Well that didn't go like it was supposed to... motor trouble question?!?!?!?!

[tod osier]

Motor ran as it should this morning, thanks all for the advice. I won't say it ran perfect on start, but settled in within a few seconds and ran well the rest of the day.

I mostly wanted to visit some of my favorite spots seeing that this may be my last trip out there. I wanted to see some places where long dead dogs made their first or last retrieves. Think back on all the rocks I've hit and didn't lose a lower unit. Check out all the places that I think are great spots that never produce. I did find a couple pockets of birds in spots where they often are, but in the end just came home early without loading the gun or putting a decoy in the water. Beaver would have preferred I shot something. I'm glad I don't have any ducks to clean.

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Sounds like a great trip. I can relate.

 

[Josh Schwenger]

God bless. I wish. I wouldn't care if it was $7 a gallon lol. I only go through maybe 6-8 gallons a season. Money well spent.

Hammonton NJ has ethanol free gas. It's the gorilla station on Rt. 30.

 

[greg setter]

Thanks for this Josh, I had no idea.

 

[Jay K]

Hammonton NJ has ethanol free gas. It's the gorilla station on Rt. 30.

That's good to know. Still a bit of a drive but not as far as the PA locations.

 

[Anthony Babich]

Update... The hose froze nearly solid, so I had to thaw it before a motor test. Connected my little fuel tank of pure gas and drained the bowls and hopefully purged out any water. Motor started and idled smooth.

I looked at the lower cowling and the drains were plugged up with dead bugs, so that could have contributed to me noticing the copious quantities of fuel that built up. I filled it up with water and got the drains opened up. Now at least it won't accumulate that quantity of fuel again.

I looked at new motors. Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki do not make short shaft 40s anymore. Tohatsu still does. Obviously, I could easily build up the transom, but the boat is built for a short shaft and I'd prefer to keep it that way. Anyone have a concern with a Tohatsu compared to (what I'd consider) the top tier motors?

Pretty sharp looking.

View attachment 63417

Tod, can't say enough good things about the Tohatsu motors. My 17' TDB has the newer 2022 40hp and I've been impressed with the torque it can put out. My father purchased a 2001 Tohatsu 50hp and the motor is still running 1000+ hours today in NYC Harbor on a workboat used daily. Like anything else with good maintenance they will run forever. Also the fuel economy on my 40hp with the 17 TDB is phenomenal I run a 12 gallon tank and noticed my usage is around 6-7gph

 

[Ed L.]

I don't believe that is true. The numbers certainly do not support that. Smaller motors, maybe, but not the 40 and 50.

I was told by my Suzuki dealer who is also a Mercury dealer, the motors from Mercury built in the US are 75hp and up. Some motors in the 40hp to 60hp range are manufactured by Mercury in China and some are rebranded Tohatsu. Since I was buying a Suzuki I left it at that and didn't ask which models were built where.