Mercury 20hp 2stroke

[tuskar]

Hi all.
I wish to up my 8hp to 20hp for my 3.75 achilles.
Considering a Mercury 20hp around 1990 it look good and runs well. Is it too old and are they a good unit what about spares etc . Any opinions please and thanks

[Festinghouse]

i used to have a merc 25, was a cracking engine. only issue i had was it had two new cdi units in the time i had it. spares are very easy to get hold of, easy to work on and have plenty of grunt. dont worry about age, condition is whats important. personally im of the opinion that 'low hours' are a bad thing for outboards and 'average' hours is much better as it means that the engine is unlikely to have been stood in a damp shed somewhere rusting internally and the electrics going bad.

[paddlers]

Hi Tuskar, condition is more important (within reason) than age. Many outboards including mine get used just for holidays, sometimes just a few hours a year. Provided they're well maintained & stored they can live for many many years.
My 135 Mariner is a 1989 model. Runs like a sewing machine although one of the magnets came loose in the flywheel last year. Borrow a good quality compression tester from your local garage and test the engine. Look for the readings to be a close match on each cylinder and the more over 100 the better.

[tuskar]

Thanks gents, forgot to ask any idea of a rough value on this outboard. The seller is asking £600 seems a bit high to me when a spanking new tohatsu is little over 2k

[paddlers]

Any video of it running, compression test?

[tuskar]

mercury 20 boat engineÂ*For Sale in Cavan : €850 - DoneDeal.ie



I am only asking these questions regarding the engine as I must travel 150 miles to view , and wanted some idea of value and any information about it. etc. I know this gives you little or nothing to go on !
P.S
I have a compression tester.

[chriswood]

Hi Tuskar. I bought a Mariner (mercury) 2001 30hp 2stroke a few years ago for about £600. It was from the well known auction site and I just was very lucky and got a bit of a bargin. Not my engine but the same model ( similar year) is currently for sale on the same auction site at a well known engine dealer for £1700. So if your engine is spot on then £600 sounds fair. As mentioned previously, depends on condition and how it's been maintained. Chris

[apshutt]

I wouldn't have minded the 8hp you have but too far away (

[tuskar]

Could meet you half way say Isle of Man

[apshutt]

It's a shame but I will have to wait for 1 to crop up in the new year and a bit nearer. But thanks a mill and God bless you.