Tohatsu 40C control options?

[junkpile]

I just became the owner of a mid 80's Tohatsu 40C. It's on a 15' boat, the motor runs great but the controls are in pieces and incomplete. I'm not even sure who made them.
There's an ignitions switch hanging below the dash on an aluminum plate, and two cables from the motor.
What controls am I looking for for this motor? Did they make controls which included the ignition switch?
What are my options?

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 40C control options?

I assume your motor has electric start. These motors usually were setup with a "side mount" control box, which included the key switch, with push-to-choke feature. You could also install a binnacle control (on top of the panel, like a big inboard cruiser), or a flush mount control. In that case, you would use a separate ignition switch.

If you want to install the correct side mount control with key switch, it's model RC5C, which is part number 3B7Q843503. It will be in the current "aquamarine blue" (almost black) color, and the price is $386.13 retail. If the motor is not electric start, you can use the RC5D, part number 3B7Q843601, $312.32. These are available from any dealer, including me.

 

[junkpile]

Re: Tohatsu 40C control options?

Right now its got a Tohatsu ignition switch and choke switch on a 3"x4" or so plate and the controls have no brand name on them. The control box is sort of tear drop shaped with the lever towards the front half of the box. The box is in pieces and looks badly worn. I'm guessing that they reused the controls from the original motor or that it's a universal control box.
I only gave $200 for the boat, so $386 for a control box isn't in the budget. I'm hoping to find something used, but I have no idea what the correct or older style Tohatsu box looked like.

I talked to a dealer here that used to sell Tohatsu and he said that he don't remember Tohatsu having their own control box back then?
The controls are hard wired to the motor, there's no disconnect plug and all the wires to the controls are white. While I'd like to have the key on the box, its not worth $300+ to change.
Is there any reason why I can't just use say an Evinrude or old chrysler control?

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 40C control options?

What you spent on the boat has nothing to do with it, even if it were given to you for free. If you bought a car for $200, and it needed tires, would you think that spending $386 on tires was too much? When you get running, and are going through 4 gallons an hour on the water (that's about $20.00 per hour in fuel alone), you will be spending money.

If you are on a very tight budget, see if you can reassemble your existing control box (it takes a LOT of abuse to wear one out), or buy a used one.

All Tohatsu/Nissan outboards have always used standard Teleflex/Morse controls. So, No, a propritary OMC control will not connect to the standard Morse-type control cables. However, any standard Morse-type control will work; Just make sure that the gear pattern is correct, or you will have to run the control in Reverse to go Forward.

Since you are already set with the separate ignition and choke switches, there shouldn't be much, if anything, "hard wired" to the shift/throttle control box, aside from possibly a neutral safety.

None of the low-end generic controls have electrical wiring, so you would need to stay with the divorced switches. The cheapest generic control box (2-lever) on iBoats costs about $150, see http://www.iboats.com/Uflex-Side-Mo...1289202--**********.492074265--view_id.49380; The cheapest generic single-lever side-mount control costs about $212, but is not in stock. See http://www.iboats.com/Universal-Out...11289202--**********.492074265--view_id.40282

 

[junkpile]

Re: Tohatsu 40C control options?

The main reason I want to find a set of controls with the ignition switch attached is that the remote switch and plate is hanging under the dash mounted on a plate. There's no place to put it unless I cut a hole in the dash and rewire it. The harness is also cut and spliced in several places with crimp connectors.
The ends of the cables at the control end look the same as older OMC, the motor end has ball stud and spring collar ends. I don't see why I can't just swap those cables onto a set of single lever OMC controls and rewire it to match the motor?
The cables will fit, that's not an issue. The control in the boat is missing one of the internal arms that attaches to the cable and there's no way to clamp the cable in place. There's more than one part missing. These controls appear to be some sort of aftermarket, but there's no name. They resemble old the single lever controls you pointed out here at iBoats but they're all aluminum and look to be from the 50's. There is no electrical wiring in the controls at all.

The cables on the boat now have just flattened ends and round holes at the control end, with a barrel shaped cable stop that fits into the control box. The barrel end comes off in two pieces, so my guess their some type of universal cable?

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 40C control options?

You could give it a shot. Wouldn't be the first time different controls went through Frankenstein's wedding with an outboard. Or you could look for a used box on the Internet auction sites, such as http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TOHA...at_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item5ae200d235

 

[junkpile]

Re: Tohatsu 40C control options?

Someone gave me a set of Evinrude controls with a toggle switch choke switch, key switch, and another three pin plug sticking out the back. The cables attached fine, I just swapped the cable clamps over to the Tohatsu's cables and they fit fine. I just have to figure out the wiring on the Tohatsu.
Is there a wiring diagram on line for a 40C motor? All the wired on the motor are white with no markings. The control panel that was being used says Tohatsu but the wire looks industrial.
The Evinrude controls ground out the ignition circuit to shut down the motor, does Tohatsu do the same? I also thought about taking the red plug harness from an Evinrude and connecting it to the Tohatsu so the controls could be unplugged and swapped out easier.

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 40C control options?

Whip out your Factory service manual, and look at the wiring diagrams. Some information is also in the parts catalog, as well as the catalog for the RC box. Yes, magneto-ignition systems ground out to stop. The Factory wiring is not all white; it may have been rewired by someone at some point. Having a disconnect plug is a good idea for future servicing; Just be sure to document any non-standard color codes.