Choice of 5hp outboard engine?

[C08]

I am looking for a 5 or 6hp auxiliary outboard engine, a 2 stroke for ease of storage and I am wondering about the weight difference between an elderly 5 hp compared to a 6 hp. I do not want a heavy lump on a bracket at the back so is there much difference in weight between 5 and 6 hp. I would like a Tohatsu but probably will have to settle for a Yam/Johhnson at about 10/12 years old. Is there much difference in the weight of engines of this era and are there any to ster clear off. I do notice there are more Suzuki outboard engines available as spare or being broken up than any of the others so I shall give those a miss also I have the belief (perhaps wrongly ) that some of the older mercury engines had corrosion problems. Comments/ideas welcomed.

 

[rob2]

Just to start the ball rolling...

At one time the Mariner and Mercury engines were rebadged Yamahas, later they rebadged Tohatsus. Both types are well built engines. I don't know from your post how you are intending to use it, but a few years ago a friend and I had a 5hp Yam, which was a lovely smooth and reliable engine, but it weighed just over 20 kg which made it a strain to lift on and off the boat at the mooring, whether onto the rail for storage or onto the bracket in any sort of chop. Just as a comparison, I now use a Tohatsu 3.5hp 2 stroke on the tender and it weighs around 13 kg - the replacement 4 stroke is around 20 kg!

In your situation it may help to visit the manufacturers' websites and look at the specs. Most sites offer downloads of manuals for older engines in the service section, so you can compare weights. A lot of models are actually the same engine over a range of outputs with the supplied carburation limiting the actual power output - whether the 5hp and 6hp models differ in weight will depend on whether it is actually the same engine (obviously).

Suzuki make some excellent engines and the fact that they are more available as spares may just be a reflection of how many they sold.

Rob.

 

[Lakesailor]

Most Johnson/Evinrudes were twin cylinder at this size so weight may be more than you expect. Plus some 4hp and 7hp models were in fact the same engine.
It gets quite complex.