Mercury or Tohatsu outboard motor?

[Library70]

Nick, what size is your Tohatsu?
Tohatsu only crosses over on the small Mercury outboards, not sure what the cut off is but I do know that the 9.8 Merc is a Tohatsu.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Library70

Nick, what size is your Tohatsu?
Tohatsu only crosses over on the small Mercury outboards, not sure what the cut off is but I do know that the 9.8 Merc is a Tohatsu.

Here is what I have found. Some of it corrects what I have said previously, sorry.

Mercury manufactures engines over 75 horsepower at its facility in Fond du Lac in Wisconsin. Mercury Marine builds 40, 50 and 60 horsepower outboard motors in Suzhou, China and Juarez Mexico. Mercury Outboards, 30 Hp and less, are made by Tohatsu in Japan.

That being said, there are a number of Mercury Marine plants around the world. Here a a few:

Fond du Lac, Wis. – Mercury Marine Plant 12 Engineering
Juarez, Mexico - Mercury Marine Plant 22
Suzhou, People’s Republic of China - Mercury Marine Plant 58
Oshkosh, Wis. – Mercury Marine Plant 33 Engineering
Milton, Ontario, Canada – Mercury Marine Plant 20 Regional
Dandenong, Australia – Mercury Marine Plant 25
Petit-Rechain, Belgium - Mercury Marine Plant 28
Fresno, Cal. - Land N’ Sea / Mercury Marine Plant 75 Regional
Fond du Lac, Wis. – Mercury Marine Plant 4
Langley, British Columbia, Canada. - Mercury Marine Plant 89 R
Panama City, Fla. – Mercury Marine Plant 37 Testing

Some of the plants are assembly-only, with casting and machining done elsewhere, such as Fond du Lac

Apparently the motors made by Tohatsu are Tohatsu motors, not engineered solely by Mercury

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Library70

Nick, what size is your Tohatsu?
Tohatsu only crosses over on the small Mercury outboards, not sure what the cut off is but I do know that the 9.8 Merc is a Tohatsu.

I have the Mercury EFI 20hp. With electric start it is 100 lbs. I just put it on the dinghy so didn’t even take it for a spin yet.

[Flod]

The Tohatsu 9.8 two stroke has been banned to sell new in Europe for like 10 years. They are now selling used at a price over a new 9.8hp 4-stroke. I have a 8hp that I might try to do a carb upgrade on to get the extra 1.8 hp. I think it is possible on certain batches of the 8hp depending on which version of cylinder block it was manufactured with. Anyway great motor. Best I have ever used. Lot of power, reliable and LIGHT. Only 24 kg. Great when you lift it on/off the dingy a lot. If I could get a new one I would buy straight away

[capt jgw]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

I had a Tohatsu 6hp for a while. It ran great and I had little trouble with it. I looked at the parts manuals for it and the Mercury and they were the same down to the part numbers except for the brand name. I did run into a situation in March Harbor in the Bahamas where I needed some part, but I don't remember what it was. There was no Tohatsu dealer there, but there was a Mercury dealer. I went in with the part number and during the conversation I let it slip that I was going to use it in a Tohatsu. The guy said he wasn't allowed to sell me the part. He freely admitted that it was the same part, but said he couldn't sell it to me. I don't know if Mercury has some sort of contract that prevents them from selling parts for Tohatsu engines or if the guy thought he could get me to buy a new mercury from him because he wouldn't sell me the part and I was in the Bahamas. I had a guest coming in a couple of days so I had him pickup the part in the states and brought it with him.

That's not unusual. Westerbeke/Universal has the same deal with Kubota. If you tell the Kubota guy it's for a Universal, he's not supposed to sell it to you. Tell him it's for a tractor, no problem. Same parts at 1/10 the cost.

[myocean]

I have also very much enjoyed one of those handy outboards.
HOWEVER I would not go for it again!
Cruising through the pristine waters and reefs on this unique planet but using a two-stroke which spills up to 30 percent(!) of the fuel directly into the water and releases substantial amounts of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is just not the right way to do this.

I am ok with accepting some inconvenience - my comfort zone is not soo small - and care for the reefs.

[LouK]

As someone who is a part time crew coach I have used a lot of both 2 & 4 stroke outboards on launches for various rowing clubs. I wouldn’t have a 9.9 Merc. Last year purchased a Tohatsu 9.9 for my own dinghy as a Yammie was too expensive. Having wrestled with it even using a lift for the past year, I’d go back to the 6 hp Yamaha I used to have in a heartbeat. Good engine, starts & runs like a top but iteration heavy bugger @ 90#

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by myocean

but using a two-stroke which spills up to 30 percent(!) of the fuel directly into the water

Please supply a citation to support that claim?

[Stewie12]

The new EEU approved 2 stroke outboards are fuel injected and conform to all the new regulations. Having said that the new 4 stroke outboards are getting lighter, but you still cannot put them away the locker and the oil is in the sump..

[LouK]

My bad, Tohatsu 9.9 weighs 80#, not 90, still heavy though

[Fbfisher]

I’ve got a 2005 Mercury 9.9. I run it dry before leaving it for a while, use fresh gas and it starts right up. Flawless engine. Some friends just bought a new Tohatsu and have had nothing but trouble getting it started/keeping it runnning with multiple trips back to the dealer. Maybe they got a lemon. Hope my merc lasts another 15 years.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Fbfisher

I’ve got a 2005 Mercury 9.9. I run it dry before leaving it for a while, use fresh gas and it starts right up. Flawless engine. Some friends just bought a new Tohatsu and have had nothing but trouble getting it started/keeping it runnning with multiple trips back to the dealer. Maybe they got a lemon. Hope my merc lasts another 15 years.

Your Merc 9.9 is not the same as a Tohatsu and it is a fantastic motor. I have the same motor, but 15hp, we had it for 20 years, (20 tough years) and it is still great, and we love it.

[Kayakeur]

<quote>Cruising through the pristine waters and reefs on this unique planet but using a two-stroke which spills up to 30 percent(!) of the fuel directly into the water and releases substantial amounts of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is just not the right way to do this.
I am ok with accepting some inconvenience - my comfort zone is not soo small - and care for the reefs.>quote



Thank you. Yes, we only have one planet. I have a 1976 Johnson 2-stroke, 6hp it leaves an oil slick and smoke obvious with every startup, lasts many minutes. I don't know if it continues lesser amounts of oil exhaust after it is warm. Previous owner says it didnt use to but has spewed oil for years. Yeah, 1976 is old. Sailboat 23 foot.

I want to replace it now (May, 2021) with a 4-stroke 6hp and want to get a Tohatsu Sail Pro Ultra Long Shaft, 25" (they also make a 20").

But every dealer is sold out, new stock coming in a month or more.

I'd like a 2021 or would take a 2019 or 2020 new old stock.

so:

Is Nissan 6hp also same as Tohatsu? & Mercury? Built where?
Kayakeur Bud in Virginia, sailing Chesapeake Bay