Tohatsu 15hp EFI or Yamaha 15hp 2017

[Dunky75]

A quick update. In case it helps anyone. I went with the Tohatsu 15hp efi. (Price was ok and I like the idea of warranty). So far so good. It's been on the boat since June. Probably used 3 times a week for 1 to 5 hrs at a time. Runs smooth and while no outboard is quiet it is definitely quieter than other engines I've had. I will try to remember to keep a bit of an update.

How is the tohatsu 15?

 

[ontheplane]

Also interested as I’ve always had Yamaha myself

 

[Daesal]

So far it's been a great engine.
Never let me down. It's fairly quiet. Fuel economy is good and starts everytime without a problem.
I can only compare it to:
A) My old 2 stroke 15hp Honda and it's a much nicer thing.
B) My old 2 stroke 9.9hp Mariner . That was a great engine , never let me down either. The tohatsu is a bit quieter when on the throttle , but not a lot.

The tohatsu idles very smoothly and quiet, this is where I would notice a big difference with the older engines.
Saying that, when/if the tohatsu is 20 years old then it's a fair time to judge !


I have a 3.5hp tohatsu 4stroke too. That can be slightly harder to start . I

 

[ontheplane]

I can only compare it to:
A) My old 2 stroke 15hp Honda and it's a much nicer thing.

I dont think Honda have EVER made a 2-stroke? Happy to be wrong.

 

[Daesal]

Ah you caught my deliberate missprint ..to see if anyone was paying attention!!!
Or maybe it was a typo... sorry ment to say
Mariner 2stroke Honda 4stroke
But glad your happy to be wrong , sign of good character...
I'm often wrong, but very happy!

 

[Jim@sea]

A boat I bought last year has a 23 year old Tohatsu and when I rang the UK importers I found them very helpful and the parts I wanted were in stock.

 

[Caraway]

I have a 3.5hp tohatsu 4stroke too. That can be slightly harder to start . I

4 strokes can seem difficult to start. But they need a long slow pull rather than the short yank a 2 stroke responds to. Makes sense really, as they only fire every second revolution.

 

[Hot Property]

Tohatsu make the basic engine for the mercury 15/20 efi but mercury add the innovative tiller which allows left or right handed operation plus a whole host of other ergonomic permutations.

I have the 15 Merc and it's on my honwave 3.2 i.e.

One up it flies along at 22 mph ( where permitted!). I looked at the Tohatsu but the Merc won on price and specification.

Forget dealer servicing unless you really don't know one end of a spanner than the other. Change the oils and filter regularly and do the impeller perhaps every 3/4 years, just depends on the hrs run...

 

[Daesal]

4 strokes can seem difficult to start. But they need a long slow pull rather than the short yank a 2 stroke responds to. Makes sense really, as they only fire every second revolution.

Sorry, I should have been more clear.
Both engines are 4 stroke but the 3.5 can be a bit slower to start. It will start though and after 1st start and its warm then all good.Just hope this helps anyone in decision making.

 

[Daesal]

I have the 15 efi and really like it but it would be really interesting to see the difference with 20 efi .
Same weight, same basic engine .

 

[vikingsmb]

Yamaha 15hp are Carb engines, we have them on our rigiflexs at cbyc and they are a tad underpowered though (i'm pushing for them to be uprated to 20hp eventually) and a pain in the backside to start though. Tohatsus 15hp are fab as they are EFI engines as we had one on the rigiflex when i was based at CYC and that engine shifted , Go for either suzuki or tohatsu

 

[Hot Property]

Yamaha 15hp are Carb engines, we have them on our rigiflexs at cbyc and they are a tad underpowered though (i'm pushing for them to be uprated to 20hp eventually) and a pain in the backside to start though. Tohatsus 15hp are fab as they are EFI engines as we had one on the rigiflex when i was based at CYC and that engine shifted , Go for either suzuki or tohatsu

Or you could buy the Mercury/Mariner version of the Tohatsu which has an improved tiller with gear lever and adaptable arm.....

 

[Kev Berry]

Rappey
Do you have a link or anything showing Honda cloned a tohatsu engine?
In a discussion about it?

 

[Davy_S]

All the big Tohatsu's are made by Honda, then re-branded Tohatsu.

 

[Kev Berry]

All the big Tohatsu's are made by Honda, then re-branded Tohatsu.

I know that. I was reffering to the comment that hondas first outboards were cloned from Tohatsu engines. I asked if there was any proof of this

 

[SC35]

All the big Tohatsu's are made by Honda, then re-branded Tohatsu.

150hp and above, yup.

 

[Davy_S]

150hp and above, yup.

The eight new outboards — 60-, 75-, 90-, 115-, 150-, 200-, 225- and 250-hp models — are manufactured by Honda and rebranded under the Tohatsu name, Kurt Gardener, national sales manager for Tohatsu America Corp., told Trade Only Today this morning.

 

[SC35]

The eight new outboards — 60-, 75-, 90-, 115-, 150-, 200-, 225- and 250-hp models — are manufactured by Honda and rebranded under the Tohatsu name, Kurt Gardener, national sales manager for Tohatsu America Corp., told Trade Only Today this morning.

That's from a few years ago.
Not sure that is still the case for the new MFS Range?
They don't seem to match up with Honda engines any more.

150Hp and up still look like Hondas.

INTRODUCING THE ALL NEW 4 STROKE - MFS75/90/100/115A - | NEWS | TOHATSU International

 

[Davy_S]

The way i read it, it was still valid in 2022, the deal was struck around 2013.
Are Honda and Tohatsu outboards the same?