Nissan Outboards

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PrincessoftheLake

PrincessoftheLake

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Jun 9, 2004
963
Hunter 40.5 Bayfield, WI
Captain Grumpy and I just bought a brand new Nissna 3.5HP OB for the dinghy. Nissan was not his first pick but I talked him into it because the dealer is a yacht broker/ship store that we have done business with for years. So, just the other day he heard from another local sailor that a buddy of his had trouble with his new Nissan (it would not start if the boat was in rough water and getting jounced around)and that is was so bad he took it back. So now he is convinced we made a mistake and we should have bought the Mercury from WM. Can anyone tell me if they have any experience, bad or good, with Nissan?
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,688
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
going on 6 years trouble-free!

there are horror stories regardless of what it is so don't go by one opinion.
 
LKYusnret

LKYusnret

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Feb 26, 2004
179
Hunter 260 Sophia, NC
I have two Tohatsu's

a 9.8 for the main engine and a 4 for the dink. Love EM both. Tohatsu makes the Nissan o/b and the smaller Mercury o/b. They are the same thing. Made at the same factory and just labeled differently. The Tohatsu is cheaper...... go figure. John USNret S/V Baums Rush
 
Rick D

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,204
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Both The Same

The Merc and Nissan are the same. I have not heard of this problem and have had two over 15 years. However, the gas you get today is 'dead' in just a couple of months and they will not start with stale gas. At least in my experience. I also think that they run leaner than the old ones, probably an emission thing, so I have to use more choke when starting it than my older one. You made the right choice; problems your friend had are no doubt a one-unit problem. By the way, that motor is a staple amoung the racing set with the one-design 20-26 foot boats, and they go out in any weather, and I have had mine in some pretty sloppy stuff and never noticed any start issue. It's always "I have a friend who...." Rick D. PS: I am referring to the two-stroke.
 
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Paul Mierszczenski

So Far So Good!

I bought the same engine for the dink just before Thanksgiving. Have about 10 hours on it (sorry about that for those of you in the North)and really like it. The extra torque it has compaired to the 2-stroke makes a big diffrence in handling and speed. It is a little more difficult to get over the rail because of the extra weight,but if it's choppy I can rig it to the boom vang hung off the end of the boom and lower it to the dink that way. PM
 
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Ben16737

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May 14, 2004
99
Catalina Capri 22 Town Creek, MD
Me, too

My boat came with an '87 Nissan 5 horse, 2 stroke. It's been great so far. *knockwood* Only work done to it over the last 5 years is changing lower unit oil, replaced the impellor once, and patched a leaky gas tank.
 
Shippy

Shippy

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Jun 1, 2004
272
Hunter 356 Harve de Grace
Tohatsu

I bought the tohatsu at the beginning of last season for the dink and it worked great. Had an issue with the fuel cutoff knob, but quickly fixed. The tohatsu, Nissan and Merc are all the same for teh smaller engines and the Tohatsu had the best price and best warrenty (forget what it was off hand) at the time.
 
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makingthyme

Nissan

I had a Nissan 5 hp 4 stroke on my last boat (which is in Bayfield)and had no problems with it for the two years that I owned it.
 
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Tim

Ditto to all of the above, but.....

I have purchased and used both a Nissan and Tohatsu 6hp. I currently run the 6hp on my dink and have had nothing but wonderful luck. I am a big believer in loyalty to a good retailer but check out what you paid versus where I bought both of mine: www.onlineoutboards.com . I had a minor Customer service and after sale service have been great. I purchased high altitude props from them as well and their price was the best anywhere. Tim
 
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Al

Nissan 9.8 electric start

is what came with my 2003 10'2" WM RIB. The engine had not been run since 2003 and I was worried I would have problems getting it to start and run last year when I bought the whole rig. Some fresh gas and it started right up and ran great all last summer. I really wasn't looking for that big of an engine but I really like it for taking the dink out fishing and cruising. Sure ! I'd buy another Nissan engine. There's always someone thats going to complain about just about everything they buy, have or get.
 
higgs

higgs

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Aug 24, 2005
3,736
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
Nissan

Nissan is fine and MC probably is, too. Loyalty often gives you advantages that go far beyond other issues.
 
PrincessoftheLake

PrincessoftheLake

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Jun 9, 2004
963
Hunter 40.5 Bayfield, WI
Thanks everyone!

I appreciate the comments and advice. I did go online and check the price and I am happy to see that my local did not overcharge me hugely (I paid about $80 more than the online price). On the other hand, he is a local yacht broker and ship store and I like doing business with him. I bought a lot of goodwill with the new motor purchase. I can't wait to fire it up!!
 
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Ed Wolfe

3.5 engine is a problem

My 80 ish old friend finally turned in the oars last year for a new nissan 3,5 and had nothing but trouble . After the first rescue we did find water in the gas. But on several occasions the motor would quit if it was not level. Word on the docks is a design problem with the fuel system on the 3.5 After the 4th or 5th shutdown ,his solution was to drop it off at the dealer,walk away and buy a everrude.He never even asked for his money back! As you may know a motor on a dingy will never be level.
 
Rick D

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,204
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Um, Ed...

...that's why they have an adjustable tilt, no?
 
seadaddler

seadaddler

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Dec 19, 2006
5,832
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Nissan 3.5

My wife got me a new nisson 3.5 two stroke last christmas. So I hope that its not a problem to use on our dink this boating season. Anyone else have any thing bad or good to say about this outboaard,other boaters that we spoke with about the nissan 3.5 had all good things. We wanted it because its so small and light. Nick
 
chuckwayne

chuckwayne

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Mar 20, 2004
1,753
Hunter 356 and 216 Portland, ME
we've got the merc version-works great!

it's run flawlessly for 6 years now, with only standard maintenance-I'd have no qualms about using it. BTW, hasn't evinrude been out of business for more than a few years??
 
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AndyK

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Mar 10, 2004
195
Hunter 33 Salem, MA
We have the Nissan 5 HP 4 stroke

Works great. The only issue I have ever had is the weight of the 4 stroke models. We had to install a lift arm to get the 55lb motor up onto the rail. I used to just grunt and lift it over my head to my wife who put it on the rail. After almost dropping it once we decided then and there to add the hoist. No problems since. The only issue I have ever had was water in the fuel seperator. All it took to fix it was the dime in my pocket to loosen the drain screw. Started right up after that. Andy
 
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tony z

Bulletproof

We have the same motor. It has seen the bottom of the ocean a few times due to stupidity. It was actually on fire once due to stupidity also and it is still running quite well. Save for a lemmon, you did not make a mistake. I have not yet heard bad things about this motor. Nothing but good.
 
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Peter

7hp

Had an older 7 hp 2-stroke. I threw it in as an incentive to sell a Westerly 22. Now I wish I had kept it for general utility. Great engine. It could be a little tempermental in the cold, but I suspect the carb just needed cleaning.
 
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