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20 horse merc info

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porter1

Contributing Member
"I am thinking about bying a 1

"I am thinking about bying a 1970 merc. 20 horse, can anyone tell me if they are good engines? repaire shop where I am bying it says they are very good. also he said to use 105 gear grease not 90 weight oil is that right?"
 
"Mike,
Thinking back the only

"Mike,
Thinking back the only thing that comes to mind was a problem with the fuel pumps on those motors.
Other than that they were darn good motors if they were taken care of and serviced.

The down side is they are not worth very much these days. It could need work that will not show up until it has been run awhile. Coils,wires,impeller,carb work,etc. So keep this in mind if you buy it."
 
"the dealer says its in good s

"the dealer says its in good shape, he is going to tune it up, and make sure its running good. is it worth 575.00?"
 
"Mike,
This would be you'

"Mike,
This would be you're call. I can't say without seeing the motor but I will say it is on the high side for that motor.
The motor would need to look like it was almost new.
No paint damage or worn off paint on the prop or skag etc.
Fuet tank should almost shine inside. Starter rope should show little ware,no stains from exhaust on the drive shaft housing etc.
If the motor is just average I'd say $400.00 is a safe buy.
But as I said before it could need work down the line that can cost much more than the 400.

Then again this is true with any used item so if you feel it is a fair deal buy it.
If it last a season without needing work and you keep it serviced I see no reason it will not keep going for a long time.
One thing is to try it on you're boat for a day before you make the deal. Running in a test tank is not the same as being on a boat.

Good luck."
 
"it may be a little high, come

"it may be a little high, comes with a new gas tank. also its a short shaft witch is hard to find around here for some reason, I found a 1978 motor, an evenrude for 900.00 25 horse, but doesnt look any better. this dealer says he will stand behind the merc. because he wont sell any junk."
 
"Mike,
See just what he means

"Mike,
See just what he means by standing behind the merc.
If he is offering a warranty in writing then it is a better deal.
Here is the thing. If you are in an area where the season is just about over a 30 day warranty doesn't do you much good.

If this standing behind the motor means he will wave to you as you drive off then forget it.

Get the warranty details on the receipt and point out the fact the season is almost over if this is the case and ask that the warranty start in the spring.
The evenrude seems high to me but I don't need an engine either. If you need one then you need to spend what it takes to get one.
If you have time wait it out. There are always deals to be had if you have time to wait.

As for this dealer not selling junk,keep in mind the phrase, if I had known this motor was so bad I would not have sold it to you.

This is often heard by people that have bought something from someone that will not sell junk.

As with any used motor it is a gamble.
If the engine is so good why did it's owner trade it off?
Most folks will not ever get rid of a small outboard unless they buy a whole new boat or if they die, if the motor is any good."
 
"so I"ll take your respons

"so I"ll take your response as you dont think this a good buy, you have some very good points, I am going back monday to hear it run,& see how it shifts, I know its kind of old. this dealer has some motors from the fortys& fifties, he said he collects them. some very interesting looking motors, and they are not for sale."
 
your warranty is most importan

your warranty is most important.The cost of repairs quickly exceeds the purchase price.There are shops/independants who will give 1 year on even 30 year old motors and that " reputation " means a lot.
 
"Mike,
Please don't get m

"Mike,
Please don't get me wrong on this. I like older motors and have a few myself but I also know how to repair them if something goes bad.

The older motors were for the most part very dependable. What you need to keep in mind is the parts for some are getting a little hard to find.
More so with the Merc's than the Evinrude or Johnsons.

If you are going to use this motor often it may be better to find one a little newer,not that a newer one would be any better but the parts are easier to find.

In my opinion there isn't any motors that were much better than an old Evinrude or Johnson from 1960 to the early 70's. These motors were simple,easy to work on and would last a very long time if they were just serviced every year. Plus you can still get just about any part you would need.

Of course this does not include an outboard that has been used in salt water very much. That darn salt can kill even the best outboard.

Even the early Evinrudes pre 1960 were very good. I just do not care for the need of a pressure fuel tank. It's hard to find one with a clean tank.
But if you found one with a clean tank in good condition it would last a long time.

Again there are always deals if you can wait and a old outboard from a garage sale most times is a good buy. Ones at a garage sale most times have been owned since new and the people know the history. You won't get a warranty but you will not pay top dollar most times and that leaves a little room for any needed repairs like a water pump,tune up etc if needed. But that is just normal repairs and when done will last years depending on how much you use it.

If you have looked around some you should be able to tell a motor that is in good condition from one that has just been run to death by someone that lives on a lake and has had 12 kids running it all day long every summer of it's life.

The one you are looking at may be a very good buy,I haven't seen it so I can't say. But if a dealer has it you know he really has no idea of how it was treated unless he sold it new and has done all the service work over the years.

The ones that I have found at yard sales have not been repainted or anything like that so you can tell the true condition. Ones with the paint in good condition means it was not left out uncoverd and is a good sign that the owner took care of it.

Anyway I hope you find a good motor and I was not saying the ones you were looking at were bad deals. I didn't see them so how could I?"
 
"I have now a 40 horse evenrud

"I have now a 40 horse evenrude 1963 on my boat, that craps out almost every time I go out. it"s one thing after another, now it wants to break flywheel keys. I am tired of having to fix it weekly. I went back to the dealer & heard the merc run, sounds good, stars up with one or two pulls, runs smooth. he put new starter rope, pluggs, all new fuel lines, cleaned carb.adj mixture, says has good compression, does need the lower end painted, he says seals good. took 25 dollars off price, probably going to buy it. I have seen what looks like better deals on ebay but it would have to be shipped here, and what happens if it"s a piece of junk when I get it? sorry pal you just got screwed."
 
"Yes I agree on the Ebay deal

"Yes I agree on the Ebay deal it's a gamble.
As far as the 40 goes you must have the flywheel torque at the factory spec which I do not recall off hand. If it is not at the correct torque it will eat the keys like a kid eats candy.

As far as other problems with that 40, either you have an engine that has seen better days because of lack of service, abuse,or you have a piss poor mechanic working on it.

That was one of the best motors OMC ever made.

There are at least 20 of them still on our lake alone and we have a small lake.

I see those motors everywhere still pushing pontoons, runabouts, ETC. I'm not just talking about my area either. I travel all over the world and I see those old 33 & 40s going strong.

Funny thing is I never see an old Merc from the 60s still running around.

I wish you luck if you think that Merc is a better motor than a 40hp Evinrude that is in good condition.

And that is all I have to say about that.

Take care."
 
"I have a 1976 Merc 200 and it

"I have a 1976 Merc 200 and it ran great all summer. Had to ut new coils on it, though.

Jeff"
 
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