Never allow a used boat motor purchase to turn into an Outboard Motor Repair
. Read on for a few basic checks you can perform yourself. There are a couple steps you can take to prevent getting ripped off as well as lower the chances of buying someone else's problems.
When hunting for second hand motors it is crucial to get them inspected before you pay for them. It's not a big expense to get an outboard repair shop to look them over. The cash saved in the long run is well worth it. I have witnessed time and time again people purchase second hand motors on good faith. The previous owner swears that they are in excellent shape and running order. When the new owner brings the outboard in for a tune up or check, frequently there is something wrong with it. I have observed many motors bought in good faith that are actually very badly damaged and require an high-priced repair. An outboard motor repair may be extremely high priced.
A workshop can inspect the outboard from top to bottom. They should inspect the engine mounts and bushings, the propeller and gearbox condition. They will also run the motor and test the tuning, gear shift function, charging and get a good listen to the hum of the outboard, listening for some internal bearing racket or too much piston slap etc that would force an outboard motor repair.
A compression test should be carried out on the outboard and as a rule shops possess the capability to check inside the outboard by way of a small flashlight or bore scope. The condition of the cylinder bores or liners will be observed, and this gives a pretty important indication of piston and ring condition. The time it takes to do an inspection is about 1-2 hours. With service shops charging just about $75 bucks an hour, it's a very inexpensive and wise step to take to protect yourself against possible unexpected costs.
But please keep in mind there is no assurance that the service technician can determine everything that could possibly be amiss with the motor. There is only so much they can inspect to avoid an outboard motor repair.