is this a decent motor?

Standard 2.5L MERC. Good engines, but all of them I have had were a bit thirsty for there size. Only downside to them is the oil injection system they used was junk, but if you ditch it and premix they are fine engines. His price looks a bit high(but not out of the ballpark) unless it is a really clean engine.
 
good motor, price is good(especially if it comes with the prop), offer $2500 if it checks out. Check compression and spark. Make sure the charging system works. Check the gear lube, look at it for corrosion. If you can take it for a spin on the boat its mounted on, thats a plus. Go ahead and figure having the carbs gone thru, oil injection removed, and put a water pump in it and you'll be good to go. If you need it checked out, call Bell Hart Marine.
 
spareparts said:
good motor, price is good(especially if it comes with the prop), offer $2500 if it checks out. Check compression and spark. Make sure the charging system works. Check the gear lube, look at it for corrosion. If you can take it for a spin on the boat its mounted on, thats a plus. Go ahead and figure having the carbs gone thru, oil injection removed, and put a water pump in it and you'll be good to go. If you need it checked out, call Bell Hart Marine.
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I keep forgetting engines bring more up north. Down here that would be a $2K engine on a GOOD day. I bought my 150 XRI that was clean enough to eat off of with a boat and trailer for $2400. Sold the boat and trailer for $300, kept the trolling motor off of for my current boat, and sold the lower off of it for $500 and swapped my low water pickup one from the blown engine onto it.
 
Wow! Quick replies. Exactly the kind of feedback i was looking for. I have a spark checker (cheap $5 inline from Harbor Freight), a voltmeter to test the charging system, and a compression tester. Although i have never bought an outboard, I feel confident that i can check these basics.

I know each cylinder needs to be within a few psi of each other, but what range can I expect with this engine? I'm guessing 105-125 based on prior experience, but i know there's variability among models.
 
THEFERMANATOR said:
I keep forgetting engines bring more up north.
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No offense taken, but we don't consider ourselves as being "up north" :zip: Though it's all a matter of perspective, i suppose. In any case, that is why i asked if the asking price was reasonable (never having bought one, i have no frame of reference)

[EDIT: I really do appreciate the replies]
 
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yea, whats this up North Crap? You'd think it was Charlie asking about this motor:hide:


Seriously, pay a good mechanic to check it out, it will be worth it in the long run.
 
Used to say anyone north of I-10 was a yankee, then I move 5 minutes north of the 10. I guess the new line is Hwy 98;-)

These guys know these motors & are giving good advice, One thing I'd add is to check out the rust in the middle, I can see it looks like mine. Years ago, I had my shift cable freeze up & the mercury guys couldn't get it apart, the bolts were so rusted. I found a guy who could, & it's still running.

I know later models had more stainless parts but not what years.

They are reliable, powerful & suck gas, can't have everything.
 
When I say up north, I mean any place that has a boating season. Down here in FLAWDA, it is YEAR ROUND. We don't know what that winterizang stuff is.
 
I wouldn't say up north here either but at least we don't fire up the furnace and break out the north face coats when the temp drops below 80 LOL
 
lol

I have a couple friends who moved down there... on is in west palm and the other is in orlando...

in phone calls they will complain that they are freezing cause it's in the low 70's and I'll tell them it's sunny 60 here and I'm in shorts and a t-shirt headed to the river LOL

On the other hand I go visit them and it's 240 deg outside with 900% humidity and they say it's pretty warm while I can't say anything cause I'm trying my best just to breathe. LOL


At least we don't ever hijack anyone's thread here :D
 
Were not that bad down here. We like weather in the 50-80 degree range, it's comfortable. And the absolute most MISERABLE heat I have EVER experienced was up north coming across Kentucky followed by going across Missouri in the middle of the summer. I remember clear as day seeing 118 on a thermometer in Missouri in the summer of 99, and it dropped down to a nice 102 at 8 when the sun started going down. We rarely break 100 down here, we do have a good bit of humidity, but we normally have a nice breeze in the summer to keep it tolerable. I find summer much more bearable down here in FLorida than I have most naywhere else(I'm talking about the worst heat of summer), only drawback is ours lasts ALOT longer than most other states summers. As for winter, I enjoy not really experiencing one. For the most part we only freeze a few days a year, and once or twice a decade get 2ingle digit temps for most of the state.
 
up here in the north we were at 36* the other night!! The heat was on for the first time this season, Man in my old disabled body I really hate the winters now!
Back to the motor, had a 2.4 175 and that thing was bulit proff! Its still going, bigshrimp has it on his 23 seacraft, told me the other day hes getting 3 mpg and can top out over 40mph!!
 
You can adapt a 25" motor to a 20" transom pretty easily, you just need a manual jackplate....so if you find a real good deal on a real good 25" motor, go for it.
 
In the immortal words of Homer "doh!" I never even thought of that. Of course, the total cost goes up by the jack plate, but it does open up my choices. What about the steering cable? Is there typically enough play, or does it need to be replaced? What kind of setback should i be looking at? And lastly, what about the engine weight? Since the engine is now away from the transom, do i need to worry about cantilever, or am i overthinking this?
 
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Most jackplates will be in the 4-6" range for setback. You can normally pick up a used one for $150-300 depending on how fancy of one your looking at. With the minimal setback the weight issue isn't much of a concern. When you start going back an extra foot it becomes an issue, but 4-5 inches it isn't much.
 
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