Really good deal or a scam?

[starcraftlegasea]

Hey all,
I am looking at a 2004 90hp E-tec that is for sale at a marina near my house. The engine seems to be in good condition however, it is off of the boat that it was taken from and just laying on a crate. As a result, I am not able to run the thing until after it is put on my boat. The price for the engine is an incredible $1000 and they are asking $500 for installation (this includes a control box). The reason for it being so cheap as the mechanic at the marina tells me is that it goes into the SAFE mode when the engine is started and they do not have the proper equipment to diagnose E-tec problems. He told me that the thing might just need to be calibrated but he has no way to tell. The guy whose boat it came off of wanted to get a bigger engine so instead of putting the money in to fix this one he bought a new one.
So, what do you guys think? Is it a scam or could it just be a good deal. Would anyone have any suggestions for me to check out the condition of the engine. Thanks a lot. Any suggestions will be appreciated

 

[Thumpbass]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

I would ask them if they did a compression test on the motor and inspected the lower unit oil before they took it in...and if so what the results were. i don't know much about newer outboards but i would guess as long as there are no internal problems, that is a price definitely worth paying even if you had to spend several hundred getting it fixed. im not a mechanic, just a dude who has owned several outboards over the years. im sure there are others here who can tell you for sure...and or prove me wrong

 

[Daviet]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

See if they will give you the guys name that traded it in and check the story with him. If they woun't, it is a coin toss, but I would probably walk away.You know what they say about being to good to be true.

 

[starcraftlegasea]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

Thanks for the replies. It does seem to be a little too good to be true, but hey, things sometime work out . I'm not at all familiar with these newer engines so I would be going mostly on the guys word. That being said, do you do a compression test and check the lower unit oil just like on the old crossflow V4's (thats what I currently have). Should the compression be the same as what was good on the older engines (meaning that they should all be over 100 and within 10% of one another)? Please help ..... I would rather not let it go to another person if it is a good deal. Thanks

 

[jonesg]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

I bought my 1994 150 like that, laying on a pallet, they wrote the compression numbers on the block before derigging it.
A little tweaking, tune up, gear oil and power pack was all it needed.
I would snag it in a heartbeat if compression is even.
Mine is around 85psi on all 6, runs good.
You should be able to compression test it with a battery and jumpers if they let you. Even so, I'd still buy it and rebuild it if need be,.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

Understand that repair involves interrogating the EMM with sw and a laptop and there's a possibility the EMM itself is bad (expensive part >$1000 is my guess). Not a DIY project.

 

[starcraftlegasea]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

I've been doing some research on the EMM and it looks as though if it needs to be replaced its going to be in the $1500 range. If that is the case it probably is still a good deal right ($3000 for an installed 2004 90hp etec)? Is there any way for me to check the engine out other than doing a compression test and listening to her idle. I am prepared to do some repairs on the engine considering the price but it would suck royally if the reason the engine is in SAFE mode is because it overheated and ruined the block. Thanks a lot.

PS I am going to look at her tomorrow morning and will probably make my decision then so please help me out as much as possible. Thanks

 

[bob johnson]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

ok sooooo the place doesnt sell e-tecs I am guessing....do they sell new motors of another brand????
if they are an evinrude or johnson dealer, they should have the equipment.

the motor is worth more than 1000 in partts alone anyway..

it depends on your motor budget and your available time.

people with extra cash laying around score on things like this and set them aside to address when they can..

and have another motor on their boat already.

for a guy needing a motor NOW...it might not be a good idea.

it is like a $300K ferrari on sale for $50K, but it needs $50K worth of work

some one with JUST $50k cant get into it....and flip it....a guy with cash and patience makes money on the deal

good luck

bob

 

[starcraftlegasea]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

Yea the company that is selling it is a Yamaha dealer. The mechanic told me that it would be a pain for them to fix it (it would have to be shipped someplace where they had the diagnostic equipment) so they are just looking to unload it. The problem I am running into is that I kinda have to go on his word. I would really like some concrete evidence that the problem is just with a sensor or something like that rather then something bigger. As I said before I am going to make sure that it idles ok and that the compression on the cylinders is fine (does anyone know what PSI is normal for these engines) but is there anything else I should be looking out for???

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

For compression, > 100 psig and within 10% of each other is OK. No one publishes a "number".

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

Take the motor, skip the $500 installation and fix the motor before you put it on the boat.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Really good deal or a scam?

For compression, > 100 psig and within 10% of each other is OK. No one publishes a "number".

Running this motor to check idling presents some unique issues. The motor cannot be run on premix, since the motors own oiling system MUST be used (or you will smoke the motor, since fuel never sees the crankcase). You will have to set up the oiling system temporarily, purge all air according to procedure in the shop manual to start the motor, and follow some other pre-start guidelines.

You can get a copy of the owner's manual from BRP's website as a free download, if the seller doesn't have it. The shop manual is typically ~ $65, available from a BRP dealer.