Your opinion on 3 hp Evinrude lightwin.

[distrbd]

Hello again,I have been looking for a small 3 to 6 hp motor for my small aluminum fishing boat mainly for trolling, I just found one for sale $350 Canadian $ (~$300 USD), the seller claims it has "95% new parts (new block, complete coils, points, carb kit, water pump, ~$500 in new parts) and is not budging from the asking price, he has not even started it since it was all oiled up for storage last fall.

I would like to know your opinion on this motor please, I have to say I'm reluctant a bit because it is a direct drive motor and I'm not sure how easily I can go in reverse by turning it around 180?, also how available the parts are for this old motor although it may not need much for a while but when it does I don't want to be stuck with another motor that I can not find parts for.
What do you think of these motors ,are they reliable,there are a few youtube videos praising the Lightwin , what do you think of them?
Thank you.

 

[Chinewalker]

The basic design is one of the top five ever to come from Evinrude. Smooth running, lightweight, easy to work on. Parts availability for "consumable" parts is still very good, .ie carb kits, ignition components, water pump impellers, etc. are all readily, and cheaply available. For a ready-to-go motor, that isn't too bad on the price. Make sure he runs if for you...

 

[Crosbyman]

JW are great little engines with 2 cylinders. I find he is asking a bit much. you did not specify year... of model

parts needed to change coils condensers impeller carb kit is about $125 incl taxes if you do it yourself ...

see link

http://www.outboard-boat-motor-repa...Johnson 3 HP 1952-1967 Carburetor Tune-UP.htm

I have paid one JW $20 and another $50 cdn ... and did the maintenance

going in reverse is no big deal just rotate. 180 degrees but shifting is is a much more convinient pleasure using a 5.5 hp or 7.5 late 50'S omc

all grrreat engines with parts and experience everywhere ( visit AOMCI.com site)

with a 3hp you don't need a separate tank so you need to choose.

the 5.5 nd 7.5 need pressure tanks which are getting rare so you may need to convert to suction pumps (easy to do also)

lots of utubes to guide you and a nice hobby to fix oldies for the price of taxes you would need to spend on a new outboard.

 

[F_R]

Reverse will become second nature to you, no problem. True, you do have to start it in gear, but that little motor is not a space ship and won't take off for the moon. You can always tie it to the dock, if there is one. Besides, there is no clutch dog or shifter linkage to wear out. How basic can you get?

My only concern would be the guy that assembled it with all those new parts. Does he know what he is doing? If he did it right, it should be a great motor. One of the sweetest running motors ever made.

 

[distrbd]

Great replies/comments, thank you all.
F R, the job of repairs and all the assembly of the new parts was done by the dealer.
Crosby man, thank you for the link it's already bookmarked for future repairs.also glad you like these motors.
chinewalker, I'm relieved to know parts are still and cheaply available.
The manufacturing year is still unknown but by comparing the pictures from the ad to the youtube videos,it looks like 1956 model or around that time,he (the seller) will not come down on price but I still think (based on your comments) it is going to be a fairly trouble free motor for a while.
I'm going to contact him now and make an offer of $300 to see if he'll accept.
Thank you all again,I'm very pleased with this site and the help you all have been giving me so far,hope some day I will be able to do the same for other newbies.

 

[distrbd]

Update:
I just got a reply from the seller to my $300 offer,he accepts it but does not have time to fill up the motor with gas and run it! I'm very uncomfortable buying it without seeing it run ,if you read his reply , he sort of makes sense that logically all those parts that was installed could put any buyer at ease for such a simple motor.
I'm not going to ask you all to make the decision for me, I know I'll have to do that myself but I think you would find his reply interesting:

"I have never heard the motor run myself,it was rebuilt by a dealer, the repair bill was quite high, so the person did not pick it up, with 550 dollars worth of new parts put into it. The gas tank is clean ,the carb has been rebuild And electrical parts have also been replaced there is a tag attached listing all the new parts. I do not live on the lake. So it is hard for me to start it up .the new water pump would only last 30 sec. If not in the water. I,m quite busy we are selling our house and having a yard sale this week end. This is the reason the motor is for sale. Up unto this point I was going to put it on my Boston whaler . As of to day. It is also for sale. Price 300 dollars for 3 hp "

 

[rolmops]

In spite of all the great opinions,if he "has no time" then walk away. You mean that he cannot put the little engine in a garbage can with water and run it?????? This deal stinks. There are very many of these little outboards for sale and this one has a bad smell.

 

[distrbd]

Lol,I agree,something is not right,I am a total newbie in the world of outboard motor/fishing, but even I know a garbage can filled with water and a cup of gas is all one needs to test it .

 

[Crosbyman]

lots of motors around if you are not in a rush leave it...

true you could be missing out on a beauty but as you stated, how long is it to drop in a garbage can with water
and put a cup of mixed o?l gas in it just to run it ??

at the vrey least try to do a compression test and spark test but at 300$ I would be scanning craiglist kijiji etc,,,for a real deal !

 

[distrbd]

That's the plan Crosbyman,I already bookmarked 14 motors ,all seem good but if the basic service(impeller , lower unit oil seal replacement) has not been done recently, I'd just go to the next one.

 

[rolmops]

That's the plan Crosbyman,I already bookmarked 14 motors ,all seem good but if the basic service(impeller , lower unit oil seal replacement) has not been done recently, I'd just go to the next one.

In fresh water,impellers can last a long time, specially when used lightly. As for the oil seal, if it does not leak there is no need to replace it,checking for water in the oil would be a better marker.
With those 2 criteria you can easily pass up on good engines for no good reasons.

 

[distrbd]

In fresh water,impellers can last a long time, specially when used lightly. As for the oil seal, if it does not leak there is no need to replace it,checking for water in the oil would be a better marker.
With those 2 criteria you can easily pass up on good engines for no good reasons.

The problem with checking water in the oil is,just about every one of these motors for sale have had the oil replaced , the bottom line is , for a newbie buying an older model motor is a gamble simply because I still can not look or listen to a motor and decide if it's a good deal or not.I'm just starting to understand where to look for signs of neglect and abuse.
I'