Outboard repairs solent area

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Sailing newbie selsey

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looking for recommendations for someone to repair and service my outboard. Just purchased a yacht which had an outboard for the tender which has not been started in a few years, clamps are seized and engine seems to be seized also, have removed spark plug but still pull cord will not move. It’s a 2.5 hp Yamaha Malta 2 stroke. Looking for someone to possible save it, anyone know a good outboard mechanic In the Solent area please.
thank you
 
An outboard engine siezed you may be throwing money away as costs to free may be more than it is worth. The clamps and piston rings just need penetrating oil and time. If you try and rush it is how you can damage it. An outboard shop would only do what you can do but because of the time required will cost an arm and leg.
If you really want to pay out, Fairweather Marine at Fareham are well known locally as a good repair shop.
 
Agree. You can buy a very decent used motor for £300 which would be less than a proper engineer's costs. Treat it as a lost cause and practice your mechanical skills on it. You may get it going.
Don't rush the clamp screws The casting will break. Lots of Plus Gas (Not WD40) and gentle movements. You could try boiling water , which sometimes frees corrosion on alloy and also try tightening a little before slacking off.
 
Agree won't be an economic repair unless mechanic sticks some 3in1 down the spark plug hole overnight and charges £50 for it. If you do that yourself and that doesn't work...

edit: It looks quite complicated to disassemble being water-cooled and the required gasket set alone is £60. Yamaha 3A (Malta) Power-Head Gasket Set - 6L5-W0001-02 Stick it on ebay for spares or repair and buy one that works
 
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Sailing newbie selsey said:
I did think it may be best just getting another engine, thanks guys, guess it’s eBay here I come !
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Try the oil in barrel first though! Leave it a couple of days. Might work. Perhaps try putting it in gear and turning from the prop end? Not sure if thats stronger than pulling on the starter but at least you might be able to put pressure in both directions from there
 
Athomson said:
Try the oil in barrel first though! Leave it a couple of days. Might work. Perhaps try putting it in gear and turning from the prop end? Not sure if thats stronger than pulling on the starter but at least you might be able to put pressure in both directions from there
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Would you suggest using just 2 stroke oil in the barrel?
 
Take the recoil assembly off so you can wiggle the flywheel .
You get a good feel for if it's moving at all.
It may not be the piston seized in the barrel but the crank bearings seized.
 
You sure it's not in gear and the start in gear protection is not engaged? (If it has that.)

Agree with everyone else. The things someone you paid would do are low tech and you can easily do yourself.

I'm no expert but if you are near Chichester I'd be happy to squirt some oil/plus gas etc into the cylinder and try it after a couple of days and see if the start in gear mechanism is engaged/broken whatever. (I rebuilt my Mariner this winter when the main bearings went so I'm currently at the peak of my outboard knowledge.)

You can't go wrong tinkering - one thing I've learned this winter is two stroke outboards fetch far more in bits than they do as intact runners so there will be a queue of people to buy it as a non runner to break even if you tinker and break/lose something. (Which you won't.)

Regarding gasket kits they are pricey but you can buy gasket paper for three quid and make them yourself which isn't a bit risk on an elderly engine.

EDIT: Just saw your username. I'm at the Chi end of the Selsey Road. In answer to your specific question LME Outboards is near you, but as others have said, getting a pro involved is unlikely to make sense.
 
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Dont dispair, its fairly easy to take the engine apart.. Crankcase bearings are very cheap as long as you go to a bearing shop and not yamaha.. I paid £6.50 v £75 from yamaha..
You can also save on gaskets if they dont rip.. there is a magical gasket sealant that was recommended to me by the outboard centre. I cant remember its name but it saved me around £300 when i rebuilt my mercury 50 with not having to buy new gaskets but reusing the old ones..
The gasket sealant is around £40 for a small pot but a little goes a very long way and can be sucesfully used where rtv sealant would be a very wrong choice.
Ive been trying to find it but cant.. Can make a phone call to find out tomorrow.. Was something like magic gasket (its not that as googled it)
 
Depends whether you are a DIY mechanic or not.
There are a lot of people still using yamaha maltas, even a pretty dead one may have a value for spares or trade in.
There used to be two places in Southsea, Auto Marine and Ron Hale, both worth a phone call.
A good used motor which has been sorted by them or Fairweather would not be a bad gamble IMHO.
 
C08 said:
An outboard engine siezed you may be throwing money away as costs to free may be more than it is worth. The clamps and piston rings just need penetrating oil and time. If you try and rush it is how you can damage it. An outboard shop would only do what you can do but because of the time required will cost an arm and leg.
If you really want to pay out, Fairweather Marine at Fareham are well known locally as a good repair shop.
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+1 for Fairweather Marine. They are also Tohatsu dealers and sometimes have second hand motors for sale. I agree that the Malta is a really good, simple engine and fairly easy to work on at home but if you're not mechanically inclined it will probably not be worth "saving" @ £50.00/hour or so labour charges.
 
So I removed the spark plug and poured some 3 in 1 in the hole after two days I managed to turn the engine over, replaced the plug, after a few pulls it started, but revs were up and down, it ran with a lot of smoke, guess that was the 3 in 1 burning off. It then lost revs and stopped. Fuel tap was on and choke was out. It only ran for about 30 seconds then it would not fire up again despite ten minutes of pulling the start cord. Next step advice please, clean the carb? Thanks
 
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A drop of oil in the bores obviously freed it up when cold. After running for a few minutes the piston will have expanded and tightened in the bore. You might be able to repeat the process when the engine's cooled off, alternatively you might equally break a ring. You've established that it will start so obviously the HT is getting a spark from the plug. I'm assuming you don't have a spare head gasket to hand, but IF you have, just pull the head off and check the bores. 3 in 1 isn't 2-stroke oil so if you have any, use that to lubricate the bores instead, it's designed to burn off and mixes readily with petrol. If you think the piston is still tight in the bore, use penetrating oil down the plug hole, let it lie overnight, then expel any surplus by pulling the cord with the plug out a few times. With the plug out, block the plug hole with your finger and pull the chord to get a rough idea about the compression. If compression is OK and it still does not run, then look at the carb. The one on your engine will be small and have tiny passages and jets. Invest in a can of Carb cleaner; strip the carb carefully over a tea tray covered in kitchen paper ( take lots of Photographs so you remember how to reassemble it ) then clean all the parts with carb cleaner (Do not poke wire through the jets, use the pressure jet from the carb cleaner - if you must poke something use a bristle from a hairbrush). If you wear vinyl or latex gloves you'll protect your hand from the spray. Some carbs have paper gaskets, some don't. A smear of blue Hermatite will do if you're mating metal to metal. We used to use this stuff on gas turbines so the heat from a tiny 2-stroke isn't going to cook it. Just make sure it doesn't get into the float chamber or the body of the carb. Have fun!
 
i have a tohatsu outboard 2.5 hp ,no revese just a tortorse and rabbit,,i have just serviced the motor new plug ,gear oil etc
Just near the cavitation plate there is a small hole with fluid comming out ,,any ideas or is that normal ,
 
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