ARE 1978 JOHNSON 115 & 1982 EVINRUDE 115 PARTS INTERCHANGEABLE???

[phx5kegsman]

I've been looking for a motor to replace my 78 Johnson 115. Would like a four stroke to access more lakes (CA regulations), but I cant justify spending that kind of money on my 1982 Ranger 330V. I've come across a 1982 evinrude 115 for $1500 (Craigslist) . I inquired about the numbers and the reply said they were 150/145/140/150. also said tilt/trim works and controls included. I will take my own compression test,of course. The motor is an hour up the highway. any input or advice would be appreciated . Thanks!

 

[racerone]

Those numbers sound high.-----So yes , use your own gauge and report your numbers.-----Many parts will interchange , but not all.

 

[phx5kegsman]

That's what I thought. And, is 10psi difference between cylinders an issue? Thanks for the input I am going to set up a meet for tomorrow

 

[racerone]

There have been many folks on here that have argued about compression values and what they mean.------Careful examination ( compression test too ) should be done on a 40 year old crossflow.----They are nearly world famous for broken piston rings !-----Water test is a must when paying that kind of money.

 

[havoc_squad]

$1500 seems a tad bit high in asking price for that motor in your area that could very well be a salt water use motor.

If you see a lot of corrosion on it, negotiate the price down to $1000. A big clue will be midsection and powerhead bolt heads condition, but could also be crusties on the powerhead itself.

As racer said, on water load test asking $1500 would be mandatory.

 

[RBoyd1971]

Look at the paint on the powerhead too. If it's discolored at all, I would pass on it. Would most likely mean it ran hot at one time. Another thing I would do when checking compression is a lash test on the connecting rods. With the plugs out, rotate each piston to top dead center then when they start down, take a 1/4" extension and press on the top of the piston. If there is any slack, most likely you'll feel it. You have to check after the piston has traveled back down slightly to reveal the slack. It also would be nice if you could remove at least a couple of the covers over the intake ports, one on top and one on bottom on the starboard side and examine the piston for galding but they might not let you do that. As an example of what racer said, I have a V4 crossflow with 142 psi on the number 3 cylinder, but when you look at the piston through the intake port, the piston looks pretty bad. Has lots of scoring. I don't believe it had run hot, but was run with a plugged up carborator. Luckily the rings are still free. I had to remove the aluminum from the cylinder wall though. Compression came up after that. This causes me to not trust most people on Craig's list or Facebook marketplace.

 

[phx5kegsman]

I went and looked at the motor today. The guy said the motor was already off the boat and ready to go so Brought my compression tester, muffs, own gas/oil mix , and a charged up battery & cables. Visually the motor looked good. Noticed discoloration on one of the heads where it may have overheated. also noticed that the head bolts looked newer and had no paint on them, possibly from rebuild. pulled the plugs, which looked normal, and installed comp tester on #1 piston and jumped the starter......starter motor turned, but the gear would not push up to engage the flywheel! Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not so sure that I had the cables hooked up right. I hooked the negative to the block where the battery negative would be and then touched the positive jumper cable to the starter positive lug. It spun it, but the bendix wouldn't engage the flywheel. Seemed right at the time but now I'm not so sure. Anyway, I was not able to do a comp test or a run w/ muffs test at all. I did remove the bottom drain/fill plug from lower unit and loosened the top one just enough to drain some gear oil into my hand. It was not milky nor gritty. I offered him $500 for the motor and he declined. I told him $500 without the remote controls (I have two sets) and he accepted. So now I've got a motor to go through. And since my 78 runs I can take my time and do it right. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for all your help. This forum is great!

 

[Jon NL]

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