Logo
FULL SITE MENU

Mariner 115 rebuild

F

foxydogs02

New member
Last year I locked up my Mariner 115! I am almost positive that I snapped a rod! the question is this should I rebuild it or junk it and start with new? I am not sure of the year but I am guessing 85 89?? I have rebuilt a couple motors but never an outboard????? but price wise whats smarter??
 
Personal opinion! That is an old, inefficient 2 stroke. Now sure how much you plan to run it, but here are some random thoughts.

1. A modern 4-stroke will cut your fuel consumption by 50% or more for the same amount of usage.
2. When on the water, you want to have extreme confidence that your engine will get you where you want to go, and back to your home port. Even if you rebuild that Mariner, will you ever have that level of confidence?
3. The best thing you can do for any outboard engine is to run them often and run them hard. If that is not in the cards for you, then you are far better off with a 4-stroke engine rather than a two-stroke engine. The four strokes can handle a lack of use better, assuming they are meticulously maintained.
4. On the other hand, basically, a 2-stroke engine is simpler and easier to maintain, and there are fewer things that can go wrong. But again, frequent usage is key to keeping it running in good order.
5. Never buy a used marine engine unless you are a highly trained mechanic, or your BFF is one.
 
Ok well here is a little about me I live about 1.5hrs from any body of water big enough for a boat :( but I love to be on the water!!!! that being said I only make it to the lake about three times a year for a few days at a time..... So now I guess I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.... I didnt want to spend the money on a new motor cuz I dont think its worth it to put it on my old boat!!! I will sit and ponder awhile!!!
Thank you chawk_man!
 
Yep - that's a tough call. Whatever you decide, if you are going to own an outboard motor and use it only three or four times a year, you need to make special preparations for those long layups. As I said before, I think the four-strokes are a bit more tolerant of long layups. You would moderate the situation quite a bit if you could run the engine every two or three weeks in a big tub of water (not on muffs.) Otherwise, between uses, you should drain all fuel out of the engine and heavily treat any fuel in the tank. If available, use only non-ethanol fuel. Also, you should fog the cylinders before every layup.

Good luck on your contemplations.
 
Back
Top