Outboard tutorial

Posted on September 29, 2007 | Comments Off on Outboard tutorial

For years I have been alternately praising and cursing my Suzuki DT4, depending on whether it ran or didn’t, as if it was able to understand me. But, seeing as how I was mainly interested in sailing and only used the outboard once in a while to get in or out of the marina, I never really knew what was going on with it. After reading this book, I at least have an understanding of how it works. Not, necessarily, enough to fix it. But its recent refusal to idle, for instance, looks like a fuel problem. Possibly contamination of some kind clogging the fuel pump, leading to gummed up carburetor jets, particularly the ones that control the idle. Gives me a few ideas to try. If they don’t work, I’ll figure it’s likely the fuel pump and/or the carburetor needs cleaning. So I’ll siphon the gas out of it and take it to the shop and tell them to look at both. Much better than exasperation, anyhow. And while it’s there, I’ll look again at a Minn Kota electric, and consider blowing off this combustion baloney.

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0 responses to “Outboard tutorial”

  1. jdallen's avatar jdallen | September 30, 2007 at 8:24 am |

    Dude. Just go ahead and buy what you want.
    It is not going to cost you more than your worrying over the damn thing. Figure that in the cost of keeping the old one running.
    Ten years on a dinky outboard like that? I think you got your money out of it.

  2. jdallen's avatar jdallen | September 30, 2007 at 8:24 am |

    Dude. Just go ahead and buy what you want.
    It is not going to cost you more than your worrying over the damn thing. Figure that in the cost of keeping the old one running.
    Ten years on a dinky outboard like that? I think you got your money out of it.

  3. Dick Stanley's avatar Dick Stanley | September 30, 2007 at 8:37 am |

    Ah, the advice I like to hear. But these dinkies are supposed to last 20+ years. Half the sloops on my dock have old ones. The real problem is the new ones cost $1,000 or more. There are cheaper ones made (such as Tohatsu) but they’re not serviced around here. You have to buy the ones that are. I’m almost ready to go electric, at around $500, counting the battery.

  4. Dick Stanley's avatar Dick Stanley | September 30, 2007 at 8:37 am |

    Ah, the advice I like to hear. But these dinkies are supposed to last 20+ years. Half the sloops on my dock have old ones. The real problem is the new ones cost $1,000 or more. There are cheaper ones made (such as Tohatsu) but they’re not serviced around here. You have to buy the ones that are. I’m almost ready to go electric, at around $500, counting the battery.

  5. Dick Stanley's avatar Dick Stanley | September 30, 2007 at 7:43 pm |

    Well, I followed the instructions and got the thing to run and idle, for a while. But it kept quitting. I think I’m finally resolved to go electric. It will certainly be cheaper.

  6. Dick Stanley's avatar Dick Stanley | September 30, 2007 at 7:43 pm |

    Well, I followed the instructions and got the thing to run and idle, for a while. But it kept quitting. I think I’m finally resolved to go electric. It will certainly be cheaper.