Ideas? Replacement printed owner's manuals can be ordered through any of our Tohatsu dealers. I've been looking at this more now that the outboard's ashore. Sometimes you have to clean the carb a couple of times before its sufficiently clean. Even if youre not strong enough to pull-start yours, a passer-by might be so its a good thing to know where the emergency cord is and what the procedure is. 3. If you have an electric-start motor, it may be that the battery is low or dead. It will not start unless I shift from forward to reverse a few times first. What are the likely causes? Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a689d47e7e3105c937c63ee876dd9db2" );document.getElementById("eb861f0816").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi! Tohatsu 4-stroke outboards are not filled with oil from the factory. [More] Explore a Place through Ingredients, The best boat gear has more than one use. Running very nicely after recent service. See the squeeze bulb section immediately above. Mine is doing same thing, I just had same issue with my 87 evinrude , beat me down for 2 months finally took to a mechanic and it was a $6 piece ,a sheared fly wheel key Id try that . For your 4-stroke outboard, you should use Genuine Tohatsu FC-W 4-Cycle Oil. Heres why we think its the best option on your cruising boat. This greatly reduces problems from salt corrosion on shaft splines and installation hardware. If that happens, particularly if it was a cold start, you can now start it using your typical cold start procedure with choking it, etc. But fortunately, this overheating problem is not an error caused by manufacturer negligence or assembling error. Some also mentioned hearing unusual groaning noises coming out from the engine. The fuel line can come just slightly disconnected at either the tank or motor end. If Tohatsu 4-Cycle Oil is not available we recommend using an NMMA Certified FC-W 4-cycle oil formulated for use in outboard engines. Vinyl, Floating Boat Maintenance, Pumps and Hi Jim! Please only attempt any of the things in these videos unless you have adequate skill, have fully read the owner's manual and service manual, and even then continue at your own discretion and risk. Bullet Skimmer, Paint and Charles, Marine Mechanic. SAFETY FIRST! Why does the Model Year label on my outboard not match the year shown on my Manufacturers Statement of Origin (MSO)? Is that essential, or will a split pin do? On cold starts, the lamp may stay on longer due to the oil being thicker. Maybe I am not looking at the right parts but the parts catalogue seems to show them both as spring/roll pins . I have a new supply fuel line, checked tightness and sprayed for leaks no problem. Measure from the top of your transom to the bottom of your keel. The problem seems to be about halfway down the front of the shaft, where there is a connection between the upper shift rod, the lower shift rod and another rod coming down from the tilt lock, via a brass collar - I hope this makes sense, forgive the non-technical language! Yes. My first thought is that air is getting into the fuel line (cracked line, fitting or pickup) on the internal tank to motor. If you have just replaced the fuel hose or bulb, double-check that the arrow on the bulb points from the tank to the motor (it has one-way valves in it). I have no idea what the slow pull did, but if I did a slow pull first, the next pull just about always started it. Thanks for the support! ), gained a great boat dog, had a bunch of wonderful times and some adventures . Tangled Propeller If your outboard motor will not throttle up, the issue may be as simple as a tangle. Even when they put it back into the neutral gear again, the engine immediately starts like usual. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site, it helps defray the cost of sailing a bit. Throttle at the "start" marker One slow pull (with no intention of getting it to start on this pull) One fast pull to start Make sure that it's running well and water is pumping, and then slowly push in the choke. Many times, the problem will be very apparent when you do this. Sometimes this problem arises because of the low compression or damaged spark plugs. How to Buy a Boat: Tips for a First Time Buyer, Top 10 New Fishing Boats for Under $20,000, What Type is Right for You? Seats, Pontoon Boat Seats & All, Boat Bimini I have a nice Tohatsu 3.5, 2-stroke and am currently exeriencing problems. If you squeeze the bulb and it never gets hard or takes more than 5 or 6 squeezes to get hard, its likely that there is a crack/cut/nick in the fuel hose between the tank and the bulb which is pulling in air. But make sure cut out key is removed when turning over in gear. As with trying to choose the right horsepower, choosing the right propeller to fit your needs requires you to take a number of factors into account. Thats going to require more of a mechanic. Instruments, VHF Radios & Plumbing, Anchor Immediately shut down your outboard! Tohatsu outboard shafts are measured from the bottom of the engine mounting bracket to the cavitation plate on the lower unit. Remove the entire starter assembly with the three bolts holding it to the engine block. I also shifted to fwd for a minute or two, then back to neutral. This is very common if youre using an in-motor tank (these are generally only seen on outboards up to about 6 HP). Kept trying every 15 min or so. We have a Tohatsu 2-stroke 9.8hp. Outboard Troubleshooting Tip 4: Check the Fuel. Lighting, Marine Teak Protection, Ladders, Steps, & The only way to keep it reliable is to turn off the fuel and run the carb dry with each use..I turn the fuel on and pull start it, if it doesn't start in a few pulls it's flooded. Are Crownline Boats Good & Reliable Enough To Own? This will shut off the engine without having to remove the lanyard cord. For a complete list of break-in procedures for all Tohatsu outboards (both 2-stroke and 4-stroke) click here. All rights reserved. Pull the starter rope through several times. Copyright 1999-2023 Boats Group. Maintenance, Fiberglass & Epoxy Published on November 27, 2017; last updated on January 12, 2023 by Carolyn Shearlock. Boy, Im not a mechanic and dont have an answer for you. Therefore, depending on the configuration of your keel, the shaft length required by your boat may be different than the above recommendation. Consumers have experienced that initially, the engine starts normally and smoothly at neutral gear, but when the users try to engage it on the forward gear and open the throttle, the engine cuts out and dies. Tohatsu FC-W 4-Cycle Oil is NMMA Certified and has been specially formulated to handle the higher RPM's that outboards are subjected to, as well as special rust inhibitors to combat the harsh operating conditions of the marine environment. Four(or five with an electric start) things to check when the motor doesnt even sound like it wants to start, regardless of whether it has an internal or external tank: Make sure that the kill cord (aka deadman) is attached properly to the motor. Boat Repair, Boat Paint & This can be caused by something as simple as a flat battery or range from faulty switches and blown fuses to a bad starter motor or even a seized engine. Make sure to get it all! Sometimes the motor will sound like its not even really trying to start; other times itll sound like its almost starting. Listen to learn more. It may not display this or other websites correctly. This prevents the shift lever from being moved - when I line them up, I can move the shift lever into neutral or reverse. You hitting that SUBSCRIBE button helps a lot! If the gas tank went in the water, get fresh gas before even trying to start it as the gas will have water in it. Sometimes, after flooding, it will start and then die. Spark Check: Your outboard needs spark at the spark plugs in order to start. Varnish, Marine Adhesives, We also recommend changing the oil in the Fall before the weather turns cold. and learned a ton about what does and doesn't work! So, turns out that the roll pin in the top hole is in situ, but didn't engage the hole in the upper shift rod when replaced. If it is from 20" to 22" long you'll need our "long" shaft outboard. Look for oils bearing the FC-W trademark. According to another group of Tohatsu motor users, similar things happen during acceleration. However, stainless steel shear pins won't break as easily as brass shear pins when accelerating quickly or when shifting gears. Soon as I plug it into the internal tank. AN Boarding, Paddles & If it is from 15" to 17" long you'll need to get a Tohatsu outboard with a "short" shaft. Terminals, Marine Fuse Blocks & If the fuel pump isn't primed, the motor may turn over without starting. Actually all you need is to be prepared because at some point you will do this. Gary Reich is a Chesapeake Bay-based freelance writer and photojournalist with over 25 years of experience in the marine industry. So the tilt lock collar can pass freely over it. This will repeat a number of times and then will run ok untill I get to where I am going. Insurance, Boat Always read your own owner's manual and service manual and understand all safety items for your specific boat and motor. Row or paddle back and tie on or drop your dinghy anchor. Seriously, the vast majority of outboard problems are things that are pretty simple to overcome. Deals, Pumps & Plumbing I have always had a really hard time starting this Mercury 4 stroke 6HP outboard. Riptide Terrova 80 Trolling Motor w/i-Pilot & Bluetooth, Inflatable Search by either your zip code and address to find the Authorized Dealer/Service Center nearest you. With the exception of our outboards which have oil injection systems, Tohatsu 2-stroke outboards require a 50:1 (2.5 ounces of oil for each gallon of gas) oil/gas mixture after the initial break-in period. Just check to make sure its in neutral and try again. Axles, Boat Trailer Tie My issue is, I hook up my 60hp Mercury to an external tank runs like a champ. Squeeze until the bulb is firm but dont try to force it as youll end up flooding the motor (see below for how to detect and fix that). I don't have a remote electric start engine, is there any way to shut off my Tohatsu outboard without having to pull the safety lanyard cord off each time? It has worked great since day one and for most of the summer this season - starting 1st or 2nd pull cold. It started up and ran just fine until the foot of the engine hit a stump going pretty slow but it knocked the engine off and couldnt start it up again, it wouldnt even turn over. Next up was to test the outboard engine for fuel, compression, and spark. Tops, Bimini Top Generally, the lack of power issues can arise with any vehicle, and mainly this type of commotion occurs after several months or years of operation. This will remove any condensation before freeze damage can occur. 6. Refer to the dipstick or sight glass and Do Not Overfill. Water pump impellers are made from rubber and will deteriorate over time even without being used (commonly referred to as "dry rot"); this can be just as damaging to your water pump as wear and tear. BUT and this is the important part the vast majority of problems do not require any special knowledge to find and fix at least well enough to get home. Never, never, never use automobile oil in your 2-stroke outboard. "),d=t;a[0]in d||!d.execScript||d.execScript("var "+a[0]);for(var e;a.length&&(e=a.shift());)a.length||void 0===c?d[e]?d=d[e]:d=d[e]={}:d[e]=c};function v(b){var c=b.length;if(0