motor experts - tanaka 3hp

Ray

Ray

Well-known member
I found one on craigslist for $100 and picked it up. I have yet to fire it up. The seller was off loading a bunch of his father in laws equipment after he moved out of state. He stated it ran last year on their canoe at their cabin and was purchased over 10 years ago. It appears to be very well maintained. I cross checked the motor against the owners manual and it is complete.

I bought it for my canoe and maybe to be used on a mini sneak boat that has yet to be finished.

I was wondering if any of you motor heads out there have any experience with these little tanaka motors.
 
Ray,

I owned one for about a year. I purchased it used and sold it along with a boat about a year later. It always fired right up and ran well. Two things about it I noticed were, (a) Not real quiet, would be nice to have a better exhaust system. (b) Gear box and components seemed kind of fragile. I never broke anything but I wasn't running where I could strike a rock or two.

Other than that it seemed to be OK, course like I said, I didn't own it for long period of time.
 
I have an old 1hp. Good little, simple, dependable, canoe motor, but you're not sneaking up on anything while using it. Like Dave said - LOUD
 
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Those are super little motors. Bass pro and maybe Cabelas used to sell them. Very light and reliable!
 
I had one I used on my canoe for years, Great little air cooled motor, I even dropped it in once by accident. Cleaned it , oiled it and ran it for many more years. A matter of fact the guy I sold it to is still using it. Jode
 
Spoke with my MM guy.

He said they're great little "throw away" motors.

You run them till they break then throw them away.

He said it costs more to fix them than what they're worth.
 
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