Outboard motors don't generally die -- their owners kill them.

It's really hard to find a used outboard for a cheap price that doesn't need some repairs.  Sometimes you can become the proud owner of old motors for just carting them away.  If they are old enough or not of a popular make, even the free price is too much, especially if they have sat for some time collecting rust.   Also remember the "Snake Oil" salesmen, where everything is way better than it really is.   Also remember the old adage, "You get what you pay for", well in most cases anyway.  If you can't do any repair work yourself, you probably are better off buying one that's 100% perfect.   Not everyone has the mechanical ability to do these repairs, I would not ask a auto mechanic to do heart surgery nor the other way around.

If you do decide to work on it yourself, then buy a factory manual specifically for that particular motor if possible, as most of the aftermarket manuals that cover multiple years & models are a waste of money simply because they are so general.    However if you are on a limited budget, & have the time, an older economy motor many times can be restored to perform satisfactorily.  You may make a few mistakes in getting there, but that is life.

If you don't want to do the work yourself, a 20 to 40 year old outboard will quickly cost more to fix than it is worth when paying a mechanic for his time.   That's why a lot of shops refuse to work on them.   They want happy return customers.

Anytime you buy a second hand motor, ask when the impeller was changed.   If they answer anything but yesterday, get & install a new one. Impellers are cheap, motors are not, & a bad impeller is the number motor killer.

(1)  Does this motor really fit your needs, or is it just supposedly a low price?   Any NON-RUNNING motor may not be a good investment unless you are a handyman somewhat versed in outboard motor repair & are prepared to purchase a service manual.   Even "Vintage"50 year old motors are not worth a lot especially if they are not running.

(2)  Do you want it for a running/fishing/fun motor, or for a restoration project?   You do not really want a fishing/fun motor to turn in to a restoration project where you spend way more than the motor is really worth.  Been There, Done That, to the point that I would be happy to simply regain my expenses for the repairs alone.   CLICK HERE  for an insight into a restoration project.

(3)  Is this motor a popular brand or made by a current production manufacturer?  Be very careful & shy away from some of the lesser known manufacturers that that could well be defunct, or were sold thru large retail chain stores 40 years ago that the current parts employees have no clue what you are talking about even if you can give them the model numbers, of course they no longer can provide spare parts.  Do some research before you lay out any cash.

(4)  If the manufacturer's model/serial number plate is missing, there is a very distinct possibility that it is a STOLEN motor.  Even if it still has the plate, it may not be a bad idea to run the number thru a local marine dealer who specializes in repair of that brand to see if it may have been been stolen & reported to law enforcement, or go directly to a local law enforcement agency stolen properties section & have them run the numbers.

(5)  What year is it?   If the owner does not know for sure, then get the model & serial number & you do some checking on your own.   OMC has a very good model/date code.  Yamaha also has a date code in their model numbering system.  Mercury uses serial numbers, (sometimes) but these are not readily available to us commoners.  The internet is a good place to start.    And probably shy away from anything made prior to about 1980 (lack of parts availability).  Do not totally take the sellers word for everything he says unless he can prove it.  

(6)  How long since it has been used?   Does it run??   How easily does it start from cold condition?   If a mail order sale, can the seller supply a video of it running?    Again, do not totally take the sellers word for everything he says unless he can prove it. 

I purchased one off e-Bay that the seller noted that it had been recently ran.  No possible way, as when I got it, the complete manual starter was missing & the carburetor was so full of very fine silt from being immersed in a flood that it had to be completely rebuilt.  Of course by the time I found all of this out, he had my money & was over a thousand miles away.

(7)   If it is a mail order sale, freight for motors will need to be added to your overall bid for your final out of pocket cost.  Smaller motors can be shipped UPS or even FedX, but heavier ones will have to go truck freight & that can get expensive, plus it needs to be strapped to a pallet for most of them to even accept it.   Check the freight options before you bid.  Also most sellers will charge a packaging cost.  Do not allow them to just poke it inside a cardboard carton with newspaper packing.  This makes for broken or even missing parts during transit (been there - had it happen on the above mentioned motor).

Another thing to watch on a mail order sale is how good are the photos?  Are there enough to show different views of the exterior & with the cowling off?  Are they a good enough resolution or are they so dark that you can not make out even if it is a motor?  Be very careful on these.  Sure you may pick up a good motor from someone who is diminished in their photography skills, BUT not always.  And if you question then after the sale, they will say well you got what you saw in the photos.

(8)  Pull the spark plugs & take a look at their internal condition.  Clean & dry, but gray color on the electrode & ceramic, (GOOD) or black carbony oil fouling) (BAD, seized or broken rings)?

(9)  What is the overall general physical condition, outside & under the cowling, broken or missing parts, badly scratched paint, well used but not cared for?  Very possibly the rest of the not so readily seen motor parts are the same condition.

(10)  Does the water pump put a good stream of water out thru the overboard water indicator (pee hole) when running?

(11)  When was the last time water pump impeller replaced?

(12)  What is the compression?  If it is more than one cylinder motor, they need to be close to even on all cylinders & above about 80#.

(13)  Has it been used in saltwater, if so was it flushed after every usage?  The head may have to be pulled for a full investigation of possible salt deposits in the water jacket or a seized thermostat.

(14)  Does the motor shift in & out of gear when the motor is running?   If shifting when the motor is NOT running is hard, do not force the shifting lever unless you pull the starter rope slightly at the same time you try to shift into a gear, as the shifting clutch dogs may not be in true alignment (unless the motor is being turned over) & you could bend or break the shifter lever as some levers are made of plastic.

(15)  Does the lower unit have evidence of oily leaks?  If so, this could just be a leaking washer under the drain plug screw, or worse a leaking shaft seal.   Or if the older non unitized units, the spaghetti seal may need replacing.   Check the gearbox oil (lower drain plug hole) for water contamination, (BAD if THICK CREAMY OIL).  If there is no oil in the gearbox,  (THIS IS EVEN WORSE) so pass on this purchase as you will probably have MAJOR internal damage to the bearings, shafts, & possibly the gears.

(16)  Where has it been stored for the last 20 years?   Outside in the weather, or inside a building?   Do I need I expand to on the obvious answer here.

(17)  Any history could be beneficial as to who owned it, any previous repairs etc.   Got a bigger boat & this one was not used for years.  Grandfather bought it new & has recently passed away?  If the seller says he got it from (or is selling it for) a friend & can not supply information, or will not guarantee it will run, then there usually is a problem with the motor, otherwise the friend would have gotten it running.

(18)  Does the fuel tank & fuel lines come with the motor if not a small motor that uses integral tank?   If it is a mail order sale, some shipping regulations will not allow a used fuel tank to be shipped.  To replace both tank & fuel lines may well add another $75 to the price before you can have the pleasure of running your new purchase. 

(19)  Has the fuel line primer bulb deteriorated & is HARD to pump when even not hooked to a tank, (BAD) ? Then you probably also really need to replace the whole fuel line assembly as the hoses may also be deteriorating.

These are probably the basic questions.   However be prepared to be somewhat of a disbeliever, to any private sale unless you can personally see it run & make your own decisions, ESPECIALLY on any non face to face long distance sale.  As they will have your money & you may have something you were misled on, AND they are MANY miles away.   So unless you have a traveling hulk of a friend named Gledo, who you can send on a mission, it may be best to pass on this GOOD deal.

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Originated 03-15-2010, Last updated 09-30-2011
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Copied off an internet boat/motor forum.

When I go look at a used outboard in a private sale, this is what I do;

1. Check physical appearance for anything obvious; access any degree of corrosion, spin the prop around (see if the prop shaft is bent), pull of the cowling, see if there is anything that looks like it's been overheated, abused or dropped, cracked, look for leaking gear lube, leaking hydraulic fluid from the power tilt, check for anything mickey-moused, rotate the steering wheel, be sure everything seems to turn smoothly, shake things around, measure the shaft length and check the numbers to be sure the seller isn't "mistaken", look for anything that looks out of place/hidden etc. etc..

2. Pull out the drain plug (lower one) on lower unit and check the appearance of the lube; if it's black, it's been in there too long, or the lube got low and it got too hot or something; if it's milky white or there is water actually coming out, there is a sealing problem. Check the plug and lube for any large splinters of metal -small metal hairs/dust is common and is fine, but chunks or toothpick width splinters are BAD.

3. Have whoever is selling it get the engine set up, and start it yourself with the cowling off; it's a good idea to have the seller leave it cold until you show up, this way you know how hard it is to get it going. If you can, test drive it a WOT for 20 minutes or so and beat on it if he will let you; else, just have the seller play with the warm up lever so that it comes a little above a dead idle. Listen for raps or other strange noises.. it is a two stroke, so they do sound strange to begin with, especially on a flush attachment. Take a look at the carbs/lines to see if anything is leaking fuel; Listen to how it idles, it should be pretty smooth.

4. With the engine running, and the warm up lever down (lowest idle), shift it in and out of forward and neutral and then reverse and neutral, a clunk is normal, an excessive grind is not. It should also be fairly smooth, excessive friction could be cables.

5. Kill the engine and play with the power tilt; check the compression with the plugs out and give it another once-over. Take a real hard look at the plugs, they should all look about the same when they come out, and should be free of metal particles. If the gear lube was clean when you checked it (recently changed), take a look at it again after you have done some shifting.

As you can see I am not the guy to be selling an outboard to.. If you check things the way I just described you will probably find something wrong with most used outboards, it just depends on the cost of repair and what you are looking to pay. Good luck,