performance difference 130 vs 175 Johnson 2stoke?

[QuietRider21]

hello,

i'm looking at and deciding between two Four winns 180 bowriders(hulls rated at 175hp). One is a '99 with a 130 Johnson and the other is a 96 Evinrude 175. Exact same fourwinns boats weighing in at around 2100lbs give or take. The 130 & boat is 3 years newer than the other which is a plus, but then again more hp is always nice so its kind of a trade off. Would the performance difference btwn these boat/motor combos be a night and day difference? could i expect to see near 60mph with the 175? what about just cruising/tubing with a loaded boat of 6 people? would the 130 feel sluggish in this case?
thanks in advance!

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: performance difference 130 vs 175 Johnson 2stoke?

14 year old engine versus a 17 year old engine--not much difference. Assuming both are in good condition: Go for the bigger engine. You can always back off the throttle but you can't use what is not there.

 

[bassman284]

Re: performance difference 130 vs 175 Johnson 2stoke?

If you never try out the 175, the 130 will seem just fine.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: performance difference 130 vs 175 Johnson 2stoke?

hello,

could i expect to see near 60mph with the 175?

On that heavy of a hull, not likely.

I'd go for the bigger engine in a heartbeat, as long as everything's in good condition. Since it sounds like you'll be running with a full boat a lot (another compelling reason to go with the bigger engine) you should make sure it's propped to get you right up to the maximum recommended rpms when running a light to moderate load.

 

[QuietRider21]

Re: performance difference 130 vs 175 Johnson 2stoke?

thanks for the replies...
now that i'm leaning towards the 175 rude, i was wondering what i should be looking for while inspecting it.
i did take a look at the boat/motor last weekend and heard it run on muffs. it started relatively quickly, and idled smooth &consistantly. the powerhead was clean. The transom/bracket showed some very minor & small rust spots which raised a little concern. This motor was used in both fresh & salt water. He claims it was always flushed afterwards. Unfortunately it seems impossible to know if there is any corrosion going on inside this motor. Any other tips?
thanks!
attached are a few pics of the motor

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: performance difference 130 vs 175 Johnson 2stoke?

Have the engine inspected by a quality independent marine mechanic--even if at your expense.

The lower unit grease should be drained looking for water intrusion. A pressure and vacuum test should be conducted on the lower unit to make sure the seals are good. (New seals are about $300.) The bearings are should be checked on the lower unit.

The engine should be put on the water muffs and the motor run long enough to get up to normal temperature. Then, drop the plugs and check the compression on the engine. He'll also be looking at the spark plug color to see if they're all the proper light brown color.

These are the things that you should be concerned with. You don't want any surprises when buying a used boat.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: performance difference 130 vs 175 Johnson 2stoke?

So far I'm pleased with my 175 with the OIS. Seems to be pretty easy to work on (You need a special electrical tester to set the timing, but I found an ex-OMC engineer on ebay that makes them himself and sells 'em for about $50).

As far as the condition of the engine, I don't disagree with having a mechanic check it over on your dime, but if at all possible a test drive would be a good idea as well. At least do one or the other, as well as checking compression and looking at the lower unit oil for any sign of water.

 

[Taxus812]

Re: performance difference 130 vs 175 Johnson 2stoke?

Just for reference my 2002 180 has a Johnson 150 and I get 43mph. With two kids and three adults about 38mph. I do get a good hole shot and I imagine that is we're you will see the difference between the 130 and the 175

 

[dingbat]

Re: performance difference 130 vs 175 Johnson 2stoke?

thanks for the replies...
ni did take a look at the boat/motor last weekend and heard it run on muffs.

I'm surprised that motor doesn't have a flush port. My 1997 does.

This motor was used in both fresh & salt water. He claims it was always flushed afterwards. Unfortunately it seems impossible to know if there is any corrosion going on inside this motor. Any other tips?

If your really concerned about it, pull a head and take a look. My motor went over 2000 hours (saltwater only) before corrosion forced me to replace the power head. How many hours are on the motor?

 

[JoLin]

Re: performance difference 130 vs 175 Johnson 2stoke?

I'm surprised that motor doesn't have a flush port. My 1997 does.

My '96, 175 Johnson didn't have one, but there's an add-on kit for it that works fine. I liked that motor a lot. Fairly easy to work on.

Metric, I did the link and sync on mine a couple times and didn't need a special tool (?). There are instructions for doing it on the forum here.