Re: Searching for a 10 hp Johnson or Evinrude

[Don]

Oh boy, you are looking at two 9.5hps on CL….Well, I don’t want to be a downer when it comes to these engines….But, you better inspect them carefully to ensure two things:
make sure there are no broken motor mounts
make sure there are no exhaust leaks under the motor cover
These engines run nicely, but can be a real pain to work on unless you have had experience with them. The 9.5s have a complex mount system, that is subject to failure and requires quite a bit of disassembly to repair. And, these engines are prone to exhaust leaks under the engine cover which cause the engine to choke on its exhaust and not run properly.
Before purchasing, ask the seller to mount the engine on something secure, like a boat transom or heavy duty stand. Now, attempt rocking the powerhead by pushing the flywheel from side to side inside the lower motor cover. I would avoid either of these engines if you detect mount problems.
Look carefully under the engine cover at the foam insulation….Does the insulation appear dark/black instead of its normal tan color? If so, there is probably and exhaust leak. These leaks can be caused by several things, most are not easy to repair. I would avoid the 9.5s if your inspection indicates and exhaust leak.
Needless to say, you want to do all the normal inspections as well, compression, checking gear lube condition…If you buy either one, plan on doing a water pump, ignition, and fuel system inspection/servicing to ensure it is a reliable daily runner.
The old adage about never judging a book by its cover applies as always. Just because the newer 9.5 looks like crap, does not mean it is in bad condition…And, just as important, just because the older white 9.5 looks real nice, doesn’t mean it does not have problems.
The only other thing I would add is that the 9.5s are not near as powerful as the 10hp engines they replace. The seller is asking big bucks for these engines, so I would definitely negotiate way down unless your inspections show the engines to be in great mechanical condition.