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I am looking at a Montauk with a 1998 75hp Merc. I have never owned a Merc before. Are these as fuel efficient as the OMC 3 cylinder engines like the 70hp's? Any other info on these engines would be appreciated. Thanks,Rich
Spent a lot of time on a friend of mines 17' Standard with a 1998 75hp mercury on the back. Thought it was a good motor from my experiences. Boat would do 41-42 mph with 2 of us on board, very strong 75hp. He sold the boat last fall and the motor never gave him a problem. Wasn't the smoothest when idling but that's pretty typical for a carbed 2 stroke. Fuel efficient isn't a term I'd use in the same sentence with the 3 cylinder OMC loopers. I had a 70hp Johnson on my Eastport before I replaced it with a 90hp e-tec last year. People sure are in love with e-tecs on this board.
Why would you want to buy a new engine right off the bat? After you've recovered from sticker shock you'd realize you could have thrown in that $$ from the engine and puchased a much newer boat with newer power...a 1998 engine is not that old...I'd have it checked by a surveyor, along with the hull, just to be sure...if you're really that concerned about the engine...simply make a low offer and explain to the owner your reservations about the power...if it were me...if the price were right, I'd pick up the package, put it in the water and go...
I agree with the ETEC love here - heck I just bought one. That said, I agree with Dave too, don't let a couple of numbers bother you. If the 98 Merc has been taken care of, it should be more than fine (albeit a bit thirsty and shaky...kinda like me!). I think the lack of chatter about the 75/90 hp classic Mercs on the internet is because their owners are too busy running their engines. I pulled the trigger on a Montauk with a '79 Merc and it was a good fit for me for a while. If the price is right and you trust the seller, take Dave's advice..."pick up the package"!
Thanks for the replies, the boat turned out to be a total mess! I drove up to CT to see it. The boat is beat up and has water intrusion. When I got there the engine was warm from him running it, it was still hard to start when I fired it up but the boat is far gone and he is firm on his price. My search continues! Thanks Rich....
