6HP Tohatsu

[quirozson]

Originally Posted by CalebF

Per cool hand Luke's question. Is it dieing at idle or 1/4 or 1/2 throttle?
I have the same motor and have found idle to be unreliable with low octane...but the coil/magneto could very likely be the issue.

It had died at both idle and 1/4 throttle. I rarely go higher as it just starts throwing the bow into the sky.

Colorado has 85-87-or 91 octane.

Tohatsu I believe recommends 89 which isn't available to me. Should I be running 91?

[CalebF]

You don't necessarily need to run 91. I have run both and tend to have idle cut outs with 87. I will eventually adjust the idle screw, but if yours is cutting at 1/4, octane isn't the issue. I would tend to agree it is in the ignition system. Keep the oil on the low side of full too, if you haven't heard the motor doesn't like to start on the upper end of the fill line. If you are getting good cold crank results and poor hot crank that's again pointing to ignition, just start with the cheap stuff first.

[rslifkin]

If it starts to stumble and die, does anything change if you give the primer bulb a squeeze (before it actually dies)? If it does, then it's definitely a fuel supply issue. If not, then I'd suspect ignition.

[quirozson]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

If it starts to stumble and die, does anything change if you give the primer bulb a squeeze (before it actually dies)? If it does, then it's definitely a fuel supply issue. If not, then I'd suspect ignition.

Yeah, tried that. I'm guessing it's ignition. I didn't think that because it would run so well, but Jammer's suggestion of the igniter makes sense in the intermittent problems I've experienced.


DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A UNIVERSAL FLYWHEEL PULLER THAT WILL WORK ON A TOHATSU.


Hopefully one that is available for rent from a auto parts store or inexpensive off Amazon...

[SV_FlyingTigress]

I may have missed it above but did you pull and examine / change the spark plug?

[Oldwheels]

i HAVE the same engine. Went thru many of the cures mentioned above. What I found eventually. Dismount the coil, clean the contact area between coil and engine block. Cured my issues.

[quirozson]

Originally Posted by Oldwheels

i HAVE the same engine. Went thru many of the cures mentioned above. What I found eventually. Dismount the coil, clean the contact area between coil and engine block. Cured my issues.

Thanks, the engine is super clean, but the connecting bolts were very easy to break free. I ordered a new igniter, because at this point my wife will throw the outboard to the bottom of the lake if it fails one more time!

Based on Jabber's description I thought the flywheel had to come off to replace, but fortunately it doesn't!

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by quirozson

It's a 4 stroke 6HP outboard. I'm using 87 octane straight from the automotive gas pump.

I would suggest updating your profile with your general location and your boat make & model or “Looking” in the "Boat" category. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

I would happily help more if the link above is not enough.

[quirozson]

Originally Posted by Stephen_MO

I may have missed it above but did you pull and examine / change the spark plug?

It does show some cold fouling.

[MarkSF]

This is a case where doing some old-fashioned diagnosis would be far better than just throwing (expensive) parts at it.


I suspect an ignition fault, where heat soak is causing it to fail. The diagnostic I'm referring to is to check for spark when you have the fault.


To check for spark I would suggest having a spark tester handy, that you put in line with the plug, and then cranking. Try this in the no-fault state, so you know what a good result should look like, then try it when you have the fault.

[quirozson]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

This is a case where doing some old-fashioned diagnosis would be far better than just throwing (expensive) parts at it.


I suspect an ignition fault, where heat soak is causing it to fail. The diagnostic I'm referring to is to check for spark when you have the fault.


To check for spark I would suggest having a spark tester handy, that you put in line with the plug, and then cranking. Try this in the no-fault state, so you know what a good result should look like, then try it when you have the fault.

The spark plug in question has less than an hour in operation. A faulty igniter would cause weak spark, so I see the spark plug condition as confirming the suspicion that the igniter may be going bad. No?

Checking the spark plug when I have the fault would mean checking when the wind is dead and I'm trying to maneuver into a marina, or worse... when the wind is howling and I'm trying to maneuver into the marina with shallow rocky water on my port or starboard side... I'd rater throw parts at it at this point!

[SVSOLITAIRE]

So I’m just throwing my two cents as a 6hp sailpro owner.

Last year I had a very similar issue on my motor. It was less than a year old. After replacing all fuel components and using a carb kit it was still persisting. After spending several hours talking to service techs and taking measurements of the float etc. they were still at a loss as to the cause. They chocked it up to a machining issue on that models carb and took care of a replacement carb/installation.

No issues since then. The issue itself came out of nowhere after about nine months of cruising with no other problems aside from clogged jet here or there.

[quirozson]

Originally Posted by SVSOLITAIRE

So I’m just throwing my two cents as a 6hp sailpro owner.

Last year I had a very similar issue on my motor. It was less than a year old. After replacing all fuel components and using a carb kit it was still persisting. After spending several hours talking to service techs and taking measurements of the float etc. they were still at a loss as to the cause. They chocked it up to a machining issue on that models carb and took care of a replacement carb/installation.

No issues since then. The issue itself came out of nowhere after about nine months of cruising with no other problems aside from clogged jet here or there.

Good to know... I did just install a brand new carb. Albeit a Chinese knockoff, but am noticing immediate improvement. I am going to throw a little extra money at it with a new igniter ($160-OE Part) for good measure, at well as a new fuel pump and filter. At this point it will add extra peace of mind. Will see...

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by quirozson

Yeah, tried that. I'm guessing it's ignition. I didn't think that because it would run so well, but Jammer's suggestion of the igniter makes sense in the intermittent problems I've experienced.


DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A UNIVERSAL FLYWHEEL PULLER THAT WILL WORK ON A TOHATSU.


Hopefully one that is available for rent from a auto parts store or inexpensive off Amazon...

Usually if you ask for a steering wheel puller at a parts place it will do the job. I think Tohatsu requires a three-bolt puller, so make sure you get that, many are two-bolt only. You can buy cheap ones on amazon etc too.

[sailhand]

Another common failure point for ignition is a cracked cover on the kill switch. A tiny amount of moisture gets in under the boot and causes intermittent short. Disconnect kill switch and try it again. Cheap fix and easy to get to.