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Thread: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

  1. #1

    Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Hi Guys,
    I am in the market for a half cabin boat, around 16-18 foot. I have been looking at a few, and in my available price range, they are older style hulls and motors. A couple of the boats have had an 85hp Johnson Javelin (unsure of year of manufacture) on them, and another has a 1990 90hp V4 Evinrude. I will of course get a mechanical inspection done on the "chosen one" (due to my very limited knowledge of motors!), but my question is, is there any known faults or issues with these particular motors? Are they reliable, or should i steer clear of them? Would greatly appreciate anyones thoughts, opinions and feedback.
    Thanks in advance for any help.
    Pete

  2. #2

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    G'day Pete. I'm no expert (disclaimer) but i have owned and operated both the motors in question here. Not a great deal of difference construction-wise, though that javelin is obviously an older motor, possibly approaching 30yrs?. My old man had one mounted on a 17ft pongrass half cab when i was a kid. I took it over when i got my boat license. it was a dog till it warmed up, but ran fine after that.

    The 90 OMC (johnson/evinrude) of that era had a pretty good reputation. I have even heard the word 'bulletproof' used, but as usual, proper care and maintenance will dictate condition. That would also be an oil injected model? (VRO). Most are removed and premixed you will find. I've had them with both and not had problems either way, although the premix motor was noticably sand understandably smokier.
    Both these motors had reasonably good reputations, but ultimately it will be how they were looked after that counts. Looks can be decieving - especially paint jobs! If you are not tech savvy, do yourself a favour and get any 2nd hand motor checked by someone who knows what they are doing and what they are looking for. It WILL work out cheaper inthe end.

    Good luck, looking is half the fun!
    Damo
    Last edited by Deiter; 05-08-2007 at 06:05 AM.
    Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. But ,flogging him into submission will result in him taking up crabbing.... and once he gets a taste of that sh*t, well, he may never return again.

  3. #3

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Pete,
    If I were looking for a second hand motor,in two stroke,it would be a Yamaha,as compared to the brands you mentioned.
    David

  4. #4

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Mate your just biased get over your yamaha's. Face it all motors are going to have some lemons OMC, MERCURY, YAMAHA, TOHATSU. But in the modern society of today, their all good in some points and bad in others. IMO i believe those OMC motors are indestructible IF they are regularly serviced and they are well maintained.

  5. #5

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Off the two ask or check if one is loop charged and bias your weighting toward that one if it still fit's the parameters the blokes have mentioned above, they are a better engine both on fuel and torque, if treated a little poorly are on average less prone to carbon problems down the track.

    The crossflows are great engines as well, don't let me put you off them.

    cheers fnq



  6. #6

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Actually Timmy 94,not biased at all . Used to own a Johnson.Have had close up and personal failures,with friends, who owned Johnson motors.

    Why should I be concerned,what motor someone buys.

    You dont happen to own a OMC product do you?
    David

  7. #7

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Thanks for the input so far, guys...much appreciated.

    I don't mind the yamaha's David, but haven't come across one on a boat in my price range, yet! Of the few i've been looking at, it seemed odd (to me) that 2 of them happened to have a Johnson 85 Javelin on them.......maybe they were the IN thing, in their day!

  8. #8

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Pete,what size is your pocket book?
    Any particular brand?
    Glass ,or Aluminium?
    David

  9. #9

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    hey DNEJ what 'up close and personal" failures did you have, and I hope this is the last Yamaha, never break down, wear out, corrode, use petrol, never need service and every other thing that 'one eyed" Yamaha owners seem to be ,by the way I have owned a couple, and have had a couple of "up close and personal failures with them!

  10. #10

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Look first of all,
    Yamaha's are a great engine, 2nd of all Yamaha's probably have had a lemon as all state,
    I own one and love it,
    Third and most importantly, the question was and still remians our thoughts etc on the above motors mentioned,

    PeteM from what I can gather is looking for a complete rig, then which motor it has he needs to decide if this will be reliable etc.
    I only know from experience through a mates boat that if the Johnston has a VRO you should disconnectit in my opinion a nd manually add the oil as these units are prone to failure and you do not want to be out on the water when the unit stops mixing the oil with your fuel.
    Pete maybe you could let us know your budget and we can come back to you with some boats we see around, afterall a thousand eyes are better than 2.

    Cheers and good luck with the hunt.

    Ryan.

  11. #11

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    absolutely correct, but if it does have 'oil injection" do not disconnect it, it will give many years (as it already must have) of service, just get whatever motor is on it, properly checked if you are not capable/confident of doing it yourself, remember ANY older engine is just that OLD and corrosion/rust is always an issue regardless of brand., having said that, most of the older V4 Johnson/Evinrudes were very reliable and robust

  12. #12

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Hi Guys,
    Looks like i have opened up a can of worms with my simple request for feedback...thanks for the replys so far.
    What i am looking for is 17 foot, or bigger, fibreglass half cabin (16 foot is ok, if it is a great boat). When i first started looking around, i was hoping to only spend around 5k. The boats in this range are the older style hulls, looking a little tired (which is ok because i can pretty them up), but they are fitted with original 1970's motor, which look like they have been worked to death...i'm not too keen on buying a 30+ year old motor. The Johnson Javelin, i was told, is around a 1985 model...is this correct? I am now looking at spending around the 7k price...hoping i can get something a bit younger, and hopefully reliable!
    As far as hull brands go, i'm not too fussy...would love to pick up a haines V17c at a bargain price.
    I am located on the Central Coast, NSW, about halfway between Sydney and Newcastle. I am willing to travel anywhere between Nowra and Port Macquarie, for the right boat. So, if anyone has, or knows, of something suitable, please let me know, it would be greatly appreciated.
    Cheers,
    Pete

  13. #13

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Ha ha, sorry PeteM, i gotta laugh. You say your budget has gone from 5k - 7k. Well, let me educate you on a little understood but much experienced phenomenon called the "Theory of Aquaspendature". The theory states that for every 12 weeks you spend looking for a boat, your budget will age by approx 12%. Of course, this figure is directly proportionate to the hours of intended usage involving wives/ girlfriends / kids etc, and will also rise by a factor of 1.092 for every dodgy second hand boat you look at. (double this figure if wives/ girlfriends/ kids also come to inspect dodgy second hand boat).

    What this means to the burgoning boatie is that the longer you look, the more you want to spend.

    Think i am joking???? Well, here is the test. Have you found yourself looking at boats just outside your budget and thought to yourself, "Hey, if i spend an extra $1,000 or so, look at how much of a better boat i can get!"
    This is the obvious warning sign. Your best bet is not to fight it. Embrace it, you know you want to.

    Be assured that you are not alone in this battle, and that almost anyone who has bought a boat will having nothing but pure sympathy and a touch of envy, coz just being in the market for a boat has to be one of, if not the the greatest state of mind one can experience.
    My opinion only, and yes, my wife thinx i have a problem too.
    good luck!

    Damo
    Last edited by Deiter; 08-08-2007 at 04:49 AM.
    Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. But ,flogging him into submission will result in him taking up crabbing.... and once he gets a taste of that sh*t, well, he may never return again.

  14. #14

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Dieter speaks the truth PeteM. I started looking at "pre-loved" models 12 months ago around $15,000 and just forked out double that on a newie. Still not sure how that happened????? Cursed boat shows with their bright shiny toys and booth babes!!! Finding the extra money was easy in the end.......just sent the wife back to work to pay for the boat. Don't know why I didn't think of it sooner?



    PS.....love your theory Dieter. Right on the money. LOL.
    Last edited by reidy_g; 08-08-2007 at 06:07 AM.

  15. #15

    Re: Outboard Motor Advice Needed

    Petem, I'm pretty sure the Johnson Javelins did not go into the 80's. If it was an 85 model it would be oil injected (unless removed) and (lets assume 100hp) it would have a model number of J100TLCO the important letters here are the CO as they give the model year.

    If it doesn't have a model number like that and only a numerical serial (probably with the letter A at the front of it) then it is older than 1980. Thats when the new identification system began.

    Cheers

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