Although these pre operstional safety checks are for a 4 stroke honda outboard they are relevant to most other small outboards.

l.  Engine oil is a major factor affecting engine performance and service life. Nondetergent and low quality oils are not recommended, because they have inadequate lubricating properties. Running the engine with insufficient oil can cause serious engine damage. Use Honda 4-stroke oil or an equivalent high detergent, premium quality motor oil certified to meet or exceed U.S. and European automobile manufacturers’ requirements for Service Classification SF CC/CD or SG. Motor oils classified SF CC/CD or SG will show this designation on the container. -20 0 20 40 60 80 100°F , , Select the appropriate viscosity for -30 -20 -10 o IO 20 30 40″~ the average temperature in your area. SF CC/CD or SG low-30 is recommended for general, all temperature use.

a) Position the outboard motor vertically, and check the oil level in the oil level inspection window. b)  If the oil level is down toward the lower level mark on the window, fill up to the 0.4 e (0.42 U.S. qt.) mark on the dipstick.

2. Fuel Level Remove the filler cap and check the fuel level. Refill the tank if the fuel level is low. NOTE: Open the vent knob before removing the fuel filler cap. When the vent knob is firmly closed, the cap will be difficult to remove. Your engine R‘s +esigned to use any petrol that has a pump octane number (- ) of 86 or higher, or that has a research octane number of 91 or higher.

Petrol pumps at service stations normally display the pump octane number. We recommend that you use unleaded fuel because it produces fewer engine and spark plug deposits and extends the life of exhaust system components. Never use stale or contaminated petrol or an oil/petrol mixture. Avoid getting dirt, dust or water in the fuel tank. Use of a lower octane petrol can cause persistent “pinging” or heavy “spark knock” (a metallic rapping noise) which, if severe, can lead to engine damage.

Note: If “spark knock” or “pinging” occurs at a steady engine speed under normal load, change brands of petrol. If spark knock or pinging persists, consult your authorized Honda dealer. Failure to do so is considered misuse, and damage caused by misuse is not covered by Honda’s Limited Warranty. Occasionally you may experience light spark knock while operating under heavy loads. This is no cause for concern, it simply means your engine is operating efficiently.

Fuel tank capacity: 1.0 P (0.26 U.S. gal.)

FUEL FILLER CAP FUEL TANK.  After refueling, be sure to tighten the fuel tank cap firmly.  Petrol is extremely flammable and is explosive under certain conditions.

Refuel in a well-ventilated area with the engine stopped. Do not smoke or allow flames or sparks in the area where the engine is refueled or where petrol is stored.  Do not overfill the tank (there should be no fuel in the filler neck). After refueling, make sure the tank cap is closed properly and securely.  Be careful not to spill fuel when refueling. Spilled fuel or fuel vapour may ignite. If any fuel is spilled, make sure the area is dry before starting the engine.

Avoid repeated or prolonged contact with skin or breathing of vapour. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.

3. Other Checks Check the following items. @ Propeller, shear pin and cotter pin. Check for looseness or damage.

@ Steering handle. Check for impaired operation.

@ Stern bracket. Check for damage.

@Tool kit. Check for missing spare parts and tools.

@ Anode metal. Check for looseness, damage or excessive corrosion. The anode metal helps to protect the outboard motor from corrosion damage; it must be exposed directly to the water whenever the motor is in use. Replace the anode metal when it has been reduced to approximately one half of its original size. Note:’ The possibility of corrosion damage increased if the anode metal is painted over or allowed to deteriorate.

Note: To prevent damage to the outboard from overheating, never run the engine with the propeller out of the water.

1. Open the fuel cap vent knob 2 to 3 turns. FUEL CAP VENT KNOB FUEL FILLER CAP

2. Turn the fuel valve lever ON. FUEL VALVE LEVER

3. Move the throttle lever to the START position.

THROTTLE LEVER Note: Do not start the engine with the throttle lever in the FAST position, or the boat will move suddenly when the engine starts.

4. In temperatures below 2O’C (68” F) use the choke knob. CHOKE KNOB

5. Pull. the starter rope slowly until resistance is felt, then pull briskly.

Note: Do not allow the starter grip to snap back against the housing; return it gently by hand to prevent damage to the starter.

STARTER GRIP

6. After starting, be sure water is flowing out of the water check hole. CAUTION: If water does not flow out, or if steam comes out, stop the engine. Check to see if the screen in the cooling water inlet is obstructed. Do not operate the engine until the problem has been corrected.

7. If the choke was used, push it in gradually as the engine warms up.

CHOKE KNOB  Exhaust contains poisonous carbon monoxide gas; exposure can cause loss of consciousness and may lead to death. Never run the engine in an enclosed area. Be sure to provide adequate ventilation. Be careful not to spill any fuel when refueling. Spilled fuel or fuel vapor may ignite. If any fuel is spilled make sure the area is dry before starting the engine.

• Clean or replace spark plugs.
• Check and clean all electrical contacts.
• Check condition of recoil start cord for wear.
• Replace the fuel filters and check the entire fuel system for leaks etc.
• Change engine oil and filters (4 strokes).
• Empty fuel/oil tank and replace with new mixture(2 strokes).
• Check gearbox oil and top up if needed.
• Replace cooling system anodes.
• Replace water pump impellor.
• Check steering system and lubricate moving parts.
• Lubricate gear shift and  throttle control linkages.
• Check operation of tilt mechanism (power tilt if fitted).

Once you have completed all of the above you will be confident using your outboard engine during this coming season.

Some of the most common problems occur because one or more of the 12 checks mentioned have been overlooked. If you can spare a few hours to do these 12 checks every 12 months your outboard will certainly run a lot smoother with less worry on your part. One of the times your outboard is likely to show you that it is not running well is when you return from a long run at cruising throttle and slow it down to idle while you manouevre into your mooring. This sudden change from getting loads of fuel and air into the engine while you were at cruising speed, to tick over speed can upset the running of the engine if it has not been serviced each 12 months.

Therefore for peace of mind and a trouble free season, spend a few hours doing the above 12 checks. To help you further I am writing a guide to outboard maintenance which will be free to download for you. I had hoped to have it ready by now but I keep adding more and more information to it! Watch this space as they say! In other words please come back and check to see if I have the free guide ready for you to download.

However, having tried this outboard motor on the dinghy I did not like the centrifugal clutch. I found that the dinghy would move off with a sudden jerk without any real warning! The twist grip was also uncomfortable to use as was the stop button. When I wanted to remove the engine cover it was quite awkward.  Once off the engine was difficult to get at with all the plastic air cooling cowling to remove first of all. You will need to remove this stuff if you want to do a complete service yourself.

The Honda BF 2.3 pushed the dinghy along at 4.5 knots with two adults on board. The biggest disadvantage with this outboard engine was the jerky clutch – especially when going astern with the 360 degree rotation (the engine facing the other way!).

The Tohatsu FS 3.5 hp was quite a bit heavier than the Honda it was also more powerful. It seemed solidly built with a good twist grip and the accessibility for maintenance seemed good. The only disadvantages was it was more expensive than the others tested and a bit more noisier!

The Yamaha F 2.5 AMHS seemed to have the best throttle grip with the Stop button positioned right next to it. However, it seemed quite noisy compared with the other outboard engines tested. It was also less powerful than the others. Accessibility was also difficult – you have to remove the engine cover to see the oil level indicator and a bung in the lower cowling to get at the Spark plug. In fact getting at anything with this engine was fiddly. Everything seemed so packed in! Having said all the negative things – there are some good points! It has a good throttle control, stop button, choke, starter handle and gear shift. It was also one of the cheapest outboard engines I tested.

The Suzuki 2.5 hp outboard engine was my favourite! It was smooth and quiet during the test. The Suzuki had reasonable powercombined with being quite lightweight. Another advantage was the large carrying handle which made lifting it on and off the boat, easy.  It was also one of the cheapest to buy. Disadvantages were the throttle twist grip and stop button were not as good as the Tohatsu FS 3.5 HP or the Yamaha F2.5AMHS.

As with every product you consider buying there are advantages and disadvantages to weigh up. Of the four outboard engines tested I decided to opt for the Suzuki 2.5 hp.

So I set about fitting twin outboards to my catamaran over the winter. There was a lot of debate about whether to change the 15 hp yamaha for a smaller engine, since I would have two outboards from now on. In otherwords, do I have two 15 hp engines or one 15 hp and another smaller, say 6 hp? Or do I have two 8 hp outboards instead? Finally, I reasoned it out. I originally bought the 15 hp outboard engine because the catamarn needed that size to power through all sorts of weather. Anything smaller was just struggling – especially in a force 6 headwind!

Two smaller outboards such as 2 x 8 hp, would both need to be going all the time when motoring in a headwind. This increases the fuel consumption as they would both be on almost maximum throttle just so the boat could make decent headway. So they were ruled out.

Keeping the 15 hp yamaha, which has proved reliable and efficient would make sense. Adding a second outboard was really just for easy movement in and out of marinas and harbours. So all I really needed was another reasonably sized outboard. That was the thinking process. However, it is not so simple. The 15 hp yamaha is electric start. You just turn the key! But an 8 hp outboard needs manual starting – pulling a cord to start! Not an easy task leaning over the stern of the catamaran! So the sensible reasoning was going out of the window as far as economics was concerned! I would need to look at a 9.9 hp outboard if I wanted electric start.

To cut a long story short I went for another 15 hp yamaha. I know it doesn’t make sense when you look at it at first, but lets consider a few things. Two matching sized engines on the stern of the cat look very good! I can now use each one alternatively. For example next week I intend using the port outboard engine when I need to, while the following week I will use the starboard engine. This will half each engines use – wear and tear so to speak. Each outboard on its own is now capable of getting me where I want to go, on its own. I only need to fire up both engines when in the confines of the marina or harbour. Ideal! Problem solved.

If you are considering fitting twin outboard engines to your boat why not visit our store to find real bargains!

Whether you have an inboard or outboard engine it will need a good thorough service before using it this coming season. With the recent increase in VAT everything is going to cost more. So looking for value for money products and services is now more vital than ever before. Spend some time doing your research before deciding to purchase a product or service.

On ebay there are various products and services that offer value for money. You can access them using this link to outboard motors.

Practical boat owners also appreciate tools both hand and power that can make life a bit more easier when doing the annual maintenance. During the winter that little tool that was given as a present at Christmas can prove very useful! Even reading about ways to improve your vessel is interesting, so not only books but nowadays, cds and dvds are a really great Christmas present.

Two years into this recession means that most boat owners are used to making every penny count. Value for money in gifts for the family and friends is important. But that does not mean that the funny and silly Christmas gifts need to be ignored! Making someone laugh when they realise what they have unwrapped on Christmas morning is a great tonic for these difficult times.

So if you want to see what the top Christmas gifts for practical boat owners are for 2010, then click here.

If you are happy with the way your outboard behaved during the summer then keep it. If you are not happy, then consider replacing it with another model – perhaps newer. Why not look on our store listings to view other outboards that maybe of interest?

You can benefit from this fact. Many people will list there outboard engine for sale and accept anything you offer. Just for ready money. Competition is low as not too many others have spare money right now. So you can pick up a bargain. Why not follow this link to see the various outboard engines listed for sale in our store?

Larger outboards in the Mercury range are called the Optimax. Again they are well known for their fuel efficiency and are packed with additional features. Quietness is also a quality these Mercury outboards have as an advantage over rival outboards.

Larger still is the Verado supercharged Mercury outboards with superb power, smooth running and quietness combined with fuel efficiency. All Mercury outboards are tested extremely well in their Quality Assurance programme and are often offered with a 5 year warranty as an option.

To find out if new and nearly new Mercury outboards are for sale in our auction follow this link.

Propellors are often getting damaged. A slight ding on a blade can reduce your engines efficiency and affect fuel consumption. It will be best to replace this damaged propellor with a prefect one.  Many are advertised in our store.