Choosing a Used Outboard Motor

30 years ago American producers lead the outboard motor industry.Names such as Mercury, Johnson, Evinrude and Chrysler, directed the field competing with every other to produce bigger and larger outboard engines. However, although this was going on they were brushing aside the smallest of the outboards. These are the outboard motors that sell in the greatest of numbers and are typically the initial outboard several of us, get. This getting the case a lot of of us stick to the same brand (brand loyalty) as we get other larger outboards over the years. The Japanese seized on this reality and gradually Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Tohatsu concentrating on little outboards began to take more than as market leaders. They achieved this domination by enhancing efficiency and reliability. As effectively as adding functions to these little outboards previously only located on larger engines.

The Japanese producers expanded up the energy range. They once again came to dominate the outboard engine marketplace up to at least 20 hp. The American manufacturers instead of competing with the Japanese, gave up and decided to buy these engines from the Japanese and badge them as their own. Now the Chinese have entered the industry. Basically performing what the Japanese did previously, copying the very best features of the present engines and at the very same time keeping costs down.

So let us compare the usedoutboard motors that are on offer you for those looking for an outboard motor for their dinghy. If we take a fairly larger dinghy say, a Pioner 12, each outboard has to push a reasonably heavy weight via the water. If we then take the following outboard motors :

Mercury two.5hp Mercury 3.5hp Mariner two.5hp Tohatsu three.5hp Yamaha two.5hp Suzuki two.5hp Honda 2.3hp and a Parsun two.6hp. These outboards are four stroke engines, due to an E.U. Directive that prevents two strokes from being sold in the European.Union. These outboards will provide a fairly wide range of engines offered on the marketplace, for powering dinghies.

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To judge one used boat motor against the one more many tests had been completed. A Bollard pull test showed that the Mercury 3.5hp and Tohatsu 3.5hp were the most powerful at 90lbs of thrust (These two engines along with the Mariner are practically identical). The least efficient was the Honda two.3hp at 66lbs of thrust. In between had been the Suzuki two.5hp at 83lbs of thrust, the Yamaha two.5hp at 78lbs of thrust and the Parsun two.6hp at 70 lbs of thrust.

Next test was Fuel Consumption. At full speed - five.75 knots, the ideal outboards had been the Yamaha 2.5hp and the Suzuki two.5hp by at least 20%. The worst was the Parsun two.6hp. When the throttles were eased and the dinghy was cruising the Fuel Consumption comparision was less evident, only about 10% difference. All these figures are for 4 stroke engines. Nonetheless, based on figures previously recorded for 2 strokes below comparable circumstances, the older engines were up to 50% less fuel effective at full speed. Very thirsty! Keep in mind two stroke outboards are still obtainable second hand.

Then the weight of every single outboard motor was compared. Four stroke engines are heavier than older 2 strokes because of the powerhead and so on. The Mercury, Mariner, Tohatsu, Yamaha and Parsun all weighed approx. 38 - 41 lbs (18 kg.). Nevertheless, the Honda two.3hp and Suzuki 2.5hp weighed a lot much less at 28 lbs (12.five kg.).
The cost of every outboard motor was then compared. This was difficult to be accurate as discounts and sale provides are always changing.
Even though the Parsun was the least expensive and it is practically identical the exact same engine as in the Yamaha two.5hp, it is not as great. It is a bit like me following a Gordon Ramsay recipe, to the letter, but when compared side by side you just know that his is going to be that much better. The Chinese are able to copy, just like the Japanese did ahead of them, but they have not got it appropriate, however!

Finally a little about each and every used outboard tested. The Mercury, Mariner and Tohatsu are the same engine. Starting settings for the throttle are easy to understand with the choke and stop button clearly labelled. The petrol on/off tap is not so clearly marked. All these motors have gears. Ahead and neutral then making use of the 360 degree rotation you can get astern thrust. There are 4 tilt positions and a shallow water ability. Oil levels can be effortlessly checked by viewing the indicator on the side of the engine cover.

The Yamaha 2.5hp also had simply understood starting and stopping settings but the oil level gauge was out of sight below the engine casing cover. As with the Mercury outboard the Yamaha two.5hp has gears, ahead and neutral with 360 degree rotation. Unlike the Mercury which has a shear pin, the Yamaha has a rubber hub at the propeller, so no shear pin to break.

The Suzuki 2.5hp is as above but with the oil gauge simply viewed at the side of the cover. The propeller has a shear pin with spares stowed below the engine cover.

The Honda two.3hp is not water cooled like all the other outboards tested. It is aircooled and has no gears. Instead it uses a centrifugal clutch. This makes beginning and maneuvering more tough than the other people. It just takes a bit of getting utilized to it. The oil gauge is out of sight under the cover. The propeller has a shear pin with spares kept below the engine cover.

Lastly the Parsun two.6hp, a copy of the Yamaha two.5hp but not as great. Nonetheless it is the cheapest engine when new. Fuel consumption was its biggest draw back.

Utilized Boat Motors