HawaiiOutboard Repair
(808) 824-4380 Request service
MenuClose

Johnson / Evinrude 60° V4, 90 / 100 / 105 Commercial / 115 hp and 80 Jet (1726 cc, 1995-2001, carbureted) service guide

Oil, gear oil, spark plugs and the service schedule for the Johnson / Evinrude 60° V4, 90 / 100 / 105 Commercial / 115 hp and 80 Jet (1726 cc, 1995-2001, carbureted) (80 to 115 hp, two-stroke), from the factory service manual, plus how we service it in Hawaiʻi.

Models covered: Johnson / Evinrude 4 cylinder 60° loop charged V ("60 LV"), 105 cu in (1726 cc), carbureted with two 2-barrel carburetors: 80 Jet 1998-2001, 90 hp 1995-2001, 100 hp 1998-2001, 105 Commercial 1997-2001, 115 hp 1995-2001. VRO2 oil injection (VRO pump and external oil tank) on all carbureted models; magneto CD ignition. they are not on this sheet (see notes). The 1992-98 90, 100 and 115 hp are a different engine (90° cross-flow V4, 1632 cc) with their own sheet.

Quick answers

What two-stroke oil does a Johnson / Evinrude 60° V4, 90 / 100 / 105 Commercial / 115 hp and 80 Jet use?
NMMA certified TC-W3 or equivalent two-stroke lubricant; the manufacturer recommends Evinrude/Johnson brand oil. Never use automotive motor oil.
What is the fuel to oil ratio for a Johnson / Evinrude 60° V4, 90 / 100 / 105 Commercial / 115 hp and 80 Jet?
50:1 for normal operating conditions, from the VRO2 system. Break-in (first 20 hours of operation): 25:1; an engine with VRO2 runs a tank of 50:1 pre-mix in addition to the VRO2 output to get 25:1, and the tank oil level must be seen to drop before going back to untreated gasoline. Severe or high performance use: 25:1 on most carbureted outboards (50:1 in the tank plus the oiling system).
What gear oil does a Johnson / Evinrude 60° V4, 90 / 100 / 105 Commercial / 115 hp and 80 Jet use, and how much?
Evinrude/Johnson Ultra-HPF or an equivalent high quality marine gearcase lubricant that meets GL5; Evinrude/Johnson Hi-Vis gearcase lube may be used as a substitute if Ultra-HPF is not available. Quantity: 90, 100 and 115 hp: measure the outer diameter of the propshaft housing; 4 1/8 in (105 mm) housings contain 26 fl oz (770 ml), 4 5/8 in (117 mm) housings contain 33 fl oz (980 ml). 105 Commercial: 33 fl oz (980 ml). Not applicable to the 80 Jet (jet drive).
What spark plug does a Johnson / Evinrude 60° V4, 90 / 100 / 105 Commercial / 115 hp and 80 Jet use?
Champion, qty 4. 1995: QL77JC4 (QL16V fixed gap for sustained high speed). 1996: QL82YC (QL87YC for extended idle). 1997-2001: QL78YC. Suppression plugs only: non-suppression plugs will cause ignition problems. Gap: 0.030 in (0.8 mm); the fixed gap plugs (QL16V / L16V, QL78V / L78V) are not gapped.
How often should a Johnson / Evinrude 60° V4, 90 / 100 / 105 Commercial / 115 hp and 80 Jet be serviced?
The factory schedule lists: First 20 hours; Every 100 hours or 12 months. In Hawaiʻi's salt water we do a full yearly service every 200 hours or 1 year, whichever comes first, and a new engine needs its first (break-in) service.
When should the water pump impeller be replaced on a Johnson / Evinrude 60° V4, 90 / 100 / 105 Commercial / 115 hp and 80 Jet?
The factory schedule gives no replacement interval. In Hawaiʻi's warm salt water we replace it every 200 hours or 1 year, whichever comes first, because a worn impeller is the most common cause of overheating.
What is the idle speed of a Johnson / Evinrude 60° V4, 90 / 100 / 105 Commercial / 115 hp and 80 Jet?
600 to 700 rpm in gear.
What is the propeller nut torque on a Johnson / Evinrude 60° V4, 90 / 100 / 105 Commercial / 115 hp and 80 Jet?
Castellated nut (cotter pin through the nut): 120 lb-in (14 N·m). Standard flat nut with a separate keeper: 70 to 80 ft-lb (95 to 108 N·m). New cotter pin every time; tighten further to line up the hole, never loosen.

Maintenance specs

Two-stroke oilNMMA certified TC-W3 or equivalent two-stroke lubricant; the manufacturer recommends Evinrude/Johnson brand oil. Never use automotive motor oil
Fuel to oil ratio50:1 for normal operating conditions, from the VRO2 system. Break-in (first 20 hours of operation): 25:1; an engine with VRO2 runs a tank of 50:1 pre-mix in addition to the VRO2 output to get 25:1, and the tank oil level must be seen to drop before going back to untreated gasoline. Severe or high performance use: 25:1 on most carbureted outboards (50:1 in the tank plus the oiling system)
Gear lubricantEvinrude/Johnson Ultra-HPF or an equivalent high quality marine gearcase lubricant that meets GL5; Evinrude/Johnson Hi-Vis gearcase lube may be used as a substitute if Ultra-HPF is not available
Gear lubricant quantity90, 100 and 115 hp: measure the outer diameter of the propshaft housing; 4 1/8 in (105 mm) housings contain 26 fl oz (770 ml), 4 5/8 in (117 mm) housings contain 33 fl oz (980 ml). 105 Commercial: 33 fl oz (980 ml). Not applicable to the 80 Jet (jet drive)
Gear oil drain/fill and vent/level plugsDrain/fill plug at the bottom of the gearcase and vent/level plug on top, 2 plugs. Loosen the vent/level plug first, never remove either plug when the lower unit is hot. Use new gaskets (washers); install the level/vent plug first, then the drain/fill plug.
Gearcase pressure and vacuum testAt the oil level plug hole on top: 3 to 6 psi (21 to 42 kPa) must hold steady; then 3 to 5 in. Hg (76 to 127 mm Hg) of vacuum must hold, then 15 in. Hg (381 mm Hg) must hold
Spark plugChampion, qty 4. 1995: QL77JC4 (QL16V fixed gap for sustained high speed). 1996: QL82YC (QL87YC for extended idle). 1997-2001: QL78YC. Suppression plugs only: non-suppression plugs will cause ignition problems
Spark plug gap0.030 in (0.8 mm); the fixed gap plugs (QL16V / L16V, QL78V / L78V) are not gapped
Spark plug torqueCarbureted motors: 18 to 21 ft-lb (24 to 28 N·m), anti-seize on the threads. Without a torque wrench and with a new crush washer: until the washer seats, then 1/4 turn
Idle speed600 to 700 rpm in gear
ThermostatShould open by 125 °F (53 °C) and must be fully open by about 136 to 144 °F (58 to 62 °C). At 5000 rpm it must not go above 160 °F (71 °C). A thermostat sits under a threaded cover at the top of each cylinder head, sealed with an O-ring
Fuel filterServiceable inline filter: the element sits under a knurled cap that threads onto the fuel component bracket on the engine (remove the air intake silencer for access); clean and inspect the element, replace it if damaged, check the gasket and O-ring. Replace an inline filter at least annually
AnodesTypically at least 3: one just above the anti-ventilation plate on the lower unit (bolted from underneath), one or two on the transom bracket, and one on the propeller shaft bearing housing inside the gearcase (not a periodic item); some motors also have a powerhead anode. Worn when shrunk to 2/3 or less of the original size. Never paint or wax them.
Propeller nutCastellated nut (cotter pin through the nut): 120 lb-in (14 N·m). Standard flat nut with a separate keeper: 70 to 80 ft-lb (95 to 108 N·m). New cotter pin every time; tighten further to line up the hole, never loosen.

Service schedule

The factory maintenance intervals, with what is replaced and what is checked at each. Rows marked Hawaiʻi are our shop's yearly service for salt water use.

  1. First 20 hours

    Replace: gear case oil, gear case plug gaskets, propeller cotter pin

    Check: spark plugs, fuel filter

  2. Every 100 hours or 12 months

    Replace: gear case oil, gear case plug gaskets, propeller cotter pin

    Check: spark plugs, fuel filter, anodes

  3. Every 200 hours or 1 year (our Hawai‘i yearly service) Hawai‘i

    Replace: gear case oil, gear case plug gaskets, propeller cotter pin, water pump impeller

    Check: spark plugs, fuel filter, anodes

We replace the water pump impeller at every service from 200 hours up, which can be sooner than the factory schedule, because of Hawaiʻi’s warm salt water.

Source: Johnson / Evinrude 65-300 hp V4, V6 and V8 two-strokes, 1992-2001, aftermarket service and repair manual. Specs can change by model year and serial number, so always confirm your exact model from the serial tag on the clamp bracket.

Other Evinrude and Johnson guides