Outboard Motor Problems - Help Please!

[sharkboi]

Hey guys,

Fairly recently I purchased my first boat, a tinny with a 1998 30hp Tohatsu on it.

The guy who i bought it off, told me that the motor had recently being serviced.

I have taken the boat out on numerous trips since buying it and have had no problems.

The first problem occurred the other day.......

I was out in the river and the motor was running perfectly for 5 mins or so and then it started loosing power and then it cut out. I then started it up and not long after it started loosing power again and proceeded to cut out. This repeated 2-3 times. I thought it was a fuel problems so I added more 2 stroke oil to the mix. The motor obviously did not like what i did and did not start at all.

When we got back on land, i cleaned the spark plugs, fixed the fuel mix and started the motor again.

After many attempts at starting the motor it finally started and only ran for 10 seconds and cut out.

I got my mate over to help and he checked the gearbox oil to find that there was absolutely no Gearbox oil! :dry:

I rang around a few mechanics and some said that the gearbox could have seized etc

As it is my first boat, i did not check to see the gearbox oil when buying it.........

Not sure where to go from here

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Cheers, Dan

[dunney]

Get boat Insurance.Find a outboard mechanic to dodgy up a report and say you hit an underwater obstruction .I can't see however why it stalls when being flushed?

[Gary_C]

Did you put more gear oil in and try starting it again?

I can see the motor cutting out as a way to limit damage, but if you did not force it to run past the initial couple of cut outs and that IS the problem, then it should start and run once you fill the oil (much like a car will run without any water in it, then die but the motor won't be ruined unless you force it to get you that last 5 km to home).

Were there any other symptoms (steam from overheating, no thrust, etc.)?

There are a lot of variables in any internal combustion engine.... eliminating what it can't be is the first step to diagnosing what it is.

Good luck though, there are some mechanically gifted people in this community - unfortunately for both you and me, I am not one of them :blush:

[Bommie]

talk to the guy you bought it off, find out who done the last service and go from there

[big al]

does it do it in neutral or in gear??? sounds like a fuel blokage

[sharkboi]

Cuts out in gear

[BassTracker]

Check the screw in fuel filter under the cowling (round see through screw in plastic bulb) sometimes they vibrate loose and suck air, fine on idle but when under load it cuts out. my yammy used to do it every twelve months or so.. worth a look, you might have got lucky with the gearbox

[aussie123]

Your best option at this stage is to borrow another fuel tank and fuel line and run the motor and see if there is any difference.

It does sound like a fuel issue to me.

When you checked the gearbox oil,how did you check it.

It is unusual to have an empty gearbox as they usually fill up with water if there is a seal issue.

[max pwr]

[BassTracker]

hahaha

What can I say I think your right, sound like it may even be two seperete seal issues? who knows?

[max pwr]

[big al]

put in gear and see if you can turn over motor by hand see if prop turns if it does gearbox not seized .so i would say fuel prob al ..and make sure you breather screw is open on fuel tank

[Do$tylz]

haha re "seal" posts.

but sounds like a fuel problem to me as well. I had the same problem with my boat and recently on a trip another skipper I was with had the same symptoms as well. Mine was fixed by changing the fuel line to a new one, the skippers fix was taking the toolbox off the line

[jeff f]

had a simillar problem.

after putting all new fuel lines and fittings in it was still happening

turned out to be a cracked mount for the fuel bowl sucking air

[mick2me]

Hi Guys,

I have had the same problem happen to me from time to time with my 2001 25Hp Johnson (2 stroke)... I have always thought it to be a fuel problem, but it has always started straight away after it cut out, so I have just put up with it.

my thought was; I was never told what the ratio of fuel to oil was for my model so I normally just do a 40:1 or 50:1 mixture, could it be that maybe to much oil to burn or not enough???

Thanks guys

[straddiebrad]

ihad a similar problem with my 20 4 stroke it was water in the fuel so dumped it out and it still happend,so pulled the carby off and there was a plunger that was sticking because of the water,so cleaned it up and has run like a champ ever since.brad

[ellicat]

Hi Guys,

I have had the same problem happen to me from time to time with my 2001 25Hp Johnson (2 stroke)... I have always thought it to be a fuel problem, but it has always started straight away after it cut out, so I have just put up with it.

my thought was; I was never told what the ratio of fuel to oil was for my model so I normally just do a 40:1 or 50:1 mixture, could it be that maybe to much oil to burn or not enough???

Thanks guys

Better to have too much than not enough oil.

The damages bill from too little is far higher than the other way 'round.

Are you using an ethanol blend fuel ?

If so, stop using it. It is a death knell for 2 strokes.

[mick2me]

Hi Guys,

I have had the same problem happen to me from time to time with my 2001 25Hp Johnson (2 stroke)... I have always thought it to be a fuel problem, but it has always started straight away after it cut out, so I have just put up with it.

my thought was; I was never told what the ratio of fuel to oil was for my model so I normally just do a 40:1 or 50:1 mixture, could it be that maybe to much oil to burn or not enough???

Thanks guys

Better to have too much than not enough oil.

The damages bill from too little is far higher than the other way 'round.

Are you using an ethanol blend fuel ?

If so, stop using it. It is a death knell for 2 strokes.

Hey Ellicat,

I Don't use a ethanol blend, I always use the most expensive fuel at the pumps, and as for oil mixture, that was my thoughts too, Thanks again

Mick

[Old Scaley]

Check for minute cracks in the primer bulb or fuel lines.

[sharkboi]

put in gear and see if you can turn over motor by hand see if prop turns if it does gearbox not seized .so i would say fuel prob al ..and make sure you breather screw is open on fuel tank

Thanks Al,

I tried what you said and the prop does spin when in gear!

[zan0_15]

i had this happen to me at one of the wavebreak trips this year. happened twice, cruising along and then motor just died, primied the bulb and away i went.

mick had a look back at the island and sussed out that the fuel lines had actually delaminated and the laminate was blocking the lines.

at some stage it has had a gutfull of ethanol blend put through it and then it had been left to sit in someones yard for a while.

most probably at the boat yard i bought it.

anyway it was a cheap and easy fix, hopefully yours is something similar.

[dhess]

Some fuel lines are notorious for delaminaing. Especially the silver quicksilver ones.

Could also be worn fuel pump diaphrams. Mine would randomly konk out until I had these done.

[sharkboi]

I went out and got some gearbox oil today in a squeeze bottle

I tried squeezing it in however im fairly sure that the oil was not going in

After a few mins of squeezing, i checked the bottle and very little had actually gone in

Not sure what the problem is here

Cheers

[aussie123]

The reason I asked in a previous post about how you checked the gearbox oil level was I had the feeling you may have assumed it was empty when it may not have been.

To drain the gearbox you must remove both screws otherwise the air lock will prevent the oil from draining which will give the impression there is no oil in the box.

When you refill the gearbox you squeeze the oil into the bottom hole until it runs out of the top hole.

Then you screw up the top screw tight,remove the bottle and then do up the bottom screw.

[sharkboi]

I removed both screws and no oil came out

I then squeezed the oil in to the bottom hole

[aussie123]

You have to squeeze bottle real hard,it's not an easy job as you have to push the oil uphill.

[sharkboi]

I was squeezing fairly hard, I will give it another shot tomorrow though

The oil seemed to be only coming out of the hole that I was squeezing it into

Thanks

[Smiderman]

have you unscrewed the breather screw in the fuel thank lid?

[sharkboi]

Yes i always run the motor with the breather screw unscrewed

[mick2me]

while on the subject of gearbox oil, what is the recomend time between a gearbox oil change.

cheers.

[aussie123]

I change mine every 6 months.

The 6 month interval is not because of the oil itself but more a safety check to make sure the seals are good and no water has entered the gearbox.

With everyone using braid lines these days it is even more important to keep an eye on your seals and gearbox oil.

[Old Scaley]

Hi Sharkboi, please take this advice in the spirit in which it is intended. If you have not had the motor serviced by a qualified mechanic since you bought it, and it was second hand, and (no offence) it seems like you don't have a lot of experience with outboard mechanics, get it serviced by someone who who does it for a living. At least for the first service. That way you won't have to keep guessing or searching forums for ideas and yu will know that if you pull the cord there is a fair chance the thing will start and keep running. My worst nightmare is being stuck in the fishing lanes or around the port area and pulling the cord like crazy while a massive container ship bears down upon me :ohmy:

May cost a few bucks but it could be the best money you ever spend. Of course you won't ever know that for sure if you spend it, but might find out the really hard way if you don't.

I removed both screws and no oil came out

I then squeezed the oil in to the bottom hole

[Homer4duff]

Old Scaley I agree with you...however I think it's great he is willing to learn the in's and out's of how his motor works and what makes it tick. Not only can he save money but he can have satisfaction in fixing his own motor.

If he is mechanically minded he should be able to do it.

[dunney]

Pi$$ off the squeeze bottle. Go buy a new bottle of oil and buy a pump that's suited to the bottle.quicksilver oil make a pump that suits their gearbox oil. It's cheep and easier to use than the squeeze bottle. No air leaks etc

[Homer4duff]

Any updates?

[sharkboi]

I have decided to get it serviced by a mobile marine mechanic by the name of troy

Hopefully he gets it running

[sharkboi]

Last week I got the motor checked by a mechanic and apparently the CDI needs replacing.

The mechanic just got back to me on a price for a 2nd hand CDI and it will cost $380!!! Pretty dam expensive.

He also said the place that supplies them still hasn't got back to him on whether they have one for my motor.

Cheers

[dirtridder]

call up some dealers get a new 1. here is a link for a new 1. i have not checked if it is the right 1. but it gives you an idea. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CD-Module-Tohatsu-Nissan-Outboard-2-Cyl-25-30HP-/230563214474?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item35aea3748a