OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

[Greg_E]

I was looking at used manuals on the famous auction site and noticed that many of the sellers have the incorrect model year listed for the manuals they're selling. Be sure to look up the correct part number and order by part number, not year.

I happened to notice this on manuals for 1986,1987, and 1988 engines but it may involve other models and years. I can't say for certain.

On the covers of the manuals is printed. "Outboard Marine Corporation 198# All Rights Reserved". The year on the cover may or may not be correct for the year of the engines it covers.

The 1986 motor manual P/N 507547 correctly states "Outboard Marine Corporation 1986 All Rights Reserved"

The 1987 motor manual P/N 507619. incorrectly states "Outboard Marine Corporation 1986 All Rights Reserved" It might be the year the manual was published but it is not the year of the information contained within.

The 1988 motor manual P/N 507664 also incorrectly states "Outboard Marine Corporation 1987 All Rights Reserved"

As I said, I don't know how many manuals are like this, but bottom line, order by part number not the year printed on the cover.

Added 4/8/13
If you look at the pictures that Bob Johnson posted (post #10), the newer manuals have the engine model year printed on the spine along with the part number and the I,N,T,R,O,D,U,C,E,S code. That is not the case for the 1980's and '90's manuals. Part number or code are the only way to identify the model year of the manual.

 

[midsized johnson]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

I recently purchased a manual from Lindenhurst Outboard Service, Inc. I called them and gave them the model # and they found the manual best suited for the engine. Keep in mind, a manual can cover multiple year models if the engine stays the same. In my case, I got a '95 manual for a '98 model.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

I suspect it would be the same for most all manufacturers and all years really.
Service manuals are published before the new model year motors hit the dealers, so they're going to show copyright the year before. Ebayers are just reading the year. That's a good idea to go by manual part number.
A lot of those ebay manuals came out of the annual "box set" - and the model year was on the heavy cardboard "shelf box".. a unique shade of blue or whatever color would identify year at a glance.

 

[Greg_E]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

I recently purchased a manual from Lindenhurst Outboard Service, Inc. I called them and gave them the model # and they found the manual best suited for the engine. Keep in mind, a manual can cover multiple year models if the engine stays the same. In my case, I got a '95 manual for a '98 model.

That may be true, but I assure you that is not the case for the 1986,1987 and 1988 manuals that I listed above.

You can look up the correct OMC manual P/N at marineengine.com. You don't have to buy it there.

 

[bob johnson]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

I recently purchased a manual from Lindenhurst Outboard Service, Inc. I called them and gave them the model # and they found the manual best suited for the engine. Keep in mind, a manual can cover multiple year models if the engine stays the same. In my case, I got a '95 manual for a '98 model.

I DOUBT IT IS A FACTORY MANUAL. even though many model were virtually the same from one year to the next Johnson and evinrude issued new manuals each year with a new part #. THE ONLY manual I have ever seen from the factory that had more than one year listed officially was the 2002-2003 evinrude manual, of which I have in possession.

.....usually they are just for one year and on the edge is marked the factory PART #, like all these ..:

.....bob

 

[ezmobee]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

I DOUBT IT IS A FACTORY MANUAL. even though many model were virtually the same from one year to the next Johnson and evinrude issued new manuals each year with a new part #. THE ONLY manual I have ever seen from the factory that had more than one year listed officially was the 2002-2003 evinrude manual, of which I have in possession.

That's what I thought initially as well Bob but now I think I understand what he means. I believe this is the manual for his motor Evinrude Johnson 120 125 140 200 225 275 300 HP Outboard Service Manual 1988 | eBay he's saying the COPYRIGHT date is often a year older than the model covered. Thanks for the heads up Greg.

 

[bob johnson]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

That's what I thought initially as well Bob but now I think I understand what he means. I believe this is the manual for his motor Evinrude Johnson 120 125 140 200 225 275 300 HP Outboard Service Manual 1988 | eBay he's saying the COPYRIGHT date is often a year older than the model covered. Thanks for the heads up Greg.

I understand what THE OP is talking about, because I bought my 1987 manual when I wanted a 1988 manual....I bought by the copy right date..and now on my evinrude 70 there were a few changes between 1987 and 1988...so I have suffered what he is talking about!!!!my comment about buying a non factory manual was to the other replier, midsized Johnson( and referred to MULTIPLE years....... not the wrong year!.... the op is basically talking about an Ebay seller who is misrepresenting his product...happens all the time...even guys who have been in the business for years and supposedly are professionals....case in point....guys who sell rebuilt power heads and say that their rebuilt 60 degree looper V4's are the same for a 90 hp and a 115 hp...WRONG!!!! the ports in the sleeves are DIFFERENT!!!! they are NOT THE SAME part...sure they FIT..........just like the carbs from one bolt onto the other...but they are NOT the same....but I digress! ha ha habob

 

[Silvertip]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

Anybody that buys anything for a specific model year anything will likely be disappointed if they order by copyright date. A service manual for a specific model year may over time have a number of addendums published. Should those manuals be reprinted they would incorporate the addendums and that manual would likely carry a different copyright date yet the content, although updated, is for the same engine. Part numbers are assigned to parts and documents for a reason.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

I see so many things on Ebay and Craigslist incorrectly listed. It is up to us to make sure of what we are buying, anymore.

 

[bob johnson]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

if you leanr the way to recognize the year of make of your motor by the model number , then you should do fine by picking a manual for those years...(using the ,I,N,T,R,O,D,U,C,E,S coding)... you want an 88...you look for CC, if you want a 95 look for EO, if you want a 04 you look for SR.......all the Johnson -evinrude factory manuals will have this code in large letters on the edge of the binder, as well as the description of the models, on the face cover...the actual YEAR of the manual will not be printed on the manual in NUMBERS only in letters.(in the 90s and earlier)........ie..."CE", "CC", "ET" "EU" ect ect... that goes for the accessories manuals as well......at least for all the manuals I have seen from the early 80's up through 2010!!( 2010= "IS", 2009= "SE") in these pictures you can see the 2 letter codes on the binder edge:

bob

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

guys who sell rebuilt power heads and say that their rebuilt 60 degree looper V4's are the same for a 90 hp and a 115 hp...WRONG!!!! the ports in the sleeves are DIFFERENT!!!!

I see you remember our conversation Mr Bob.....

 

[midsized johnson]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

I DOUBT IT IS A FACTORY MANUAL. even though many model were virtually the same from one year to the next Johnson and evinrude issued new manuals each year with a new part #. THE ONLY manual I have ever seen from the factory that had more than one year listed officially was the 2002-2003 evinrude manual, of which I have in possession.
.....bob

Actually, they sell factory manuals. Maybe I didn't state it properly, but the manual is for '95 90-115 HP and I have a '98 115. So far I haven't found anything different about the two year models. Best I can tell, the power head and ignition/fuel system is the same. If you can give them the model #, they can tell you if they have a manual suited to your outboard.

 

[bob johnson]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

Actually, they sell factory manuals. Maybe I didn't state it properly, but the manual is for '95 90-115 HP and I have a '98 115. So far I haven't found anything different about the two year models. Best I can tell, the power head and ignition/fuel system is the same. If you can give them the model #, they can tell you if they have a manual suited to your outboard.

I don't know if you have the crossflow motor or a 60 degree looper. I have a 1995 115 60 degree looper and I have a 1996 and 1997 as well!! there are plenty of differences......one that jumps out is how many turns out from seating you initially start your idle mixture.....one is 3 turns the other is 5 -1/2 turns... many of the electrical components are different, because they went from the big red plug to the pig tails. plus many of the ignition parts have duetsch plugs instead of bullet connectors.... but in general they operate similarly...bob

 

[midsized johnson]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

I don't know if you have the crossflow motor or a 60 degree looper. I have a 1995 115 60 degree looper and I have a 1996 and 1997 as well!! there are plenty of differences......one that jumps out is how many turns out from seating you initially start your idle mixture.....one is 3 turns the other is 5 -1/2 turns... many of the electrical components are different, because they went from the big red plug to the pig tails. plus many of the ignition parts have duetsch plugs instead of bullet connectors.... but in general they operate similarly...bob

There you go, learn something everyday. I've got the 60 degree looper also. They sent me the correct year manual, but it was for a 90 degree cross-flow which is obviously way different. I called them and they found the closest thing they could find which was the 95 manual.
I wouldn't have thought that some of the tiny, but very significant, details would be different since the basic platform is the same. So far, I've used the manual for the fuel delivery system, up to but not including, the carbs. VRO pump and vapor separator looked identical to the one on my motor.

Anyway, thanks Bob, I'll know to look deeper for adjustment information. Lots of Johnson/Evinrude experts down here in coastal Texas, so I can always seek an expert's advice to confirm.

 

[bob johnson]

Re: OMC Factory Manuals: A Word Of Caution When Purchasing Used

There you go, learn something everyday. I've got the 60 degree looper also. They sent me the correct year manual, but it was for a 90 degree cross-flow which is obviously way different. I called them and they found the closest thing they could find which was the 95 manual.
I wouldn't have thought that some of the tiny, but very significant, details would be different since the basic platform is the same. So far, I've used the manual for the fuel delivery system, up to but not including, the carbs. VRO pump and vapor separator looked identical to the one on my motor.

Anyway, thanks Bob, I'll know to look deeper for adjustment information. Lots of Johnson/Evinrude experts down here in coastal Texas, so I can always seek an expert's advice to confirm.

funny I learned the hard way!!! I bought some 97 115 carbs for the 90 hp I am upgrading to 115 hp...and they sat on the shelf....well my 1995 115 needed a tune up...so what I did , was rebuild the bought 97 115 carbs first, then picked a nice day to just to a R&R....and set the old 115 carbs aside for later rebuild at my leisure...easy peasy...right?........ but the motor wouldn't start...grrr....and then once it did , it wouldn't stay running. I set the idle adjustment based on the 1995 book!! dummy me... I pulled out the 97 manual...sure enough it was a lot different...made the adjustment, and she fired right over!!!! ONE thing for sure you have to be conscious when looking for parts...is that JUST because the EVEINRUDE site SAYS that a part fits all theseXXXXXXXX models...doesn't mean you can use it...it only means that it will ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY FIT!!!, be carefull!!!PS that works in reverse as well...... the factory says the Rectifier-regulators are different from 95 -96 and later.. but only because of the plug on the end....if you cut the plug off and splice in your wires the rectifier-regulator works just fine ...it did it!!