Looking to buy the boat equip with a 2003 johnson 70hp 4 stroke. Anyone of you guy have experience in johnson line motor? are they good? are they reliable? i don’t see johnson website anymore..
let me know if it a good motor or not…or should i be looking at evinrude and mercury.
For some reason, I think that Suzuki made this motor for Johnson.
FDR
I had one on a 165 navigator. Great motor, super quiet. The trim went out though, and the parts were next to impossible to find. Other than that, it was flawless.
if it was made by suzuki….will suzuki part fit?
Absolutely. I own a 2004 140-hp Johnson – purchased new. It is made by Suzuki. I can get any and all parts from a Suzuki dealer. Other than a one-time valve adjustment by an authorized dealer and replacing the tilt/trim sensor, I have spent $-0- on the motor – except for annual oil changes and winterizations that I perform myself.
Great motor, made by Suzuki and one of the first of that era to go EFI… I personally wouldn’t buy a used 4 stroke without it..
Somewhat ironic that in the dying days of the Johnson badge they actually had some good 4 strokes. I think the reputation of the FICHT outboards leads some to conlude all omc liked brands of that era were bad.
Grouse
Yeah, I ended up getting the tilt/trim off of a suzuki. The EFI was great, it never sputtered starting in less than freezing temps, super quiet, great on gas. I never really propped that motor right, I always got in that 5000 to 5200 rpm range, and I think that motor was good up to like 5800, but I still got low to mid 30s on my boat.
got it.
just bought it for a good price of $6.3k 2001 sportfish 1750 with 2003 johnson efi 70hp 4 stroke.
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Nice looking boat, and you will love that motor, I have a 140. Check the socket head plug on the side of the motor. They have a threaded hole on mine for an O2 sensor that is not aluminum and the dissimilar metals cause it to corrode from the inside out(exhaust side). I ordered an Aluminum one off ebay and replaced mine. Not a huge deal but if it corrodes out it is expensive to replace the mid-section on 4-strokes. It may not be an issue on the 70, just google it.
onestout……this motor is sooo under power for this heavy boat. when load with 4 adult and gear and full tank of gas….it soo under power…get the 25mph. rpm rave up to the 5000 i think.
onestout……this motor is sooo under power for this heavy boat. when load with 4 adult and gear and full tank of gas….it soo under power…get the 25mph. rpm rave up to the 5000 i think.
That was my initial thought when I saw the set-up. 
What’s the max. HP for that hull?
Ralph..
the max rating outboard is 150hp. But yes i do feel like it is very under power….i guess it is a easy trade off for easy wallet on the gas station.
That really is a sweet boat either way! 
Just think how nice and slow you can troll down though. There’s up to every down.
It doesn’t help in your situation, but I see many similar boats with 90hp on the back and I still fear that may be to small with full load, I’m curious to your thoughts 
the max rating outboard is 150hp.
Ouch. Yeah, that is super underpowered. You didn’t take it for a spin before you bought it, I’m guessing.
i think this will cost me in the long run if i want to upgrade to a 150 yammy or ev-rude next couple year…
for now the boat and motor is run as it should and very quiet at idle hardly notices if you come from a loud 2 stroke……can still get me to where i want to but at a slower speed which i can someway find a way live with it.
Or put a used 140 or new 150 Suzuki on it and use all the same controls. The 140 on my 19′ will do 40mph, I was actually surprised how well it got out of the hole. It’s tough to balance out between an empty boat with 1 person and a fully loaded boat or a boat being used for tubing. If you are going to be running full load or tubing you should look for a different prop and get a stainless one. It’s been a few years since I’ve worked with it much but Mercury’s props used to be light years ahead of anyone else with their cupping, I know the Suzuki and Yammi props that I have seen that they come with are not very impressive.
onestout…
you might be right….if i upgrade in the future to a 140 or 150 suzuki motor….i don’t have to get new control…u say it may or may not work right??
A 70 might take a while to get on plane w 4 people, but how often do you have 4 people on board?
I think that engine will be fine for most normal use.
Grouse
TheFamousGrouse…
All the time….lol.
Thanks guy ill keep you guy posted in the next few year when i gonna upgrade to the new 4stroke zuki.
That is a nice boat but definitely under powered. You did get a pretty good deal on it though.
I noticed when I was shopping for a used boat that for what ever reason crestliner’s seemed to be under powered more than the lunds and alumacrfts I looked at.
Enjoy the boat for the summer. Pull the outboard over the winter/spring and sell it. Use the money to get a 115+ hp motor
You will never regret divulging all of the details around here.
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