[Opry99er]

Can anyone recommend a good guide book for beginners marine maintenance and repair? The motor I'm getting with the new boat is a 1985 30HP Johnson and I want to be able to do small maintenance and basic repairs on my own. . It is an older motor.

Small mower engines and older car engines are second nature to me, but I know there are elements to watercraft propulsion that are unique.

 

[Opry99er]

I'd like to buy this:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-1985-O...ture&hash=item4633093722&vxp=mtr#ht_25wt_1312



But it's a bit expensive at $100.


Plus it's not a beginner's guide... more of a technical service manual. Still, wouldn't hurt to have.

 

[TthePikester]

http://www.tradebit.com/filesharing.php/search/0/1985+30hp+johnson

 

[Bionic Man]

There really isn't much to the outboards, especially the older two-strokes.

Change the gear lube every year, and do the impeller every couple of years.

I wouldn't spend $100 on a repair manual. Youtube has everything you need for free.

 

[fishrangler]

There really isn't much to the outboards, especially the older two-strokes.

Change the gear lube every year, and do the impeller every couple of years.

I wouldn't spend $100 on a repair manual. Youtube has everything you need for free.

^^^ This , Owen keep it simple like he said.
I've owned them all and you can manage just fine without that book.

 

[Opry99er]

Thanks guys.

I'll just watch some videos and read the online "Boat Motors for Dummies" or something like that.

Having never worked on or owned one, really general layouts and terminology will get me started.

An internal combustion engine is an internal combustion engine, I guess.

Don't know about how prop shafts and impellers fit in to the engine layout, lower units, etc... Foreign to me. But some basic googling will get me there.

 

[WestSloper]

There really isn't much to the outboards, especially the older two-strokes.

Change the gear lube every year, and do the impeller every couple of years.

I wouldn't spend $100 on a repair manual. Youtube has everything you need for free.

×2

Youtube has fixed everything I've needed on my older motors.

 

[Zman]

Iboats forums too...

 

[Opry99er]

Well, I now know what an impeller is and why it should be changed more frequently than most other parts...

Also looked up how to take care of a lower unit, where common issues occur, and how to remove, clean, and maintain the carb in this motor.

Aftermarket parts don't seem to rare or expensive either.

 

[rvinson]

I had to do some work on my boat last year ( http://www.coloradofisherman.com/forum/8-off-topic/92329-boat-repairs-upgrades-maintenance.html ) and I had never worked on a boat motor in my life.....

I have done plenty of work on my Civic and other older vehicles so i consider myself to be decently mechanically inclined.

The manual that came with my boat is a Clymer...

http://www.themotorbookstore.com/ev.html

Having the book was handy when i was working on my boat.... however the internet was also a very big resource.


The book I posted above would be like getting the Chilton or Haynes book for your car rather than the factory service manual.

 

[snagged up]

My II Cents

I say AGAIN !!.

Premium gas, proper oil to fuel ratio mixing. I used to use a cooking measuring cup for 6 gal. gas cans.

Unplug the fuel line from the motor and run the motor out of gas before loading on trailer.

New plugs depending on motor run time.

A dose of Sea Foam once in while, good to go.

 

[longdraw]

Iboats forums too...

This.

 

[rvinson]

I say AGAIN !!.

Premium gas, proper oil to fuel ratio mixing. I used to use a cooking measuring cup for 6 gal. gas cans.

Unplug the fuel line from the motor and run the motor out of gas before loading on trailer.

New plugs depending on motor run time.

A dose of Sea Foam once in while, good to go.

You run your boat dry on gas after every trip? I thought(with 2 strokes at least) that you dont want them to be dry?

I am a new boat owner so i could be wrong... I dont even run my **** dry for winter storage... I just put fuel stabilizer in the tank and then I run it and spray fogging oil into the intake and then shut the motor off(Per directions on the fogging oil canister)... Then I pull each plug and spray each cylinder with fogging oil to prevent it from drying out.

 

[hobiecat]

Personally, I wouldn't run premium gas in your older outboard..the higher the octane the slower the gas burns and the harder it is to ignite, the additives added to high octane gas cause the fuel to ignite at a higher point on the compression stroke. Premium should only be used in high compression engines to prevent preignition or knock and your outboard definitely isn't a high compression engine..It would be like running your engine out of time..and you'll just be blowing any excess un-ignited fuel out your exhaust.. regular unleaded is all you need.

 

[Opry99er]

Thanks guys.

 

[Bionic Man]

I would say you will get mixed feedback on running the engine out of fuel.

On the plus side, you would never have stale fuel foul the carburetor.

I have heard that it can cause problems by drying the reeds out in the carb. Not sure if that is true.

I run Marine StaBil in my fuel year round, and do not run the engines dry. I have never had problems doing it that way, but maybe I am on borrowed time. I do know for sure that you don't want to run old, untreated fuel EVER. And anything with ethanol has a shorter shelf life than pure gasoline.

 

[hobiecat]

Yeah, the biggest problem with running two strokes out of gas is as they run out of fuel...they start to run real lean..why you'll hear them rev up before running out of gas. More oxygen..less gas/oil...motor revs with a lot more heat produced. You can scar the pistons.. More likely to happen with engines with multiple carbs..the upper carbs will run out of gas before the lower carb or carbs. Probably won't happen at idle..

You'll never blow up a two stroke running too rich..but if you ever set the carbs to run too lean you can seize the engine...or burn a hole through the piston.

 

[snagged up]

My II Cents

Everyone has an opinion.

All I know is I have been doing this for many years. Run out of fuel at idle.

My current outboard 2002 125 hp with 4 carbs.

So I will leave it at this DO what works for you.

 

[golden rod]

Hobie's "opinion" sounds like real info. You must be a favorite at the ramp running your motor dry every time.

 

[hobiecat]

It's kinda a misnomer when people "run their motors out of gas". I'd imagine that Opry's motor has a disconnect on a six gallon tank. As soon as you disconnect, gas ceases to flow to the carb...It would be the same as shutting the vent on the tank..you create a vacuum and the gas stays in the fuel line. As far as the carb goes..you burn the gas down to the float level...you really don't empty the bowl..just unable to pick up the gas left in the bowl below float level..So unless your carb has a drain in the float bowl..and you use it to drain the bowl..you still have gas in the carb below the float.

The problem is...especially if storing for any length of time..the residual gas left in the bowl evaporates..and that's the fastest way to lacquer up a carb..more so than if more gas was left in the bowl.

My opinion...If storing don't run it out of gas..just use stabilizer..