I've had good luck with my 5hp Nissan (which is Tohatsu.) The other well regarded motor, anecdotally, is a Yamaha.
Mercurys seem to get a bad rap, even though they are Tohatsus. The Merc has shifting integrated into the the tiller handle twist throttle, which seems like a very cool innovation to me. The biggest issue with complaints about the Mercs seem to be that they don't idle. This would be caused by extremely small low speed idle jets being clogged, which is a potential issue for all small 4 stroke outboards. The best way to avoid this is to use ethanol free gasoline. If you can't find ethanol free, Biobor EB and Seafoam test well at stabilizing ethanol fuel. The other thing about ethanol fuel is to use it quickly. On my dock, we have a guy with a small Merc on his O'day Daysailer. I never see the boat move on weekends, which isn't to say he's not out during the week. I know he had major problems getting it to start and keep running at idle, and he was cursing his mechanic, having just got the motor back from the shop. But, given that I don't see the boat used often, I know the fuel goes stale, and ethanol gas oxidizes even faster. If he's not using the motor often, and he uses ethanol fuel...??? So, treat your ethanol fuel, use it within a month, and don't let the motor sit unused, and you should be fine. Worst case scenario, find a guy willing to drill out the low speed idle jet. Circumvents some emissions regs, but what price reliability?
I have ONLY used ethanol free gas in my little Nissan since I have owned it 4 or 5 seasons. I treat the fuel with Seafoam and Marine Stabil just in case, and I run the motor 1-2 times a week. I close off the vent when I leave the boat, so it's not sucking in moist air, condensing water into the fuel. I do not run fuel out of the carb after an outing. Last year, I dumped 1/2 of my 3.5 gallon tank into the car at the end of the season. Guess I did more sailing on and off the dock, and I didn't take many motor cruises. I did put the boat in late, and worked too many weekends. But, the motor chugged along. I need more boat time this season....
Mercurys seem to get a bad rap, even though they are Tohatsus. The Merc has shifting integrated into the the tiller handle twist throttle, which seems like a very cool innovation to me. The biggest issue with complaints about the Mercs seem to be that they don't idle. This would be caused by extremely small low speed idle jets being clogged, which is a potential issue for all small 4 stroke outboards. The best way to avoid this is to use ethanol free gasoline. If you can't find ethanol free, Biobor EB and Seafoam test well at stabilizing ethanol fuel. The other thing about ethanol fuel is to use it quickly. On my dock, we have a guy with a small Merc on his O'day Daysailer. I never see the boat move on weekends, which isn't to say he's not out during the week. I know he had major problems getting it to start and keep running at idle, and he was cursing his mechanic, having just got the motor back from the shop. But, given that I don't see the boat used often, I know the fuel goes stale, and ethanol gas oxidizes even faster. If he's not using the motor often, and he uses ethanol fuel...??? So, treat your ethanol fuel, use it within a month, and don't let the motor sit unused, and you should be fine. Worst case scenario, find a guy willing to drill out the low speed idle jet. Circumvents some emissions regs, but what price reliability?
I have ONLY used ethanol free gas in my little Nissan since I have owned it 4 or 5 seasons. I treat the fuel with Seafoam and Marine Stabil just in case, and I run the motor 1-2 times a week. I close off the vent when I leave the boat, so it's not sucking in moist air, condensing water into the fuel. I do not run fuel out of the carb after an outing. Last year, I dumped 1/2 of my 3.5 gallon tank into the car at the end of the season. Guess I did more sailing on and off the dock, and I didn't take many motor cruises. I did put the boat in late, and worked too many weekends. But, the motor chugged along. I need more boat time this season....
