1977 Johnson 70hp

[Newby]

Just wondering if any one out there had any experince

or opinons on the 1977 model 70 Johnson. I am new

to boating and i am going to have a look a boat on the weekend.

I have heard this model was a very good one? I will be getting the

boat and motor tested before i buy but was wondering if there is anything

i should look for before i comit to the test? Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

Just wondering if any one out there had any experince

or opinons on the 1977 model 70 Johnson. I am new

to boating and i am going to have a look a boat on the weekend.

I have heard this model was a very good one? I will be getting the

boat and motor tested before i buy but was wondering if there is anything

i should look for before i comit to the test? Thanks in advance.

They were a good motor way back then.

I cannot remember what the box was called inside the motor but it used to blow sometimes and it cost a bit to replace.

The motor that a friend had ended up getting a bag around the intake and thats all she wrote.

30 yrs of saltwater and abuse takes it toll on that type of motor my good man and I would run a million miles before I would take that motor anywhere but the scrap yard IMHO.

Cheers Stewy

[Newby]

They were a good motor way back then.

I cannot remember what the box was called inside the motor but it used to blow sometimes and it cost a bit to replace.

The motor that a friend had ended up getting a bag around the intake and thats all she wrote.

30 yrs of saltwater and abuse takes it toll on that type of motor my good man and I would run a million miles before I would take that motor anywhere but the scrap yard IMHO.

Cheers Stewy

Thanks Stewy , but i need to start somwhere and it all looks pretty clean and has had the black box replaced a couple of years ago.

Edited June 12, 2008 by Newby

[Guest]

Thanks Stewy , but i need to start somwhere and it all looks pretty clean and has had the black box replaced a couple of years ago.

Take it to Huey and get a test on the cylinders and a good once over as he is an expert at Huett Marine.

I hope it works out for you and check the coils also as we did a few of them as well.

The main problem was rust inside the leg.

Cheers Stewy

[pelican]

Not sure who you are going to get to test it but be careful and be very clear about what you want them to test and what value that adds to you. Service history ( if real) and the owner make a big difference and the only way to see if there is corrosion issues in old motors is to pull something off them and inspect it- like the head. Nothing worse than buying problems. Most motor problems can't be seen or tested when it relates to corrosion especially. Pulling them apart can be problematic with seized bolts etc so there will possibly be labor costs in maintainance on motor.

Unless you know exactly what you are getting yourself in for I'd either be saving some more money or changing my expectations of what boat and size I was buying.

Saying that there is a heap of old motors running around and they will do it for a while yet but it is very hard to tell the one that will work today or die tomorrow. Where has it been stored , regular or intermittant use?/

Check you are getting a good hull and value the motor as scrap ( that's what everyon else but the owner will be doing ) and that way you won't get burnt and if it runs for a while it is a bonus. Often the costs are in all the other things on the boat that are 30 years old like controls and electrics let alone trailers. It also comes at acost to your enjoymen on the water if you don't know the motor is good.

Tell us what hull it is and trailer and no doubt others here will have had the same boat or know of them to tell you what they were like and any known issues or a complete lemon.

Ask away so you know before you buy.

I started over 30 years go doing up a boat as I couldn't afford a new one. Became a labor of love and after all the work finished it was still an average boat but I owned it and knew it's limitations - loved it. Basically wanted it to look pretty with paint but as I gradually found out there was huge amounts of time and materials to be put in to get it to a standard worth painting due to rot etc etc. Big lesson learnt as I spent more time out of the water than on it and $ well I will always tell everyone I got my moneys worth but in hindsight?????? Think about who will buy it off you and can you afford to repower it if the motor is a dog.

Good luck to you and hope it is a good one priced well.

Edited June 12, 2008 by pelican

[Newby]

Not sure who you are going to get to test it but be careful and be very clear about what you want them to test and what value that adds to you. Service history ( if real) and the owner make a big difference and the only way to see if there is corrosion issues in old motors is to pull something off them and inspect it- like the head. Nothing worse than buying problems. Most motor problems can't be seen or tested when it relates to corrosion especially. Pulling them apart can be problematic with seized bolts etc so there will possibly be labor costs in maintainance on motor.

Unless you know exactly what you are getting yourself in for I'd either be saving some more money or changing my expectations of what boat and size I was buying.

Saying that there is a heap of old motors running around and they will do it for a while yet but it is very hard to tell the one that will work today or die tomorrow. Where has it been stored , regular or intermittant use?/

Check you are getting a good hull and value the motor as scrap ( that's what everyon else but the owner will be doing ) and that way you won't get burnt and if it runs for a while it is a bonus. Often the costs are in all the other things on the boat that are 30 years old like controls and electrics let alone trailers. It also comes at acost to your enjoymen on the water if you don't know the motor is good.

Tell us what hull it is and trailer and no doubt others here will have had the same boat or know of them to tell you what they were like and any known issues or a complete lemon.

Ask away so you know before you buy.

I started over 30 years go doing up a boat as I couldn't afford a new one. Became a labor of love and after all the work finished it was still an average boat but I owned it and knew it's limitations - loved it. Basically wanted it to look pretty with paint but as I gradually found out there was huge amounts of time and materials to be put in to get it to a standard worth painting due to rot etc etc. Big lesson learnt as I spent more time out of the water than on it and $ well I will always tell everyone I got my moneys worth but in hindsight?????? Think about who will buy it off you and can you afford to repower it if the motor is a dog.

Good luck to you and hope it is a good one priced well.

Thanks for the advice, i am getting mixed responses about this so i guess it will boil down to my own decision

in the end. I am not expecting to but buy a micky mouse boat first up but you are right, as long as the hull and transom check out and no rot in the floor i think this would suit me fine.

It is a 4.88mtr 1977 Savage Tasman on a Dunbier submersible roller trailer. Comes with a lot of extras that a lot of other boats i have looked at do not. Let me know what you think about this kind of boat. Thanks Paul

[Flightmanager]

Having been this same scenario a couple of years ago ,I know exactly what you are going through!! I bought a boat and motor of the same vintage , but I got lucky. The motor was good and strong , and I loved the hull . The opportunity arose to repower with a new engine , so I now have a great hull with a great engine!!

Things to look for :

Cleanliness . Oil leaks , rust stains around gaskets , metal filings anywhere indicate a lack of care. These things can cost a huge amount to repair.

Compression. Check that all cylinders are within a couple of PSI of each other , a large difference could indicate mega expensive repairs very soon.

Crankshaft deflection. Grab the flywheel , and try to move it sideways in all directions. Any lateral movement is very , very bad ( bearings if you are lucky , new crank, bearings and associated work if you are not ) .

Propellor . Make sure it is running true. Any offset puts enormous pressure on the prop shaft , can lead to catastrophic failure.

Alternator output. Rectifiers sometimes stop rectifying , and in outboard applications can be very expensive .

Water Pump. Does it provide a good stream of water from the tell tale when running? Probably a good idea to get this replaced as a matter of course.

Corrosion. Check all over the motor for signs of pitting ( electrolysis). Also check for sacrificial anodes if fitted.

Ross

[pelican]

Another poster the other day was mentioning he was doing stuff to a tasman- might be worth having a chat

http://fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.ph...2&hl=tasman

[a boat]

Hi Newby, if the price is right than the 3 cylinder Evinrude/Johnsons are probably the most reliable engine ever made. I would not be too scared off it, but I would make sure the compression is even, the gearbox oil is clean and no signs of water and than I would say to the seller I want to remove the cylinder head (takes about 10 minutes) and if no corrosion inside the block you will buy it. Than re-fit cylinder head with a new head gasket (preventative maintance anyway), replace the impeller and do a yearly service on it and there is not reason that engine will not last another 30 years if flushed and maintained. All up this should not cost much more than about $500.

What do they want for it?

Cheers,

Huey.

[Newby]

Hi Newby, if the price is right than the 3 cylinder Evinrude/Johnsons are probably the most reliable engine ever made. I would not be too scared off it, but I would make sure the compression is even, the gearbox oil is clean and no signs of water and than I would say to the seller I want to remove the cylinder head (takes about 10 minutes) and if no corrosion inside the block you will buy it. Than re-fit cylinder head with a new head gasket (preventative maintance anyway), replace the impeller and do a yearly service on it and there is not reason that engine will not last another 30 years if flushed and maintained. All up this should not cost much more than about $500.

What do they want for it?

Cheers,

Huey.

Thanks for all the info guys.

Edited June 13, 2008 by Newby