Mariner 40 Magnum 4cyl 1992 worth buying?

[bentuxworth]

Hi

I am thinking of buying a '92 Mariner Magnum 40 4 cylinder 'limited edition' 2 stroke outboard. Haven't seen it yet, but have some pictures attached.

I appreciate I'll have to see it to know if it's worth buying (I'm not even sure it's running) but I'd value your expert opinions on

• anything I should look out for when I look at the engine (ie things that are expensive to fix and common faults with such an engine
• anything that looks like it might be a problem from these photos

I'm also concerned it might be very heavy. Does anyone know what this engine weighs? Also, what is the advantage of four cylinder? Smoothness? Quiet? high Torque? Is it likely to use more fuel than a 2 cylinder?

Many thanks

Ben

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Mariner 40 Magnum 4cyl 1992 worth buying?

That Mariner is a Mercury only painted GREY.

The 4 cyl 40 to 50 hp motors are on of THE most reliable motors EVER built.

Take along a compression tester and a spark tester set to a 7/16 inch gap.

Test each cyl, once you verify each cyl has 110 to 120 psi or better and all within 10% each other

AND a 7/16 bright blue sharp CRACK

then you know the motor is mechanically sound, if the price suits you, grab it!

Clean the carbs and fuel pump, also replace the water pump impeller, just to be sure all is as close to factory fresh, all are cheap insurance against any lean mixture overheating or cooling issues.

With regular maintenance, you can expect a lifetime of boating.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Mariner 40 Magnum 4cyl 1992 worth buying?

Great motor. Had that exact same model and year a few years back before I went to a bigger boat/motor.

Super reliable, easy to start and ran like a champ. Lots of low end torque. I think it weighed about 190 Ib if my memory is a good as I'd like to think it is .

A couple other things to inspect in addition to what CharlieB mentioned.

1) Drain some oil out of the lower unit and check for presence of water and/or metal particles/pieces.

2) Inspect each spark plug for signs of misfire, water intrusion or anything out of the ordinary.

3) Operate the power trim system through a couple cycles to verify its working.

 

[bentuxworth]

Re: Mariner 40 Magnum 4cyl 1992 worth buying?

Thanks both for the advice - looks like it will be worth a look. Also managed to find 1995 Mercury 40 user manual on the Brunswick website, and the engine looks very similar if not identical, so that will come in handy. My only worry is the weight - 190lbs is barely a one man lift. Better get down to the gym I guess.

Ben

 

[fishin98]

Re: Mariner 40 Magnum 4cyl 1992 worth buying?

I had the same motor,except it was a Merc. Great motor! much better than the 2cyl. Will push a 14-16ft boat with ease. prop it right 13p-15p