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New Tohatsu 9.8 hp OB-dead in the water

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Cate
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Initially Posted - 06/19/2006 : 08:51:58

Last month I bought a 2006 Tohatsu 9.8 hp, XLS from Onlineoutboards.com and this weekend the motor konked out. After only running it for 3 hours we found the oil was completely gone. We noticed a sheen on the water from day one, but the guy at onlineoutboards said it was unspent fuel and it was normal. We checked the oil change drainage screws and all were tight. The oil is definitely leaking from the engine. Luckily we were at the dock when the motor conked out so we did not have to get towed in.

The motor is under warranty so the reapir will be no cost, but I did not get the extended warranty that covers haul out in case of motor disfunction. My other concern is the wait time before the repair is made. Bummer.

So we are dock bound. I guess I'll work on some little projects.

1983 C-25, Standard rig, swing keel

Edited by - on

Paul
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Response Posted - 06/19/2006 : 08:56:26

Please don't be insulted by this question. Did you put oil in when you received the motor? Motors sold by the online guys arrive dry.

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Cate
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Response Posted - 06/19/2006 : 10:28:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Paul
 Please don't be insulted by this question. Did you put oil in when you received the motor? Motors sold by the online guys arrive dry.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Yep. We put in the required 800ml. and checked the dip stick. All fine at the start.

P.S. No insult taken. I have forgotten to do obvious things in other situations and slapped my forehead in disbelief.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
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Pitcairn Island
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Response Posted - 06/19/2006 : 13:25:04

I am so sorry, I hope a friend will loan you an old motor to get you by.

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Cate
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Response Posted - 06/20/2006 : 08:19:20

Additional note to buyers of outboards online. A dealer inspection is NOT done on these motors and I would highly suggest folks have a service technician go through the preinspection checklist that is sent (blank) with the motor.
Also anyone who is not local to CWS in TN should find a local dealer and service technician before buying. We are going to have to haul out (at our expense) and take the motor to a Tohatsu service 30 miles away. Suddenly the discount is not such a discount anymore.

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Frank Hopper
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Pitcairn Island
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Response Posted - 06/20/2006 : 08:42:01

Why do you have to haul out? If it really is necessary I find it hard to believe that a local dealer would pay for it even if you did buy it local, they are outboards. You are lucky to have a service center that close, people drive that far to shop without thinking about it. It will be interesting to hear the professional analysis of the problem, I am particularly interested in hearing if this was a discoverable problem, my guess is it will turn out to be a manufacturing problem that would not have shown up during an inspection. Also, I am surprised that a neighbor did not recognize you were having a problem and advise you to have the motor looked at. Long distance advise from Outboards Online cannot be taken as reliable advise, how could it be! I just hope they don't feel pressured to stop providing online support.

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Dave Bristle
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Djibouti
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Response Posted - 06/20/2006 : 08:44:27

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cate
 Also anyone who is not local to CWS in TN should find a local dealer and service technician before buying. We are going to have to haul out (at our expense) and take the motor to a Tohatsu service 30 miles away. Suddenly the discount is not such a discount anymore.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
...and IMHO, after you find that dealer, take his brochure, and look over the engines he's bought for display and inventory,... buy the engine from him. You want him to continue being a dealer, right?

But Cate: I've been hearing how light the Tohatsus are... Can't you lift that little guy off the bracket without hauling the boat? I've done it back when I had an 85-pound Honda... (I'm assuming your word "we" means you have help.)

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 06/20/2006 09:23:45

Cate
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Response Posted - 06/20/2006 : 10:29:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 Why do you have to haul out? If it really is necessary I find it hard to believe that a local dealer would pay for it even if you did buy it local, they are outboards. You are lucky to have a service center that close, people drive that far to shop without thinking about it. It will be interesting to hear the professional analysis of the problem, I am particularly interested in hearing if this was a discoverable problem, my guess is it will turn out to be a manufacturing problem that would not have shown up during an inspection. Also, I am surprised that a neighbor did not recognize you were having a problem and advise you to have the motor looked at. Long distance advise from Outboards Online cannot be taken as reliable advise, how could it be! I just hope they don't feel pressured to stop providing online support.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
If I got the extended warranty I would not have to pay for a haul out. I cannot lift the motor off the boat and load it into the car from the water. I can check with the strong guys around, maybe they can help. If I had this motor pre-checked by a service person, they would have found the leak. A dealer pre-check would have required the leak be repaired before sellling.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
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Djibouti
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Response Posted - 06/20/2006 : 22:41:36

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Originally posted by Cate
 ...I cannot lift the motor off the boat and load it into the car from the water. I can check with the strong guys around, maybe they can help. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I tied the boat to the dock with the engine/bracket as close in as possible, tied a line to the engine and ran it up over the sternrail and down to the stern cleat, and then lifted the engine off. My club had some of those garden carts, so I laid the engine in one (being careful to keep the correct side up) and wheeled it off to the car (an SUV). One way or the other, you want another set of hands involved--for example, to untie the safety line after the engine is on the dock--that could be you!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">A dealer pre-check would have required the leak be repaired before selling.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Exactly. That's why On-line Outboards doesn't sell Hondas--Honda requires a dealer checkout.

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ClamBeach
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Response Posted - 06/21/2006 : 09:13:38

"We noticed a sheen on the water from day one, but the guy at onlineoutboards said it was unspent fuel and it was normal. "

That's where things went wrong. A sheen on the water isn't normal or proper... be it fuel or oil.

Does the Tohatsu have an oil pressure indicator light like the Honda and Yamaha?

Probably pays to do regular oil level checks on a new engine during the 'break-in' period. (This directly from the 20-20 hindsight dept.)

Edited by - on

Paul
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Response Posted - 06/21/2006 : 11:34:41

I also bought a Tohatsu 9.8 from onlineoutboards this year. It has worked fine since I found the appropriate idle speed setting; the factory setting was too low, causing the motor to stall when put in gear.

But honestly, the only reason I replaced the 22-year-old kicker was for peace of mind, and peace of mind I don't have yet, especially after reading this posting. Partly because I've never owned a 4 stroke, so I don't have a point of reference for how it's supposed to behave or sound. And partly because I can't shake the thought that a flaw the dealer might have spotted made it directly from the factory to me.

On the other hand, the dealer pre-delivery checklist isn't what I would call a thorough inspection. And, while I like to imagine that the local dealer employs a guy with 20 years of experience to prep their motor sales, it could just as likely be done by a kid they hired for the summer.

I do know that I'll be checking the oil level every time I go out.

Sorry about your experienc, but thanks for the warning.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
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Response Posted - 06/21/2006 : 11:52:25

no problems on mine so far (knock on wood). I did the dealer checkout myself. I guess you just got a lemon.

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atgep
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Response Posted - 06/21/2006 : 13:22:30

Mine has 41 hours and is running perfect. It "should" come from the factory ready to go, considering it gets tank tested at the factory. The small 4-stroke technology is has been around for 30+ years with the hondas. IMHO the only issues with them is the tiny carb ports that tend to get plugged by water, etc.

I love the quietness and fuel effiency. Also, the lack of smoke when running downwind is a major plus.

Failures in new engines are almost always, an obvious defect, which is hidden until you tear the engine down.

Tom.

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Cate
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Response Posted - 06/21/2006 : 13:44:18

Despite the obvious defect we found with this Tohatsu, I would still buy a motor from onlineoutboards.com. I have saved a LOT of $$ with the discount and know the Tohatsu motors have a great reputation. In retrospect I should have respected the fact that I know next to nothing about OB motors and should have had a Tohatsu service tech check out the motor BEFORE putting it on the boat. Along with the obvious oil leakage our idle speed needs adjustment as it conks out at low idle. Taking this extra step of having a pre-check by an authorized Tohatsu service tech is worth the time and small expense if you are not a motor head. (I am still saving big $$ by buying online.)

I feel certain we will have a dependable OB for years to come after we get this one serviced. The good news is that we found a Tohatsu service guy 3 miles from our marina and I know he does excellent work. I used him before for my Honda OB. We are hoping the oil leak is so blatantly obvious that it is a matter of something not being tightened in the engine and will take little time to fix. If that is the case, we should be back in business in time for the weekend. I'll report back when we discover the problem.

P.S. We will also be carrying a spare quart of oil on the boat from now on.

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Lightnup
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Response Posted - 06/21/2006 : 15:30:39

Not too late to name your boat Exxon Valdez II.

Sorry to hear about the problem. Like Dave, I've had to lift my OB off the bracket a few times (8hp 4-stroke Honda, a heavy s.o.b.) and with a little pre-planning, it can be done fairly easily by oneself. I then lash it upright to a hand dolly to roll it up the dock. Hope you guy finds that it's a small problem.

Steve

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britinusa
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USA
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Response Posted - 06/21/2006 : 19:13:52

Reminds me of my very first boat (1972) ... I used to transport the outboard down to the hard on the crossbar of my bicycle (not riding it!) It was quite a trick to get it onboard and onto the transom bracket, but heck, I was 34 years younger then

Paul

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tinob
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Response Posted - 06/22/2006 : 07:33:36

Cate, sorry to hear 0f your problem. Have you tried refilling the oil and restarting it. it might lead to the leak site.

I use the Garhauer motor lift. Works great for all heavies being loaded/ off loaded from the boat. Not particularly expensive considering the lower back pain encountered hefting awkwardly balanced things and the expense to remedy same.

I wish you well and back on the water soon.

By the way I broke my motor in in the garage in a bucket of water. I also use the same technique when preparing to winter store it.

Val on Calista # 3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

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Cate
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Response Posted - 06/22/2006 : 11:38:16

We did not have to haul the boat, two strong guys from the marina hoisted it out no problem and put it back much better than before. No charge. (we gave them a tip).

So the story has a happy ending and we should be all set with our new Tohatsu. I would still recommend people have a reputable service tech check the motor before using.

Edited by - Cate on 06/27/2006 11:43:54

Buzz Maring
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Response Posted - 06/22/2006 : 12:19:47

Well the results are in...and they are a bit embarassing...BUT I think our experince will help others in the future ... -Cate

Hi Cate,

Thanks for being a stand-up gal and airing the dirty laundry ... you're right ... that is good-to-know info that will keep the rest of us from making the same boo boo!

I'm glad there was no harm done ... now you can get back to sailing!

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JimB517
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Response Posted - 06/22/2006 : 15:10:35

It says right in the manual do not overfill and use 800 ml only (less than 1 quart). I also had to bump up my idle speed on the first day. After about 10 hours when its broken in you can probably take it back down. Just one simple screw where the throttle cable ends at the carb. I also had to tighten up the steering - motor comes assuming it will be used on a dinghy and a sailboat needs it much tighter. Simple bolt to turn for that.

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Cate
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Response Posted - 06/22/2006 : 16:11:07

UPDATE
Arghh. 30 minutes after getting the "fixed" motor back on the boat it started leaking again. This was after the service tech drained all oil and filled again. Now it is certain there is something wrong with the motor. The first day we got this motor we filled it with about 2/3 of a quart of oil. When we put it in the water for the first time it leaked. The subsequent addition of oil we put in was this past weekend when we thought the oil was out (bad dipstick reading). So now I am abck to thinking the motor arrived defective.

Tomorrow, back to the service tech and a full inspection of this situation. Arghh.

Edited by - on

atgep
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Response Posted - 06/22/2006 : 17:08:27

Is the oil leaking (ie loosing quanity) or is it collecting oil in the powerhead from storage?

I will explain. I had my motor on it's side for a while (the correct side). When it went back in the water, It leaked down the exhaust and smoked like hell for about 20 minutes. It did not loose much, perhaps a couple of ounces. Now it is on the boat, no problem. Could that be what you have going on?

Tom.

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ClamBeach
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Response Posted - 06/22/2006 : 23:07:09

I'm with Tom... there may be 'residual' oil running out. Check the dipstick periodically, noting the oil level. That will tell the story. If the oil goes away, you've got a leak.

>"The first day we got this motor we filled it with about 2/3 of a quart of oil."

Question of the hour would be if the motor came with 800 ml of oil already in the crankcase... or not? If the engine already had oil, you were overfilling from the get-go.

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Cate
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Response Posted - 06/23/2006 : 07:56:14

Further explanations here. The Tohatsu does not arrive with engine oil put in. They say that in the manual. During our service event yesterday, the engine was drained of all oil and 800ml was put in. We returned the motor to the boat and ran the engine on low idle for about 15 minutes. When we turned off the engine we observed no leakage for about 10 minutes. At the 20 minute observation point the oil started to leak down the back of the shaft into the water. I am no mechanic, but it may be a defective gasket in the back of the engine. We are bringing it back to the service tech today to try to simulate the oil leaking event and hopefully he will be able to see what is happening. I'll report back when we find the problem.

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Dave Bristle
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Djibouti
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Response Posted - 06/23/2006 : 08:25:09

I'm no mechanic, either, although I've worked on some engines--either to their benefit or detriment, I'm not sure... When you say "back of the shaft", do you mean the outside of the "lower unit" housing (that covers the shaft, shift linkage, and exhaust)? Those symptoms suggest to me either an improperly torqued oil pan or head bolts and/or bad gasket on either, resulting in a leak when everything cools a little. The worse possibliby is a crack in the head or block which could also close when hot and open when cooler. Since OLO doesn't provide any diagnostics or service for the products they sell, I think they should exchange engines with you and figure it out themselves... but I guess that's my usual unreasonableness.

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atgep
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Response Posted - 06/23/2006 : 08:37:53

I would not take the motor back until a high speed run was made. The oil in these engines does not disperse in water and a drop will produce a 10 square foot sheen. If you only ran it at idle, the exhaust temps may not have been sufficient to burn out the oil. If your dock is sturdy, you can do a power run in the slip. If it still has oil dripping, you have a leak.

I hope you get this figured out soon. Also, take the nice mechanic a sandwich or 12 pack of soda for the already "free" service.

Tom.

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