Getting my motor back today

When I bought my boat in January the guy had a 4HP Mercury on it. He swore it ran fine a year ago, but he couldn't get it started. He offered to cut the price by $100 if I didn't take it. Well, since I didn't have a motor, I decided to take a chance and buy it with the motor. I tried to get it started without any luck and finally took it to the local outboard shop in Marion. Since it was so old (1973) the mechanic ask how much I had in it and when I told him $100 he said I had a little room to work with.
He emailed me yesterday and said that it was ready to pick up. He installed a new spark plug and clean the fuel filter and it started right up. He didn't know what the charge would be until he got back to the shop today.
I know it isn't going to push my boat very fast but I use the TM 90% of the time. I just needed something to go some longer distances and save the battery. Now I just need the weather to warm up a bit so I can finish painting my trailer and install the boat carpet and wiring.
I did manage to sell my old 10 ft jon for $100 to a friend for his pond. Now all I need is to sell the little Haul Rite it was on and I'll have the money to finish the boat and trailer.

I picked up the motor and talked to the mechanic that worked on it. He said it ran good after he shrink wrapped the wires (they were so old the insulation was flaking off), installed a new spark plug, carb kit and impeller. He changed the lower unit lub and set the points. He said he would have replaced the points but they were on backorder and the motor ran good with the old set. Damage was $143...$43 parts and $100 labor. =D>

Good to hear you got the motor back in good working order. Just in time for some fishing.

Good deal. Overall that price isn't that bad. The 4hp will serve you just fine, you just slow down and enjoy things more. I went years with just the family's 5.5hp pushing me before I could afford something larger. And I enjoyed fishing back then as much as now. If anything else I found more fishing holes back then with the smaller motor. I still breakout the 5.5hp johnson a couple of times a year just to keep her in good running order.

po1 said:

Good deal. Overall that price isn't that bad. The 4hp will serve you just fine, you just slow down and enjoy things more. I went years with just the family's 5.5hp pushing me before I could afford something larger. And I enjoyed fishing back then as much as now. If anything else I found more fishing holes back then with the smaller motor. I still breakout the 5.5hp johnson a couple of times a year just to keep her in good running order.

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I had an Ozark fish and ski with an 85 HP Merc on it. My wife liked to cruise the lake if the fish weren't biting. It would do 36mph with 4 in the boat, but cost me $20 worth of gas every trip out. I figure I can fish all day with the 4HP on a gallon...which might cost me $5 pretty soon! #-o
I just retired so I'm not in a hurry any more.