Ultra portable outboard purchase, 2 or 4 stroke?

[2shallow2sail]

Hi all- I realize this will always be a huge debate, but I'd like to concentrate on very small outboards (3.5 hp and under). I need to purchase a small outboard for my dinghy (8ft Achilles soft-tail) that will primarily be stored on the railing of my sailboat and used while cruising. I have a larger dinghy (12ft Avon SIB) that I use as my primary tender in the harbor, but it stays there when I go sailing. The 15hp on the Avon is acting up (thread in OMC repair section), so the small outboard will also serve as a backup power for the large dink. I used to have a 3hp yamaha on it that pushed it just fine, but that was stolen during Irene aftermath last year.

Long story longer, I have narrowed my choices to a brand new 2.5hp Suzuki 4stroke ($708 total delivered to my door) and a 90's model Nissan (tohatsu) 2.5hp 2-stroke (local guy asking $450). They are the same weight and both have 1 cylinder, both neutral-FWD and I believe both are CDI ignition. I am relatively experienced in small OB 2 stoke maintenance (carb jobs, fuel pumps, cleaning water jacket blockages, impellers, etc.). I have zero experience with 4 stokes. It is my understanding that adjustments to the new 4 strokes are difficult since they don't want you fooling with them because you can negatively affect the emissions rating. I am open to other motor suggestions, however I want to stay around the 30lbs mark. The motor will most likely sit for a week at a time between uses. Thanks guys, looking to purchase in the next 2 days.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Ultra portable outboard purchase, 2 or 4 stroke?

The Suzuki would be a better deal. Although there is nothing wrong with the Tohatsu, it will need some maintenance things taken care of due to it's age. If you do the work it may cost around $50 to $75, for a shop maybe $250 or so. This means the cost difference between the two isn't that much.

You are correct about adjusting carb on newer motors, they have a plug over the screw so it makes it a little more difficult to get at, but it can be done if needed.

The Suzuki will have a warranty, maybe a long one.

 

[2shallow2sail]

Re: Ultra portable outboard purchase, 2 or 4 stroke?

One big typo, the Nissan is a 3.5hp. That might make a significant difference if I have to use this motor for the rest of the season on my 12' SIB while I work to fix the 15hp.

Yes the Suzuki comes with a 3 year warranty. Are there other maintenance items that are more difficult on a 4 stroke? Or fixes that you need specific tools that only a repair shop would have? I'd prefer to not have to pay a shop to maintain such a little guy.

If I got the nissan I'd probably do carb kit, impeller and new plug. Any other opinions? Or anyone own either of these motors? thx

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Ultra portable outboard purchase, 2 or 4 stroke?

Nissan, Merc, Tohatsu, all the same, I have the Merc.

The Suzuki will go many years with little work needed and there is nothing much different in tools or other things.

The only thing you need to remember on a 4 stroke is that you can normally only lay it down on one side, it will leak oil if laid down the other way.

Being a 2.5 or 3.5 isn't going to make much of a difference.

One thing on the Nissan, on mine the internal fuel tank leaks, I thought it was the gasket on the filler cap, it turned out to be the threads breaking off the tank. It appears to be cheap plastic that became brittle and broke. The tank costs about $100.00, I have no idea if this is a common problem, but it was stored indoors all the time and rarely used.

 

[2shallow2sail]

Re: Ultra portable outboard purchase, 2 or 4 stroke?

I was originally leaning towards the Nissan, but you are beginning to sway me. I do want a motor that I can rely on right now to get me to and from the boat mooring. I sleep on the boat with girl and dog on the weekends and we go to shore all hours of day and night, across a channel. Also would like to have girlfriend easily start/use the motor if she needed to. If you think the power difference will be minimal, and I wont have to do any work to it, it seems that I should just bite the bullet and enter the 4 stroke world. I hear the Nissan/tohatsu/merc's are good engines, but on engines this small I guess I need to consider there is a time when its just nice to have a brand new one.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Ultra portable outboard purchase, 2 or 4 stroke?

Maybe check out that Honda 2HP, air cooled(no water pump), centrifugal clutch(no gear shifting), 4 stroke(no gas mixing), 28lbs(pretty darn portable)....about $950....

 

[2shallow2sail]

Re: Ultra portable outboard purchase, 2 or 4 stroke?

Yes that was in my original group of candidates but I decided I don't want the air cooled, they appear to be pretty loud. I don't mind changing the impeller, my concerns were more around carb work and other adjustments that need to be made to the motor.

 

[2shallow2sail]

Re: Ultra portable outboard purchase, 2 or 4 stroke?

I pulled the trigger on the new suzuki 2.54S. $708 total, no tax free shipping from Newoutbards.com. Thanks for the sway ondarvr, I think i will be happy to just get out to the boat and be able to use it on these beautiful days instead of futzing with my dink engine all summer! Ill post back my experiences once i get the package.

 

[JB]

Re: Ultra portable outboard purchase, 2 or 4 stroke?

The best outboard in that class ever made was/is the JohnnyRude JW and its 3 to 4.5HP descendants. I do recognize the advantages of a new outboard (warranty) in 4 stroke ("green"), but I would still seek out and restore (if needed) the little twin.

 

[2shallow2sail]

Re: Ultra portable outboard purchase, 2 or 4 stroke?

I have heard from many that those are great engines, however I really wanted something I can just bolt on and get back to enjoying summer as I have limited days off and i cant work on the engines during the week since they are 100 miles away from home. I spent the winter doing many hours of work to a 1974 OMC 15hp (which are also claimed to be "bulletproof") that was to be the primary motor for this dinghy, and I had it running like a clock until last week when it quit on me. Spent all weekend trying to work some magic on it to no avail, and didn't get to go sailing once. Hopefully I can at least get through the summer with little to no work on this motor and then over the winter I can get back to tinkering with my other motors. I have a post in the JohnnyRude section about my problem with the 15 horse. Thanks for the input.