Re: 1997 Johnson 130 .
With the current prop on the engine,you can tell if it is correctly propped by taking the engine and boat for a water test.If the boat is equipped with a tachometer,it should be capable of turning between 5500 and 6000 at wide open throttle ,depending on the occupant and payload aboard.If the boat isn't rigged with a working tach,you need to get one.Operating without one is flying blind so to speak.<br /><br />Compression varies between outboards engines ,however ,expect numbers of 100 and above on that engine.What you would mostly like to see is compression numbers that are within 10% or closer to one another.This indicates even wear and helps to rule out a weak or problematic cylinder.<br /><br />T/stats is just short for thermostats.The waterpump and thermostats need attention and or replacing every couple of years or so many run hours.Cheap insurance against a overheat related issue.Unless you know for sure that the waterpump and t/stats have been changed recently,I recommend either doing it when you get the rig or having it done.<br /><br />Might also want to determine whether this engines vro pump is still in service or whether it has been bypassed by previous owner and vro alarms have been disabled.If it has been disabled ,you'll need to premix at 50:1 in the fuel tank.In either case ,unless you know for absolute sure that the boat has recently operated fine and the vro is delivering oil to the carburetor inlets,I recommend mixing at 50:1 until you can verify oil usage from the oil reservoir.This can be done by marking a line on the outside of the reservoir at the oil level and operating boat until you have used at least 6 gallons of fuel.If the level drops,say,1/2",you can then assume it's working and discontinue premix.<br /><br />Your engine is originally equipped with vro pump alarms ,but they are not failsafes.
