Need a motor!

[JMichael]

Down south, you'll see more boats and motor for sale in the spring but that's also the time you'll pay the most for them because every jacks their prices up for the start of spring fishing. If you can locate what you're looking for, you'll get your best price in the off season typically.

 

[Boat2fast]

Those Evinrudes like that are well worth considering. I find them easy to work on and generally reliable. That one, at the link, is a shortshaft tiller. It doesn't have the long midsection. It is not particularly pretty...but there's nothing else to go on without seeing it up close. I can see from the photo that the lower unit has a broken skeg and the lower unit paint has been spray-bombed. The prop looks like it been run through the bottom a lot. The motor has spent a lot of time in the sun. The cover is from a 1996, maybe the whole motor is. No pictures with the hood off. For a grand asking price...it doesn't look like a money maker. These are my first impressions from the ad.

The next step is deciding if you want to invest the time to hear it run. That requires a phone call. Stay away from deals where the seller just wants to text all day. This requires person to person communication. Listening skills are needed here. Try to ascertain how the seller views the equipment. If he is trying to make a buck, If he is trying to get rid of it, If he doesn't want to fix it, find out the real reason he wants to sell. Always be ready to move on to the next deal.

Always be friendly and respectful when speaking with buyers and sellers. You are trying to learn as much about the engine and the seller as you can in the short time available. That information is what you process into an offer or decision.

I remember reading some good advice in the Bible. Maybe it is appropriate here.

Proverbs 27:12
The shrewd person sees the danger and conceals himself,
But the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences.

Proverbs 14:15
The naive person believes every word,
But the shrewd one ponders each step.


Imagine the trouble this advice might save a person.

 

[Kustrud]

Alright 2fast - your my motor guy - you clearly know motors, and I apprecaite it. Ill pass on that first Evinrude as I noticed some of those same things. I found a couple of good ones, see links below. I think I can get the 2002 (called him - motor only) for $1,000 and the other for around $500......thoughts??

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/boa/4814111500.html


https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/boa/4815903911.html (just noticed this has controls **** it)


Getting better yet? That first one too old, or are those OK as long as they check out?

 

[jasper60103]

Alright 2fast - your my motor guy - you clearly know motors, and I apprecaite it. Ill pass on that first Evinrude as I noticed some of those same things. I found a couple of good ones, see links below. I think I can get the 2002 (called him - motor only) for $1,000 and the other for around $500......thoughts??

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/boa/4814111500.html


https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/boa/4815903911.html (just noticed this has controls **** it)


Getting better yet? That first one too old, or are those OK as long as they check out?

The merc is not a tiller, if that's what you're looking for?

 

[BloodStone]

I might go with the Merc BUT, as Jasper noticed, it's not a tiller (plus as B2F pointed out, the skeg looks like it was busted once & welded/repaired-how did it happen is what I'd ask the seller). And to possibly convert this Merc to a tiller could prove to be quiet costly. Have you found any Hondas, Yamahas, or Nissans in your searches? If that 76 Evinrude checks out ok & IF you can get it for $500.00, that might be a good deal (check with your local marina & see how accessible the parts for that particular motor still are.). Finally, I know the old 1978-1983 (or so) Johnson Sea Horses are tough little "tanks" (& as B2F said, pretty easy to work on), so that might be another option for you. Patience is indeed a virtue when searching for a good dependable OB (lots of scammers lurking out there).

 

[Kustrud]

Yeah I noticed that on the Merc as well......here is another one.

This guy seems to have a bunch - would let it go for $1,000.

Looks like a well-kept motor from the pics.

1989 Evinrudes worth a ****?

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/boa/4813395349.html

WOuld that be enough for a WE 648??

Im 230 lbs. and would typically have 1-2 others with me in the 180 lb range.

 

[Kustrud]

This one too

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/boa/4814994196.html

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/bod/4796740825.html

 

[jasper60103]

...

1989 Evinrudes worth a ****?

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/boa/4813395349.html

WOuld that be enough for a WE 648??

Im 230 lbs. and would typically have 1-2 others with me in the 180 lb range.

I have a 88' 30 hp Johnson and I'm pleased with that motor. The 20 hp is basically the
same, even shares the same block, but different manifold and carb. And yea, there's a good thread here on converting it to a 30 hp if desired.

So you're basically looking at staying at a 25hp or less due to lake restrictions.
I believe your hull is rated at 40 hp, correct?
A 20 hp will probably push it ok, but not super fast. JMO.

-jasper

 

[jasper60103]

This one too

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/boa/4814994196.html

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/bod/4796740825.html

One question you need to consider is, do you want electric start?

I don't think either tiller motor in above ads have electric start.
Of course, buying the pair of Evinrudes in the second ad may give
you the option of converting the tiller motor to electric start, and you'll
have parts to spare. Which may be a good thing as I think these
are probably project motors. But before making assumptions though, I would confirm the motors are
compatible first.
Not trying to discourage you, but someone probably traded them in for
good reason. But there's risk in buying any used motor though. JMO.
Good luck.

-jasper

 

[Boat2fast]

The Mercs are pretty easy to convert to tiller. Kits available for 1994 1/2 and up.

JMichael mentioned that Spring might be a good time to look. They all come out of the woodwork then.

The 1989 Evinrude 20 looked like it might be worth a call. A big carb really perks 'em up. Evinrude/Johnsons are over 100cc bigger than the Merc/Mariners.

There is a big reservoir nearby with a 20hp limit. Hotrod 20s are valuable around here. Jonboats are not allowed on the main part of the reservoir, only v-hulls. Also, the boat needs to be rated for twice the engine. A boat rated for 40hp is required to have a 20hp. If your boat is rated for 15, you can only use a 7.5hp. Funny rules up there. Quabbin Reservoir.

 

[turbotodd]

An autozone universal compression tester is fine. Most of the outboards are 14mm spark plugs anywhere, which is what most older cars and trucks used, so normally the universal fit compression tester works. When you get into the 4 stroke stuff, some of those use smaller spark plug threads and you'd need the proper adapter (some are 12mm, some are 10mm)

https://lakeland.craigslist.org/bar/4784205259.html Saltwater use???
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/boa/4812386245.html
https://blacksburg.craigslist.org/boa/4810741885.html
https://memphis.craigslist.org/boa/4815758787.html
https://easternshore.craigslist.org/boa/4819017612.html
https://jonesboro.craigslist.org/boa/4800837114.html
https://cenla.craigslist.org/boa/4767402897.html
https://ventura.craigslist.org/boa/4799929350.html This one is a steal!!
https://pensacola.craigslist.org/boa/4791270342.html Hmmm...I may have to make a road trip to pick this one up!

Them are just a few. They're out there. Searching is easy. Take your pick, do you want 2 stroke or 4 stroke? 4 stroke holds it's value better, IMO. If you didn't like the 4 stroke, put it back on the market and it'll go. Them old 2 stroke motors are starting to die out slowly, some parts are being phased out and there's not much other choice but to buy another used motor or go with a new 4 stroke, or spend a LOT of money for one of them expensive ETEC's, which weigh a ton and cost a fortune...kind of defeating the purpose of 2 stroke, IMO.

 

[Kustrud]

Thanks again for all the advice. Went and looked at a bunch of em today. Not feeling too great. I think I have settled on this one to see next. Skeg looks broken at the tip hut other than that looks clean enough. Called the guy today and he said he will run a compression test with me there. Rebuilt the carb, new impeller, changed the gear oil in the lower unit, and ran a leak down test. Firm in price but I think $750 will do it. Opinions?? Going to see it in the AM.

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/boa/4814994196.html

 

[BloodStone]

Opinions?? Going to see it in the AM.

WATER TEST IT if possible!
(be better if you could test it on an actual boat in the water & under a load instead of just in a barrel but..)

 

[Kustrud]

He said we can run it, keep ya posted.

 

[Kustrud]

Also, what's the best way to pain these things? I want it to look nice too so will be repainting it. Easiest way to get the old stuff off? Good stuff to use?

 

[Pappy]

The OEM colors in spray cans are still available for those years. OEM decals are also available I believe.
Normal de-greasing and paint prep are all that is necessary. I have done a few this way with good results, however I let the spray can paint harden over about a week before the engine goes in the water. Very good paint if you do it this way.

 

[Kustrud]

So I got it for $800 2000 Evinrude 25 hp compression is 130 on both cylinders gear oil and lower unit look good starts in one pool shifts smoothly forward and reverse were good motor looks brand-new under the hood. (Talking into phone excuse the grammar.) Guy said he worked for Evinrude for 25 years and seemed pretty honest and explain a lot about these motors to me as well said he does not know when the impeller was changed last should I go ahead and do this to be safe? How'd I do?

 

[JMichael]

IMO, the single biggest part to achieving a decent paint job is like pappy said, preparation, preparation, preparation. The new paint can't look great if you don't start with a clean canvas and in this case, the canvas is a chipped and scratched up surface. Degrease it first to make sanding or blasting easier. You can sand and feather the edges of all the chips and scratches, or you can use sandblasting or paint stripper to completely remove the old paint. If you can slide your finger over a chipped area and feel the chip, it will ruin an otherwise nice paint job. Keep in mind that you'll want to use some etching primer on any bare metal.

I started with this



Ended with this



I couldn't justify the expense of new decals at the time so I just covered all the old decals with masking take and gave the rest some new color. I'd estimate that 80% of the total labor for this job was spent doing prep work (cleaning, sanding, masking, etc).