loosescrew
Member
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2025
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 19
- LOCATION
- Elmer, NJ
The problem with four strokes getting 'better' is that they're getting lighter and lighter and small displacement wise and are built with less and less metal. From what I've seen they've become somewhat fragile.
The earlier four strokes seem more robust durability wise.
I've been looking around lately for a 10hp four stroke for use on one lake and motors are either too expensive or worn out. I've looked at over 20 of them and only one had decent compression, four of them had spark plugs that wouldn't come out.
My 16ft boat came with a four year old four stroke Suzuki. After four months of repeated carb issues, a frozen tilt pin, a starter, and lower unit seals and finally a dropped valve I gave up on it and started looking for a good motor. Every used four stroke I looked at had issues. If it wasn't low compression it was gas in the oil, rusty parts or they were flat out parts motors at best. I gave up on four strokes after coming to the realization that they don't last as long as a good two stroke. Four different dealers and shops all made it clear that the best motors were made pre 1992. When I started looking at older motors I started finding more that had excellent compression and parts were cheaper as well.
I bought a 1988 50hp with a bad tilt cylinder. The motor ran like new. I gave $75 for the motor off CL then I picked up another one with a blown power head for $50. I combined the two and with about $300 invested I had a strong running motor that was 100%. I just picked up an older (1979), 55hp as a back up simply because it was in mint condition and only $200. I have my doubts if it was ever used.
I couldn't touch a healthy four stroke for that price nor would my boat tolerate the added weight of the four stroke in that hp.
I bought an 'As-Is' 1976 15hp Johnson. It had strong compression and good spark. The seller said it came on a boat he bought and only fished freshwater and had no use for a gas motor.
I bought it a new water pump, thermostat, two new spark plugs, and a new prop. I have $800 in it and it runs like a new motor. After some cleaning and polishing it looks just as good now too.
The earlier four strokes seem more robust durability wise.
I've been looking around lately for a 10hp four stroke for use on one lake and motors are either too expensive or worn out. I've looked at over 20 of them and only one had decent compression, four of them had spark plugs that wouldn't come out.
My 16ft boat came with a four year old four stroke Suzuki. After four months of repeated carb issues, a frozen tilt pin, a starter, and lower unit seals and finally a dropped valve I gave up on it and started looking for a good motor. Every used four stroke I looked at had issues. If it wasn't low compression it was gas in the oil, rusty parts or they were flat out parts motors at best. I gave up on four strokes after coming to the realization that they don't last as long as a good two stroke. Four different dealers and shops all made it clear that the best motors were made pre 1992. When I started looking at older motors I started finding more that had excellent compression and parts were cheaper as well.
I bought a 1988 50hp with a bad tilt cylinder. The motor ran like new. I gave $75 for the motor off CL then I picked up another one with a blown power head for $50. I combined the two and with about $300 invested I had a strong running motor that was 100%. I just picked up an older (1979), 55hp as a back up simply because it was in mint condition and only $200. I have my doubts if it was ever used.
I couldn't touch a healthy four stroke for that price nor would my boat tolerate the added weight of the four stroke in that hp.
I bought an 'As-Is' 1976 15hp Johnson. It had strong compression and good spark. The seller said it came on a boat he bought and only fished freshwater and had no use for a gas motor.
I bought it a new water pump, thermostat, two new spark plugs, and a new prop. I have $800 in it and it runs like a new motor. After some cleaning and polishing it looks just as good now too.
