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Old 29-03-2013, 08:00   #46
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

Truth is Honda's and other brands are great for anywhere in the western world. When you get into a lot of areas in the South and North Pacific you have just entered Yamaha 2 stroke territory. I think you'll find the longer distant cruisers tend to use Yamaha.
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Old 29-03-2013, 08:08   #47
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

I may have written this earlier in the thread, but since I started putting marine StaBil (the blue stuff) in every tank of gas before I pump fuel into the can I have had many fewer carburetor problems. I have been doing this for maybe twenty years, since before ethanol, and with nothing but ethanol gas (it's all we have around here) for many years. I do not run the carb. dry. However, I also have a 2-stroke Johnson 8 HP, which eats through crud in the gas much better than a 4-stroke will. IMHO I would be very wary of fuel injection due to the number of times I have had to clean the jets on 4-stroke carbs. If you do get the outboard with fuel injection I think a large, spin-on, fuel filter arrangement is mandatory, and I would change the filters every 50-100 hours max. I like the idea of the propane outboards and I will be keeping a close eye on them for my next motor.
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Old 29-03-2013, 11:06   #48
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

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I may have written this earlier in the thread, but since I started putting marine StaBil (the blue stuff) in every tank of gas before I pump fuel into the can I have had many fewer carburetor problems. I have been doing this for maybe twenty years, since before ethanol, and with nothing but ethanol gas (it's all we have around here) for many years. I do not run the carb. dry. However, I also have a 2-stroke Johnson 8 HP, which eats through crud in the gas much better than a 4-stroke will. IMHO I would be very wary of fuel injection due to the number of times I have had to clean the jets on 4-stroke carbs. If you do get the outboard with fuel injection I think a large, spin-on, fuel filter arrangement is mandatory, and I would change the filters every 50-100 hours max. I like the idea of the propane outboards and I will be keeping a close eye on them for my next motor.

Yeah, the injectors are what I'm thinking about.

FWIW, Marine Stabil hasn't done squat for me; useless.

OTOH, I suspect part of that is my not using our (2-stroke) motor often enough. Still, I've tried running the carb dry, not running it dry, neither seems to make much difference. Anything but new fresh gas, no startee, no runnee.

More recently (i.e., last season), I've been emptying both the on-board tank and the external tank after each use (recycling to a truck or car). Seems to help, and of course I can keep doing that, but it's a pain in the ass.

I remember when growing up, about the only way to make a 2-stroke NOT work was to either disconnect the gas tank or shoot the engine -- otherwise good to go.

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Old 29-03-2013, 17:09   #49
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

"OTOH, I suspect part of that is my not using our (2-stroke) motor often enough. Still, I've tried running the carb dry, not running it dry, neither seems to make much difference. Anything but new fresh gas, no startee, no runnee."

That was my problem exactly. I just didn't run my little outboard enough and each time I went to start it, I had to clean the carb. I'm hoping that's not an issue with the propane outboard I replaced it with.

Running the carb dry didn't seem to help either. In fact I was once told by an outboard mechanic to not run a 2 cycle engine dry as it is running without enough lubrication the last few seconds before it quits.
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Old 29-03-2013, 17:18   #50
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

Well my current Johnson 8 HP 2-stroke has never had a carb cleaning since I bought it in 2005. For the first couple of years of its life it was run daily, but since August 2007 intermittently and sits for six months over the winter, with stabilized gas (blue StaBil) left in the tank (full), and in the carb. Never fails to start on first or second pull. Now watch, I've just jinxed it and this spring it won't start!
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Old 29-03-2013, 17:20   #51
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

I had a Yamaha 15hp 2 stroke, we were out cruising for 4 years the last time and I never once had a problem with the motor. It started and ran great for that time period. The only thing I did was put an inline fuel filter between the tank and the motor which I changed on a regular basis. My experience years before cruising with the smaller engines, 2-4hp 2 stroke single cylinders was that I was cleaning the carb on a regular basis because they were finiky.
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Old 29-03-2013, 17:42   #52
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

Maybe the carb gumming up is just an issue on very small motors? The one I had trouble with was a 2HP Suzuki. Smaller jets clog easier?
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Old 29-03-2013, 17:48   #53
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

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Maybe the carb gumming up is just an issue on very small motors? The one I had trouble with was a 2HP Suzuki. Smaller jets clog easier?
The smaller the jets the easier it is to clog them, which is one reason why 4-strokes are more prone to this. They burn a lot less gas and clog a lot easier. When I had a 9.9 Yamaha 4-stroke I got it down to 10 minutes for removing the carb, dismantling, cleaning the jets, and putting it back together. Did it underway a bunch of times. The slow-speed jet on those things is so tiny you can barely see light through it. However, the clog is often on the slow speed jet, so if you can figure out how to defeat the gizmo that prevents starting with the throttle turned way up you can often get them started--with a tremendous roar and a cloud of smoke, and then you have to slam it into gear and take off fast to keep it from killing. Not recommended practice, but I have done it a few times in order to get home.
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Old 30-03-2013, 04:49   #54
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

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My experience years before cruising with the smaller engines, 2-4hp 2 stroke single cylinders was that I was cleaning the carb on a regular basis because they were finiky.
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Maybe the carb gumming up is just an issue on very small motors? The one I had trouble with was a 2HP Suzuki. Smaller jets clog easier?


Hmmm... that 1-cylinder thing may be a key issue, come to think of it. Seems most of the time we hear the larger engines are mostly sorta bullet-proof, much like car engines.

Maybe it's the combination of small jets (appropriate for a single cylinder application) and the single compression source.

?

Amd coupled with infrequent use...

?

My 5-hp Johnson (Suzuki) is a 1-cylinder. I see Yamaha's 4-stroke outboard 6-hp and lower are all 1 cylinder, whereas the larger portables are 2-cylinder. Presumably that's about the same for the other brands, too...


OTOH... reading through the whole body of comment about small 4-strokes and fuel issues, it's not been uncommon to hear about fuel problems with the Yamaha 9.9s as well... so maybe there's more serendipity than science. Maybe even climate differences (relative humidity?) across various locations

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Old 30-03-2013, 05:02   #55
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

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Well my current Johnson 8 HP 2-stroke has never had a carb cleaning since I bought it in 2005. For the first couple of years of its life it was run daily, but since August 2007 intermittently and sits for six months over the winter, with stabilized gas (blue StaBil) left in the tank (full), and in the carb. Never fails to start on first or second pull. Now watch, I've just jinxed it and this spring it won't start!

Interesting.

OTOH, see above, my posts 21, 26, and 28... ref fellow club member's problems with his Yamaha 8-hp.

Ref leaving the tanks and carb full: I've read one argument FOR doing that is that when carbs are "drained" they're usually not really completely empty... and the residue evaporates off... leaving gum. Whereas a full carb (and hoses, etc.) would be less prone to that (according to the theory).

In the absence of a clue I could easily believe all that.



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Old 08-06-2013, 14:03   #56
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

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Resurrecting this... even thought it's snowing here, just now...

Suzuki Marine has updated their website to now include the DF15A and DF20A electronic fuel injected (EFI) outboards. Short and long shaft models, electric start also available in each length.

Online reviews seem enthusiastic.

Given much recommendation about service and parts availability for Yamaha 2-strokes... but comparative silence about service availability on 4-strokes... and given that I'm in the Chesapeake now and likely for 99.9% of my future, anyway... I'm still considering all brands (including Suzuki, of course) and also considering the Lehr propane models...

Anybody have first-hand experience with Suzuki's DF15A yet?

-Chris
Resurrecting again to see about the Suzuki EFI models.

I have been trying for a year now to actually buy one of these engines (20HP) with no success. I have the money, but nobody seems to actually have any of these engines to sell to me. Nowhere in North or Central America - nada. I will see them advertised in stock on many websites, but upon contacting them find out that they have none to sell.

Has anyone been successful in purchasing one and, if so, how is it operating for you?

Mark
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Old 08-06-2013, 14:39   #57
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Re: 9.9/15-hp 4-Stroke Outboard Motors?

American Suzuki Motor Corporation has been re-organizing under Chapter 11. The latest plan was approved in April 2013; see Court approves American Suzuki reorganization plan

I'd suspect that would clear the way to eventually increased inventory in their marine (outboards) and motorcycle lines.

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