How to Identify a Force Outboard Motor by the Model Number
by Floyd Drake III
Started in the early 1980s when US Marine took over the Chrysler outboard factory in Hartford, Wisconsin, Force brand outboards originally were featured as standard equipment in Bayliner Boats. The Force brand was acquired by Brunswick, the manufacturer of Mercury outboards, and eventually discontinued in 1999. Force outboards can be identified using the ID tag or sticker, which contains the necessary identification information.
Step 1
Find the identification tag. For Force outboards less than 90-horsepower, the ID tag is found on the outboard engine's mounting bracket, where the outboard mounts to the stern of the vessel. The ID tag is best viewed when the outboard is tilted up, out of the water. On Force outboards over 90-horsepower, the ID tag is normally found inside the engine hood, the outboard's removable top cover.
Step 2
Write down the information found on the Force ID tag, which contains the outboard serial number, model year, year manufactured and the model designation. Example Force outboard model designations are "43F7A" and " 903F90A."
Step 3
Identify the Force outboard using a model designation key. For example, model numbers "43F7A" and " 903F90A" decode as follows: "4" and "90" identify the outboard's horsepower; in this case, 4-horsepower and 90-horsepower, respectively. The "3" in both examples refers to a long-leg outboard with no power trim, while the letter "F" stands for Force. The "7" and "90" digits correspond to the year, with "7" indicating 1987 and "90" indicating 1990. The final position stands for any engineering changes made to the engine; in this case, "A" identifies the outboard's first modification.
References
Writer Bio
A native of New Haven, Conn., Floyd Drake III began writing in 1984. His work has appeared in the "New Haven Register," Medford's "Mail-Tribune" and the "Ashland Daily Tidings." Drake studied journalism at Southern Connecticut State University. After working as a reporter in Oregon, he is now based back home in New Haven.
