Two nights ago, we removed the lower end of the Suzuki outboard. I’m not sure it’s possible for a used motor to be in any better shape.
The Suzuki’s long journey to my garage started in St. John’s, Newfoundland, around ten or so years ago. Some good ole boys from the Rock bought this motor for cod fishing, clam-trapping or whatever it is they do out there.
An indeterminate amount of time later, for one reason or another the Suzuki was thrown in a truck and driven to Ontario. The gentleman we bought the motor off of got it from the Newfoundlanders for cash in exchange for a couple lobster traps, a jar of salted cod tongues, a length of fishnet. And of course, the motor itself.
After perusing online classified ads last fall for used motors, I stumbled across an ad on the 10th page for a Munro Comet with a 40hp Suzuki outboard. It looked promising. Seeing that I was heading up to Parry Sound that weekend to close a cottage for a friend, my old man and I took a detour to Port Carling in the Muskokas to have a look at this potential diamond-in-the-rough.
Its owner was extremely knowledgeable and straight-shooting. He custom-built a metal fishing deck on a smaller tin can, turning it into a fantastic fishing boat. A machinist by trade, he made the long-shaft mounting plate on the Comet out of a solid chunk of metal himself.
The Comet, however, was in rough shape. And the trailer wouldn’t dare be moved for fear of it disintegrating. But on the back of the Comet was the most perfect-looking used motor you’ve ever seen. It was literally glowing on the back of that beaten-up Comet. It hadn’t been started since the spring and you could tell this was true just by looking at it, but it started for us with exactly three cranks using the electric start. It roared to life and ran with deep, throaty compression.
The motor was as good as sold.
Until a couple days ago, I didn’t realize that this Suzuki was a saltwater motor. However, after tasting a little bit of the greasy water from the lower end, we concluded that there was no salt traces left over. This meant one of two things, the first thing being that this Suzuki was extremely well-made. The majority of the parts were made of stainless steel. Underneath the grease, they were all in absolute perfect condition. The seal on the lower end was excellent. We drained the fresh lower unit oil we put in last year and found that it was dirty, likely from the motor sitting unused for so long.
The whole reason we took the lower unit off was to check the impeller. We were amazed to see that it was in virtually new shape: the impeller itself, made of tough rubber, was moist with its original lubricant, and still flexible. Positive that we would need a new one, this was a huge surprise. Not what you expect from a used motor.
This pointed us to the second thing: The motor was hardly used, and was well taken care of. The only thing that could go wrong is if some moisture is in the pistons, and one pops when put under stress. Not likely given the lovingly-perfect condition the motor is in. But even in the worst case, for the condition that the rest of the motor is in, it would be worth fixing.
Once we put the motor back together and fill it with fresh gear oil, the next thing to do is hook up the battery (which has been freshly conditioned by the folks at Interstate Batteries next door to the family business) and make sure the boat’s peripherals are in working shape: the bilge pump, fishfinder, cigarette lighter. After that, the cabling for the motor can be tucked underneath one of the gunnels and secured.
After that, using a pair of muffs, the motor can be started in the driveway. Then, the plug can be put in the boat, and the boat can be driven on the trailer down to the Promenade and thrown in the water. That’s where the rubber meets the road.
RIP Ronnie James Dio, you will be missed.
It’s heaven and hell, oh well…
