Your Carb Johnson 175 is NOT a FICHT engine thats a major relief I've been finding out about the fitchs exploding shooting enine shartnell everywhere I, and it's identical electrically to any carbureted FastStrike/Instruder 175 that was made from 1996 until 2006 and is mechanically the same back to 1991. In 1996 they introduced the System Check gauges which were the same from '96-'06.
Your SeaStar Hydraulic steering should work on the Suzuki engine just fine. It may take a slightly different mounting bracket, but that should be easy to get.yes Kevinj you correct again the man at marina mentioned the sea star will be reused
If I recall correctly you built a custom transom bracket to mount the Johnson 175 on your boat. You're probably right to look into the DF140 as it only weighs 410lbs, which is about identical to your current 175. The Suzuki DF175 weighs 530lbs, so unless that bracket is up to the additional weight, you'll probably want to go with the lighter outboard.
Kevinj excellent infor as usalle yes I have a late 80s armstrong outboard transome bracket I refer to as a pod.
my pod has a drain (cutaway section) that is right at the waterline.
I have the right pod (w/ what I think) wrong size engine 20"L. so the pod is mounted to low for correct engine height if pod was elevated 5" it's out of waterline.
the transom is 46" I modified it bye cutting it down.this first splash image was the initial shakedown allmost 8 years ago.checking if I had the engine at correct height
I believe this pod is designed for only a 25"XL or 30"XXL shaft (this has been somewhat confirmed by manufacturer Armstronge. there offical response was weak." we don't recommend those late 80s pods w/ modern outboards". what a load of crappola there implieing there own product is crap (which established this market) but are new improved $4.K floatation pod is better.
IMO weak way to drum up business.
what I can't understand is why a sealed floatation pod has a screw in/out drain?
confussed on the floatation:
I know one cubic foot of floatation surports 60LBs. the Armstrong pod I like w/ dive platform weights like 80LBs. so is the builting floatation just to surport/compenstate the extra weight hanging off transome?
or doe's this floatation allow for a heaveier engine an the pod?
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problem:
w/ the 20"L when vessel is at rest the pods drain allows water into pod.
somehow the two lower though hull pod mount bolts seep water, an have gotten progressively worst over the years. now I have to leave my bilge1 w/ float switch on right when underway.
Planning some redundancy w/ a water level alarm just incase the float switch malfunctions, i do have a cover for the brace protecting the pumps.
she seeps behind my overkill knee brace (inbetween the transome an brace) the though hull bolts go though pod/outside skin/transome wood then pod.
before transome redo,I'm considering to whole saw around each (4), 1/2" though hull mount bolts then add a big washer covered in 5200. continue to use knee brace an current Johnson.
edit explaination: my ebay pod seller claimed hardware was included he only included a few bolts an only a couple where stainless. basically I used only 2 of these bolts to locate pod (can be sean in bilge image) at correct height then decided to use heavey duty 1/2 type bolts that normaley mount engine to transome.
I planning to redo the tramsome cutout will be 5"s higher an hope the drain is high enough away from waterline.
raise pod 5" an get correct size engine 25"XL in 140HP.
when I get to this point the decision will be is drive by wire worth the extra cost?
I believe the suzuki 140 basic starts at $8500 goes up to $13000, not sure how much engine I get for my $
I do know DBW isn't worth $4500. to me
thanks Guys for advice
thanks racerone for talking me out of the cracked block swapping power head idea.
