Tohatsu 6 Sailpro Bogs and Quits Under Load

[JimInPB]

I did an INTERNET search of ethanol-free gas stations in the northern VA/MD area and while several popped up, when I went there they all had 10% ethanol. Looks like ethanol-free might not be an option for me. .

This is where I look to find stations with ethanol free fuel.
https://www.pure-gas.org/

At most of these locations, only a small percentage of the pumps have the ethanol free gas as an option.

You can test your "ethanol free" gas by taking a sample, adding a measured amount of water (like 20%), then shaking vigorously, then measuring the amount of liquid that settles out below the gas. if the water phase looks cloudy &/or gets bigger than it was originally, then you have ethanol in the fuel.

I'm glad to hear that your motor is back in action.

Thanks for posting your results.

 

[RJD]

This is where I look to find stations with ethanol free fuel.
https://www.pure-gas.org/

At most of these locations, only a small percentage of the pumps have the ethanol free gas as an option.

You can test your "ethanol free" gas by taking a sample, adding a measured amount of water (like 20%), then shaking vigorously, then measuring the amount of liquid that settles out below the gas. if the water phase looks cloudy &/or gets bigger than it was originally, then you have ethanol in the fuel.

I'm glad to hear that your motor is back in action.

Thanks for posting your results.

Good information. Thanks for posting.

 

[Slartibartfass]

FYI Tohatsu is now offering a propane version of the 6HP saildrive that rates 5HP.... I got one myself and love it so far. Does not stink at all and propane can be stored for ever and no carburetor issues.....

 

[JimInPB]

Propane has it's advantages & disadvantages as an outboard fuel. Most of the advantages are listed above & they are substantial. In addition, your motor oil doesn't get all black & nasty the way that it does with other fuels & the combustion byproducts are less toxic. There are two primary down sides to propane that I know if. One is the fact that propane is heavier than air, so leaks sometimes settle down into the bilge & cause an explosion danger. The other issue really only exists in colder environments. Propane is stored in the tank as a liquid. It needs to evaporate before it can burn. In cold weather, propane outboards often starve for fuel because the evaporation rate is not fast enough.

Propane fuel systems come in two basic flavors, tank evaporators & heated evaporators. The first version is only used on smaller motors. In this case, the propane evaporates in the tank, due to ambient heat & is fed to the motor as a gas. Larger tanks, with larger head space, have more evaporation area & work better for this purpose. The second type of system pipes in liquid propane to the motor & uses an evaporator gizmo that is put before the mixing valve (propane carburetor). The evaporator is usually fed heat from the hot water that comes out of the engine cooling system. The evaporator is basically a small heat exchanger. The heat exchanger motors work fine in cold weather, once the engine warms up.

Propane also has a tendency to prefer slightly higher compression compared to gasoline, if you want to really get it to run its best.

 

[Sailm8]

I had a similar problem with my 5 hp Tohatsu dingy engine. After cleaning the carb numerous times, seafoam by the gallon it turned out that it was an air leak at the fuel hose to the engine. After buying one that looked 100% identical I had the same problem crop up. The fix turned out that the fuel line clip is a proprietary item. There is a spring and O ring which fits the engine exactly. I bought 2 and am into my second year of no more problems on the first clip. I do use non ethanol fuel. FWIW airports use non ethanol fuel.

 

[LeeandRick]

I've had 2 of these engines (have one now) and you can get to both main and idle jet without pulling the carburetor. The current engine is almost 3 years old and has never had a problem. The only fuel it has seen is aviation fuel 100LL. The same fuel has been in the tank for this entire period with the addition of a gallon or two here and there. No additives needed. Do you think the guy with the Cessna uses Stabil or drains the tank every few months? Easy to find at your local airport or almost any gas station in my town.

 

[Stu Jackson]

it turned out that it was an air leak at the fuel hose to the engine.

We had exactly that problem with our weed-whacker. Previous "repairs" were made by a "backwoods tree salesman" who used Bondo to connect the fuel tank fitting to the carb. The Bondo eventually hardened and cracked, letting air in, the thing would never work past idle. Found a much better mechanic.

 

[JimInPB]

... The only fuel it has seen is aviation fuel 100LL. The same fuel has been in the tank for this entire period with the addition of a gallon or two here and there. ...

100LL is good for cleaning out a dirty carb too. It's real handy stuff.

I have just one caveat. If you are going to run 100LL in the gas tank, it's a good idea to also run aircraft oil, like aeroshell, in the crank case. Some of the additives in that blue fuel have been known to degrade the lubricity of standard motor oils.

 

[LeeandRick]

100LL is good for cleaning out a dirty carb too. It's real handy stuff.

I have just one caveat. If you are going to run 100LL in the gas tank, it's a good idea to also run aircraft oil, like aeroshell, in the crank case. Some of the additives in that blue fuel have been known to degrade the lubricity of standard motor oils.

In a splash oil system, like the Tohatsu, that runs maybe 20 hours a year before a change, I'm not concerned. But maybe I'll grab a half quart of Aeroshell from the hanger next oil change.