"--Christopher" wrote in message
...

Hello
I know this guy from work and he has been running the boat and motor, but
his son
goes to fast in the boat and he is worried. It has only been in fresh
water and the motor
has been maintained along with the boat and trailer. The only reason he is
selling the
boat is the speed at which the boat goes

Has he followed any of the winterizing procedures over the years? And the
"kid goes fast"? Hmmmm... That's important info right there! He may have run
that engine WOT continuously. You know what kids are like And who mixed
the fuel? And was it mixed right over the years? Lots to think about.

From what I know about used outboards, especially 2 strokes of that age, is
stay away from them, UNLESS you can run the basic checks on them. If you can
and he will allow you and this engine checks out good and the price is
right, buy it. But other than that, it's just a guessing game. I've
diagnosed a lot of them that look good, run good, but the basic checks I
have mentioned below have often produced negative results in compression and
in other areas. And upon further inspection, some of these engines showed
bad bearings and crank shafts that had been damaged by moisture and were
unusable again. And something that old, even if it checks out, I like to put
in a powerhead gasket set, just for piece of mind.

Have the basic checks performed, unless he is not asking much for it. I hope
this helped a bit

wrote:

"--Christopher" wrote in message
news

Hello
I'm close to purchasing this motor and posting this thread for
information. The motor --

1979 EVINRUDE 140 hp Outboard motor Evinrude
Model: 140943 or 140490
Motor Type: Gasoline
Horsepower: 140
Cylinders: 4 Vee- configuration
Start Type: Electric
Dry Weight: 310 or 315
Power Tilt and Trim: Yes

There are two different models with the Power Tilt and Trim, which this
motor has
Model 140490 and 140493
What is the difference between the two models? ( maybe short shaft vs
long
shaft)

How reliable is this motor?

The owner says this motor is very quiet?

How much is he asking for it? Was it run in salt water or fresh water?
From
what I know about used outboards, it's a major guessing game and often the
buyer gets screwed, especially on something that old. And the person
selling
it may not even know he is selling something that is faulty. I had a fella
come in to see me and he had purchased a 70 HP Johnson that had been
"rebuilt". Yeah, it was rebuilt alright. The so-called mechanic had put
the
crankcase cover back on using the automotive sealant of blue silicone and
he
forgot to put in the aliment dowels. Big mistake. I ran the engine up in
the
test tank and it too "ran quiet" and smooth, but for how long?

If you are planning on spending a lot for the engine, then have a tech run
through the basic checks before you purchase it, including a complete
visual
inspection, spark check, compression test, gear case pressure and vacuum
test, and a host of other quick and simple tests that a tech can do in
about
1/2 hour. This could save you a lot of hassle and headaches down the road.