Backing up from the dock last fall taking it out the pontoon for the winter and hit a rock and motor quit. Now it just has a clunk noise when turning key. I replaced the fuse I found in motor, new starter battery with no change. I was told crankshaft may have broken which is a possibility, but wouldnt it turn over and start at least? Shift handle is in nuetral when starting. Anything I should look at before I bring it in for service?
Boats & Motors
Johnson 60 HP quit running
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I agree with Brent. If you can get a decent offer for total loss option, I'd go that route. My guess is the insurance company realized what the rebuild cost was and is now trying to go the cheaper route of offering you what they think your 20+ year old motor is worth.
Brent gave you good advice that I will +1...gather some ammo on what 60 and 70hp Johnson and Evinrude outboards are going for. The number they will give you for total loss is not going to be anywhere NEAR what it will cost you to find a similar motor to replace it. I've seen a couple for sale recently and theyre going for anywhere from $1600-2400 depending on year and condition. Be ready for a $1000 offer on yours for total loss option...
If you go that route, the insurance company will always lowball you!
Look on craigslist, eBay, and other online resources to find a similar motor along with the price, as things are going for more than they’re worth right now.
It’s good to have a number of examples to share with your insurance company, it will be a back-and-forth negotiation I’m sure.
At the end of the day, I think you’re money ahead to take the proceeds and look for a different motor, as I really believe it is likely to be a problem child for you.
Good luck!
huntfish,
You could always rebuild the old one and then sell it as such and use that money toward a newer motor...I honestly cannot believe your insurance company is paying for the rebuild. I would have thought they would have said "Your motor books for $XXXX, here is a check for that amount." And let you decide whether you rebuild it or look for a new one. Best hang onto that insurance if they are going to pay a repair bill that will more than likely exceed the value of the motor (less the deductible, of course). That's great for you!
I agree that when you get that check, it may be time to look at getting a different motor. Those 60HP 3-cylinder OMC outboards were great outboards, but even the last ones were made in 2000/2001...It is 20+ years old at this point, and what will fail next? Electrical components, coils, etc. are getting harder and harder to find for those unless you go aftermarket and then who knows what kind of quality you're really getting. It is your money, but if you can swing it, I would throw in a little more cash and part ways with that motor and get something a little newer. Those lower end rebuilds tend to be ok for a while, but as mentioned, they don't seem to last long-term for some reason.
As I previously mentioned, I was in your shoes exactly one year ago, but I blew a piston on my 70HP Evinrude. Cost to rebuild was quoted at $1800-2100 from 2 places (new top end, boring cylinders, etc.) and 4-8 months of being off the water IF they can get the parts and have the machining work done to the powerhead (they would have to send it out to have that done). Then there would be the break in period, yada yada yada...I ended up going from a 1989 70hp to a 2003 90hp V4 for about $1800 (had to buy a boat/motor/trailer package, take the motor off and then sell the boat/trailer). They make an adapter harness that converts your old wiring harness to the new (post-1996) OMC outboards. They are about $100 and you won't have to re-wire your boat. All of my gauges and the alarms work just like they did on my old motor. I am not a performance freak, but did go from a top speed of 34 mph with the 70hp to 42-43 with the 90hp with noticeable improvement in hole shot and fuel consumption seems to be about the same believe it or not. The best part was I missed about 2 weeks of the boating season, not the whole thing! I have a young boy that loves to fish...I would have missed an entire summer of memories if I would have opted to rebuild that old 70hp. I realize that everyone's financial situation is different, but if you can swing it, I would look for something newer and if used on a pontoon, maybe look 4 stroke. A 60 or 75hp 4 stroke would be really nice to have to cruise around with. Good luck!
Glad you found the issue!
The bottom end of two strokes are a pain!
I’d take the rebuild money from your insurance carrier and put it towards a different motor.
They tend to be headache after headache once you rebuild the bottom end.
Perhaps others have had a different experience, but when the bottom end goes bad on an older two-stroke - it’s time to look for something different.
First, if there is ANY resistance when turning the prop in EITHER direction by hand, then you definitely have a problem and it more than likely is NOT electrical (unless it has electronic shift, which I assume this does not - is it a 60hp 3-cyl VRO?)...that being said, you would need to determine if the issue (resistance) is coming from the powerhead or lower unit. If there is only resistance in ONE direction, I would guess lower unit. It would take one HECK of a prop strike (high RPM) to break a crankshaft by hitting something with your prop, especially if you have an aluminum prop. Not saying it couldn't be done, but I would start with the lower unit. Also, could you have possibly broken the shifting cable? If the motor was in gear and the shifter was in gear when you hit the rock and the motor slammed out of gear, it is possible that that force could have snapped a weakened shifting cable. That would allow your lower unit to remain in gear even though the shifting lever is in neutral. This happened to my brother-in-law a couple weeks ago. He went to start his Evinrude 175 and the motor started, but was stuck in reverse and wouldn't shift. His shifting cable had broken and was the reason. The shifter was in neutral, so the neutral switch in the control allowed the motor to turn over and start, but it wouldn't shift out of reverse.
It sounds like this was a pretty solid prop strike at low speeds, as you were backing away from a dock with a pontoon, but the motor did stop immediately, so it wasn't a glancing blow. It is possible you stripped or sheared something in the gearcase, but I would also check to see if the shifting cable is moving the shifting arm on the starboard (right) side of the motor. If the cable is broken, they are VERY easy to replace on a pontoon as the cables are readily accessible (ie not run through the gunwale like on a fishing boat). They run $50-80 depending on the length and require minimal tools and mechanical ability to install. If it is not the cable, my guess would then move to the shifting dog or lower unit gears. These would best be worked on at a marina by experts.
Those 3-cylinder OMC outboards are built like tanks and were good, strong workhorse outboards. If you can fix it for a reasonable amount of money, I would go for it. I had a 1989 70hp VRO that I blew a cylinder on last summer. Unfortunately, it was cost-prohibitive to rebuild it and I would have missed most (if not ALL) of the boating season, so I bought a 2003 90hp Johnson to replace it. Performance-wise, the 70hp didn't hold a candle to the 90, but the 70hp was plenty of motor on my 16.5' Princecraft. It was reliable and even on the day it blew up, it started and ran strong right up until a ring stuck and it blew up. In fact, it still started and idled back to the launch on 2 of the 3 cylinders so I wasn't stranded on the lake - it just didn't have full power! Good luck and keep us posted on what you find out!
I would pull spark plugs out disconnect battery and turn flywheel by hand and watch to see it pistons move , you should be able to turn flywheel by hand easily with spark plugs removed, this would confirm any major engine damage from said rock. After that if all fuses are good and your kill switch if you have one is good, I would double check battery connections and battery strength, a bad battery or even the slightest loose connection could cause a no start where all you hear is the clicking but no starter engagement. That's my two cents, but I am a mechanic by trade .
Prop does turn one way nicely, a little bit the other way than resistance which seemed normal. Barely any damage to prop but good sized rock a prior renter threw in from shore that I did not see. As far as the noise, it is coming from motor. I took off the outboard cover and all looks normal and is where I found a box saying spare fuses. Bought new fuse and replaced. No luck....
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