Great video. We use ours for our tender on our sailboat. One thing that weve done is run the engine dry when not using it for more than two days. That eliminates any carb problems due to dirt or water issues in the carb. I spoke with tohatsu service and they said, if you dont use the engine every day, you need to follow wonter layup procedures - run the engine dry.
I can never understand why an engine maker don't make an electric start 6 hp outboard, Space wise, i would do away with the internal fuel tank to make room for a starter motor. I'm sure if there was one on the market it would be a big seller
How do you fix the locking pull cord? The pull cord on the Mercury 6hp locked when we were out on Lake Erie on our sail boat. It locked up when I tried to restart it before we took our sailboat into the harbor. I watched your video on water and back in harbor after sailing in.. our problem seems to be the white lever doesn't go up when I try to shift into neutral. So not only does pull cord not pull, I can't get it out of forward. Richard
Yeah the white lever will keep the pull start from working when in forward, it’s a safety mechanism. You will have to figure out why it’s not shifting into neutral. It seems like the linkage got out of sync with the lower end unit. You can take the little rubber hole cover off at the bottom and see where the upper shift linkage is coupled with the lower shift linkage. Try loosening that coupling to see if it frees up the shift lever. If it does the issue is the 2 linkages are out of sync or something with your lower end unit. If it doesn’t help then there is an issue on the upper end.
Great video, spot on. I also had issues cold starting and using the internal tank. Switching to an external tank solved the issue immediately. Great tip to prime the system with the external tank before leaving if only using the internal tank! For anyone wanting to bomb around for more than 45-60 minutes on the water would highly recommend the external tank.
I’ve never noticed it not pissing when reving. If it’s peeing at full throttle in forward it’s probably ok. It could be something weird happening with the high rpms and the motor stationary. I would keep an eye on it when you start it each time and when in forward
I've watched hundreds of youtube videos on outboards and boats looking for answers. Not only do you have the absolute BEST videos on all the questions i have but also introduced the BEST answers to questions i didn't even know i would have 😅. Incredible information and camera work. Thank you
Hej Skinny river, lover your videos but I’ve got a question, I have the same engine 6hp mercury from 2023 on my inflatable boat 320cm with me and all luggage I weigh about 130-140kg, including boat and motor, but I only manage about 14 knots or 16-17 mph while your getting 17+ with a setup weighing a lot more, is there anything I could do to go faster?
Thanks for the view!! Inflatables are generally a bit slower and harder to plane than a Jon boat. If you are planing out really well you may be tapped out. I’m actually now only getting 16-17mph (have no idea why 😂) maybe my prop is getting a bit chewed up. You could try a larger pitch prop BUT it would hurt your power and planing performance. Other thing is to experiment with your trim position. If you are dragging your bow increase your trim, if your bow runs high then decrease trim position. If you struggle to plane you could try LOWER pitch prop or maybe a hydrofoil. Good luck
I have a 5 hp sail power for my sailboat (basically the same motor with a long foot, lower pitch prop and smaller carb) and I didn't winterize it last season. This year it gave me lots of trouble by randomly stopping at full power or at idle. I took the carb appart and in a few hours I had it run like new again. I love the motor and I would recommend it too.
Carb issues is caused by fuel evaporating and leaving residues that clog it up. I've always run the carb dry on my 2 strokes, never had carb issue in 35yrs of boating.
i have a big problem can u please help me!! can u make a video on fixing a submerged 5 hp mercury outboard , i literally just bought it brand new and i already submerged it i kno a lil basics of how to pickle the motor and iv done everything but for some resaon my oil light is not going off can u please please help by video or writing me back thanks so much iv watched some of ur videos and there all great .
My engine is leaking oil from the top somewhere.. it drips down from the hole at the shift lever.. I can't find out where it's coming from I hope it's not the head gasket.. it comes somewhere around the fuel pump but I can't find out from where. It's such a pain..
It could be leaking through the fuel pump. It’s attached to the crank shaft. But it could be a head gasket. Let me know if you find it. I’ve been lucky and haven’t had an oil leak issue … yet :)
@Skinnyriver Thanks for the quick response. Do you ever store or transport it on its side? I feel like the design for the oil pan is not great. Do you know what the black thing is that sticks out the engine (under the cover) to the rear? It has 4 bolts and you can take the (house roof shaped) cover off.
Fantastic video! I just picked up a 4hp Mercury outboard and noticed the bore size (123 cc) is the same as the 5 hp and 6 hp outboards and realized the only difference is the carburetor size. Was going to pick up a 6hp carb and swap it out along with a different pitch prop to see if I can really convert it to a 6hp merc.
I've got one of these (2015). I would agree with all you have said. A couple of tricks I've learned.1) I ALWAYS run some Seafoam in the fuel. it cleans the carb and stabilizes the gas. I use a 3 gal tank and never keep more than 2 gal in it. It's best to keep topping off with fresh fuel every other use vs run on old stuff. 3) The motor is harder to start 9especially cold) if you just yank the cord in a traditional way. Per the owners manual , it is best to pull the cord slow for 10-20" or so to run it through a decompression /priming cycle, then pull hard and short when you feel it comes to a hard stop near the end. . Sounds weird but it will start faster and more reliably this way. BTW, my 15 hp Tohatsu is exactly the same way.
The reason it is hard to start is the position of the carburetor because it is so high up on the fuel tank it requires those extra poles in order for the fuel pump to pump the fuel to the carburetor Which is higher than the fuel tank itself this is a very poor design feature from Mercury if you don't want to have those issues and look like a fool with a brand new motor on the dock pulling it to feed gas to the carburetor then buy a Yamaha everything is positioned where it is supposed to be
A good tip to cold starting that engine would be to pull the choke out. Even in your video, the choke isn't pulled out. Advice from an old timer with hundreds of ours on his Mercury 6 h.p.
Was just at a fishing camp that ran Tohatsu 9.8s. The camp had no dock, just a beach landing so we had to be careful to always tilt the motor up and drift to shore at days end. Hunters were also running them in super shallow water and sand/silt was getting sucked up the intake and actually blocking the outlet where the water jets out of the motor. Was a pain to get at and clean out that exit nozzle. Was odd that it was a small enough exit to allow sand and even tiny rocks to build up there and block the exit. Once that exit was cleaned the water exited just fine, so the impeller was still functioning. A lager exit hole would make more sense. Guess the bigger issue is that that same sand/grit will eventually bugger the impeller.
Good point, I’ve never ran into that but I try not to suck up junk. But you would think a bigger nozzle would be easy for them to design in. Maybe an oversight or maybe they keep it small so bugs, wasps won’t get in. Who knows but great point
I would never run the motor in drive or reverse in a barrel. Only neutral. Do not remove the prop because it could cause RPMs to be too high for the motor and cause damage
Thanks very much for all the help. I just purchased a new 2024. The priming was my issue. I never would have figured it out myself. I'm liking all your vids...much appreciated
Hi ! My niece bought a 3.5 hp engine like this from a guy that didn’t use for one year. But it’s only two years old. We cleaned carburetor. It started but it stays revving high when pushed choke in. Can you help us getting it to idle?
odd how people are having problems with cold start. before arriving back at the dock after fishing for the day, i unplug the hose from the motor when im about 45 seconds away from the dock. and sometimes I wait at the dock till the motor turns off and burns all the fuel inside. When I go out fishing again, I prime the bulb, open the choke, and it starts back up first or second pull. I do have a 2024 tohatsu 6hp though so maybe they made some changes or something.
It’s not really an issue with those using an external tank because you have a priming bulb. The internal tank doesn’t have a priming bulb so the first 4 pulls are priming the system (if it’s been sitting). Thats what I have found to be 95% of the issue
Hello, i recently purchased this engine "used" yearmodell 2018, previous owner said they almost never used it only for short trips and it got a service about a month ago, however.. its pretty hard to swap between gears, i need to apply some force and it dosent feel right, ive never owned a boat engine before so iam not sure if its suppose to be like this. any toughts our ideas that could help ? Thanks in advance
Is it hard both when running and when off? It does take a little pressure but I’ve never really noticed it is ‘hard’. The only thing I can think of is either a bent linkage going up to the lever. Or there is a rubber cover on the mid section. If you take that rubber round hole cover off there is a coupling. If someone loosened that and did not get it in the right spot, it will make it hard to shift.
I'm having an even bigger problem. Maybe you can help me. Mine is a 6 in it runs, but it will not rev up what is causing that it. It was running fine 1 day and then it started acting up and it shut off. And ever since then I have not been able to get it to crank. I run right it runs but it only idols it will not rev up???
I purchased a new 2024 2.5 hp Mercury motor of which I am very dissatisfied with this motor. Will not start in the factory start position. Have gotten it to crank only about 3 times in 6 months. Now I can't get the plane pin to go through but one hole. Want my money back.
Great video. I have brand new Tohatsu 6 hp, never seen water yet. Transported home laying face down with prop in the air as per manual. Oil everywhere. What did I do wrong. Will take it to a mechanic. Thankyou from Australia
Before you do take the carb apart, just pull out the gas intake hose and spray inside carburetor cleaner. Wait few hours, make sure you have new gas (drain the old one using the black screw at the bottom of carburetor). Put back the hose and start, if is cold, yes you need the choke, if is warm you do not need it much. Please read the manual. At the storage section it is stipulate clearly the gas with alcohol in it will create gum and a sticky admission valve for gas. Do not store the engine with gas with alcohol in carburetor, it will gum out (Thanks to the Eco-Freaks for adding alcohol in gas). That will prevent starting and running in idle or load. After each use the best is to consume all the gas from the carburetor, leave it dry. Sea Foam marine it is also a good gum cleaner, add it to the gas.
Thanks. Definitely the best video I've seen on this motor. I had the bad starting and also cutting out problem and pulled it aggressively to the start it with the gear interlock cutting in. I'll moderate the first part of the pull as you say. One thing worth mentioning is the remote tank you have looks very much like mine. I found the air bleed has to be all the way undone. There's a detent on it that stops it falling right out. I found that if not screwed right out not enough air can get in and if you're motoring hard it can cut out. Much worse with a full tank because less air to play with at the beginning. If you don't mind spitting out a bit of petrol vapour you can test this by blowing through the hole in the cap to see the difference. Also - this might be useful for some folks. If you leave the fuel tap open and pump the line from the tank you can fill the outboard tank.
Awesome points! Yeah I filled the tank by accident when I pumped the bulb on the external tank lol. I appreciate the view and support! It means a lot. Thanks
I’m having an issue with mine. The 2 little fuel lines that come out of the bottom of the engine just piss fuel out while idling. Runs for a like 10-15 seconds then dies. I’ve cleaned the carb my thought was maybe the float is stuck. Let me know if you have had any similar issues
Yep, I learned by chance to just connect my external tank before leaving home to prime system and then I use the internal tank nearly 100% of time. Cold Starts quickly now, but before it was #!#!#!#! That tip should be added to trouble shooting portion of owner manual.
That’s a new one for me. Does it only click when you pull the pull cord or after the motor starts? Will it start? Is it possible the shift linkage is slightly out of place and it’s slightly in gear? Do you hear the clicking when the motor is running and in neutral? It could also be the safety mechanism that prevents the pull cord from pulling out when in gear. That issue is also cause by shift linkage sightly out of place
Hey, question for you. If you check your oil level and you shine a flashlight into the crankcase does the oil in there look like it has sparkles in it? My 2022 6hp does and my salesman says it's normal
I honestly have never noticed that other than after the 10hr break in period (first oil change). How many hrs do you have on the motor? I would sample the oil during the next oil change and if you notice metal flakes take a photo and send to the dealership so you have a paper trail if something were to happen later on.
Have you changed the oil since the break in procedure? If no, then it’s probably just from the break in process. If you have changed the oil since break in, then I would change oil again and take a sample to make sure there aren’t any noticeable shavings. More than likely it’s just because it’s new but I would document it and send any pics/concerns to the dealer so it’s documented if you ever have an issue.
Tell ya a trick which contridicts you saying about keeping the gas tank full and about the carborator.... Gas that sits in a catborator always goes bad so if you dont use it all the time dont leave gas in it run it on idle till all the gas is gone out of the motor no gas in it your carborator isnt going to gum up ..... That simple...
Yeah I agree, but the cold starting issue isn’t only when it sits for a long time. It can be the next day, so to keep it primed you need to keep the system full. But totally agree, I run it dry if it will sit for more than a couple weeks. There is only a little gas in the carb so it will evaporate and go bad fast. It’s not a bad gas issue, it’s a prime issue. BUT
I use a jet sweeper on the garden hose. Just take off the screen stick it in and it blows everything out no problem and you dont even need to run the motor while doing it
Need some help! I have it running in my tank after just doing impeller all was good . Then decided to do fuel filter and fill up the the tank on board. Reassemble the tank after doing the fuel filter then go to start. Fires for 2 seconds then nothing else. Then l keep on pulling and nothing! Now I'm pulling my hair lol. Just one question when using onboard tank fuel selector should be in what position? I think i had it pointed down to fuel. I'm new with this motor, its a 2002 4 hp 4 stroke Mercury..
If you are using the internal tank the selector should be in the down position. If you are using an external tank it should be in the horizontal position. That is weird, it does sound like a fuel supply issue. Try it again and Let me know how it goes.
Great point, I’m running into it now. Started first time this season and it does on idle. Definitely bad gas in the lines or got some gum in my idle jet. I used stabilizer but still not perfect with a carb.
Fuel stabilisers are are a must realy worked a treat for me. Also here in U.K standard petrol at pumps now has a higher ethanol. Its ways best to use lower ethanol option if available.
Yeah I bought a new Stihl chainsaw and they even have a program where they extend the warranty to 4 years if you buy a couple liters of their non-ethanol fuel and commit to using nonethanol. I haven’t had any carb issues since I’ve been watching the fuel I use
@@Skinnyriver they add extra ethanol to reduce greenhouse gasses . But ethanol wrecks your engine so they have to make more replacement parts and engines the production of which creates more greenhouse gasses ........go figure 🤔
I have the 2015 mercury 6hp 4stroke I bought used Let me make it known this is my first boat motor and I’m learning but I noticed the first time taking it out that when I put it in the tilted up position that it was leaking oil but only when I tilted the motor up only saying that cause I was using it all day no issues but when I went to load the boat up I tilted the motor up and that’s when I noticed the oil leaking down the shaft could it be a seal or lower end oil??I checked the engine oil since and I see no difference and I took it out the other day and I was having a issue that when I was at max rpm going down the river it felt like it was slipping out of gear idk I’m really new to boat motors and boats in general any help would be extremely grateful
When you lay a motor down it has to be laying on the tiller handle side or oil will leak. That is probably what happened is it was tilted to where it was basically laying flat. Make sure when it’s tilted all the way horizontal that the tiller handle side is pointing down. Regarding slipping out of gear, mine does this sometimes and it simply the prop losing grip in the water. This happen a lot on the gal because leaves get caught in front of the prop and it causes turbulent water at the prop.
Hey man what do you recommend I do to increase the speed on my 6hp motor, I bought a bote rover and it came with a Hidea motor, it doesn’t seem like a piece of junk so far but I’ve only reached 11mph. Thoughts?
There’s really not much you can do other than Lower the weight in the boat Make sure your trim position is dialed in and you are planing well Maybe try a higher pitch prop for higher speed (or) a lower pitch prop for more power if you struggle to plane
@@Skinnyriverso I been messing around with my motor lately and somehow my pull start got messed up and it does not retract now, any tips? I took it apart but not sure how to fix
I have a 2.5 mercury, it is leaking gas out of what i assume is the breather (black box on the carb with mesh screen) any suggestions to fix. Really hate to buy a new carb. Motor is 3 years old with very few hours on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated
@@Skinnyriver I actually figured out what was wrong. Something had clogged the two little tubes the come out the bottom of the housing, I assume they are some kind of vent tubes. Took them off and ran a wire thru them. Runs like a champ now. Thank you for your response. I do appreciate it!
My 6 hp tohatsu 4 stroke wont allow me to pull the rope in any position, whether reverse, neutral or forward. That little nylon stop is always down, locking everything up. Any video on how to fix this? Thanks
Will the shifter move freely or is it binding up / locking up? If you see in this video there is a meta rod that moves back and forth that pushes the nylon stop up. Is that metal rod moving when you shift?
I recently purchased a 1963 Thunderbird Sloop Sailboat. The outboard motor (Used to navigate away from the dock and back to the dock) is a Tahatsu 6 horsepower 4 stroke engine. I searched for info regarding the reliability and known common issues. Your video is superb!! Thank you for the detailed information. I subscribed to your channel and look forward to future videos
I just bought a four cycle 6 hp mercury motor from pro bass I have not had any trouble with it I have a just a little bit of trouble starting the motor cold I want to know how much a electric start with cost me since I’m 83 years old and have a little bit of trouble let me have an answer please
@billroberts8253 I honestly don’t know if they have an electric start kit for this motor. I have a video on how to make it start easier. Here: th-cam.com/video/tD2eeR7btXs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=HCXDVtfdzHiELsnw But it might be best for you to trade it in for a 9.9 HP that has electric start option
Dang!!! I don’t have experience with Suzuki but I have heard they are great. What, Yamaha not on your list? I really don’t think you can go wrong with those 3
I have the 6hp mercury 2020 I believe with external fuel tank and my motor will start and run but only with the choke open almost all the way. Any idea what I need to fix on it? Thank you
Usually that means you need to clean the carb. Maybe some build up in there limiting the gas getting to the motor. That’s probably why you need to the choke so the engine pulls in more gas. You could try running some Berryman b-12 through it. That stuff really helped my other motors run better with out tearing down the carb.
I have a new white 6hp tohutsu after selling my older one I really love the features of this motor . I did have carb issues with my last one but I bought it used so wasn't sure if it was a previous use issue. So far soo good with the new one. Great job with the videos
I got my motor yesterday and let it idle for 10 minutes in a bucket of water. In the manual it says to check the oil when its cooled. Shouldn't you check the oil the oil when its warmed ? This thing is super quite ! Where do you order your parts from like the lower end washers? Does it have a crush washer for the motor oil ? Super excited to take this thing out and break it in. Im going to use my watch to keep track of the hours since i did not install an hour meter.
Awesome! Congrats! For the oil, I think you need to let the oil settle in the oil pan before checking level. So I think it’s more about that than oil temp. You can find most parts on Amazon or boats.net. It does have a crush washer, manual says to inspect each oil change and replace as needed. They are cheap so might as well change them each year. I honestly don’t worry about hrs that much. I do everything once a year, or estimate 100 hrs
@@Skinnyriver Im at 7hrs break in. I went out in the tampa bay and had it on shallow water trim mode for about 2 miles less than 3/4 throttle. I forgot to check ! Did i just mess the motor up ? It was deep water.
@@Skinnyriver when im driving the boat the steering handle keeps turning by itself so i have to make it straight the whole time. I did tighten the steering bolt but it keeps doing it. Is this a safety feature in case i go overboard itll just spin in circles? kind of annoying, Basically what im saying is when i let go of the handle it will start steering to the right by itself
Sure not alot of you will approve of this method but.... Before i pull from a cold start i unscrew the gas lid, put a rag over the mouth of the tank and i blow as hard as i can...im not moving much gas but i am increasing the pressure in the system momentarily and has worked when nothing else would
Thank you for a good run throu of the engine. I have a 2014 6 hp that recently started to cut out on idle. I guess it’s the carburettor thar needs cleaning. The one common issue with these engines that you don’t mention is the steering brake. It stops working, and if you use the engine on a sail boat, that’s really annoying!
That’s a good point, I never thought about the steering brake. Let me know if you end up cleaning the carb and if it works. I had a similar issue and ran some B12 Chemtool (kind of like seafoam) and it really helped. Thanks!
Hey, i hcae 2006 4hp 4stroke mercury and i have cleaned carb 2 times and have checked killswitch that works and only use now internal tank but gas is coming great out of line so i have checkd that also. Spark is is looking good but motor wont even promise to start.. now i have bought new sparkplug to try it out on thursday evening.. do you guys have any tips or tricks for that?
Definitely check a new spark plug, did you check spark with a spark tester too? Spark plug could be good but still get no spark. I hate starting fluid but you could try using a little starting fluid, if it starts on starting fluid then you know it’s not a spark and probably not a compression issue. Main things it could be Bad gas No spark or bad plug Fuel air mixture screw on carb is not set right Even though you cleaned carb, could still have issue with idle jet Choke problem Carb float problem (are you sure it’s not flooding?) Fuel pump (but it sounds you have ruled that out) Honestly it might be worth taking it to a shop for diagnosis at least.
@@Skinnyriver dont have plug tester but i try new plug and once more check carb and see if its tuned even near to right. Gasoline is new rite from pump.
Yeah but I don’t think it really matter because when you turn the valve to the external tank it cuts off the internal. So I don’t think it really matters other than it’s just good practice
Never mix oil with gas for a 4-stroke. 4strokes have engine oil. Does not need oil in gas. I use regular 87 octane just like a car (preferably non-ethanol)
Just got the same outboard for my 350 inflatable. So confused.... It cannot glide. Spark plug new, filter new everything after maintenance... Tried everything, trim, move forward nothing changed. Thinking about carb cleaning and adjustment meybe it will help
When you say cannot glide, you are saying it won’t plane out? A friend is mine has an inflatable and had to get a lower pitch prop. If the motor is running well and hitting high full throttle RPMs, it’s more than likely not a motor issue. Really 2 things, put it on a lower trim position, put more weight in the front, look at getting a lower pitch prop.
@@Skinnyriver yeah plane, well getting smaller prop is a good idea! Engine runs fine, just sometimes stalls at idle, so meybe this could be the reason too, also feels like rpms could be higher at full speed. Anyways this is my first outboard motor so I think there is a lot to learn. Thanks for advice!
I love watching your videos I also have a 5hp Merc a 2022 model that I bought new just a few months ago from camping world for 1200 hundred bucks I followed your advice I shut the fuel value off every time I shut it down and so far I've never had a problem with it I have it on a 8ft landau Jon boat and with all my fishing gear including me at 160 pounds it will top out at 22 miles per hour love this very fuel efficient motor.oh and I bought a 9 pitch prop from alliexpress for 22 dollars and that is what increased the speed the stock 8 pitch prop maxed out at about 17 to 18 mph
I have the exact motor. At half to WOT there is a bit of smoke that comes out of the front of the case. Doesn't do it idling or lower throttle. Engine doesn't have a lot of hours... not sure what's going on, but it's really annoying smell that smoke the whole time when using the engine over half to WOT. Any suggestions?
That’s weird, I’ve never noticed that with mine. There shouldn’t be exhaust or smoke coming from under the cowl. Is it possible it’s oil on engine block and it’s smoking off when the motor gets to operating temp? I would wash/wipe the block down and see if it helps. If that doesn’t help, I really don’t know what would cause it
@@Skinnyriver Only does it over 1/2 to WOT throttle, and then disappears with RPMs below that. None at idle. Any thoughts as to an exhaust leak? The engine is maybe 4 years old with under 50 hours.
Man it does sound like an exhaust leak. I’m not that familiar with all the potential failure pts and gaskets to check. I’d run it with the cowl off to see if you can pinpoint a location.
Nice video! Thank you… I own a 6hp Suzuki 4 stroke and have had nothing but problems with it for years… Granted I don’t use it often, but I do use only 91 non-ethanol and Seafoam Marine additive… Love to hear stories of folks who have zero issues with their motors- wish I could join the club! I’m anxiously awaiting an electric option in the future! 🙏🏻
Sorry about the frustrations. I don’t think anyone has ever had zero issues with a boat or motor 😂 I’ve had my share with this motor. But overall it’s been great. Yeah electric is pretty exciting. Also Mercury has a propane option that is interesting.
@@joshanderson924 yeah that’s a good point, 91 will delay ignition and has lower combustion(?) than 87. These motors are designed for 87 octane. I think keys for motors like these are non-ethanol, keep carb clean and RUN THEM! Storage really hurts these motors fuel systems
I don’t think it’s causing any problems but 91 is for high compression engines (like BMWs, Land Rover) it needs high compression to ignite. From what I have read running higher octane than needed doesn’t hurt anything but is just a waste of $$. You don’t really gain a cleaner burn or performance. However running lower octane than the engine is designed for will cause engine knocking because it ignites earlier. So I think you are fine, I just doubt you are gaining anything if the engine was designed for 87.
Men that’s frustrating. Does it happen every time you accelerate or only at certain times? Have you done a compression test? Could also be a timing issue, im not an expert but I’ve read if the timing does not advance then the motor will bog down at high RPMs.
@CarlosGarcia-sf4gx maybe but usually a loose prop nut only result in a lot of vibration. The prop nut holds the prop in place on a spline gear. If that spline gear wore down (because of the loose nut) the motor RPMs would rev through the roof and the boat wouldn’t go anywhere
@CarlosGarcia-sf4gx there is a rev limiter on some Tohatsus, so if your prop is slipping then you could be reving RPMs too high and the rev limiter is kicking in, basically bogging down the motor. Does it bog down if you rev the motor in neutral? That would be a good test
@Skinnyriver wasn't able to get it last weekend but i did get it today and so far I'm loving it and I ended up with a 5 but it's totally fine on my 12 foot Jon boat
Always when starting the outboard for the first time on any day... fill the internal tank to overflowing with the outboard in the down position as if it was in the water and running. Gravity is a beautiful thing and the carb HAS to fill as the top of the fuel tank is above the carb level. (This technique also starts Briggs and Stratton flo-jet carbed (on top of fuel tank) lawn mower engines... With the tank full to overflowing every fuel passage is filled before you start......and it then starts so easily...... Add a squeeze bulb into the line from the internal tank to the carb??? Fit a separate one way flow valve between the internal tank and the fuel pump? (if the one way valves in the fuel pump don't work...back them up).
@@NagulanNathanturn the fuel supply on before turning the air cap open on top. Maybe pull once before opening the top vent. The pressure by the fuel can force the fuel through the line.
@@Skinnyriver my Mercury got bogged down during the trip. I’ve to paddle back to the boat ramp during a hot day. It’s not a pleasant experience at all. Anyhow, it was using non-ethanol gas. Therefore, I don’t suspect the carb got clogged up. Any advice that I should be looking at to resolve the issue? Thanks in advance.
@@Skinnyriver I was using an external fuel tank. I then switched to internal fuel tank, which had much gas inside, but still not able to get the motor restarted.
Some possibilities: If it was hot, external tanks can build up pressure and cause too much gas being sent to your outboard, causing it to flood. Newer external tanks don’t vent out pressure like old tanks. Once a motor floods it’s hard to restart Have you tried to restart it since then? I would try to take it out again just using the internal tank. If it doesn’t happen again it’s something with your external tank. If it happens again with the internal tank, then you may have a fuel filter issue (dirty), thermostat issue, or a fuel pump issue. If it’s not the carb, then it’s probably a fuel flow or temp (running too hot issue) Try to isolate the issue to something and that will help understand root cause Is your motor a newer one or an older one?
Thank you. Sensible video. These outboards are mechanical machines with carburettors, and as such they will not work first time every time on the push of a button. People seem to expect that these days because that is what they get from home electronics, or cars with starter motors and EFI, and so on. Most outboards get minimal use: one or two days a year, sometimes less. People buy boats expecting to spend every sunny summer's day out on the water, then life gets in the way and the outboard sits in the back of the garage for months on end. Follow some basic processes and learn to operate the motor, and it will normally work just fine.
Hey love your videos. I have a 4hp 4stroke mercury with a high idle issue. It idles like a jet engine very loud. Seems to much air but I've checked everything any thoughts. Thanks
Yeah usually that means too much air. There is an idle speed adjustment screw on the carb which changes the fuel air mixture ratio. If it’s a newer model there is sometime a brass cap over the screw. Just fyi it can void warranty if you pop the cap off and adjust it. You can also look at changing the idle jet size (get an idle jet with a slightly larger hole/orrifice size)
I have a 6hp with external tank. It won't reach max RPM. It occasionally will, but only surges to that and then back down to its current max, which I estimate to be 4000 rpm. Have you heard of any issues like that? I'm almost positive it's not fuel starvation, as it doesn't stumble or bog down ever.
That is weird. Is it planing out really good? Mine will only reach 3/4 rpm if it’s struggling to plane out then will “break loose” if it planes fully. Maybe try a couple different trim positions. Also check the prop, if the prop is chipped a lot then it can mess with RPMs and power. I’m not aware of any design issues that cause this but it doesn’t sound like a fuel issue. Some motors have a rev limiter, it’s possible it’s causing the motor to limit out
Great video. We use ours for our tender on our sailboat. One thing that weve done is run the engine dry when not using it for more than two days. That eliminates any carb problems due to dirt or water issues in the carb. I spoke with tohatsu service and they said, if you dont use the engine every day, you need to follow wonter layup procedures - run the engine dry.
Great point! thanks
I can never understand why an engine maker don't make an electric start 6 hp outboard, Space wise, i would do away with the internal fuel tank to make room for a starter motor. I'm sure if there was one on the market it would be a big seller
Yeah that’s a good point I’d rather have a electric started and external battery for sure
Weight gain means may as wellstep up to 8 or 9.8hp. Most electric start motors have remotes.
My merc 2.5 the tank is overtook of the engine this one I could see what you mean the bottom half of the tank is below the carb strange
How do you fix the locking pull cord? The pull cord on the Mercury 6hp locked when we were out on Lake Erie on our sail boat. It locked up when I tried to restart it before we took our sailboat into the harbor. I watched your video on water and back in harbor after sailing in.. our problem seems to be the white lever doesn't go up when I try to shift into neutral. So not only does pull cord not pull, I can't get it out of forward. Richard
Yeah the white lever will keep the pull start from working when in forward, it’s a safety mechanism.
You will have to figure out why it’s not shifting into neutral. It seems like the linkage got out of sync with the lower end unit. You can take the little rubber hole cover off at the bottom and see where the upper shift linkage is coupled with the lower shift linkage.
Try loosening that coupling to see if it frees up the shift lever. If it does the issue is the 2 linkages are out of sync or something with your lower end unit.
If it doesn’t help then there is an issue on the upper end.
Man, your video's really encouraged me to go for a tohatsu. Just picked up a brand new 6hp last week. Greetings fron the Netherlands.
Awesome let me know how you like it.
Great video, spot on. I also had issues cold starting and using the internal tank. Switching to an external tank solved the issue immediately. Great tip to prime the system with the external tank before leaving if only using the internal tank! For anyone wanting to bomb around for more than 45-60 minutes on the water would highly recommend the external tank.
Thanks man, I appreciate the view. Agreed about the external tank
Hey man do your motor always pee? Mine won't pee if i leave it in natural and rev it up at a standstill?
I’ve never noticed it not pissing when reving. If it’s peeing at full throttle in forward it’s probably ok. It could be something weird happening with the high rpms and the motor stationary. I would keep an eye on it when you start it each time and when in forward
I've watched hundreds of youtube videos on outboards and boats looking for answers. Not only do you have the absolute BEST videos on all the questions i have but also introduced the BEST answers to questions i didn't even know i would have 😅. Incredible information and camera work. Thank you
Thank you!!! for the kind words. It really means a lot. Thank you!
Hej Skinny river, lover your videos but I’ve got a question, I have the same engine 6hp mercury from 2023 on my inflatable boat 320cm with me and all luggage I weigh about 130-140kg, including boat and motor, but I only manage about 14 knots or 16-17 mph while your getting 17+ with a setup weighing a lot more, is there anything I could do to go faster?
Thanks for the view!! Inflatables are generally a bit slower and harder to plane than a Jon boat. If you are planing out really well you may be tapped out. I’m actually now only getting 16-17mph (have no idea why 😂) maybe my prop is getting a bit chewed up.
You could try a larger pitch prop BUT it would hurt your power and planing performance. Other thing is to experiment with your trim position. If you are dragging your bow increase your trim, if your bow runs high then decrease trim position.
If you struggle to plane you could try LOWER pitch prop or maybe a hydrofoil.
Good luck
Is it possible to slow these motors for a better troll speed? below 2mph?
How long will the gas last with stabilizer in it?
I think most labels say 1 yr but most people don’t trust it over 3-4 months
Great info, thnks. Trick with pull is to start slow then yank the final third of travel.
I have a 5 hp sail power for my sailboat (basically the same motor with a long foot, lower pitch prop and smaller carb) and I didn't winterize it last season. This year it gave me lots of trouble by randomly stopping at full power or at idle. I took the carb appart and in a few hours I had it run like new again. I love the motor and I would recommend it too.
Great job! Do you think the gas in it gummed up some causing issues?
Carb issues is caused by fuel evaporating and leaving residues that clog it up. I've always run the carb dry on my 2 strokes, never had carb issue in 35yrs of boating.
i have a big problem can u please help me!! can u make a video on fixing a submerged 5 hp mercury outboard , i literally just bought it brand new and i already submerged it i kno a lil basics of how to pickle the motor and iv done everything but for some resaon my oil light is not going off can u please please help by video or writing me back thanks so much iv watched some of ur videos and there all great .
I hate to hear that. I honestly never had to deal with that issue but here is a good video th-cam.com/video/B5_Gb4hLcbk/w-d-xo.html
The Hidea motors fixed this problem by adding a bulb valve between the internal tank and the pump.
Yeah that’s a good idea
My engine is leaking oil from the top somewhere.. it drips down from the hole at the shift lever.. I can't find out where it's coming from I hope it's not the head gasket.. it comes somewhere around the fuel pump but I can't find out from where. It's such a pain..
Also interesting how your fuel filter is between the carb and fuel pump, mine is before the fuelpump.
It could be leaking through the fuel pump. It’s attached to the crank shaft. But it could be a head gasket. Let me know if you find it. I’ve been lucky and haven’t had an oil leak issue … yet :)
@Skinnyriver Thanks for the quick response. Do you ever store or transport it on its side? I feel like the design for the oil pan is not great. Do you know what the black thing is that sticks out the engine (under the cover) to the rear? It has 4 bolts and you can take the (house roof shaped) cover off.
@@Skinnyriver it was the fuel pump forgot to put the ring around it. But now it suddenly won't idle
Fantastic video! I just picked up a 4hp Mercury outboard and noticed the bore size (123 cc) is the same as the 5 hp and 6 hp outboards and realized the only difference is the carburetor size. Was going to pick up a 6hp carb and swap it out along with a different pitch prop to see if I can really convert it to a 6hp merc.
Yeah fun little easy project to upgrade. Let me know if you notice a difference in performance.
I have done this. Worked perfect.
I've got one of these (2015). I would agree with all you have said. A couple of tricks I've learned.1) I ALWAYS run some Seafoam in the fuel. it cleans the carb and stabilizes the gas. I use a 3 gal tank and never keep more than 2 gal in it. It's best to keep topping off with fresh fuel every other use vs run on old stuff. 3) The motor is harder to start 9especially cold) if you just yank the cord in a traditional way. Per the owners manual , it is best to pull the cord slow for 10-20" or so to run it through a decompression /priming cycle, then pull hard and short when you feel it comes to a hard stop near the end. . Sounds weird but it will start faster and more reliably this way. BTW, my 15 hp Tohatsu is exactly the same way.
Thanks! I appreciate the comment and really good points. Yeah I have come to love some seafoam
The reason it is hard to start is the position of the carburetor because it is so high up on the fuel tank it requires those extra poles in order for the fuel pump to pump the fuel to the carburetor Which is higher than the fuel tank itself this is a very poor design feature from Mercury if you don't want to have those issues and look like a fool with a brand new motor on the dock pulling it to feed gas to the carburetor then buy a Yamaha everything is positioned where it is supposed to be
@billallen7716 great pts thanks, yeah it’s a design issue for sure
Thank you very helpful! Just bought this machine in the newer version.
A good tip to cold starting that engine would be to pull the choke out. Even in your video, the choke isn't pulled out. Advice from an old timer with hundreds of ours on his Mercury 6 h.p.
Was just at a fishing camp that ran Tohatsu 9.8s. The camp had no dock, just a beach landing so we had to be careful to always tilt the motor up and drift to shore at days end. Hunters were also running them in super shallow water and sand/silt was getting sucked up the intake and actually blocking the outlet where the water jets out of the motor. Was a pain to get at and clean out that exit nozzle. Was odd that it was a small enough exit to allow sand and even tiny rocks to build up there and block the exit. Once that exit was cleaned the water exited just fine, so the impeller was still functioning. A lager exit hole would make more sense. Guess the bigger issue is that that same sand/grit will eventually bugger the impeller.
Good point, I’ve never ran into that but I try not to suck up junk. But you would think a bigger nozzle would be easy for them to design in. Maybe an oversight or maybe they keep it small so bugs, wasps won’t get in. Who knows but great point
Have a 4 stroke mercury out board 5 horsepower I changed the spark plug it will not start
Should I remove the prop when running my 6HP Merc in a water barrel for testing?
I would never run the motor in drive or reverse in a barrel. Only neutral. Do not remove the prop because it could cause RPMs to be too high for the motor and cause damage
Thanks very much for all the help. I just purchased a new 2024. The priming was my issue. I never would have figured it out myself. I'm liking all your vids...much appreciated
Awesome congrats on the new motor!!
I got a 6hp 2 stroke 1996 starts first pull no choke
Hi ! My niece bought a 3.5 hp engine like this from a guy that didn’t use for one year. But it’s only two years old. We cleaned carburetor. It started but it stays revving high when pushed choke in. Can you help us getting it to idle?
Here is a thread that covers that issue www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/1275957-high-idle-choke.html
odd how people are having problems with cold start. before arriving back at the dock after fishing for the day, i unplug the hose from the motor when im about 45 seconds away from the dock. and sometimes I wait at the dock till the motor turns off and burns all the fuel inside. When I go out fishing again, I prime the bulb, open the choke, and it starts back up first or second pull. I do have a 2024 tohatsu 6hp though so maybe they made some changes or something.
It’s not really an issue with those using an external tank because you have a priming bulb. The internal tank doesn’t have a priming bulb so the first 4 pulls are priming the system (if it’s been sitting). Thats what I have found to be 95% of the issue
Hello,
i recently purchased this engine "used" yearmodell 2018, previous owner said they almost never used it only for short trips and it got a service about a month ago, however.. its pretty hard to swap between gears, i need to apply some force and it dosent feel right, ive never owned a boat engine before so iam not sure if its suppose to be like this. any toughts our ideas that could help ?
Thanks in advance
Is it hard both when running and when off? It does take a little pressure but I’ve never really noticed it is ‘hard’.
The only thing I can think of is either a bent linkage going up to the lever. Or there is a rubber cover on the mid section. If you take that rubber round hole cover off there is a coupling. If someone loosened that and did not get it in the right spot, it will make it hard to shift.
I'm having an even bigger problem. Maybe you can help me. Mine is a 6 in it runs, but it will not rev up what is causing that it. It was running fine 1 day and then it started acting up and it shut off. And ever since then I have not been able to get it to crank. I run right it runs but it only idols it will not rev up???
That sucks, I did a video on motors bogging down and losing power. Maybe it can help. th-cam.com/video/PcjOJ5aDTMI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=VEOFW0xUKaaHV5lZ
I purchased a new 2024 2.5 hp Mercury motor of which I am very dissatisfied with this motor. Will not start in the factory start position. Have gotten it to crank only about 3 times in 6 months. Now I can't get the plane pin to go through but one hole. Want my money back.
Sorry to hear that, utilize the warranty. Maybe you got a lemon. It happens
Great video. I have brand new Tohatsu 6 hp, never seen water yet. Transported home laying face down with prop in the air as per manual. Oil everywhere. What did I do wrong. Will take it to a mechanic. Thankyou from Australia
My 2018 manual says you must transport with the tiller handle side down (on the side). I believe it’s the same for new ones not 100% sure.
Before you do take the carb apart, just pull out the gas intake hose and spray inside carburetor cleaner.
Wait few hours, make sure you have new gas (drain the old one using the black screw at the bottom of carburetor).
Put back the hose and start, if is cold, yes you need the choke, if is warm you do not need it much.
Please read the manual. At the storage section it is stipulate clearly the gas with alcohol in it will create gum and a sticky admission valve for gas.
Do not store the engine with gas with alcohol in carburetor, it will gum out (Thanks to the Eco-Freaks for adding alcohol in gas).
That will prevent starting and running in idle or load. After each use the best is to consume all the gas from the carburetor, leave it dry.
Sea Foam marine it is also a good gum cleaner, add it to the gas.
Great points thanks!!!
Thanks. Definitely the best video I've seen on this motor. I had the bad starting and also cutting out problem and pulled it aggressively to the start it with the gear interlock cutting in. I'll moderate the first part of the pull as you say.
One thing worth mentioning is the remote tank you have looks very much like mine. I found the air bleed has to be all the way undone. There's a detent on it that stops it falling right out. I found that if not screwed right out not enough air can get in and if you're motoring hard it can cut out. Much worse with a full tank because less air to play with at the beginning. If you don't mind spitting out a bit of petrol vapour you can test this by blowing through the hole in the cap to see the difference.
Also - this might be useful for some folks. If you leave the fuel tap open and pump the line from the tank you can fill the outboard tank.
Awesome points! Yeah I filled the tank by accident when I pumped the bulb on the external tank lol. I appreciate the view and support! It means a lot. Thanks
I’m having an issue with mine. The 2 little fuel lines that come out of the bottom of the engine just piss fuel out while idling. Runs for a like 10-15 seconds then dies. I’ve cleaned the carb my thought was maybe the float is stuck. Let me know if you have had any similar issues
Yeah that would be my guess. Here is a video showing close ups of the float th-cam.com/video/WwRhvIakiIo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=PrE0JJQMf6A6k7K3
Yep, I learned by chance to just connect my external tank before leaving home to prime system and then I use the internal tank nearly 100% of time. Cold Starts quickly now, but before it was #!#!#!#! That tip should be added to trouble shooting portion of owner manual.
Yeah it took me a year and some old timers advice to figure this out.. I was hating this thing but now it’s great!
My 2023 6hp tohatsu having issues like theres clicking noise when im pulling starter to start the engine, any advise how to fix it?
That’s a new one for me. Does it only click when you pull the pull cord or after the motor starts? Will it start?
Is it possible the shift linkage is slightly out of place and it’s slightly in gear? Do you hear the clicking when the motor is running and in neutral? It could also be the safety mechanism that prevents the pull cord from pulling out when in gear. That issue is also cause by shift linkage sightly out of place
Hey, question for you. If you check your oil level and you shine a flashlight into the crankcase does the oil in there look like it has sparkles in it?
My 2022 6hp does and my salesman says it's normal
I honestly have never noticed that other than after the 10hr break in period (first oil change). How many hrs do you have on the motor? I would sample the oil during the next oil change and if you notice metal flakes take a photo and send to the dealership so you have a paper trail if something were to happen later on.
@@Skinnyriver Just over 55hrs on it
Have you changed the oil since the break in procedure? If no, then it’s probably just from the break in process. If you have changed the oil since break in, then I would change oil again and take a sample to make sure there aren’t any noticeable shavings. More than likely it’s just because it’s new but I would document it and send any pics/concerns to the dealer so it’s documented if you ever have an issue.
Thanks for sharing the tricks Sir, especially the issue #1. Following your advice, I am able to easily start my motor every time.
Awesome! Thanks for the comment
Tell ya a trick which contridicts you saying about keeping the gas tank full and about the carborator.... Gas that sits in a catborator always goes bad so if you dont use it all the time dont leave gas in it run it on idle till all the gas is gone out of the motor no gas in it your carborator isnt going to gum up ..... That simple...
Yeah I agree, but the cold starting issue isn’t only when it sits for a long time. It can be the next day, so to keep it primed you need to keep the system full.
But totally agree, I run it dry if it will sit for more than a couple weeks. There is only a little gas in the carb so it will evaporate and go bad fast. It’s not a bad gas issue, it’s a prime issue. BUT
I use a jet sweeper on the garden hose. Just take off the screen stick it in and it blows everything out no problem and you dont even need to run the motor while doing it
Great point
Need some help! I have it running in my tank after just doing impeller all was good . Then decided to do fuel filter and fill up the the tank on board. Reassemble the tank after doing the fuel filter then go to start. Fires for 2 seconds then nothing else. Then l keep on pulling and nothing! Now I'm pulling my hair lol. Just one question when using onboard tank fuel selector should be in what position? I think i had it pointed down to fuel. I'm new with this motor, its a 2002 4 hp 4 stroke Mercury..
If you are using the internal tank the selector should be in the down position. If you are using an external tank it should be in the horizontal position.
That is weird, it does sound like a fuel supply issue. Try it again and Let me know how it goes.
Carb with 4 stroke can be problematic Stabilizer with water separating filter can help.
Great point, I’m running into it now. Started first time this season and it does on idle. Definitely bad gas in the lines or got some gum in my idle jet. I used stabilizer but still not perfect with a carb.
Fuel stabilisers are are a must realy worked a treat for me. Also here in U.K standard petrol at pumps now has a higher ethanol. Its ways best to use lower ethanol option if available.
Yeah I bought a new Stihl chainsaw and they even have a program where they extend the warranty to 4 years if you buy a couple liters of their non-ethanol fuel and commit to using nonethanol. I haven’t had any carb issues since I’ve been watching the fuel I use
@@Skinnyriver they add extra ethanol to reduce greenhouse gasses . But ethanol wrecks your engine so they have to make more replacement parts and engines the production of which creates more greenhouse gasses ........go figure 🤔
I have the 2015 mercury 6hp 4stroke I bought used Let me make it known this is my first boat motor and I’m learning but I noticed the first time taking it out that when I put it in the tilted up position that it was leaking oil but only when I tilted the motor up only saying that cause I was using it all day no issues but when I went to load the boat up I tilted the motor up and that’s when I noticed the oil leaking down the shaft could it be a seal or lower end oil??I checked the engine oil since and I see no difference and I took it out the other day and I was having a issue that when I was at max rpm going down the river it felt like it was slipping out of gear idk I’m really new to boat motors and boats in general any help would be extremely grateful
When you lay a motor down it has to be laying on the tiller handle side or oil will leak. That is probably what happened is it was tilted to where it was basically laying flat. Make sure when it’s tilted all the way horizontal that the tiller handle side is pointing down.
Regarding slipping out of gear, mine does this sometimes and it simply the prop losing grip in the water. This happen a lot on the gal because leaves get caught in front of the prop and it causes turbulent water at the prop.
Hey man what do you recommend I do to increase the speed on my 6hp motor, I bought a bote rover and it came with a Hidea motor, it doesn’t seem like a piece of junk so far but I’ve only reached 11mph. Thoughts?
There’s really not much you can do other than
Lower the weight in the boat
Make sure your trim position is dialed in and you are planing well
Maybe try a higher pitch prop for higher speed (or) a lower pitch prop for more power if you struggle to plane
Here is a vid I did on speed th-cam.com/video/6xD7Ao3uN9c/w-d-xo.htmlsi=NtTkObcVXb6XtCKT
@@Skinnyriver thank you
@@Skinnyriver thank you
@@Skinnyriverso I been messing around with my motor lately and somehow my pull start got messed up and it does not retract now, any tips? I took it apart but not sure how to fix
I have a 2.5 mercury, it is leaking gas out of what i assume is the breather (black box on the carb with mesh screen) any suggestions to fix. Really hate to buy a new carb. Motor is 3 years old with very few hours on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated
Sounds like the carb is flooding?? I would take the carb off, check the float and clean the needle valve where the gas goes into the carb
@@Skinnyriver I actually figured out what was wrong. Something had clogged the two little tubes the come out the bottom of the housing, I assume they are some kind of vent tubes. Took them off and ran a wire thru them. Runs like a champ now. Thank you for your response. I do appreciate it!
My 6 hp tohatsu 4 stroke wont allow me to pull the rope in any position, whether reverse, neutral or forward. That little nylon stop is always down, locking everything up. Any video on how to fix this? Thanks
Will the shifter move freely or is it binding up / locking up? If you see in this video there is a meta rod that moves back and forth that pushes the nylon stop up. Is that metal rod moving when you shift?
I recently purchased a 1963 Thunderbird Sloop Sailboat. The outboard motor (Used to navigate away from the dock and back to the dock) is a Tahatsu 6 horsepower 4 stroke engine. I searched for info regarding the reliability and known common issues. Your video is superb!! Thank you for the detailed information. I subscribed to your channel and look forward to future videos
Awesome, thanks for the kind words. Good luck with the boat and motor. Hope it lasts forever for you
I just bought a four cycle 6 hp mercury motor from pro bass I have not had any trouble with it I have a just a little bit of trouble starting the motor cold I want to know how much a electric start with cost me since I’m 83 years old and have a little bit of trouble let me have an answer please
@billroberts8253 I honestly don’t know if they have an electric start kit for this motor. I have a video on how to make it start easier. Here: th-cam.com/video/tD2eeR7btXs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=HCXDVtfdzHiELsnw
But it might be best for you to trade it in for a 9.9 HP that has electric start option
What you choose between an Suzuki 5 hp 4T or Tohatsu 5 hp 4T ?
Dang!!! I don’t have experience with Suzuki but I have heard they are great. What, Yamaha not on your list? I really don’t think you can go wrong with those 3
I’ve had nothing but trouble with these engines. Would not recommend one at all
Thanks for the opinion
I tryed a few things nothing works
I have the 6hp mercury 2020 I believe with external fuel tank and my motor will start and run but only with the choke open almost all the way. Any idea what I need to fix on it? Thank you
Usually that means you need to clean the carb. Maybe some build up in there limiting the gas getting to the motor. That’s probably why you need to the choke so the engine pulls in more gas.
You could try running some Berryman b-12 through it. That stuff really helped my other motors run better with out tearing down the carb.
@@Skinnyriver thank you for the reply
I have a new white 6hp tohutsu after selling my older one I really love the features of this motor . I did have carb issues with my last one but I bought it used so wasn't sure if it was a previous use issue. So far soo good with the new one. Great job with the videos
Awesome! Hope you enjoy it
I got my motor yesterday and let it idle for 10 minutes in a bucket of water. In the manual it says to check the oil when its cooled. Shouldn't you check the oil the oil when its warmed ? This thing is super quite ! Where do you order your parts from like the lower end washers? Does it have a crush washer for the motor oil ? Super excited to take this thing out and break it in. Im going to use my watch to keep track of the hours since i did not install an hour meter.
Awesome! Congrats! For the oil, I think you need to let the oil settle in the oil pan before checking level. So I think it’s more about that than oil temp. You can find most parts on Amazon or boats.net. It does have a crush washer, manual says to inspect each oil change and replace as needed. They are cheap so might as well change them each year. I honestly don’t worry about hrs that much. I do everything once a year, or estimate 100 hrs
@@Skinnyriver Im at 7hrs break in. I went out in the tampa bay and had it on shallow water trim mode for about 2 miles less than 3/4 throttle. I forgot to check ! Did i just mess the motor up ? It was deep water.
@MarkTwain-my3zt your good! It shouldn’t be an issue. I’ve ran mine that long in shallow water position
@@Skinnyriver I do appreciate your help ! This motor is great i love it . Youre the reason why i chose it
@@Skinnyriver when im driving the boat the steering handle keeps turning by itself so i have to make it straight the whole time. I did tighten the steering bolt but it keeps doing it. Is this a safety feature in case i go overboard itll just spin in circles? kind of annoying, Basically what im saying is when i let go of the handle it will start steering to the right by itself
Sure not alot of you will approve of this method but....
Before i pull from a cold start i unscrew the gas lid, put a rag over the mouth of the tank and i blow as hard as i can...im not moving much gas but i am increasing the pressure in the system momentarily and has worked when nothing else would
lol yeah I’ve heard a lot of old timers do that.
Pull the choke out. Even in the video of a cold start, the choke is pushed in...
Thank you for a good run throu of the engine. I have a 2014 6 hp that recently started to cut out on idle. I guess it’s the carburettor thar needs cleaning. The one common issue with these engines that you don’t mention is the steering brake. It stops working, and if you use the engine on a sail boat, that’s really annoying!
That’s a good point, I never thought about the steering brake. Let me know if you end up cleaning the carb and if it works. I had a similar issue and ran some B12 Chemtool (kind of like seafoam) and it really helped. Thanks!
@@Skinnyriver I cleaned the carburettor following your video, and it now purrs like a kitten. Idle jet blocked; easy fix thanks to your video!
Awesome glad it worked out!
Hey, i hcae 2006 4hp 4stroke mercury and i have cleaned carb 2 times and have checked killswitch that works and only use now internal tank but gas is coming great out of line so i have checkd that also. Spark is is looking good but motor wont even promise to start.. now i have bought new sparkplug to try it out on thursday evening.. do you guys have any tips or tricks for that?
Definitely check a new spark plug, did you check spark with a spark tester too? Spark plug could be good but still get no spark. I hate starting fluid but you could try using a little starting fluid, if it starts on starting fluid then you know it’s not a spark and probably not a compression issue. Main things it could be
Bad gas
No spark or bad plug
Fuel air mixture screw on carb is not set right
Even though you cleaned carb, could still have issue with idle jet
Choke problem
Carb float problem (are you sure it’s not flooding?)
Fuel pump (but it sounds you have ruled that out)
Honestly it might be worth taking it to a shop for diagnosis at least.
@@Skinnyriver dont have plug tester but i try new plug and once more check carb and see if its tuned even near to right. Gasoline is new rite from pump.
Good advice - thanks
When you use the remote tank do you close the vent on the internal tank?
Yeah but I don’t think it really matter because when you turn the valve to the external tank it cuts off the internal. So I don’t think it really matters other than it’s just good practice
What type of gas should I use in a Mercury 6hp 4 stroke, and if I should mix it with oil
Never mix oil with gas for a 4-stroke. 4strokes have engine oil. Does not need oil in gas. I use regular 87 octane just like a car (preferably non-ethanol)
Thanks
Olá adoro os vídeos que fazes. Poderias me dizer qual é a melhor hélice para esse motor???
O meu tem uma 7.8x8
Obrigado
Just got the same outboard for my 350 inflatable. So confused.... It cannot glide. Spark plug new, filter new everything after maintenance... Tried everything, trim, move forward nothing changed. Thinking about carb cleaning and adjustment meybe it will help
When you say cannot glide, you are saying it won’t plane out? A friend is mine has an inflatable and had to get a lower pitch prop. If the motor is running well and hitting high full throttle RPMs, it’s more than likely not a motor issue. Really 2 things, put it on a lower trim position, put more weight in the front, look at getting a lower pitch prop.
@@Skinnyriver yeah plane, well getting smaller prop is a good idea! Engine runs fine, just sometimes stalls at idle, so meybe this could be the reason too, also feels like rpms could be higher at full speed. Anyways this is my first outboard motor so I think there is a lot to learn. Thanks for advice!
Check out this vid from an inflatable boat guy th-cam.com/video/4LD4dDIbjW0/w-d-xo.html
Another great video... U been fishing? 🎣
Man someone stole my kayak and that kinda set me back fishing… but going this weekend for sure!!!
Going to look at an inflatable today with one on it, thanks for the tips
I think you will like it if it’s in good shape. Thanks for the view!
I love watching your videos I also have a 5hp Merc a 2022 model that I bought new just a few months ago from camping world for 1200 hundred bucks I followed your advice I shut the fuel value off every time I shut it down and so far I've never had a problem with it I have it on a 8ft landau Jon boat and with all my fishing gear including me at 160 pounds it will top out at 22 miles per hour love this very fuel efficient motor.oh and I bought a 9 pitch prop from alliexpress for 22 dollars and that is what increased the speed the stock 8 pitch prop maxed out at about 17 to 18 mph
Awesome glad you like it. I may need to try out that 9 pitch !!! I’m currently topping out at 17 now
@@Skinnyriver do you have Facebook
@MichaelDonegan-jr9iz no didn’t make a FB page. My email is in the video descriptions if you ever watch to reach out
@@Skinnyriver ok thanks brother
I have the exact motor. At half to WOT there is a bit of smoke that comes out of the front of the case. Doesn't do it idling or lower throttle. Engine doesn't have a lot of hours... not sure what's going on, but it's really annoying smell that smoke the whole time when using the engine over half to WOT. Any suggestions?
That’s weird, I’ve never noticed that with mine. There shouldn’t be exhaust or smoke coming from under the cowl. Is it possible it’s oil on engine block and it’s smoking off when the motor gets to operating temp? I would wash/wipe the block down and see if it helps. If that doesn’t help, I really don’t know what would cause it
@@Skinnyriver Only does it over 1/2 to WOT throttle, and then disappears with RPMs below that. None at idle. Any thoughts as to an exhaust leak? The engine is maybe 4 years old with under 50 hours.
Man it does sound like an exhaust leak. I’m not that familiar with all the potential failure pts and gaskets to check. I’d run it with the cowl off to see if you can pinpoint a location.
@@Skinnyriver ok. Do you know if this is a big deal to fix? I'll check all the bolts etc but worst case till probably need to be repaired.
burn the fuel from the carburador before turning the engine off. that's huge!!!
Nice video! Thank you… I own a 6hp Suzuki 4 stroke and have had nothing but problems with it for years… Granted I don’t use it often, but I do use only 91 non-ethanol and Seafoam Marine additive… Love to hear stories of folks who have zero issues with their motors- wish I could join the club! I’m anxiously awaiting an electric option in the future! 🙏🏻
Sorry about the frustrations. I don’t think anyone has ever had zero issues with a boat or motor 😂 I’ve had my share with this motor. But overall it’s been great. Yeah electric is pretty exciting. Also Mercury has a propane option that is interesting.
You're using 91 that's why you're having problems. Use 87
@@joshanderson924 yeah that’s a good point, 91 will delay ignition and has lower combustion(?) than 87. These motors are designed for 87 octane. I think keys for motors like these are non-ethanol, keep carb clean and RUN THEM! Storage really hurts these motors fuel systems
@@joshanderson924 Hmmm… I’m willing to switch back, but basically everybody I’ve spoken with up here in northern Minnesota says the exact opposite?
I don’t think it’s causing any problems but 91 is for high compression engines (like BMWs, Land Rover) it needs high compression to ignite. From what I have read running higher octane than needed doesn’t hurt anything but is just a waste of $$. You don’t really gain a cleaner burn or performance. However running lower octane than the engine is designed for will cause engine knocking because it ignites earlier. So I think you are fine, I just doubt you are gaining anything if the engine was designed for 87.
I have tohatsu 5 hp i confirm all these issues
I have a 2006 tohatsu 6hp she always bogs at accelerating can’t figure it out. New tank and hose, new crab. New pump. New filter idk!
But also I noticed my prop nut was loose so maybe it’s that?
Men that’s frustrating. Does it happen every time you accelerate or only at certain times? Have you done a compression test? Could also be a timing issue, im not an expert but I’ve read if the timing does not advance then the motor will bog down at high RPMs.
@CarlosGarcia-sf4gx maybe but usually a loose prop nut only result in a lot of vibration. The prop nut holds the prop in place on a spline gear. If that spline gear wore down (because of the loose nut) the motor RPMs would rev through the roof and the boat wouldn’t go anywhere
@CarlosGarcia-sf4gx there is a rev limiter on some Tohatsus, so if your prop is slipping then you could be reving RPMs too high and the rev limiter is kicking in, basically bogging down the motor. Does it bog down if you rev the motor in neutral? That would be a good test
Hey so it doesn’t bog in neutral. Also it does bog down too when I’m slowing down and I did put a new spark plug
Going to try to buy a new 2023 6hp this weekend
Nice good luck, hope you get it
@Skinnyriver wasn't able to get it last weekend but i did get it today and so far I'm loving it and I ended up with a 5 but it's totally fine on my 12 foot Jon boat
@jasonduncan6398 congrats
Fantastic
Thanks for the view, your last sturgeon short was awesome. The thumbnail was great!!!
Does 20 hp tohatsu have same issues ?
Always when starting the outboard for the first time on any day...
fill the internal tank to overflowing with the outboard in the down position as if it was in the water and running.
Gravity is a beautiful thing and the carb HAS to fill as the top of the fuel tank is above the carb level.
(This technique also starts Briggs and Stratton flo-jet carbed (on top of fuel tank) lawn mower engines...
With the tank full to overflowing every fuel passage is filled before you start......and it then starts so easily......
Add a squeeze bulb into the line from the internal tank to the carb???
Fit a separate one way flow valve between the internal tank and the fuel pump? (if the one way valves in the fuel pump don't work...back them up).
even with the fuel at the very top, my fuel filter is only 1/3rd - 1/2 full- and I can't get it to prime and start. Brand new, never started outboard
@@NagulanNathanturn the fuel supply on before turning the air cap open on top. Maybe pull once before opening the top vent. The pressure by the fuel can force the fuel through the line.
Another great video for advice. Thanks sir.
Thanks again for the support and views!!!!
@@Skinnyriver my Mercury got bogged down during the trip. I’ve to paddle back to the boat ramp during a hot day. It’s not a pleasant experience at all. Anyhow, it was using non-ethanol gas. Therefore, I don’t suspect the carb got clogged up. Any advice that I should be looking at to resolve the issue? Thanks in advance.
We’re you using the external gas tank or the internal gas tank?
@@Skinnyriver I was using an external fuel tank. I then switched to internal fuel tank, which had much gas inside, but still not able to get the motor restarted.
Some possibilities:
If it was hot, external tanks can build up pressure and cause too much gas being sent to your outboard, causing it to flood. Newer external tanks don’t vent out pressure like old tanks. Once a motor floods it’s hard to restart
Have you tried to restart it since then? I would try to take it out again just using the internal tank. If it doesn’t happen again it’s something with your external tank.
If it happens again with the internal tank, then you may have a fuel filter issue (dirty), thermostat issue, or a fuel pump issue.
If it’s not the carb, then it’s probably a fuel flow or temp (running too hot issue)
Try to isolate the issue to something and that will help understand root cause
Is your motor a newer one or an older one?
Thank you. Sensible video. These outboards are mechanical machines with carburettors, and as such they will not work first time every time on the push of a button. People seem to expect that these days because that is what they get from home electronics, or cars with starter motors and EFI, and so on. Most outboards get minimal use: one or two days a year, sometimes less. People buy boats expecting to spend every sunny summer's day out on the water, then life gets in the way and the outboard sits in the back of the garage for months on end. Follow some basic processes and learn to operate the motor, and it will normally work just fine.
Awesome points, thanks
Hey love your videos. I have a 4hp 4stroke mercury with a high idle issue. It idles like a jet engine very loud. Seems to much air but I've checked everything any thoughts.
Thanks
Yeah usually that means too much air. There is an idle speed adjustment screw on the carb which changes the fuel air mixture ratio. If it’s a newer model there is sometime a brass cap over the screw. Just fyi it can void warranty if you pop the cap off and adjust it. You can also look at changing the idle jet size (get an idle jet with a slightly larger hole/orrifice size)
I have a 6hp with external tank. It won't reach max RPM. It occasionally will, but only surges to that and then back down to its current max, which I estimate to be 4000 rpm. Have you heard of any issues like that? I'm almost positive it's not fuel starvation, as it doesn't stumble or bog down ever.
That is weird. Is it planing out really good? Mine will only reach 3/4 rpm if it’s struggling to plane out then will “break loose” if it planes fully. Maybe try a couple different trim positions. Also check the prop, if the prop is chipped a lot then it can mess with RPMs and power. I’m not aware of any design issues that cause this but it doesn’t sound like a fuel issue. Some motors have a rev limiter, it’s possible it’s causing the motor to limit out