New Outboard - Please Help!

[Vandy12]

Hi Guys,
It is my first time using an outboard 2.3hp! for my dinghy, it is a brand new 4 strokes so I was just wondering apart from adding the oil what else shall I do to start the engine for the first time?

Many thanks for your helps.
Vandy

[Hud3]

Welcome to the Forum, Vandy!

Have you read the owner's manual? The manufacturers' usually have detailed, specific instructions for breaking in a new outboard. You'd be wise to follow their procedures to keep your warranty intact.

[SkiprJohn]

I know that a lot of 4 cycle engines cannot be stored on a particular side so owner's manual should be consulted about which side you can lay them on.
Make certain the engine is lower unit is water before starting. You can burn out an impeller pretty quickly if you start them dry.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard Vandy.

Originally Posted by Hud3

Welcome to the Forum, Vandy!
Have you read the owner's manual? The manufacturers' usually have detailed, specific instructions for breaking in a new outboard. You'd be wise to follow their procedures to keep your warranty intact.

Generally, 4-stroke outboard engines are shipped dry, so add oil as well as fuel.

General Break-In for 4-Stroke Outboards
(as always, consult your manual)
- Idle for the first 10 minuets,
- then Less than 1/2 throttle until 2 hours,
- then Less than 3/4 throttle until 3 hours,
- then Full throttle for 2 min. of every 10 min. until 10 hours,
- then ok to abuse it.

[Captain Bill]

I would highly recommend that you purchase only ethanol free gasoline. It has become more difficult to find and now that the EPA has removed the requirement that ethanol blended gasolines be labled as such at the pump, sometimes hard to avoid.

[BlueSovereign]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Generally, 4-stroke outboard engines are shipped dry, so add oil as well as fuel.

General Break-In for 4-Stroke Outboards
(as always, consult your manual)
- Idle for the first 10 minuets,
- then Less than 1/2 throttle until 2 hours,
- then Less than 3/4 throttle until 3 hours,
- then Full throttle for 2 min. of every 10 min. until 10 hours,
- then ok to abuse it.

One of your better pieces of advice GM ... especially the last point!

[Roy M]

In addition to the above advice, wash out the salt after each use, if possible. Open the cover and look inside, become familiar with all those parts so you can detect changes over time, such as greasing things that have grease, wiping things that get salty, looking for the stream of water that the water pump may expel. Check, every time, that the mounting screws are secure, that the vent to the tank is open, and that the tank has enough fuel. Look at the prop: is it dinged? If so, repair it or replace it. Do you have spare cotter pins and shear pins? Do you have a minimal bag of tools to fix something simple? Is the motor locked to the boat? Have you got oars that work? Do you have a small bucket with a couple feet of chain, a hundred feet or so of light line and a small grapnel or other anchor? How about a small box or bag with flares, a flashlight, and a bottle of water? And while you are loading this bag, how about a cell phone or VHF handheld? Sometimes things don't go as we hope. The engine conks out, the tide is running out, the weather turns, and the sun begins to go down. It's nice to have options.