tohatsu outboard smoking

[zouzou123]

Hi all, i need some help with my 2009 tohatsu 15HP 4 stroke. I bought it last year at the end of the season. Saw it running and it ran fine. stored it all winter in the basement and pulled it out 2 days ago. i did an oil and filter change 10w30 marine full as well as gear oil change, changed the spark plugs, got fresh gas 94 oct. and started it. It started from the second pull, steady water came out of the peehole and all was good. I look away for a sec and water started to slowly stop coming out, then stopped flowing. I turned it off right away. Motor got a little hot. i turn it back on water comes out again but water was boiling hot.. so i turned if off again. Next day i took out the thermostat and did a test and seemed to open and close fine. Then i took apart the leg and replaced the whole water pump kit..put everything back together and started it. Problem solved.. water is coming out steady and good circulation.but i ran into another problem. There now is steady white smoke coming out of the top exhaust hole (not prop). Seems like its burning oil. Now keep in mind, the motor is idiling and running perfect, starts from first pull so its looking healthy. i checked the oil level next day it was down to the middle of the dip stick and when i changed the oil it was on the top of it on the maximum. i start the outboard today after i add oil and run it for 20 minutes run fine but still smoking and the smoke increase when i give more gas, i let it sit for an hour check the oil level still on the max.
Does anyone know what is causing this smoking? What i was thinking is maybe oil got somewhere where it shouldn't have when i tilted it to do the water pump and now its getting burnt? maybe overheated with the previous owner might need a head gasket or maybe worse than that??
please I need some advise on what to do, and does anybody know a marine mechanic in edmonton?
thanks
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[rycoma]

How old is the gas is my first question it may have an excess of water in it other then that it looks as if it is burning coolant (water) if it was burning oil it would be blueish not white. What is the outside temp. As a majority of combustion by product is water vapour(steam) in lower temps it will be more apparent.

[The Reel Deal]

you need to pull the plugs out and inspect them.

check the plugs to see if they're covered in oil. If they're covered in oil then you are burning oil. If they're clean then your're burning water.

If its water, then its a head gasket.
if its oil, the you can have a few things going on: Head gasket (very rare) valve seals, or piston rings.

If this engine has over heated in the past (poor water circulation as you mentioned has indicated), then the cylinder walls have mostly likely scored, damaging the rings and pistons therefore causing a poor seal between the combustion chamber and crankcase.

So start with the plugs... let me know

[zouzou123]

Thanks for the quick reply, but the gas is brand new. I filled it up with 94 octane from husky. The weather is decent, It was about 8 degrees.

[zouzou123]

you need to pull the plugs out and inspect them.

check the plugs to see if they're covered in oil. If they're covered in oil then you are burning oil. If they're clean then your're burning water.

If its water, then its a head gasket.
if its oil, the you can have a few things going on: Head gasket (very rare) valve seals, or piston rings.

If this engine has over heated in the past (poor water circulation as you mentioned has indicated), then the cylinder walls have mostly likely scored, damaging the rings and pistons therefore causing a poor seal between the combustion chamber and crankcase.

So start with the plugs... let me know

Thanks for the reply, I just took them out and looks like they're dry. I installed them brand new couple days ago. what do you think? i have a good idea about mechanics, is it hard or do I need any special tools to replace the head gasket?
Thanks
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[rycoma]

One looks like it's burning rich and the other look disturbingly clean. Could be from burning oil clean or replace the plugs re gap them and start it up see if it still smokes. If it does do a compression and leak down test should tell you all you need to know.

[KegRiver]

I was going to tell you to make it stop smoking cause smoking is bad for your health, but it looks like you have a real problem there.

Are both of the plugs in the bottom photo the new plugs you just installed or are they the old plugs or one of each?

Next, in the photo the smoke looks white. Is that correct or does it have a grayish appearance or a blueish tinge?

One other thing, when you first fire it up does one plug heat up faster then the other plug?

[zouzou123]

hi, they're new plugs gaped to factory specs 0.35
one of them is part white and the other part is greyish;
i did not check which one heat up faster then the other plug
thanks

[The Reel Deal]

Since one plug is clean and the other fouled, a compression and leak down test will now determine that either the dirty plug is burning oil or if the clean plug is burning water.
You will either have low compression in one or similar compression in both and one will leak pressure faster than the other.

In either case a tear down is in order. How far down is what the compression test will tell.

[The Reel Deal]

I'm calling a head gasket. That plug is way too clean. The other has the right amount of carbon on it. Jmo

[harrydude]

I would do a leak down test and that will let you know were the leak is

And a compression test will help as well to diagnose the motor better

Was it stored up right or laying down?

[dale7637]

That plug is way too clean.

My money is on a head gasket.

[KegRiver]

they are new plugs you say.

In that case both should be clean or nearly clean.

I think your smoke is one cylinder burning too rich, a stuck float perhaps or a leak inside one carb. It does have two carbs doesn't it? It could be improperly set carbs but I doubt that. I presume it ran okay last year and that the carbs haven't been touched since. So the most likely scenario is one float or neadle valve stuck open over the winter after the fuel evaporated.

Water wouldn't darken a plug and oil would cause the fouled plug to appear oily. It looks sooty to me. Soot is carbon from too rich of a mixture.

[The Reel Deal]

they are new plugs you say.

In that case both should be clean or nearly clean.

I think your smoke is one cylinder burning too rich, a stuck float perhaps or a leak inside one carb. It does have two carbs doesn't it? It could be improperly set carbs but I doubt that. I presume it ran okay last year and that the carbs haven't been touched since. So the most likely scenario is one float or neadle valve stuck open over the winter after the fuel evaporated.

Water wouldn't darken a plug and oil would cause the fouled plug to appear oily. It looks sooty to me. Soot is carbon from too rich of a mixture.

Isnt it a 4 stroke... with efi? I dont think anyone is using carbs in 2009 unless its a 2 stroke?

[jeprli]

Have you tried sea foam? Give it a try it will de gunk entire engine and you might get a clearer idea. If it had compression issues I doubt it would start so easy as you say. Have you tried using thicker oil?

[NEWB]

I had the oil smoke on my 20HP Tohatsu last year when I fired it up after winter storage. I topped up the oil to the full mark.

It smoked for a good 15 min. The issue resolved its self after some of the oil burned off.

The motor ran like a top all summer and put many hours on it.

My motor is a 2013 (purchased new Oct in 2012). Topped the oil up to "full" in spring of 2013.

I will not top up the oil to full this year before I take it out on the lake. I will top it up a bit.

Hope this helps.

[fish99]

was the engine fogged for winter storage this will give you smoke for quite a while when first started in the spring . one of the new plugs looks oil fouled . it should still look new like the other one. good luck

[Kokanee9]

Just wondering if you have done a compression test yet and what the results were.

[sns2]

Call Darryl Boe at Europa Marine. He is one of my closest friends and has a factory trained Tohatsu mechanic on staff. 780-237-9757

[RavYak]

To all the guys saying the spark plug looks to clean, it is brand new it should look clean... The other one shouldn't be near that black though, that cylinder definitely looks like it is running rich.

As stated by others do a compression test, if results are good then run some seafoam or other cleaner through it. Probably just some gunk in the fuel system that needs to be cleaned/burnt off.

If that doesn't work it probably needs to be taken apart and cleaned really good. Possibly needs a tune up although probably shouldn't be the case on such a new engine.

[KegRiver]

Isnt it a 4 stroke... with efi? I dont think anyone is using carbs in 2009 unless its a 2 stroke?

It seems that some are still using carbs in 2014.

2014 Tohatsu 15 hp Four-Stroke Outboard

Fuel Delivery: Single Venturi Carburetor w/ Accelerator Pump



http://www.onlineoutboards.com/Tohatsu-15-hp-MFS15CL.html

[The Reel Deal]

It seems that some are still using carbs in 2014.

2014 Tohatsu 15 hp Four-Stroke Outboard

Fuel Delivery: Single Venturi Carburetor w/ Accelerator Pump



http://www.onlineoutboards.com/Tohatsu-15-hp-MFS15CL.html

I figured I was out to lunch.

[The Reel Deal]

To all the guys saying the spark plug looks to clean, it is brand new it should look clean... The other one shouldn't be near that black though, that cylinder definitely looks like it is running rich.

As stated by others do a compression test, if results are good then run some seafoam or other cleaner through it. Probably just some gunk in the fuel system that needs to be cleaned/burnt off.

If that doesn't work it probably needs to be taken apart and cleaned really good. Possibly needs a tune up although probably shouldn't be the case on such a new engine.

You should try replacing a spark plug, run it for 10 minutes then pull it back out - it won't look new. If this engine was rich, the smoke would be black.

[RavYak]

You should try replacing a spark plug, run it for 10 minutes then pull it back out - it won't look new. If this engine was rich, the smoke would be black.

The spark plugs out of my car with 150k kms weren't that black...

Google spark plug guide, black and dry means rich or cold. It should have a light brown/tan colour after use, not black. If he kept running it for any length of time that spark plug would come out looking pitch black... If this were a 2 stroke it wouldn't be that odd for it to be black quickly but a properly tuned 4 stroke shouldn't be covered in soot like that after only a few minutes use.

If it isn't something major as a compression test will tell him then it is most likely an issue with the fuel system.

[Pixel Shooter]

I see the motor for sale in BS forum, maybe he sold it already as he hasn't posted in a while ,hmm

[rycoma]

And a white spark plug is an indication of running to lean or water in the combustion chamber. It turns to steam and scours the carbon off everything. I saw it for sale last week. Hopefully he didn't make it someone else's problem for that amount he was asking.

[The Reel Deal]

The spark plugs out of my car with 150k kms weren't that black...

Google spark plug guide, black and dry means rich or cold. It should have a light brown/tan colour after use, not black. If he kept running it for any length of time that spark plug would come out looking pitch black... If this were a 2 stroke it wouldn't be that odd for it to be black quickly but a properly tuned 4 stroke shouldn't be covered in soot like that after only a few minutes use.

If it isn't something major as a compression test will tell him then it is most likely an issue with the fuel system.


Don't need google, I've replaced over 3000 plugs during my career.
You can't compare a carb to efi.

[Lund rebel]

I see the motor for sale in BS forum, maybe he sold it already as he hasn't posted in a while ,hmm



The motor for sale is a 9.8 hp one the one he is having issues with is 15 hp. He must like the brand it happens to be the same brand, I like everyone probally went and looked lol.

[SCHOOCH]

I didn't LOL:thinking-006:

[Kokanee9]

I did. :)

[Kokanee9]

On most 4 stroke motors, if you lay them down on the wrong side, oil will leak into the cylinder(s). Perhaps this happened over the winter or when doing the water pump.

Is there a place that you can take the motor and let it run for a while (20-30 min) to see if it clears up? Or even better yet, put it on the boat and run it under power to see what happens.

[browning375]

The motor he has posted for sale is the motor I sold him, and which i purchased from another AO member a few years ago. It is a nice 9.8 and if i needed another motor i would buy it back from him.

From owning a Tohatsu, i would definatly buy another one, they run nice and quiet and are pretty reliable, it is unfortunate he is having problem with the
15HP unit.

[zouzou123]

**UPDATE**

I purchased a service manual online and took the head off. Very easy process.. took around half an hour. Gasket looked fine to me but im not 100% sure what a bad gasket looks like. Anyways i ordered a new gasket and it came in yesterday. Will install tomorrow and update again. And yes this is the 15HP not the 9.8
Here are some pics..

http://s24.postimg.org/8fe3jgeg5/photo_1.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

http://s10.postimg.org/z7l20y24p/photo_2.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

http://s1.postimg.org/leuohfivz/photo_3.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

http://s28.postimg.org/tldrqsyd9/photo_4.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

http://s14.postimg.org/ct1wtjzy9/photo_5.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

What do you guys think?

[RavYak]

What do you guys think?

That you should have just bought a compression tester for $30 and tested it instead of ripping things apart... Compression tester would have told you if there was an issue with the head gasket...

Now you are stuck on step 1 again if the new head gasket doesn't fix things... In other words if it still has same issues go out and buy a compression tester and test it...

[zouzou123]

UPDATE.

Put everything back together using new gaskets, torqued everything to spec and started it. Started on first pull but smoked a little. Yesterday we took it to the river and ripped around for an hour and bam no more smoke :) . The next day we took out the spark plugs and both of em looked the same. Started it one last time and ran smooth without smoke.

Thank you everyone for your input and help :happy0180:

keeley lake here we come :)

[Pixel Shooter]

awesome, great update, glad it all came together. now to enjoy the fruits of your labour, good fishing :)

[RavYak]

UPDATE.

Put everything back together using new gaskets, torqued everything to spec and started it. Started on first pull but smoked a little. Yesterday we took it to the river and ripped around for an hour and bam no more smoke :) . The next day we took out the spark plugs and both of em looked the same. Started it one last time and ran smooth without smoke.

Thank you everyone for your input and help :happy0180:

keeley lake here we come :)

Almost certainly just a little grime in the fuel system that burned off with time. Good to hear it wasn't anything major.