Help - Johnson 200hp - Blown gasket ??

[JohnUK]

Hello folks, I wonder if you can help someone new to this forum. I am looking at buying (here in the UK) a sports boat fitted with a 'defective' (1987-unsure?) Johnson 200 hp outboard motor, with power trim. It is early days, having just made an inital enquiry with the seller. The seller claims the engine has "blown a headgasket" but claims the engine has not "blown" I guess he means seized by overheating. He claims the fault was poor winter storage conditions, freezing. My questions is:<br />If the worse came to the worse and the engine needed say, new pistons, rebore and gaskets are these easy to obtain generally and of a reasonable price? I am a trained (car) mechanic so could tackle some of the work myself... can someone provide 'inital' advice/thoughts on this engine and this type of problem please?

 

[petryshyn]

Re: Help - Johnson 200hp - Blown gasket ??

Walk away John......poor winter storage may mean cracked block. (Unless you can prove otherwise). Parts are expensive, and even a re-ring runs big bucks. You can probably buy a good used motor of that vintage for the same price it may cost you for parts. Unless you can get this thing for next to nothing....walk away.<br /><br />just my humble opinion....

 

[DJ]

Re: Help - Johnson 200hp - Blown gasket ??

JohnUK,<br /><br />It's deeper than what the seller says. Freezing does not effect O/B's like it does inboards. If the engine was stored vertically, the possibility of "popping" a head gasket by freezing is nil. Even if stored tilted up, the likelyhood is still slim.<br /><br />The engine WAS OVERHEATED.

 

[JohnUK]

Re: Help - Johnson 200hp - Blown gasket ??

I have spoken to the guy selling this boat again this morning. He says (boat dealer) he has removed one of the cyinder heads as the engine had become seized over standing in the Winter. He says, there is no cracking of the block or head (as can be seen). He says, one of the bores needs cleaning up, there is little corrosion to be seen on the bore. However, 2 of the head to block bolts have stripped their threads when the head was removed and this requires reworking (helicoil?). I have access to a helicoil kit. Strange question perhaps, but am I wasting my time taking a 300 mile round trip to look at this boat? Will there be perhaps be problems which I am overlooking?

 

[Backlash]

Re: Help - Johnson 200hp - Blown gasket ??

Hey John,<br />As has been stated previously.....unless you're getting this thing for next to nothing, walk away...FAST! <br />Backlash