reelfishin
Captain
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2007
- Messages
- 3,047
I just picked up a small boat with a Honda 100 motor, I was told its a 1985 model. The former owner said it would only idle and that the dealer wanted $165 an hour to look at it. I got the boat and motor for $60.
The first thing I noticed was that the shift linkage was disconnected and it was stuck in fwd. I then figured I should check the lower unit since I got the impression that he was in there. I found a new water pump and housing all all new gaskets and all looked fine. I did find that he left off the pivot pin cap and bushing but all the parts were in a bag in the boat. The fuel connector was also bypassed and he was using a straight barb fitting, he had the same hose set up on another motor as well. The hose was a permanent part of the motor and disconnected at the tank with an OMC type fitting.
Anyhow, could it be as simple as a unhooked shifter?
The motor looks as if it were new, not even faded or scratched and no signs of saltwater use or overheat damage. There was two burned up water pump impellers in the box of parts but they look pretty old. My guess was that it was run dry.
I have no experience at all with these motors, I've never owned anything but Merc/Mariner and Johnnyrude in the past. There is also no local Honda dealer around here that deals with Marine motors. I'd have to go a good distance to find a dealer.
If I decide to keep it, I'll order a manual for this motor. But for now, I am just trying research it a bit. He also gave me a receipt for a new prop, a new timing belt and service performed repair order from a Honda dealer about 3 hours from here. They charged him $586 for the belt, oil change, and a compression test and two plugs. There was another receipt for several parts only labeled as exhaust seal, gasket, and two o rings, they charged him $348 for that repair. There was yet another repair order for a new starter rope for $177. Then, in August of last year, they sold him a new carburator, and charged him $617 total. I can see why he's fed up with Honda if thats what he's been paying for repairs. I did a compression test and got 137/139 psi, the timing belt is new, as are the plugs. He said the problem came up only after putting the new water pump in it.
I don't see anything else left off.
Is there anything I should know about these engines before getting into this thing?
At this point I'm not completely sure if I bought a boat and a pile of Honda parts or a really nice old motor. There's enough new parts in it to justify far more money than the $60 I paid, (the boat will bring double that in scrap). I had considered using it on my 12 V hull but it's a bit heavy for a 10HP compared to my Evinrude 9.5 that I currently use. It's also a long shaft motor. How well did these motors hold up? I realize its a 23 year old motor but it don't appear to have been abused. I'm not sure what to think about the dealer and their charges, but the new parts are obvious and it does appear to be dealer serviced up until the botched water pump job, if you can call what looks like only a forgotten shift rod botched. It even came with two brand new spare props, two oars, oar locks, and two new padded folding seats from WalMart. The tank wasn't in the boat, he couldn't find the original tank but said he was using the same tanks on both this and his Johnson 15 hp.
My guess is that the micro switch on the shift detent has something to do with what he described. The shift rod is an easy fix, when I get the new fuel fitting to put this back to original I'll know for sure. The fact that it has a brand new carb, water pump, good compression and new plugs says it should be a fairly decent motor unless they have some major design defect?
The first thing I noticed was that the shift linkage was disconnected and it was stuck in fwd. I then figured I should check the lower unit since I got the impression that he was in there. I found a new water pump and housing all all new gaskets and all looked fine. I did find that he left off the pivot pin cap and bushing but all the parts were in a bag in the boat. The fuel connector was also bypassed and he was using a straight barb fitting, he had the same hose set up on another motor as well. The hose was a permanent part of the motor and disconnected at the tank with an OMC type fitting.
Anyhow, could it be as simple as a unhooked shifter?
The motor looks as if it were new, not even faded or scratched and no signs of saltwater use or overheat damage. There was two burned up water pump impellers in the box of parts but they look pretty old. My guess was that it was run dry.
I have no experience at all with these motors, I've never owned anything but Merc/Mariner and Johnnyrude in the past. There is also no local Honda dealer around here that deals with Marine motors. I'd have to go a good distance to find a dealer.
If I decide to keep it, I'll order a manual for this motor. But for now, I am just trying research it a bit. He also gave me a receipt for a new prop, a new timing belt and service performed repair order from a Honda dealer about 3 hours from here. They charged him $586 for the belt, oil change, and a compression test and two plugs. There was another receipt for several parts only labeled as exhaust seal, gasket, and two o rings, they charged him $348 for that repair. There was yet another repair order for a new starter rope for $177. Then, in August of last year, they sold him a new carburator, and charged him $617 total. I can see why he's fed up with Honda if thats what he's been paying for repairs. I did a compression test and got 137/139 psi, the timing belt is new, as are the plugs. He said the problem came up only after putting the new water pump in it.
I don't see anything else left off.
Is there anything I should know about these engines before getting into this thing?
At this point I'm not completely sure if I bought a boat and a pile of Honda parts or a really nice old motor. There's enough new parts in it to justify far more money than the $60 I paid, (the boat will bring double that in scrap). I had considered using it on my 12 V hull but it's a bit heavy for a 10HP compared to my Evinrude 9.5 that I currently use. It's also a long shaft motor. How well did these motors hold up? I realize its a 23 year old motor but it don't appear to have been abused. I'm not sure what to think about the dealer and their charges, but the new parts are obvious and it does appear to be dealer serviced up until the botched water pump job, if you can call what looks like only a forgotten shift rod botched. It even came with two brand new spare props, two oars, oar locks, and two new padded folding seats from WalMart. The tank wasn't in the boat, he couldn't find the original tank but said he was using the same tanks on both this and his Johnson 15 hp.
My guess is that the micro switch on the shift detent has something to do with what he described. The shift rod is an easy fix, when I get the new fuel fitting to put this back to original I'll know for sure. The fact that it has a brand new carb, water pump, good compression and new plugs says it should be a fairly decent motor unless they have some major design defect?
mine are both 78 vintage motors. they are very good if you keep them serviced. the shifter on mine has a detent that prevents the throttle from being fully opened unless it is in gear...and yep parts are sometimes hard to find as I don't think honda allowed too many aftermarket stuff to be made..I too have not been able to find a fuel connector. I have put new o rings in the original coupler twice in the last 30 or so years..Like hondon said, the exhaust was a problem for a while. another thing to watch for is the fuel pump, although there is nothing wrong with it, the diaphram will age and get brittle and crack which will allow gas to get into the oil in the crankcase. so if your oil starts mysteriously growing, that is probably the reason...also it will smell like gas..