89' force 85

[BMDODGE]

was wondering what you guy's have to say about this motor ?? brother in-law bought a 89' quantum fish/ski 17' boat - has a force 85 on it...anything we should look for or any tricks ??<br />thanks - bruce

 

[JB]

Re: 89' force 85

Moving to General Outboard

 

[roscoe]

Re: 89' force 85

DEcarb decarb decarb!! See the FAQ Forum.<br /><br />Change the waterpump!!<br /><br />Do a compression check now, so you have a baseline for comparison in the future.<br /><br />Make sure a everthing is working at its best and adjusted properly if you want it to last.<br /><br />Do a search on this site, "Force" or "85 Force" hsould give you plenty of reading.<br /><br />Don't rebuild it when/if it blows.<br /><br />Set a $$ limit now, on how much you will spend on it. When you reach the limit, part it out, and buy a different motor for the boat.<br /><br />Check out the transom and underfloor stringers of the boat. Look for water damage to the fiberglass encased wood.<br /><br />If it is all in good condition now, and proper maintenance and care was given over the years, it could serve you for many years to come.

 

[jfc092]

Re: 89' force 85

I aquired an 1988 85 Force 2 years ago attached to the back of a 17 ft bayliner cuddy. I purchased the manual for the motor and have since changed the impeller. <br />Although Force engines get badmouthed pretty good on this board, my little 85 runs pretty good.<br />I would reccomend a good grade of oil and buy the manual.

 

[snohomishbaddawg]

Re: 89' force 85

Start saving your pennies now for your repower! The best day of my boating life was when the force outboard went boom. Had nothing but trouble with the piece of you know what from day one. Never had an outboard before or after that was such a head ache!

 

[BMDODGE]

Re: 89' force 85

wsnohomishbaddawg ,hat type of problems did you have ??? is there certain stuff i should be concerned with ?? the boat is 1989 but was tied up in a death/estate/bancruptcy/ settlement - boat never saw water till 2001'(so i was told)<br />the boat+motor like new... any suggestion's on what to watch for or keep on top of , much appreciated - thanks bruce

 

[james roach]

Re: 89' force 85

Take it from my experience. RUN FORREST RUN!!!!<br />Start Saving.

 

[roscoe]

Re: 89' force 85

Watch for carbon buildup. Do the decarb a couple times a year to keep the rings from sticking.<br /><br />Prone to severe damage from an overheat, so keep that waterpump and impeller working.<br /><br />Make sure that no one cylinder is running lean.<br />Keep the carbs clean and synced.<br /><br />Watch sparkplugs for signs of water intrusion in the cylinders.

 

[snohomishbaddawg]

Re: 89' force 85

bmdodge<br />Here is the list (atleast the ones I remember)<br />-Carb problems (tough to keep in sync)<br />-constant fouling of plugs<br />-2 head gaskets<br />-any and every thing that had to do with the plugs firing properly (regulator, wires, etc...)<br />-impellors that would last less than 50hrs<br />-lower unit drain plug that would not seal (housing was not machined properly, dealer was at a loss. I had my buddy at the machine shop fix it and he said the metal in the housing was a joke).<br />-I ran more decarb through the thing than gas.<br /><br />spent as much time on the end of a rope being towed by someone else as it did actually running.<br />Had the thing less than 3 years and it died with less than 300 hours on it. I finally pulled the plug when I blew 2 cylinders. <br /><br />If you do end up with this boat and the engine is in decent shape you could always sell it for parts, there is always a need for Force parts!<br /><br />I would also be wary of a boat that was tied up in "death/estate/bankruptcy" for the better part of 12 years. I have heard of legal problems but that seems like an awfully long time.

 

[BMDODGE]

Re: 89' force 85

thanks for the advice - the boat is here , so no turning back now...the boat & motor do look "NEW"<br />i pulled the cover off the motor and the foam inside the cover is like brand new!! motor is clean and brother in-law said the guy started it right up - i guess we'll wait and see + brother in-law likes the boat so he's not a afraid to buy a new outboard - thanks again - bruce

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: 89' force 85

If it has been sitting that long, you should get a new impeller in it asap, the one that is in there is probably dried out and ready to come apart, I wouldn't even run it in the driveway before you replace it, if it comes apart and pieces go up into the powerhead you will do some damage. That being said, don't expect too much from this motor, enjoy it while it is running. Good Luck.