first attempt at a universal stator and it falls apart on all mercury manufactured outboards. A third "mistake" was corner cutting to save a nickle. The used ATF instead of hydraulic oil in the trim units. Chrysler used oil and their trims go 17-23 years. Mercury used ATF and their trims go 12-17 years. When the Chysler trim goes out you can usually get another 5-10 years of trouble-free service by just rebuilding the motor&pump as one ($200ish). When Merucry trim goes out you should get whole system rebuilt ($350ish) because the ram often goes out soon after pump and atf cause significant debris upon ring failure.

 

[JoeCrow]

Re: low down on force?

My 1986 Force 125 started right up and ran great
Parts are plentiful on e-Bay
I bought everything I could when they came up

 

[wayne h]

Re: low down on force?

lots of good info here i have a force 50 and picked up more them my share of spare parts for it .. there good motors just dont fall short on servicing and keeping up on it .. the ebay comment is true take a look and u will see there are many parts .. remember to keep the cooling system in tip top shape .. new impeller and thermostat every year or 2 . they are cheap and seem to be the week part of these motors once over heated weird things happen to them .. lots of people dont like them and think there the cheaper made motor .. but i am very happy with mine

 

[timdan94]

Re: low down on force?

I have a 1985 85 hp force and it starts on the first or second try every time. Runs good and has actually towed in a few mainstream motors that broke down.

 

[Dave K.]

Re: low down on force?

check out Ritt's comment on a post a couple of days ago "chrysler review". if you plan on doing the upkeep yourself, force is a good motor. easy to work on. that's very true for me & the '84, 85hp i have. very reliable, runs great & i take good care of it. IMPORTANT: my rig was Well Taken Care Of before I bought & i picked up where the original owner left off. That's probably the biggest thing to look for on any set-up. good luck, let us know how you make out.