Used o/b buyers beware!

[Instigator]

Ive been aggressively shopping for a pair of large O/Bs for a project Im working on and have been shopping all over US and cant believe some of the crap Im seeing advertsied.

Im an OMC guy and have been searching as such but, what Im seeing would apply to all breeds.

It really helps that I know these motors so well as half the time I can spot the BS from the pics in the add.

Ive been shopping mostly craigs list which Ive always done well on and also watching e-bay and facebook.

Heres some of the crap Im seeing and what to be aware of and tips to use.

1. '88 motors advertised as '98 motors, or worse. Most wont show the ID tag which designates model yr on OMCs.

Know the model changes. The big OMC V-6s had a major styling change in '93.

Some sellers are quoting what previous owners told them and some are lying thieves.

One ad lists compression as 115 psi on a motor that should be 100. That raised a flag on what appeared to be a great deal on a set of twins and I questioned some other points in his ad.
He replied back that he only knew they were great motors and all holes were right at 90 psi and listed this right in the ad not realize he was contradicting his orig ad!

2. Know what compression the motor should have. I see this all the time.

They list a motor that should have 100 psi as having 125 psi.

Ether they never checked it (normally the case) and dont know or are lying theives.

3. A lot of sellers know no history of motor but dont tell you. As in a wholesaler or auction buyer.

I just saw a '99 (identified by ID tag in ad!) 225 OMC listed as a '98. Thats not the bad part. Listed as perfect compression and runs perfect and only for sale due to repower.
The ID tag shows motor is LH and even has a LH prop on it in ad yet owner does not state this!
Meaning his doesnt know.

Cowling looks like it was drug through gravel.
Probably a hurricane insurance motor.

Ive tried to strike a deal on two pairs of twins that owners were misrepresenting as their personal motors but were actual auction purchases.
Which means they dont even know if the damn thing runs!

Was talking to one seller of a pair of twins listed as '98's but in the pixs you could see one old era air box ('95 and prior) and one newer!
He later, in a different ad, listed the ID tags.
One was a '97 and one was a '95!

Hope this helps some of you shoppers out there.

Our hobby is expensive enough w/o having the risk of getting raped on a motor deal.

Ill post more as I think of them,

Gary

[Capt.Insane-o]

Gearcases... man. I see a fair share bought from here, some bought from other places and some from other places. If your buying a sporty/cle or the ilk unless they are brand new in a box or the seller has receipts for a rebuild assume they at least need a driveshaft and gear set right off the bat until proven otherwise. Use paypal for a recourse and make it straight out to the seller the case will be opened up for inspection. I've seen more saltwater scrap and flat ass worn out junk roll over my doorstep in the past couple month than any years before. This stuff is getting flat ass whipped out and it's for sale for a reason.

[Spdrcr29]

Instigator, I feel your pain. I got about 20 hours out of last season’s bought-on-a-budget grenade. Pretty sure the failure was at least partially caused by how motor was stored at the marina; previous owner got hosed too, as he paid for services he never received. It’s a large part of the reason I’m putting on a brand new motor with warranty this season.

....On the flip side, if you think some sellers are shady and/or clueless, the buyers regularly match the cluelessness and heap ignorance on top. Put anything outboard related on Craigslist and wait for insanity to creep into your life. You’ll instantly be expected to be sales, service, and parts department to every yokel with a broken boat, regardless of make, model, or year. Advertise a midsection as a 25”, the half-bassed boat guys still call. Advertise a 2.4 powerhead, Billy Bob wants to know if it”ll bolt up to his 115 Tower of Power midsection. When you inform him it won’t, he wants a parts list on what it’ll take to make it work (“A graduate level engineering degree and a TIG welder” was my response prior to he hanging up). Callers wondering if that prop with the Merc Alpha/Bravo/V6 OB hub will fit their 85hp Evinrude. All actual calls, I can’t make this stuff up.

Doing due dilligence is virtually a lost practice with most these days. Kudos to you for staying informed, and for warning others about the crap you’ve found listed recently.

[Instigator]

Great insight on the gear cases Cappy.
I take a oil plug screwdriver shopping w/me. Pull the bottom plug and if seals are bad you'll get water (heavier than oil so will come out first) and if gears/bearins are bad youll find metal on the plug magnet.

Be aware of where its coming from too.

As in, youre more likely to get raped on something coming from a Miami-burb than say, Oshcosh Wi.

Also, if it came from Jersey right after a flood.

It is interesting and IMO, becoming a great buyers market for motors though.

The DI motors have been out long enough that they are now becoming affordable and a secondary benifit is it is driving down the prices on the carbed motors.
Youre also now finding popped DI motors for donor/rebuilds.

The Optis and E-Tecs are just like the newer cars too, in that you can plug in a computer and pull its history.
Found a couple of apparent good deals where sellers didnt have, didnt know about the reports. Meaning theyre flipping them and have no knowledge of their history.
Consider reports mandatory too.

Even so, I do my damndest to put a friend or mechanic on them. Might cost you a couple hundred but may save you several thousand.

As examples:

I had a deal on three '09 300 E-Tecs w/three new factory drop on powerheads in '14 from orig owner.
Owner gave me full details via phone. He was in Michigan, motors were in Fla.
He told me name of dealer that did the p.heads.
I called that dealer and the owner read all 3 invoices to me over the phone. I was blown away.
I thought I was done shopping and 99% confident in flipping the switch then.

My engineer dad came out in me though and a called a local Fla shop that I knew and hired them to go pull the reports, compression and run all 3 motors for $300.
They called me the next morning to tell me after they pulled the plugs on the first motor, they cranked it to check spark and it "shot water out the spark plug holes 20' across the parking lot". Then asked me what I wanted him to do.
Told him to call it a day and send me a bill.
Charged me $200 (had to remove from shipping pallet, mount to stand then remount on pallet etc) to save me $13K.

Learning point:
The motors were in the parking lot at the plant that built owners boat. They were mounted to their shipping pallets which mounts motors intake down, in horizontal position.
This puts exhausts, open, and up towards sky. In Fla where it rains. A lot.
So it rained in the exhaust, filled the tuners w/water and then ran through the open exhaust ports into the cylinders!
That one hurt.

Had another deal on a orig owner pair of '11 250 E-Tecs. He knew of reports but didnt have them.
He knew to get good money he'd need them but assured me via phone they were perfect.
Motors were on stands in his shop so he had to hire a shop to send a guy (svc call) to pull the reports.

Reports showed both motors needed crank sensors, one had a voltage problem and needed a TPS.
Owner was not willing to repair or adjust price accordingly.
Last I saw they were still for sale.

I still say, if youre not buying new, the safest way to buy motors is disassembled in a box.

[Instigator]

Instigator, I feel your pain. I got about 20 hours out of last season’s bought-on-a-budget grenade. It’s a large part of the reason I’m putting on a brand new motor with warranty this season.

....On the flip side, if you think some sellers are shady and/or clueless, the buyers regularly match the cluelessness and heap ignorance on top. Put anything outboard related on Craigslist and wait for insanity to creep into your life. You’ll instantly be expected to be sales, service, and parts department to every yokel with a broken boat, regardless of make, model, or year. Advertise a midsection as a 25”, the half-bassed boat guys still call. Advertise a 2.4 powerhead, Billy Bob wants to know if it”ll bolt up to his 115 Tower of Power midsection. When you inform him it won’t, he wants a parts list on what it’ll take to make it work (“A graduate level engineering degree and a TIG welder” was my response prior to he hanging up). Callers wondering if that prop with the Merc Alpha/Bravo/V6 OB hub will fit their 85hp Evinrude. All actual calls, I can’t make this stuff up.

Doing due dilligence is virtually a lost practice with most these days. Kudos to you for staying informed, and for warning others about the crap you’ve found listed recently.

Well said. Seen it and done it.
I like the callers that say, "not interested in what youre selling but you sound like you know what youre talking about and hope you can help me".

Ive bought three new V-6s in my life and was the best spent money of any motor Ive bought.

That being said, I dont have $50K for new motors for my new project

[powerabout]

I always keep an eye on a running rig where you know the dealer and the owner is going for an upgrade

[Bodhi]

Out of sheer curiosity and a need for a 90hp. I emailed a craigslist ad for a mid 80's inline mariner...of course owner wrote back that it runs perfectly, just needs carb work...yeah. My first question about the pics was "where are the coils for the bottom 3 cyl?". I'm still waiting for a reply as to how this motor runs perfectly while missing 3 coil packs.

[CUDA]

Don't you know any dealers, I would get the word out what your looking for , so when they get a good trade in you' ll get a call?

Give old Glenn Reynolds a call 865 8829623 a old friend Mad Dan works for him , fresh water...

[Instigator]

Don't you know any dealers, I would get the word out what your looking for , so when they get a good trade in you' ll get a call?

Give old Glenn Reynolds a call 865 8829623 a old friend Mad Dan works for him , fresh water...

Yeah but not 25" twins.

[marks86]

I’ve noticed Craigslist isn’t what it used to be as well. Trying to find a car for my little sister, there are more scams, and BS on there now more than ever.

[Brad Zastrow]

I do leak down test on engines. I have seen a engine have good compression and 20% leak down which means it is real tired and needs rebuild. Low compression means it has serious problems. There are a lot of multiple engines for sale that came off Center Console salt water boats that are junk.

[FMP]

What % value would you get with just excessive end gaps?

[flabum1017]

With gearcases. I will strip them down and sell them as basket cases or sell them in parts....... never had a complaint. You can see exactly what your'e getting.

[Brad Zastrow]

I tested a watercraft engine that had a lot of fogging oil in it. The compression was actually higher than stock. I use a compression test as a quick test for major damage. Anything over 10% leak down I consider rebuild time on a two stroke. 3-5% is new. I learned about leak down years ago with a Merc 2.5 260 that would not make power. Compression was right at 150 each and the mechanic did a leak down. 35% !!! I was told the heavy oil coating will compensate for compression while cranking during the compression test. Leak down will tell you how much compression it will hold. I have brought along a small compressor and leak down tester with me while buying boats or engines.

What % value would you get with just excessive end gaps?

[FMP]

Storage fogging oil gets a good number. Just wondered about a big end gap on a fresh rebuild. Good ring seal just .030-.040 gap.