1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

A few questions guys,

I'm looking at a V20 CC powered by a 1988 Evinrude 225. It has a very recent "new" powerhead, plugs, wires, pumps etc.

So...
Good motors overall? I asked a local mechanic and he said they are strong, but thirsty... sound right?

Is this probably a "looper" engine?

Any other info on this engine would be appreciated. I am sure it will have plenty of go on a V, but I am not as interested in speed as I am reliability and some economy. Any idea on what the motor should be worth? NADA is $900 but the recent work is obviously not included in that estimate.

Thanks guys, alot of questions I know ;D

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

I have a 1994 Johnson which is probably not much different as far as technology as the 1988. Mine has been pretty much trouble free and I think I have spent about 1,250 on the engine and alot of that was a carb job. Do you know if a carb job was done when a new power head was put on? Clogged carbs are the down fall of most engines as they run lean and burn up the cyl. I would test the compression and if thats reads good then you should be fine and if a carb. job was not done do that before you do anything else.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Great motor i have 6 of them. not all 88's but the 1988 block to the present E-Tec is the same block just bore and stroke. great motor and they are a little thirsty but great power and just test the compression the factory on an 88 to 91 was 90 to 95 PSI *per cylinder. Yes that is a looper V6 motor. good luck any more info needed just ask me and welcome aboard *;D

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

hey if that old 225 has CF&F it will run. Those are some great motors.

C= Compression
F= Fire
F= Fuel

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Schools Out it sounds as if you know something about these engines. I have a 1994 150 johnson what should mine test at and what did they run when it was new? Thanks

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Thanks Skool's, I read some of your previous posts just now. Seem's like a great motor.

Just to be sure when I look at it. An 88 should be a 3.0 liter big bore right? If it happens to be a 2.7 then its an 87 correct?

Also can anybody ballpark what this motor, with new powerhead, is worth? I'm trying to come up with a reasonable offer for the boat and need some guidelines.

Thanks guys.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

I've got a freshly rebuilt '90 model, runs like a champ. I've got a cuddy cabin which has a little more weight, but it hauls a$$. A CC model should move even faster if set up right. Fuel consumption isn't too bad as long as you're not throttle happy.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

I've also seen these mootors run with virtually no compression, TOUGH pieces.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Correct that should be a 3.0 at least

the small bore has 3.500 pistons which were in all pre 1988 loopers and big bore have 3.685 bore in 1988 up looper 120,130,140,200,225,250,275,300 hp motors


V-4 Models
1.6-liter Crossflow, 1983-1987, and 1988-1990
1.8-liter Looper, 1985-1987
2.0-liter Looper, 1988-1990

V-6 Models
2.5-liter Crossflow, 1983-1990
2.6-liter Crossflow, 1983-1990
2.7-liter Looper, 1985-1987
3.0-liter Looper, 1988-1990

V-8 Models
3.6-liter Looper, 1985-1987
4.0-liter Looper, 1988-1990



the 2.7 was a small bore and has either 200 or 225 HP depends on what carbs you have and jets. do the carb butterfly's have 2 or 3 screws holding them in? 2 will be 200 Hp carbs and 3 will be 225 Hp carbs.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

that 150 should have been around 120 to 125 factory if cross-flow version but 105 to 110 if looper version.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Skools is the "JOHNNYRUDE GRAND POOBAH"

Not to be confused with "THE GRAND POOBAH" AKA FRANCO ;D

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

the bore change from small to big was basically done to improve idiling charistics, also other modifications were done after the change mostly carburation i think there were 2 or 3 diff. carb configurations in one year in some of the preceding big bore models, but all that was mostly concerned with idle and intermediate circuitry. they all (200/225 LOOPERS) thrashed around at idle a bit till the later models when they finally got it right, but all ran great at W.O.T. old and new were great motors,
but they did like there FUEL and hated to run lean at W.O.T. also keep an eye on the flywheel magnets factory glue tended to come loose, the magnets would shuffle around inside, a new flywheel is close to 1000 bucks now, but we usually can rebuild them for under 200, the prob with used big motors is if you can afford the big boat there on and the fuel to run them you can usually afford to buy a new motor, so there usually a hard sell for any kind of good money,
want to try something fun try a big block E-tech we took an old pair of 225 loopers off and installed a pair of 250's the change was phenominal.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Welcome JIM!

Watch out for the cops up there in Lewes, they are unstable.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

it doesn't cost $200 to rebuild the flywheels i have several and rebuilt several. they usually cost $9.00 for the epoxy to rebuild them. i have a tube of the epoxy and have used same tube for the last 10 or 12. Those motors still bring good money for their age. the E-Tec is the same block as the old loopers just new heads and intake.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

I have to agree that they are excellent motors and while thirsty, they seem to run forever if you keep the gas clean which is not an easy thing to do with todays crap gas...I compare them to the old merc 150 tower of power that sucked gas but are still running today if you keep clean fuel in them...I currently have two old johnny 225's but have had several johnnyrude 225's over the years and I think they are a great design and very simple motors to understand and work on..even for someone like me who can only do basic maintenance...I'm a firm believer in the KISS system (Keep It Simple Stupid)...I've also had a state of the art super charged fuel sipping ultra tech outboard that blew up the first year and twice the second year so I now try to search out the old 2 stroke low hour KISS motors that guys are trading out for the new high dollar and high tech wonders that no one can f###### work on..Frank

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

evinrudes are good engine I just sold a 1988 23' Wellcraft with seadrive 225 on it (evinrude are great). I have not noticed them using any more gas then anything else. Unless you fish everyday it probably won't make a big difference.

6 months ago I sold a 1984 evinrude 70 hp that had never been rebuilt and still ran great. The boat was falling apart but the motor was great.

Premix and it will run for years.

I do think that a 225 is a lot of motor for a V20.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

i just picked up a 1990 Evinrude 225 running but missing the lower unit which i have a spare or 2 for $50.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

I just mentioned the Merc auto-oiler in another thread...to me, same goes for OMC motors...disco the oiler and run forever 8) ...

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

I 2nd that!

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Why did the 225s have trouble at idle ? This is the trouble I am having right now with a 87 OMC, wont run on it own under 3000 rpms without hitting the primer to keep it going

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

All of my JOHNNY-RUDES that have done this to me have been due to piston to cylinder clearance. When they get loose they won't pull air through the carbs due to blow-by and lack there of crankcase compression. But the fact you can keep it goin by hitting the primer may mean you have a pickup tube problem in your carbs.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Thanks Fermanator, dont know what my next step is, i guess pull the carbs back off and check the tubes again. Its funny runs great over 3000 and run 5k for about 50 miles yesterday and never missed a lick at uper rps, just wont start good (without throttle) at start, then ya need to play with the primer to get it up over 3k

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

fuel pump

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

That's what I's thinkin'...EXCEPT it's runnin' good at hi RPMs...when fuel pump went out on my ol' 86 Rude, it wouldn't run at ANY RPM unless the bulb was bein' PUMPED ;) ...

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

I also was thinking fuel pump, but i thought they were either good or bad

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

probably a combination of issues, sounds like an air leak in the fuel line, a weak fuel pump(posibly leaking into the crankcase), adn something in the idle circut of the carbs. First things first, run a compresion test, make sure your not chasing another problem. then rebuild teh fuel system, go thru the carbs, replace the fuel line and primer bulb, replace all the fuel filters, rebuild the fuel pump. Its almost a maintaince item on outboards to go thru teh fuel system from time to time. Don't forget to float test the anti siphon valve while you're at it.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

It could be a fuel pump, but I doubt it since he said he gets fuel when he push's the key in for the primer(primer injects raw fuel using fuel pressure from the fuel pump). In your early posts you asked about jets, you got the 14's and 48's for it right? You put them in the right spots(14 in the top and 48 in the bottom)? Are you sure that you got the body gaskets seated in correctly when you put it back together(the rubber O-ring like gasket seals the idle and mid-range circuits to the base plate)? Are your plastic carb bodys warped?

First I would make sure the air bleed jets are in the right spots, this can be done by just removing the airbox. If they are in the right places, remove the plastic body's and tear them completely apart. Take a piece of VERY small wire and feed it into the jet pickups and make sure they are open. Also be VERY careful about what you spray on the carb body's, they are plastic and can be melted with most cleaners.

I may be able to break away one day and come help you take a look at it. I need to run down there and get my tanks VIZZED over at FANTASEA anyways. Shoot me a PM if your interested.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Thats where I got certified from Jim and Julie at Fantasea, That would be great it ya get this way . Isnt Julie a sweetheart ???

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Sorry bout that ya got me going thinking about Julie, anyway, I never put new gaskets in the carbs, and never checked to see if they were warped or not but i did clean the tubes good, but they could have sucked more stuff up one or more

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

Yeah, she's a sweetheart.










Sorry, I needed a moment to reflect ;D. Make sure you got your airbleed jets in the right spots. There easy to get mixed up and it won't run below 2,500-3,000 if they're mixed up. I've done plenty without the kits, but sometimes the seals are shrunk and shift when you reassamble them.

Another thing to check is to remove the airbox, open the butterflys all the way so you can see down in the intake, and then turn the engine over(with the ignition grounded or unhooked) and see if the reeds are popping open nicely and evenly across all cylinders. This will let you know if it is pulling in sufficient airflow.

Re: 1988 Evinrude 225 experts needed!
 

OK guys, I dug deep enough to find the trouble, I have a few bad reed valves, sombody had put fiberglass racing valves in this motor. I have a new set of 6 blocks (stock) coming in the morning for $150. Does this sound like a good price ? Anyway thanks for pointing me in the right direction, and will let ya all know how she runs when I get her back together..........Thanks.........HS