Tohatsu 2 stroke outboards - any good?

[Tim Good]

I've got a Mercury 3.5hp and been offered a Tohatsu 5hp 2 stroke by an engineers in Las Palmas, Canaries.

Has anyone had any issues with old Tohatsu outboards? Are they are solid as the Yams?

 

[jamie N]

All Mercury outboards below 40hp are made by Tohatsu I believe, and are generally very good engines in my experience.

 

[sailorman]

I've got a Mercury 3.5hp and been offered a Tohatsu 5hp 2 stroke by an engineers in Las Palmas, Canaries.

Has anyone had any issues with old Tohatsu outboards? Are they are solid as the Yams?

Dont Tohatsu make Yams, just a differen cowl

 

[TQA]

The little Mercury is a rebadged Tohatsu.

The 9.8 15 and 18 hp 2 st Tohatsus are great engines generally lighter than similar hp Yams but they are a little noisier not exhaust noise just rattly.

I have been running an 18 hp 2 st for the last 7 years. It gets used daily starts first pull.. If it died tomorrow I would buy another.

One caveat. The fuel line they use dies in the Carib in about 18 months. Replace it when it is a year old with the stuff that has scaffolding reinforcement.

AFAIK no Yams are made by Tohatsu

 

[FulmarJeddo]

All Mercury outboards below 40hp are made by Tohatsu I believe, and are generally very good engines in my experience.

I was once told by an outboard dealer that they were the same engines, but with different quality paint. He was a Mercury dealer and strangely Mercury we're the best and would last longest. I went elsewhere and bought a Mariner.

 

[QBhoy]

Hi. That model is the mercury 5hp. Good engine.

 

[simonfraser]

def, used to have them on my boat.
light and started well, just a bit noisy.

 

[jamie N]

I was once told by an outboard dealer that they were the same engines, but with different quality paint. He was a Mercury dealer and strangely Mercury we're the best and would last longest. I went elsewhere and bought a Mariner.

That figures, I've had to respray the cowl on my 3.5hp Tohatsu as it had faded so much.

 

[vyv_cox]

My 3.5 hp Tohatsu is now 15 years old, runs fine with new plugs and fuel.

 

[sailorman]

I was once told by an outboard dealer that they were the same engines, but with different quality paint. He was a Mercury dealer and strangely Mercury we're the best and would last longest. I went elsewhere and bought a Mariner.

Tohatsu made the Mariner as well

 

[eddystone]

By way of contrast my 3.5 hp Tohatsu was so troublesome I had to sell it in the end.

 

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

By way of contrast my 3.5 hp Tohatsu was so troublesome I had to sell it in the end.

That's amazing, none of my T 3.5 2strokes has ever failed.

 

[graham]

My 12 year old 2 stroke tohatsu 3.5 has been very reliable .
Like any 2 stroke it's important to turn off the fuel tap and use up all the fuel in the carburettor after every time you use it.Failure to do so will result in carb blockages.

 

[Topcat47]

My 12 year old 2 stroke tohatsu 3.5 has been very reliable .
Like any 2 stroke it's important to turn off the fuel tap and use up all the fuel in the carburettor after every time you use it.Failure to do so will result in carb blockages.

+1. The plastic cowl has faded badly but the engine's reliable, light and easy to start.