brackish water concerns

[Wendell Little]

Am considering a Lowe 98 180 w/90hp Johnson as a first boat. Price seems good. Have not seen it yet, other than pix. A major concern I have is that the boat is by/on the coast and has been ran in brackish water. Boat has been garage kept and is in new condition as per the selling agent, who is a friend of the owners. What will brackish water do to the engine and how can I tell. Plan on having an outside mechanic look it over. Whadda think? Anyone know anything about Lowe's or Johnson's that you care to pass along?

 

[Michael S]

I think Johnson engines are the workhorse as for as motors go....they will take a beating and keep on going. Brackish water should not be a problem if the owner flushed out the engine after using it in that kind of water.....what you can look for is rust under the crowling.....on the wire connections and things like that.....there might also be a white flim inside the cowling...left behind by the salt....but i would be concerned about the TM....if it is not a Saltwater Series....but let the mechanic look over for you he is a professional.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Trust your mechanic....He will know what to look for. My rig runs in brackish water at the mouth of the potomac and my mechanic said that when you run any type of salt, manually drop the whole lower unit assembly once a year (good time to do a grease change) or the lower unit will "weld" itself onto the upper section. They had to heat mine to get it off. Also is the trailer galvanized? if not pay VERY, VERY, close attention to INTERIOR rusting of the trailer.



TOXIC

 

[Wendell Little]

Supposedly, everything has been garage kept. The trailer is galvanized. A 20hR SERVICE HAS BEEN performed and that the lower unit was serviced also. Does $5800 soUND RESONABLE. There are no extras included except no sales tax.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Wendell, I fish brackish water almost exclusively.. I rinse EVERYTHING off with fresh water and also flush out the engine. I also use a LOT of white lithium grease on anything that goes in, or near, the water. Although I have never had a problem, I am going to do what Toxic's mechanic suggests this coming fall.



Bill

 

[Wendell Little]

Just re-read T0xic's message. Without knowing outboard motors, I'm still willing to bet that a gear lube change or whatever he told me they had done to the lower, is not the same as dropping it! Will investigate more on this tomorrow and have them do it if and before I buy.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Wendell...that's right, lube changes can be done without dropping the unit. If it had an impeller replacement within the last year then it would have been dropped for that and you would be good to go. If not, and it is time to replace the impeller (20 hours?) have it done while they have it dropped. Impeller replacement is a personal choice, some do it every year and some wait more extended periods (like me)depending on what kind of water they run in (sandy/muddy/shallow being the worst). My mechanic had to replace all of the lower unit seals, 1 had let loose and my unit was full of water!! Couple more 70 mph runs and he said I would have fried it!! Whew!!



TOXIC

 

[Wendell Little]

Impeller? Thought those where just on jet boats. Dang, no wonder they say boats are a money pit!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

AKA...Water Pump.....on outboards.



TOXIC