Outboard question: Yamaha vs. Mercury

[IXLR8]

Back to motor talk. Does anyone remember or had the pleasure of owning a Force Outboard. They were a attempt to bring back the Chrysler's in the 80's and 90's. They changed the name to fool the unknowing buyer.

Chris

In the 90's I had a friend who bought a new 23' open bow boat for fishing and water skiing. I don't remember the brand but it was one of the more respected names at the time which is why he chose it. It was relatively cheap for that brand, I am guessing the reason why was it had the Force Outboard on it. That motor stranded him more times and spent more time in the shop. The fool fought with that thing for 3 years before dumping it. Lucky for him all the work was warrenty work, but he did miss a lot of time on the water with it in the shop. He assumed that since he bought a quality boat he was getting a quality motor... after all they wouldn't put a junk motor on a quality boat.. would they?

 

[wstr75]

Force: I had a 120 hp Force on a Bayliner. It was a good engine but apparently put out something like 113 hp according to one boating test. I also had a 115 hp V-4 Johnson (2 stroke) and it was a sweetheart. According to the same boating test magazine, the Evinrude/Johnson 90/115 hp series put out more than their rated power.

I also have had two Honda 45 hp motors. Great motors but would cost you if you failed to drain the gas out of the carburetors in the off season. A mechanic told me to slip plastic tubing over the drain tube so as to drain the gas outside the motor housing area. After twice paying for cleaning gunked carbs, you better believe I religiously drained the carbs every time after using running the motor. You always think you are going to be using the boat again within the next month, but you don't and before you know it, it is six months later and the dang carbs are gummed up. The mechanic told me the jets are smaller in the 4 stroke carburetors and that's why they are more prone to gumming up than my Johnson or Force motors were.

I don't have a boat now, but that does not mean I ain't looking!
Bill in NC

 

[Bird]

I don't have a boat now, but that does not mean I ain't looking!

Me, too, but I can't afford one.

As for draining the gas out of the carb, when I came back to the launching ramp, I just always disconnected the fuel line and ran the engine until it died on every outboard I ever used unless I was sure I was going to use the boat again the next day.

 

[bwmarine]

Me, too, but I can't afford one.

As for draining the gas out of the carb, when I came back to the launching ramp, I just always disconnected the fuel line and ran the engine until it died on every outboard I ever used unless I was sure I was going to use the boat again the next day.

Cant do that with a lot of the oil injection type as it will still be pumping oil and will adventually fill the carbs with oil as many of the oil injected motors mix the oil before it enters the carb.

 

[wstr75]

I ran my Yamaha 115 (2 stroke) dry while on the trailer but still in the water (forgot to mention that motor - it was a sweetheart, too!). The Honda motor could be run dry, but there was always some residual gas in the carburetor. The mechanic told me the safe thing was to physically drain out each carburetor (3 carburetors on the 45 hp).

The ticket to ride is a fuel injected four stroke but they are expensive and there aren't that many used ones for sale.
Bill in NC

 

[chh]

My motor doesn't have the disconnects on it. Seems most of the boats any more have built in tanks and the lines are plumbed without any disconnect. Can't do the old run it dry trick as you are loading any more.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Like I said before I don't sell or service outboards but I would have figured all the new ones are EFI motors. I have not seen a Carb on a I/O engine since 1999 but I know they still make them. We just never order them that way and I will not take a Carb boat in on trade. At our lake a Carb on a say a 2004 21' ski boat with a Merc 350 lowers the price $5000 right off the bat.

Chris

 

[chh]

Do you all have fuel/water seperators inline on your boats? The boating mags I read all really recommend them if there is a chance of you running gas with ethanol in it. I just put one on my boat.

I also noticed that Wal Mart now has Stabil that is specifically for ethanol blends.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have them on both of my boats and carry a extra filter along with a
Cheapo Harbor Freight Strap Wrench in each boats tool box. My boats being EFI Motors also have inline fuel filters prior to the pump but before the FWS.

The plumbing goes: Fuel Tank-Fuel Filter-FWS-Electric Fuel Pump-MPI Unit.

Chris

 

[farmboy12]

In late April, my grandfather did end up making a purchase. He went with a Honda 135hp for a 19ft pontoon-style deck boat. I think he made the right decision. Thanks!


Kyle