1997 75 hp Force

[J.avant]

I just purchased a 1997 75 hp Force. I know, I know. I'm a Johnson/Evinrude person but the boat it was on is what I went for. Please let me down easy about the motor.

Can anybody give me the pros and cons about this motor. The engine fired right up with no problems went into gear easly with no grinding. Idle was a little high but idled down abit when it warmed up.

Being a 97 it has never had a wrench on it. I looked all the bolts over and found no paint missing on any of the bolts. The engine was still shiny.

How is the power 3 cylinder 1 carb?

Thanks,John

[roscoe]

Its not a bad motor.
Power is decent.
CDM ignition is good.
Maintain it and it will treat you right.
Prop it so she turns 5500 rpm at full throttle, with a light load.

Gearlube changes, annual decarbs, winterizing, stabil and seafoam in the fuel, full synthetic oil, new fuel pump diaphram every 5 years, new impeller every 3.

Only thing I didn't like about mine, was that it only used a small diameter prop (10.5x15). Wish it would have taken a 13 or 14" diameter for a little more bite.

HAppy boating.

[Frank Acampora]

Nice engine! In that particular one, Mercury used large bore pistons--3.375 diameter-- and long rods which helped it in the power department. While the prop is small for a 75 at 10 inch diameter, the engine does deliver adequate power and the first one I rebuilt did surprise me. The single carb does make it easier to set up the mixture. However, the reeds are a bit thinner than old style round tip petals and do tend to break a little easier. Note that this does not mean that you will be breaking reed petals--just that they do tend to fail more often than the old style less responsive ones. Water pump is Mercury design, and again, a better design than the older style Force pumps.

You can use the same prop that a Merc 40 uses so there are lots of choices. Compared to an earlier Force engine there are not many cons.

[J.avant]

Thanks guys...I feel a lot better about it now. I ran it with the cowl off and the engine runs very quite no 2 stroke piston slap.

The person I purchased it from seemed to be maintenance minded, kept it in the garage and clean.

Will I be able to tell if the reeds brake? What should I look for if they are broken already?

John

[Frank Acampora]

Oh, you will know if a reed petal breaks. Performance will be down, and the engine will either not start or will be most difficult to start. But as I said before: Don't obsess about breaking reeds, it's not that common.

If the engine starts and runs well now, there is no need to check the reeds. ---And please don't "play" with the carb. That is still a fast way to have an engine rebuilt.

[roscoe]

Since Frank mentioned it, here is a list of motors who's props will fit your motor. So if you go ebay shopping for a spare prop, you will be able to get the right one.


Mercury 30hp 2 and 4 stroke, 1994 and newer
Mercury 35hp 84-89 Mercury model 650 1972-76
Mercury model 402, 500, and 700, 1977-84
Mercury 40 and 50hp 2 and 4 stroke, 1977 and newer
Mercury 45 and 48 hp, 1977 and newer
Mercury 55hp SeaPro and Marathon 1995 and newer
Mercury 60 hp
Mercury 70 hp 3 cylinder through 1983
Mercury 25hp Bigfoot 1999 and newer

Force 40 and 50 hp, 1995-1998
Force 70 hp 1991-1995
Force 75 hp 1996-1998

[J.avant]

Thanks Roscoe..I'll print that out and keep it handy.

John

[milehighboater]

I love my 1999 75hp force, I'm not sure why they got a bad rap. No issues from mine in the last 11 years I have ran it.

[J.avant]

Well, took the 1997 Force out for the first time Today. This engine cranked right up, let it warm up abit and off I went.

I have this engine on a 1997 ProCraft 16' bass. Put the ProCraft on plane with out any problem at all didn't miss a lick. Cruised around abit to see what it was going to do. I didn't go far from the dock (my first Force). Well it ran very smooth and was a lot quieter than my Johnson 70 hp. I ventured out across the lake and then opened it up and WOW! this thing had that ProCraft walking on the pad. I was at 5500,5650 on the Tach and had a speed of 42 MPH.This speedo is real close to my gps. I had checked it before. Made a believer out of me VERY IMPRESSED. I think I'll keep it. You guys were right.

Yeah,that's right, the Force be with me.

John

[199675hpforce]

That's how I ended up with mine a premo like new boat and this motor on back. I figured it would get swaped out for 125hp mercury but just never got around to it or found one. Mine runs and is iight weight if it blows so be it then im outboard shopping. From what ive learned the force 75 96-99 are pretty tight motors more mercury motor. I went ahead and put my boat up for sale on ebay starcraft fishmaster. Guess I will never get to try mounting up new motor booo lol.

[J.avant]

[QUOTE=Frank Acampora;2856125]Oh, you will know if a reed petal breaks. Performance will be down, and the engine will either not start or will be most difficult to start. But as I said before: Don't obsess about breaking reeds, it's not that common.

Well...maybe I spoke too soon. I took the boat out again the other day,started fine warmed it up and took off across the lake. When I reached the other side of the lake I started cutting back on the throttle till I was almost at idle and it sounded like it was running out of gas and died. That was it could not get it started again. So I said I'm here I might as well fish for a while. I got ready to leave and still wouldn't start. I started using the choke while trying to start it. Well it would start and die. I started using the choke to keep it running and that would work till I got it going fast enough to get on plane. It ran fine,with out choke once I got past half throttle. I started letting off the throttle and it would die. This went on for a while till all of a sudden it started running great. I was thinking it was a reed pedel had broken but like I said it started running fine again. What do you think was going on with the motor?

BTW I got 38.3 mph (gps) at 5400 rpm does this sound right?

John

[Frank Acampora]

Sounds like a little junk got in the low speed circuit and then cleared itself out. Might be worth the time to clean out the carb.

[J.avant]

Sounds like a little junk got in the low speed circuit and then cleared itself out. Might be worth the time to clean out the carb.

I'm running a inline gas filter. I don't know how long it's been on there, so I guess a carb cleaning and I should change out the gas filter also. Thanks for the info.

John