1969 9.9 hp Johnson good engine?

[dbear1959]

I am looking at a nice 14 foot Mirrocraft fishing boat. It has a 1969 9.9hp Johnson on it. Can anyone tell me if these are reliable engines, and if there is anything I should be looking for, or if there are any problems typically associated with these engines. Engine looks clean on the internet pictures, and owner says it runs great.

Also will a 9.9 on this boat plane and push a couple guys at a reasonalble speed. I can buy the whole rig for $700.00 bucks with trailer and trolling motor. I don't want to make the 90 minute trip one way if their are engine concerns. I have attempted to attach a picture. Don't know if it worked. Any feed back would be greatly appreciated.

 

[iwombat]

Re: 1969 9.9 hp Johnson good engine?

First of all, it's a 9.5 not a 9.9. The HP rating isn't a big deal, but the 9.5 is an entirely different beastie than the later 9.9.

I happen to think they're fine engines (opinions vary). But, there's a couple of things you should look at. Easiest thing to check is the condition of the motor mounts. Grab the flywheel and try to push the whole powerhead back and forth. If it moves easily and flops around, the front motor mounts are shot. These can be hard to locate. Other than that, the standard tests apply. Compression, spark, check the LU for water.

 

[dbear1959]

Re: 1969 9.9 hp Johnson good engine?

Thanks. Should it push & plane with two guys in it or will it be a little underpowered for this boat? What do you think about the package price?

 

[iwombat]

Re: 1969 9.9 hp Johnson good engine?

I don't know much about that particular boat, but I'd think it will plane it. YOu might, however be happier with a slightly larger motor. What's the max HP rating for the boat?

 

[BaitThrower]

Re: 1969 9.9 hp Johnson good engine?

Planing will be borderline. Depending on weight in the boat and weight of occupants etc. I'd imagine you'd be ebtter off with a 20Hp on it. A 15hp should get you planing, a 20 or 25hp will give you the extra power.

Probably would depend on total weight of boat + contents with a 9.5hp.

 

[joho5]

Re: 1969 9.9 hp Johnson good engine?

I have a 1971 9.5 on my 14 ft flat bottom boat. My boat is about 36 inches across. It has also been decked with 3/8 plywood with a floor added to it in the back. I put a battery and have a trolling motor mounted on the front. It will plane out fine with just me, but with 1 other person it takes a bit to plane out even if it does. It depends on the weight.

 

[lbentz]

Re: 1969 9.9 hp Johnson good engine?

Well, the price is right, being the fact that it's an aluminum boat with a motor. If the motor is in great shape, then it's an added bonus. The price is fair, if the motor is not present. If you have any mounts on that 9.5 that are shot, well, that depends whether or not you're mechanically inclined. The whole picture deserves looking at. However, I don't believe that they are THAt hard to get. If you buy any motor over 30 years old, then joining the AOMCI will open a flood gate of availability of parts for you, when the typical dealorships will laugh at you.

It all depends on what you're capable of and how far you're willing to go.

Myself, I have been an outboard mechanic for over 15 years and have not had much trouble getting parts for stuff of that vintage.

The 9.5's are not for the lesser mechanically inclined, because of their design, but if they are in good running order, they are good reliable motors. I have seen lots of them and most are in decent shape. As posted here, the main thing to look for are the condition of the shock mounts and also the lower rubber boot, wich is inside the leg shroud, towards the bottom. If that is bad, then it will create issues when you're at an idle and the cover is on the engine. The engine idle will change, when you remove the cover, if that boot is bad. So, if you go to look at it, then it may be helpful, to take an experienced outboard mechanic with you to add a second oppinion.

just my 2 cents.

Good luck

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1969 9.9 hp Johnson good engine?

BUYING A USED MOTOR

overall condition, condition of the place you are buying it from, usually tells you how they care for things. compression 100 + psi, and within 10% of each other, good strong blue spark, no water in the lower unit oil. look for discolored paint, (sign of over heat at
one time, also scarred up bolts, as why. have them start it. if they fail to put it in a barrell or tank, or on muffs, or in the water, to start it they don't know what they are doing. best yet is to take it for a 30 min to 1 hour test run. also if remote controlled motor, the controls should come with it.

 

[TN-25]

Re: 1969 9.9 hp Johnson good engine?

That motor looks like a 1966. That's o.k. because that year they added the improved motor mounts.

We had a 14" aluminum cartopper rated for 15 horsepower. We ran it with a 1965 9.5 and it went pretty well. That Mirrocraft looks like a substantial boat for a 14". It will probably work satifactorily with the 9.5. The boat you show there may be rated for 18-20+ horsepower. What you don't want to do is underpower a boat so that it won't plane easily or reach peak rpms at full throttle. That will wear out the motor, plus you won't be saving fuel by running a too small motor. You probably will be fine, just be aware of the danger of underpowering. Before declaring it underpowered you want to make sure it is properly tuned and has good compression.