1996 Force 75 hp serial# ??

[surfsalterpath]

Trying to find out my exact 1996 Force serial# so when I speak with SEI about a rebuilt lower unit (gears banging) SEI will be able to determine if they/SEI can source the lower unit.

I've had this 1996 24' Spectrum pontoon since 2003, yes lots of renovations! ha ha) and the ID tag on the 75hp Force has faded. BUT!! I had written what I thought was the "serial#" in my repair manual:
serial#: 1400-8191 28 01
W1
O15D50

Perusing the SEI website, the serial number entry portal will not accept any of this # as a legit serial#.
Any thoughts as to my dilemma?

THANKS!

situation:
The gearing has been having random, but not too often, issues (some grinding and very difficult to adjust shift linkage to easily engage forward/or reverse upon demand) the last 3 summers. This summer 2 boat rides out everything was working FANTASTIC and a Friend broke down and I SLOWLY towed them about 1/2 mile with NO ISSUES. About 1 mile from towing my Friend the gears banged hard but stayed engaged in forward. But when I attempted to get on plane gears banged again. I found if I stayed under 2000rpms I could "crawl" thru the water w/ NO gear banging so it took me about 2 hrs to travel about 10 miles back home! Oh MY! So now, I think I have 2 options: bite the bullet & repower our 1996 almost new looking 24' pontoon w/ the 115hp ($8k-$11k) I've always wanted or try to find a reconditioned lower unit (SEI ~ $900.)
I love experienced advice !!!!!!

THANKS again!

PS: This site is GREAT for us NOVICE boaters trying to understand the ins/outs of boating!!! Helped me A LOT in the past on multiple issues!

 

[dadofemily]

Here's what my 1996 force 75 shows for serial #, What you have written down seems very different.

 

[surfsalterpath]

Thanks for sharing your serial# tag picture. I've looked at all my paperwork thinking the serial# might have been jotted down somewhere! Yep, the # I "thought" was it evident is way off! Oh my! We do still deal with the dealership the pontoon was purchased. maybe they can help us out?

Any thoughts on sourcing a lower unit in good shape?

Thank you!

 

[jerryjerry05]

ANY lower from a 94 -98 should fit.
If the boat/motor was sold as a combo?
The dealer or manufacturer should have the #
But use theserial# from dadofemily and you will get what you need.

The lower unit can be bought used on auction sites.

 

[surfsalterpath]

THANKS!!!
What is dadofemily?

Yes, same boat/motor combo purchased in 1996 from same dealer so might get lucky!!!
Thanks for the advice!!

 

[dadofemily]

I am dadofemily

 

[surfsalterpath]

..... Thanks! I see now !!!!!!!!

 

[surfsalterpath]

..... oh, I understand after rereading the thread. jerryjerry05 suggested using YOUR serial# off of YOUR 1996 FORCE 75hp to find the right lower unit for my FORCE.

After a discussion with the SEI rep she said I had to drop my lower unit and look for whether I have a 3-jaw or 6 jaw unit. The 3 jaw would require engine modifications while the 6 jaw would be a DIRECT REPLACEMENT. Of course, the direct replacement LU is what I would want. She said look beside the TrimTab bolt thru hole for either a "straight line - means it is a 3 jaw" .... if the line is a 45 degree line - means the LU is a 6 jaw." The price would be $895 + $41 shipping with a 3-year warranty from SEI.

My 1996 FORCE 75hp is running good the 2 times out this season (except the gear knocking), knock on wood, so my dilemma is do I invest $1000 and hope for continued use or spend the $8-$11k to repower?

Found a parts dealer selling a 75hp FORCE for $600 free shipping but it is all OEM gear parts (not reconditioned like from SEI) and no returns nor warranty.

What would you do?

THANKS!

 

[surfsalterpath]

3 jaw reverse clutch vs a 6 jaw reverse clutch

 

[roscoe]

Why not just fix your gearcase?

Does the sei unit include a driveshaft - INSTALLED ?
Or are you going to have to have that done at your end ?

 

[jerryjerry05]

Spend the grand and have peace of mind for 3 years.

600 for a used NO GUARANTEE ??? NOT!!!

 

[surfsalterpath]

..... YEP! That is what I wanted to do $1000 for the SEI but that is not an option now! boo-hoo!

ok, UPDATE! 1995 FORCE 75hp (not a 1996)
I was able to find out the SERIAL# from the original dealer and the engine is a
1995 FORCE 75 hp. The lower unit Trim Tab markings do not have the 3jaw/straight line nor the
6jaw/45deg line markings as SEI had suggested. Entering in the serial# on the SEI site show NO
products available (no lower units) for my 1995 FORCE 75 engine SERIAL# OE139378.

My options now are narrowed down to:
a: locate used unit on auction sites
b: rebuild the gear case (looking as a possible option now)
c: re-power

Boy, the deeper I dig the decision gets more complicated.

THANKS! THANKS!!!!

 

[surfsalterpath]

Another option is:
Buy the $600 used lower and hopefully get back in the water within the week (knock on wood)
AND rebuild my lower so I have 2 lowers to fall back on.

Or, re-power, OUCH! ha ha!

 

[jerryjerry05]

The repower option: the 95 used some Mercury parts and some Force parts.
You'll need to rework the transom if you change brands(Yam, OMC)
Post pics of the transom and shifter.

Lots of used motors out there.
I always wonder why?? they don't want it anymore?

If you buy? make sure the length is right, and do a compression test.
If there is a problem almost anything but a compression problem can be easily repaired.

Have a mechanic that's experienced in outboards go over the motor.

 

[surfsalterpath]

Very good advice. Thanks! I'll take some pics tomorrow to share to see if anyone has ideas for us.

We are the 2nd owner of this 1996 Brunswick Spectrum 24' pontoon since 2003 and it has remained sitting in salt water since 1996 about 8 months out of the year. The first owner/purchaser NEVER flushed the engine due to his health issues so we never have either. We have upgraded quite a bit and the 1995 Force 75hp has served us well. Here is a list of the engine repairs I can recall:
#1: rebuilt the tilt/trim - very tough job ALL the bolts had to be heated/scorched to remove! *self
#2: replaced mechanical steering with hydraulic steering - LOVE hydraulic steering! *self
#3: 2015 replaced all remote controls and total rewire and with new circuit panels *self This is probably the beginning of the shift gearing issues. I could never get shifter adjusted w/o a little grinding or easy into reverse. Our mechanic adjusted it better but shifter still had issues
#4: replaced STATOR, by our mechanic, I think is what it is called *mechanic
$5: added the battery switches Blue Sea Systems and additional battery *self
#6: heat wrap direct spliced engine2remote wiring harness about 12 wires b/c the plug corroded and the wiring harness cost ~$300+, this is where have to get creative on the repairs! How we found this was an issue was ONE wire had corroded and engine would NOT start!
#7: the water pump area had corroded 2016 so had to mold Marine Tech Epoxy to form the base for the water pump lower unit foundation *mechanic. I am sure this happened b/c we never flushed the engine.
#8: so the last couple of years has been fairly trouble free until the BANGING gearing in lower unit so I bought the $600 used fresh water (Illinois) lower unit (SEI did not have rebuilds) to take a chance and get back on the water for summer 2019. If I can find the seals, bearings, forward, reverse, & clutch dog parts I might try to rebuild my original lower unit gearing case so we can have a good one to go if the engine continues to perform adequately.

I am not a mechanic and most of this I learned looking at self-help videos and asking you guys questions! I REALLY appreciate the advice thru the years!

surfsalterpath NC

 

[surfsalterpath]

....here is a pic of the wiring harness after I skint back the corroded plugs and we found the wire that was corroded somewhere in the black shield from the engine to the remote at the captains stand. Tricky and took 4 days but WE FOUND IT! Put on new connectors and direct wired and heat shrunk all the wired connectors. Wonder how long this will last?? ha hs

 

[jerryjerry05]

No flush
The following pic are from a running(hot) 60 Yam that never got flushed because it was on a toon
and they didn't have water available.

The cooling passages were about 60% blocked.
I'm surprised it didn't overheat and seize.