Unreliable Outboards

[Extemporaneous]

I didn't vote. Don't have enough history yet that would make my vote meaningful.
I will though tell you my experience so far.
Bought a used 4hp, 2 stroke Evanrude POS!!! Had the carb redone twice professionally (ha!). The results (besides the bill), the same. Still a POS!! I would normally NEVER have a Pro take my money for something like this, but I was way too busy to do this (any many more things) and so paid for ZERO results.
Ended up getting rid of the motor and bought a new 8hp, 2 stroke Yamaha YAMAHA MOTOR CANADA | 8 HP.
So far (one season only) it has been flawless. Hope that continues.

Good Luck to us all.
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[bstreep]

We have a 2 year old Merc 9.9. I run the fuel out of it every time it's used, and when the container hits about 2 months, I dump it into the car and refill it. It's never missed a lick.

[BubbleHeadMd]

Schoonerdog-

I've never seen it offered in any kind of a spray form. You just pour some into your fuel tank, or soak carb parts in it.

[Nice N Easy]

Take it from an old motorcycle racer, who grew up on two strokes. The gas you now get at the pump sucks. I have a 2hp 2 stroke Suzuki on my dink. Vintage 1991. I never have any kind of a problem. Here is what I do. I have an inline fuel filter on it, I use Sta-Bil in all gas for it. No other additives. I do run the carb dry every time I start it. When you pull up to the boat, dock or whatever, turn the gas off and run the bowl dry. This stinkin ethanol is a very poor substitute for gasoline. Never keep gas, even with a stabilizer in it more than 60 days. If your too tight to pour out old gas, your gonna have a problem. Mine never gives a problem, starts on first pull every time when warm, no more than three when cold. If you do not run the carb dry you will have a problem if it sits for more than a few days with fuel in the bowl.

[Canibul]

I have heard some people having ethanol issues with certain gas tank and fuel line materials, too.

[sbrin]

Never had a problem with my 2 hp Honda dinghy motor until it fell off my dinghy while running. Into the water at Cuttyhunk. It stopped itself.

Then it would not restart. Hmmmm.

Soo...I took it apart and found the connecting rod in 3 pieces.

Replaced, repaired, resealed and now works again.

I always run the carb dry - I think this does make a difference. I replace my gas can fuel once monthly. I think this helps as well. Do drain gas from self-contained fuel tank at the end of the season. I think this new fuel creates more problems than it solves.

[David M]

Originally Posted by anjou

Does the addition of ethanol mean that 2 stroke oil isnt disolved as well as with a straight gasoline mix?

No, it has to do with bipolar, or not, molecules. Or, likes dissolve likes.

[David M]

We have a number of outboards at work. We get one or two failures a year.

The failures are usually caused by, and in this order...
1. Fuel with alcohol.
2. Not flushing the engine.
3. The engine was junk to begin with, such as being a Suzuki.

[Solitude]

I don't think we have ethanol in our gas up here. except for Husky

[Ram]

Originally Posted by David M

We have a number of outboards at work. We get one or two failures a year.

The failures are usually caused by, and in this order...
1. Fuel with alcohol.
2. Not flushing the engine.
3. The engine was junk to begin with, such as being a Suzuki.

I had 2 Suzukis 12 or so years and it was a really great engine, have they went downhill?

[Highlander40]

8 HP Yamaha 2 stroke, Great outboard! Starts first pull most of the time.
It is stored upright on a bracket.

After trying different oils, the full synthetic burns a lot cleaner. The cheap stuff leaves gunk running down the back.

I try to run the tank out. Mix up fresh fuel in an empty tank.
I run mine hard, a lot of flat out running and do not mix 100 to 1. Lost an engine that way. So for now its 50 to 1 .

Use it hard and often.

[Intentional Drifter]

2003 15 hp Yamaha, 2 stroke. About 50% of the time, it starts on the first pull. If it doesn't start on the second, then I've probably bumped the fuel line loose. I've used gas from all sorts of places on the E. Coast, Bahamas, Caribbean with nothing added but oil. I do use it a bit rich with the oil, about 1:80 rather than the 1:100. I only run the bowl dry if it will be a few days between uses. I change the plugs once a year, along with the lower unit lube. If I think about it, every now and then I'll do a fresh water flush. That's it.

I also have a '65 Johnson 18 hp, 2-stroke that I inherited from my dad and use it on my lake boat. Same sort of treatment, same results. It looks like crap from all the banging around over 40+ years, but I'll keep it until it croaks or until I pass it on to my son. However, the way it keeps running, it will probably be the latter. I have to put a tune up kit in it every 10 years or so, but it doesn't get used much anymore. The Yamaha, on the other hand, has been used a lot.

See a trend here? Yamaha 2-strokes, or older Johnsons/Evinrudes/Mercs. Most of the problems I've seen with outboards have been newer 2-strokes and 4-strokes of all sorts of brands.

ID

[Extemporaneous]

Originally Posted by Highlander40

8 HP Yamaha 2 stroke, Great outboard! Starts first pull most of the time.
It is stored upright on a bracket.

After trying different oils, the full synthetic burns a lot cleaner. The cheap stuff leaves gunk running down the back.

I try to run the tank out. Mix up fresh fuel in an empty tank.
I run mine hard, a lot of flat out running and do not mix 100 to 1. Lost an engine that way. So for now its 50 to 1 .

Use it hard and often.

Same engine that I have (2009).
Seams to run great, however it hasn't had much of a workout yet. Hope it's a good motor.

So what the truth about running an outboard richer than spec'd.
It it really necessary?
Are you really doing it any favors running it rich?
When you lost your outboard running it at 100 to 1, was it good oil?
Does it become more important that you shake up the tank prior to start up if the gas has been sitting for a while?

Sorry for all the questions, if there a experts out there with definitive answers, that would be great.
I just wonder if it is a case of people (mostly men) thinking if a little is good, then more is better.
I know I suffer from this phenomena.

Extemp.

[Highlander40]

Mine went when a dock guy filled the tank so full that I couldn't shake it enough to mix the oil. Always put the oil in first.

Chainsaws, esp pro models will call for 50 to1 ratio regardless of the type of oil. They run flat out.

My dinghy with 2 1/2 people will plane nicely at 3/4 to full throttle.
Its a 10 ft cat, rides nice. Good motor/boat combo.

[Extemporaneous]

Originally Posted by Highlander40

Mine went when a dock guy filled the tank so full that I couldn't shake it enough to mix the oil. Always put the oil in first.

Ooops! I bet that will NEVER happen again.

Originally Posted by Highlander40

My dinghy with 2 1/2 people will plane nicely at 3/4 to full throttle.
Its a 10 ft cat, rides nice. Good motor/boat combo.

Mine can get scary at the top end. Motor weighs the same as the boat, 60lbs and 60lbs. It's a 10' 8" Porta-bote.
Only had 3 people in it so far and was able to plane immediately.
Don't know for sure but I bet it could plane with 5 people in it.
It was to come with an 8.5 x 8 pitch prop. but I had them change it to a 9 x 7.5 pitch Dual-Thrust Prop because I new it would be too fast. I also bought an 9 x 5 pitch Dual-Thrust Prop for power that, in a pinch, if I loose my Diesel I could push the Mother Ship with. In good conditions of course. Hope it never comes to that, but if it does, I hope it can move it.
I've designed a mount off the Stern that will move the Outboard from Pushpit height down to water level (about 5' vertical) so I can easily put the motor onto the dingy or drive the Corbin with it. It's not fab'd yet but I'm confident it will be beefy enough. Will see. It may?? also be used in tight spots at docks and such. I have terrible prop walk to starboard. It would be a stern thruster of sorts.
Sorry for the thread drift.

Regards,
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