Need advice on purchase

B

Big-G

Member
1994 V21 with 150 Johnson Ocean Runner (I think that's the right nomenclature). Seller has owned boat for 20 years (bought it new). Has been under sheltered boat lift forever. Boat is in excellent condition. After boat ride (15 minutes) motor would not idle. Gas leaking form engine box. Otherwise engine ran great. Has trailer - new tires - springs etc. are in good condition - has electric winch.

He wants $8,000. I'm concerned about the Johnson motor. Sorry but no pictures.

Any advice?

Thanks.
 
those are good motors but they do have computer issues from time to time. The fuel pump is most likely leaking and causing the idle issue. check compression and see if he will lower the price alot. wouldn't pay more than $5500 for it especially as it is with the idle / fuel leak.
 
Get us the compression test results an also hand prime it with the hood off and look for the leak. it will show up while being primed.
 
Compression

Compression is above 200 on each cylinder according to owner.

Good advice on removing cover while priming.

I thought of offering $6,000 since this V20 is as good as any I have looked at in the past 2 years.

Thanks much for the input

Big-G
 
Not sure about your year but my 93 Ocean Runner 150 left me hi and certainly dry. The rings split on mine basically making the engine worthless. They are notorius for this but not sure about that year. I would def. research it though......
 
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Final post

Offered $6,000. Offer rejected. Don't think anyone will offer more.

Been looking for V20/21 for last two years. Sure wish this boat had a Yama or Merc on the stern.

Thanks a bunch, everyone, for the feedback.

Big-G
 
if that engine has 200 psi on the compression test, someone is lying or needs a new compression tester(should have been in the 120 range). I'm not a big fan of those engines although some people like them. Keep in mind, they were not made for very long , have a history of corrosion issues, and a lot of engine components are no longer available, from any one. i wouldn't have gone any higher than $5000. I'll go ahead and fly the flag on this one


:bsflag:
 
100-120 sounds about right, 200 would require 116 octane and a whole lot of other things to go with it. They had a pretty good production run I thought being built for 14 years. Not a long run like the MERCS V-6's though. The optic sensor for the igntion system is a problem area as many will attest. The HUGE downside to them was they were THIRSTY PIGS! For a 150 they drank as much fuel as most 225's at cruise. I think $6K was more than fair for a V21 in excellent shape with a not so great engine, if anything it was quite a bit to high. If the owner isn't willing to negotiate on a boat he KNOWS needs work, then I would walk.
 
I'm a little wary of rigs stored on lifts. Hard to do a lot of routine maintence stuff with it swinging on a lift. $6000 is still too high for something with known problems. What other problems are there you don't yet know about?

Hang around, the deal of the century will come along sooner than later. Especially with autumn coming up.
 
Boat sounds like a winner, and fairly rare condition, but the motor is the issue.

I had two of those 150 loopers - solid performers.

See if it's still for sale after days, weeks, months, and maybe your offer will sound better.

Good luck.
 
spareparts said:
if that engine has 200 psi on the compression test, someone is lying or needs a new compression tester(should have been in the 120 range). I'm not a big fan of those engines although some people like them. Keep in mind, they were not made for very long , have a history of corrosion issues, and a lot of engine components are no longer available, from any one. i wouldn't have gone any higher than $5000. I'll go ahead and fly the flag on this one


:bsflag:
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My factory-trained mechanic said the compression numbers should be within a few pounds of each other-- which is more important than the number itself. He declared my old Evinrude 150 in "new" or recently overhauled internal condition with compression just over 100# in ALL 6 Cylinders. If one had been several pounds lower, that would have indicated problems with rings or valves, etc.

Larry
 
Larryrsf said:
My factory-trained mechanic said the compression numbers should be within a few pounds of each other-- which is more important than the number itself. He declared my old Evinrude 150 in "new" or recently overhauled internal condition with compression just over 100# in ALL 6 Cylinders. If one had been several pounds lower, that would have indicated problems with rings or valves, etc.

Larry
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Ideally you want all cylinders within 5% of each other, but 10% is considered accepteable. You also want to make sure they are within a certain range though as I have seen engines wore slam slap out have compression with 2% of each cylinder, but were shot internally. Had a V4 with all cylinders at 60, but a good engine like it should have been at 115-120. Turns out it had standard pistons in a .020 bore engine. When I finally got it to run, it rattled like a metal can filled with rocks.
 
Larryrsf said:
My factory-trained mechanic said the compression numbers should be within a few pounds of each other-- which is more important than the number itself. He declared my old Evinrude 150 in "new" or recently overhauled internal condition with compression just over 100# in ALL 6 Cylinders. If one had been several pounds lower, that would have indicated problems with rings or valves, etc.

Larry
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what your factory trained mechanic told you is true, the % between the cylinders tell more than the actual numbers them selves. But when I see compression numbers on a 2 stroke so far out of range that they can't be realist, I usually call BS on the numbers
 
Obviously my 200 statement is wrong

I may have mis- spoken when I said 200 on each cylinder. The seller gave me the numbers but I was more interested in his comment that compression was okayed by his mechanic. Either way I am no longer interested in the boat and motor. I would offer $ for the boat and trailer, however.
 
Ferm, what years were those engines available? I didn't think they were around that long. Did Bomb continue to build them in carb form?
 
spareparts said:
Ferm, what years were those engines available? I didn't think they were around that long. Did Bomb continue to build them in carb form?
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OMC came out with the 60 degree looper in 90 for the 91 model year, and BRP kept them around under the JOHNSON name until 04 carbed when emissions completely phased them out. Throughout that whole run they were basically unchanged internally from what I have found. They were one of OMC/BRP's longest production run engines without major changes to them like the V-6 loopers got(small bore for 2 years, standard large bore for 4 years, and then switched over to the lightened and choked finger ported engines for about the last 8 years). The only other engines I can think of that had a longer run largely unchanged would have been the 3 cylinder loopers(probably the longest running engine without major changes of ANY manufacturer), or the 2.0L MERCURY's. It should also be of note the 150/175 FICHT engines were basically the same engine internally, and I believe even the current 150/175/and small block 200 has it's roots going back to that first 60 degree looper.
 
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