Used V6 Checkout and other questions

[dajohnson53]

Hi:

Please excuse me if this info is available through a search. I spent some time searching, but couldn't easily find what I'm looking for. And thanks in advance for any advice you can give to my long list of questions!

I'm looking at an older used engine - 1990 200 hp Johnson J200TXES. I know it's an "extra long shaft", meaning 25" which is what I'm looking for.

The engine is owned by an acquaintance of mine (my barber) and is off his boat, currently stored on a rack. He said it is very low hours and from the looks of it that could be true, because under the hood, it looks very clean - not as in cleaned up, but unused. From quizzing him, it sounds like it was properly maintained in general. It appears that it's last use (2 seasons ago), he just flushed out the cooling system, changed the lower unit lube, but didn't do any other winterization. According to him, it's been run just a few hours every year on the magnitude of 100 hours total.

My usual mechanic is willing to pick it up and bring it to his shop and perform some checks so I can decide if I want it.

Other than compression, spark, and starting and idle, what other checks can he do? He can only run it on the hose until it is installed on my boat.

I currently own an even older V6 engine of the same general vintage, the model number is J235TLCT that has been modified (remanufactured) with a non-original ignition system and a 25 inch shaft. It's a real "Frankenstein Monster" of an engine with so many non-original parts. It is hard to troubleshoot, find parts for and is now becoming unreliable. Thus I'm trying to find something with original configuration and lower hours, without spending a fortune (risky I know). I'm going to sell the old one as a "mechanic's special", after removing some parts.

Will the stainless steel prop I currently own fit the new engine? Of course until I run it, I won't know what pitch I need, or whether the engine's current prop or mine or some other will be needed, but I'm curious about the fit.

From what I have found, it sounds like my current controls will work with the "new" engine. Any reason to think this is not true? The "new" one comes with controls, but, using the old ones would make rigging much easier.

The "new" engine's trim and tilt does not work. Is it possible that the T/T on my "old" engine will work on the new one? It is fairly new and works perfectly.

Is the J200TXES a cross flow or looper?

How about the oil mixing on that vintage engine? The owner tells me it works fine and all the parts are there, but is there any red flags on that vintage of V6? My old engine uses pre-mix.

If everything checks out, do you think I should just go ahead and get the carbs rebuilt as a precautionary measure, or can I decide that based on performance?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Used V6 Checkout and other questions

rebuild the carbs, and service the water pump. then trust the mechanic. your controls, should be plug and play. take the t & t off the old motor if it will fit.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Used V6 Checkout and other questions

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[dajohnson53]

Re: Used V6 Checkout and other questions

Thanks for your comments and advice.

The motor has checked out the basic tests- compression is pretty much at what would be expected in a new engine of this type, and even all around. and the ignition system checks out. Lower unit checks out and looks in near "like new" condition, including the prop. I've bought it and am now having it put on the boat and basic rigging by a shop.

A couple of questions:

This is a all original 1990 engine, with the original fuel/oiling system. From our inspection and trustworthy previous owner, the engine is very low hours (100-200) and maintained and apparently winterized properly.

I've read up on the care and maintenance of the oiling system (never owned a non-premix engine before!). I'm comfortable with what should be checked and possibly replaced with the tank and lines, but I wonder if you think it would be worth it just to totally swap out the fuel/oil pump/pulse limiter. There seems to be fuel pumps for about $300 + - that totally upgrade older VRO fuel pumps to the more current metered fuel pumps. My understanding is that the '90 era pumps metered down to about 100:1 at idle and 50:1 at speed, while the new ones are richer at idle (like 60:1) and about 50:1 at speed. I'm wondering if that is truely an upgrade or if it should only be done if/when there are signs the current fuel pump isn't workign properly. I can afford the part and installation if it would indeed be a worth while thing to do.

I do plan to run premix for at least 50 gallons, watching the oil consumption (already have 50 gallons of premix on board!)

Second question: should I just have the carbs rebuilt as a precaution, or see how it runs in the water first?

Thanks again for your help.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Used V6 Checkout and other questions

Just a quick follow up:

I bought the engine, got it mounted and rigged and have put about an hour on it.

I spent the first 1/2 hour just idling, cruising at about 3-4,000 rpm, and checking WOT a few times. I had my jet pump put on, and the RPMs will max out at 5,800 with the jet positioned correctly.

What a difference this engine is compared to my 83 "junkyard dog" rebuilt/remanufactured beast. This one starts like a champ and idles well. The old engine was a bear to start, requiring an almost ritualistic sequence of actions and incantations.

Accelleration is smooth and steady. I don't know about torque, but it just feels solid and strong. I probably won't carry a heavy load against strong current until next summer, so I won't have any comparison until then.

Another very obvious difference is just the way it sounds - this engine (a 90 degree looper??) just sounds so much different (nicer, to me) than the old 60 degree cross flow.

Finally, today I put in 40 solid minutes of running, about 80% of that at WOT (56-5800) and the other 20% at about 4500 +/-. No idling or slow running. Fuel usage was 12 gallons (18 gph) and oil usage was about 30 ounces for a ratio of right around 50:1. As far as I can tell, this is an original VRO2 fuel pump, so that sounds just about right for fast running.

In the next few days, I plan to empty the tank of existing oil (2 years old), clean, check hoses and connections (again), check and update fuel pump and/or pulse limiter (if applicable), test no-oil and low-oil alarms. In the mean time, I'm running previously mixed 50:1 fuel and will continue to do so until I get this stuff done. I have 2-3 hours of fuel mixed up, and that should get me there.

Thanks for the advice you all gave, I'm happy with the new engine.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Used V6 Checkout and other questions

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[dajohnson53]

Re: Used V6 Checkout and other questions

The new pumps are not variable ratio like the VRO pumps but the old VRO2 pumps do a good job for a lot of users.

When you change the oil in the tank, you might want to consider changing the oil filter in the oil tank. A lot of them never get changed because people don't know they are there. - part # 174377.

Ah yes, thanks for the reminder. The filter was on my list too. I just wish summer wasn't going away so fast!