Used Outboard Help

I'm looking for a used outboard in the 9 to 10 HP range. I want as much power as possible but still want to fish the 10HP limit lakes. My budget is 400 bucks so my options are somewhat limited. I'm haveing trouble finding much. So heres what I have found. What do you guys think? Take a chance or keep looking?

First is a 1957 Johnson 10hp that the guy says has been checked over by a marine mechanic and it just needs coils, points, condensors and a carb rebuild. Probably a new water pump kit too. He says the mechanic told him he would be surprised if it was ever ran more than a handful of times and he says it looks brand new. I'm still waiting on pics. He never used it because he got a boat that needed a long shaft and this is short. He has never heard it run but says it turns over freely just fine. his price is $200 down from $300. I priced the parts for right around 100 bucks for everything.

Next is a 1989 Johnson 9.9. The guy says it runs but runs wide open. he says someone messed with the carb and it has some silicone in it. A carb rebuild should make it like new again. But...He refuses to demo it and wont give me a reason why he wont show me it runs. His price is $250 and i havnt tried to get him to drop it yet so there may be room to play there.

What do you guys think? Keep looking or take a chance?

Forget the 89 johnson to many warning signs. Now the 57 johnson sounds a lot better those were some sharp looking motors back then. Get the number for mechanic and find out what the total bill is expected to be to fix this motor. Parts may be only a $100 but you need to find out what his labor will set you back. If I was around I'd pick that motor in a heartbeat.

Problem with that is, the mechanic is his buddys father who owned his own marine repair business but is retired. Just being that its his buddy, he could tell me anything. I'm not concerned with the labor. I'd buy a manual and do it myself. I'm pretty mechanically inclined. I do all my own vehicle work.

It also should be mentioned that the 57 was found on a forum similar to this one. A local fishing forum. I kinda trust forum members a little more than random folks but you still never know. The 89 is from craigslist.

Also the 57 comes with a pressure tank and lines which my understanding is they are gettng to be pretty valuable themselves.

I really love the look of those antique outboards and would love to have that 57 running on the back of my boat. I just keep telling myself that 200 is too much for a chance that it will work. I dunno.

Which ever motor you consider you should check the compression with a gauge first off, both cylinders should be close in compression and hopefully 100 lbs plus. Then check the lower unit for oil condition, metal and water make sure the gears engage and feel good. If you have good compression and the lower unit looks good, you can usually take care of gas and fire issues fairly cheaply. I don't think the 57 is worth $200 unless it looks like new. The 57 will be easy to work on ignition, carb kits and water pumps are easily available but you will need to run 24 to 1 oil mix and it will smoke a little more. My thoughts are that if they won't let you check compression pass....unless they are priced like parts motors. Think about it what is the 57 worth running around here $300 maybe....and it needs $200 worth of work if you hire it done. Tank might be considered a plus but I usually convert mine over to a fuel pump and plastic tank.

Flintcreek

Flint covered the basics to check very well. At this point I probably have over 20 vintage engines, all of which are Johnson/Evinrude product. One way I can tell the usage of a vintage before I purchase it is to look at the throttle roller where it engages the spark cam. If it has a deep groove it has had alot of use! Those parts were hardly ever changed so it is a great wear indicator. I think the amount is fair considering you are geting a pressure tank with it. The parts/labor may take it up to or slightly past your$400 limit so be prepared. The nice thing about that engine is that is was built so tough that you will probably be able to hand it down to your kids and grandkids with proper care, running, and maintenance. 24:1 is mandatory no matter what "Bubba" tells you to the contrary. Have never seen an engine fail from too much lubrication! Let us know which way you go!

I'd say go with the 57 if you have to have one. Personally, I love the old OMC's. The work is easy to do as long as you do what you said and get the manual. The pressure tank's value depends on condition. I've seen 4 gallon models as cheap as $35 and 6 gallons as high as $250, so, not sure what to tell you there other than, "yes it is worth something". As for the motor, $200 seems a little high. I recently boght a 1956 Johnson 15 hp (the only year this motor was made before 1974 - so somewhat rare) that wasn't running for $80 and got it running for another $30. Now, of course, that was a pretty good deal for me, but I am very patient when it comes to buying motors because I don't "need" any of them - they are just wants. In the end, you just have to decide what YOU want and what the motor is worth TO YOU and not anyone else, as it's obvious you don't plan to sell it, but, rather, use it.

Now, all that said, follow the advice posted above and NEVER buy a motor you intend to run without checking compression and the lower unit. Compression should be no more than 10% difference between the cylinders. 100 pounds sounds a little high to me for that motor, but I could be wrong and every set of guages tends to read differently. You should be able to tell if it has "enough" compression, but making sure they are balanced is most important. If they aren't, you can plan one having a piece of scrap metal if you buy it and run it very much at all.

Good luck.

The way I look at it the 57 is very little risk. I could always make my money back in parting it out on Ebay. With the 10hp restricted lakes around you I imagine that 10hp outboards like here are in big demand. Your other option is to keep looking for a 9.9hp with a 15hp carb upgrade or the possiblity of being upgraded. I picked up a 76 evinrude with a 15hp carb for $200 while running one of the old state hwys in illinois awhile back. Keep your eyes open on some the back roads, where people sell more by word of mouth and just a for sale sign in the yard/on the boat.

Like po1 said, you could always part out the 57 if you had to.

If a motor is not needed right away, I would hold off and start watching for some deals. Last year I had a 9.5hp Evinrude and wanted more power. I paid $100 for the 9.5 on Craigslist. While at a flea market at one of the local Steam and Gas shows last fall, I fell into another great deal as the guy was unloading his trailer to setup his stand. He had a 20hp Johnson short shaft and that was close enough to my power needs for my boat, which I wanted somewhere between 20-30hp. The motor was also purchased by me for only $100. Once I had the 20hp, I sold the 9.5hp motor for $225 fairly quick. So by being patient and watching for some good deals, I basically have a free 20hp Johnson and $25 to boot. Some sweet deals are out there if you have the time to wait for them. Maybe place a "Wanted" ad on craigslist, never know, you might luck out and only spend a portion of what you have saved.

BTW, both motors were purchased without seeing them run. For that price I was willing to take the risks. Both motors worked great without any work needed. If they would not have ran and been unable to fix, I would have parted them out and made more than my initial investment back without any problems.


Matt

Thanks for all the tips guys!!

Yes, the 10 hp motors are in very high demand around here. There are a couple guys who buy and fix up and sell outboards under 20 hp all the time. I have been in contact with both of them. They both tell me that 9 - 10 hp motors are the easiest things to sell and they sell them as soon as they list them.

Allthough I do need a motor, I dont "need" it right now. My boat will not be finished till later in the spring so I can afford to wait but not to long.

Seems everyone agrees of the 2 I listed, the 57 is the better option. Ive been waiting for pics and havnt heard back from the guy. I think those are really cool looking motors and if it looks like he says it does, I may go ahead and get it if for nothing else to possibly restore for the future. I love the look of the vintage Johnson and Evinrudes. I just have little outboard experience. Allthough I have read most of the vintage collectors started with 1 motor and needed parts so they got another one and it kinda exploded from there. I could see that happening.

BassBlaster said:

What do you guys think? Keep looking or take a chance?

Click to expand...

Keep looking. I'd go with a johnson/evinrude 9.9 that is capable of accepting a 15 HP carb. You'll be able to squeeze in on those 10HP lakes and still have a little power to smile about. If you're stuck on those choices, the '57 sounds better.

I'm not stuck on these. I do have a little time to wait and see what pops up. I dont think the 57 is going anywhere as its not advertised so it would be there if I didnt find something else.

I cant do the 15 carb on the 9.9 thing. ODNR has started checking serial numbers because everyone is doing that. The guys running 15 horse carbs on thier 9.9 and 9.9 cowls on a 15 have been getting busted for the past couple years.

You need to PM Jim on here and ask for the link to the outboard manuals. He will give you a link where you can get almost every outboard manual for free.

Thanks for the heads up on the manuals!!

The 1990's models Nissan/Tohatsu 9.9 engines can be upgraded to a 15 by replacing the throttle advance cam(<$20) with one from a 15hp engine. They are the strogest running 9.9 on the market(before the upgrade). I had the same problem with the 10hp lake, and there is no way to tell on a Nissan/Tohatsu if it has been upgraded or not.... Or You can just put a little extra tape on the roller for the same effect. Serial numbers stay the same. Completely safe from the ODNR.

Of course, I am biased toward those older motors. This being said I think the guy is asking too much for it givent he amount of work it needs, assuming that is all true. I bought my motor for $150. The guy told me it needed one part to get it running - cost me $900 to get it running (however, I do love it). So, buyer beware.

Also, on the older motor, does it come with a tank? Most of those older motors use compressed air to pump the fuel and you will need a special tank and fuel like which can sometmes be hard to find.

Finaly comment, I think that as spring gets closer you will see a lot of 9.9 outboards for sale on Craigslist. I would wait a little longer if I was you.

It does come with the pressure tank.

I think I'm gonna wait and see what comes along. I'm not in a super rush. Actually, i may not have a choice. I must have asked too many questions because he stopped responding to my emails, lol.

Well since you are planning on waiting. Besides the Craigslist and Ebay spots to look, there are other options. While garage sales are popular to check out, most of them do not have outboards offered so you would be spending lots of time doing that. Personally I would check out any Steam and Gas shows in your area, stop at garage sales that happen to be on the way. The Steam and Gas shows usually have a flea market in them and sometimes never advertising the market aspect of the show. Plus if you have children and they go along, they get to see lots of old tractors and how things used to be done even before tractors were produced. I go to lots of them and it is rare that somebody would not have one for sale at a show. If they have a Spring Swap Meet soon, also check that out. Even if it is advertised for farm related items, I bet there will be a few outboards there as well.

I have found some great deals for my fishing boat at Steam and Gas shows. Lowrance x85 locator $15, MK bow mount trolling motor 55lb thrust $25, plenty of anchors $5 or less, and my 20hp Johnson $100 with tank. Never know what you might find.

Matt

I would never think to go look for an outboard at a steam show. How do I find those? I know we have one huge steam show every year but its not till fall I believe. I'm gonna start looking for some swap meets too. I'm actually gonna go look around a huge estate sale here in about an hour. Thanks for the tip.

BassBlaster said:

I would never think to go look for an outboard at a steam show. How do I find those? I know we have one huge steam show every year but its not till fall I believe. I'm gonna start looking for some swap meets too. I'm actually gonna go look around a huge estate sale here in about an hour. Thanks for the tip.

Click to expand...

Use Google, or whatever search engine you prefer, and type in a phrase like "Ohio Steam show swap meet" and you will be surprised how many results turn up. My schedule book is in storage in my camper, otherwise I would have a web addy for a super nice list of events that I use. As far as the huge show you have by you. Even if they have their big show in the fall, lots of times those same clubs will have a swap meet in the spring too. Spring swap meets are usually no gate fee, at least in my area, and draw lots of vendors since setup fees are cheaper. Those are the times you get the old farmers wanting to sell some parts they had on a pile, and they will bring non farm items as well like lawn mowers, boats, trailers, and outboards. The variety of items can surprise you. One show I was at there was a guy selling a casket. No it was not used, at least hope it wasn't...lol. The guy sold it to another guy that wanted to make a go kart type of thing out of it. Like I said, never know what you might find, especially if you can be there early. Possibly even the day before the swap meet since vendors will be setting up that day as well. I bought my 20hp Johnson before the guy even had time to set it on the ground after getting it out of his trailer. Good luck on your search.

Matt

Give this guy a call. He seems to be fairly priced is only 1 1/2 hrs from you.
https://dayton.craigslist.org/boa/2253685918.html