First outboard, Unanswered questions

[querorz]

Hi Guys. I asked my questions in some Outboard forums but no one gives a hand to me. I don't know why. Since i know how eager all the people on this forum to help, i decided to ask my questions here. Thanks in advance .

" Hi guys,


I bought my first outboard (Suzuki 6 HP, short shaft) a couple weeks ago and i ran it for the first time today.

I accidentally crashed it to the bottom soil and there is a little deformation on the edges of the blades(Deformations are about 0.1 inch). But after the crash i felt a very disturbing vibration. There are no outboard services around and all i can do is to take the propeller to a blacksmith. Do you think a blacksmith can fix the little deformations on that aluminum prop.? Is it possible that the shaft got out of balance?

In such situations, will rasping the deformations help or make it even worse?

I have a couple more beginner questions:

Let's say i mishandled the engine while transporting and some oil leaked out. What should i do? Should i just sweep it with a cloth and run the engine, or is that not enough?

On internet i read something like that : " If you will transport your outboard in horizontal position, you should get the cooling water out of the outboard. Otherwise water can leak from Exhaust Port to Cylinders." . Is that true? How do i get water out of the outboard? I thought that it already gets out when you hold it vertically outside of the water.

Thank you. "

 

[ia_trouter]

Provided you haven't bent a shaft, the prop is very likely the cause. Yes they can be repaired by someone who knows what they are doing. I hit stuff all the time and occasionally run into the vibration issue. You will want to get it repaired as it is never good on machinery to run it with a bad vibration. And make sure the prop has the proper shear pin if so equipped. Sometimes people will install something that won't shear as easily. The shear is the safety so you are less likely to damage something far more expensive than a prop.

 

[mcnerney]

I'm not familiar with that outboard, if it is a 2 cycle (mix the oil with the gas) then I wouldn't worry about the small oil leaking out. If it is a 4 cycle engine, then it should have a dedicated spot to add oil, if you unscrew the cap then it will probably have a small dip stick or some other method of telling you when the level is full or needs refilled.
+1 for having the correct sheer pin, and a couple extras on hand. Any small outboard repair shop should be able to help you there.

Something else to think about: I have an old 2 cycle 4 hp outboard, I hadn't used it since I left Alaska in '99, I took it to the local small engine guru here in town to have it tuned up. When I got it back, I hung it off the back of the drift boat with the prop in a 5 gallon bucket of water. It fired up on the first pull and sounded great. So off I went to YNP in the fall, put the pontoon in at Lewis Lake and motored across to the other side, maybe a mile and half, about 2/3's of the way across the engine starts acting like it is going to die, I pump the little fuel line bulb and it comes back to life and runs great for about two minutes, and then repeat, for the rest of the way. When I get to my destination, I checked to make sure I had plenty of fuel, which I did. Same deal on the return trip, the engine runs great for the first 2/3's of the trip and then starts acting up, but each time I pump up the bulb on the fuel line it comes back to life, but only for a couple minutes. I made it back to the truck just fine, but a couple days later I mentioned this to Ard. He says check the breather vent hole on the fuel cap to make sure it is not clogged. I go out and check and sure enough the screw on the top of the cap is fully tightened, I had to get a couple wrenches to free it up. Since then it has run like a top. Anyway, something to look for.

Larry

 

[jimp]

I would suggest you "google" your engine model # (there should be a sticker on it with the SN and engine model # on it somewhere), download the owners manual, and find a local OB shop with a good rep for honest work for a fair price (might be hard to find ) and let them inspect and test the motor out. you probably need a new prop at the least, and a new shaft at the most. May be the best $$ you'll spend this year to get it fixed right the 1st time. And you can ask for any tips from a knowledgeable source for running that model of OB. GL

 

[ia_trouter]

Jimp is correct you should try to find the owners manual online as we are speculating some. Having said that....

Any older small outboard I have worked on was water cooled by a rubber (or similar material) impeller that is turned by the shaft which goes from motor to the lower unit. A few pulls of the rope in the upright position should let most all the water out. if it doesn't run out on its own after a short itme in the upright position.

Newer Suzuki outboards are 4 stroke. It would have a crankcase and you need to check the oil level. Older Suzuki outboards were 2 stroke. They have been manufacturing outboards since at least the 70s that I know of for sure.

Oil residue on a two stroke engine would not be cause for concern. Making sure you know with certainty if you have a two or four stroke would the first thing you need to determine.

 

[querorz]

Wow Guys! If i am getting all the help here, so what's Marineengine.com for? I guess i won't ever sign up to another forum. I will ask all my questions , about any issue , here.

ia_trouter, mcnerney, jimp, i thank you so much. Sorry for the late answer. I was out of the town.


My outboard is 4 stroke. I forgot to mention that , because in Turkey 2 strokes are banned and you can't buy one. I already have the owner's manual but you know, they are never very helpful.

I haven't bent the prop or the shaft guys. It is just little abrasions. After getting it rasped in blacksmith , i felt like the vibration was much less. So, i am fine right now .

To evacuate the cooling water, i tried to pull the rope but it didn't work. Maybe it has already got out when i held it vertical.

I have 2 other questions guys:

1- Before transporting(horizontal) the outboard should i use all the fuel in the pipes? To do that, i shut the gas switch on the engine. And in a couple minutes the engine stops.

2- When i pull the rope, sometimes i hurt myself. How should i pull it? When i pull it all the way , at the end it makes a weird thing and injures my fingers or arm. Should i pull it so hard and all the way , or is that wrong? I can never run the motor on the first pull either. I need to do full throttle position on the tiller to run it. Otherwise it won't start easily.

 

[ia_trouter]

It is best to run the fuel dry just as you describe. Carbureted motors in particular are very prone to flooding and hard starting if you lay them horizontal with fuel in the carburetor. If the motor were fuel injected then it wouldn't matter so much. It sounds like your motor is "kicking back" and trying to stretch your arm. That's fairly common with small engines. Look in your manual and see if it has a compression release button. I doubt that it does. Other than that, fresh spark plugs and fuel, try not to flood it for best results. Most small engines have their own personality. You'll figure out the best starting and running procedures soon.

 

[labradorguy]

Look for a compression release and pull it out before starting the motor. Most new motors have them. That will save your arm. If you don't know what that is, ask at the ramp. Most people will be glad to help you out if you ask politely. Look for someone with some grey in their beard who is not pulling their boat with a minivan. LOL

It takes a lot to bang it so badly that you have to get a new prop, especially on a motor that small. One of the functions of the skeg on the bottom is to prevent the prop from being destroyed when you hit something or run aground. Generally, the only way I buy a new prop is if I crack it deeply. It doesn't matter if it's on my little 9.9 or on the 300hp offshore racing motor that I have on my Bullet.

The next time you have a problem from hitting something (it happens to everyone), take it home and file the rough spots off of it and see if that cures it. It's a simple fix in most instances.

Some advice. Make sure you break your motor in properly. Follow the owner's manual or google the break in procedure for your model. Gas left in a motor for extended periods of time is a recipe for problems. It will cause a varnish to form and nothing good comes from that. Also, have someone show you how to replace your shear pin and make sure you carry some extras with you. It's a bummer to shear a pin two miles from the ramp when you don't have an extra. lol.

Have fun.

 

[querorz]

ia_trouter and labradorguy, thank you . I appreciate your helps.

Does compression release button mean "Choke valve" for you guys? Are these same things? Something you pull out when it is cold outside? If this is what it is, then i already use it. I guess "kicking back" might be the right definition. It injures me every single time. But today, when i tried to start the motor , i haven't injured myself so much. I didn't pull the rope all the way back.


Guys , i am trying to do my first flushing. I think there are 2 ways for that:

1- Running the engine in a metal barrel, full of water.

2- There is a water input pipe under the engine. I need a plug to connect the hose and when i use this way, i don't need to run the motor at all.


If i am right, 2nd one is muuuuuuch easier. Are there any disadvantages of it?

 

[labradorguy]

Those are two different things. It's usually a little knob that you pull straight out prior to starting. (Your outboard may or may not have one) It does what it's name implies and makes pulling a whole lot easier. It will reset itself once the engine starts.

Did you buy this outboard new? If so, I would really recommend you go back to the dealer and have them show you the ropes (so to speak). Service is usually one of the big selling points of a brick and mortar shop and I'm sure they would be happy to go over your new motor with you.

I believe you said that it's a 4 stroke. If so, you are going to need to drop the oil after some break in time and I always change the oil in the lower unit too after the initial run in. You're going to have to visit the dealer or locate a manual to help you do this. You don't want all of those cuttings floating around in your lower unit.

I seldom flush mine unless I am running in saltwater. Did you run it aground and plug up some of the intake ports or something?

The hose is the way to go. My Johnson had one. It was so easy to use after a day on the flats. My Mariner outboard (drag boat motor) has a custom low water pickup for use with a ridiculously high jack plate and there is no way to put a hose on it, so I use a stock tank (cattle tank). It's a tremendous PITA, but very cost-effective...lol.

 

[jimp]

I doubt the 6hp 4s has a compression relief, as they are not hard to start or pull at all. I have a Merc 5hp 4s, and the best tip I've learned on starting is to pull the rope EASY until you feel a bit of resistance, or more resistance than normal, this indicates the engine is on the "compression stroke" and then let the pull rope retract as much as possible, then pull HARD, it will start much easier when cycling the engine to the compression stroke, rather than pulling the rope on the intake or exhaust cycles.

 

[ia_trouter]

The guys have answered your questions. Just one comment on prerunning it in a barrel. That proves the engine will start and run. It does not always mean you are golden. This is a no load situation. You essentially have a 6HP kitchen mixer not under load. We aren't baking a cake here so while it's a worthwhile exercise, it doesn't prove much. Sooo many times my relatives brought motors not boat tested 600 miles to northern MN on vacations. I then spent days being the family mechanic. While they make long runs to civilization for coil packs, spark plugs etc. Test it on the boat as soon as you can.

 

[querorz]

labradorguy, jimp and ia_trouter , i appreciate your helps, again. Thank you.

My motor is new. I don't know what a compression release looks like. So i can't be sure about that. I Googled it and i guess it is not something that can be photographed .

As i practice, i learn pulling the rope. I guess jimp is right. I should make an easy pull first, and then harder ones will not injure me.

ia_trouter, i live very close to a desert. I need to drive a lot to use that motor. Since it is bloody hard to set up an aluminum bottom boat and a 60 lbs. engine by myself, i need to find a company, everytime i want to test it.

Labradorguy, why did you say that i will need some spare shear pins? In what cases will i need to replace it? There are no outboard services or dealers around too. The nearest one is 140 miles away from me. After buying my engine, i heard that it's hard to find spare parts for Suzuki outboards in the Turkey. That was disappointing...

 

[ia_trouter]

The outboard is brand new? Read the owners manual a few times and go fishing. The spare shear pins are not a bad idea at all. A dealer can tell you if it is equipped. Email one and ask. They are needed if you hit something very solid underwater with your prop. They are cheap so order some.

 

[siege]

If you have a bicycle shop or machine shop near you, they may have a machine available to check the balance of your prop. Filing the blades ( slightly ) so they all match will help remove the vibration. It is similar to balancing the wheels on a car or motorcycle, but the machine has a point that the hub sits on, and a bubble level on top. When the prop dips down, a little can be filed off that blade until the prop sits level. Try to retain the shape and contours of the prop.
Along with shear pins, you might also might want to carry a spare spark plug.

 

[mojo]

As jimp mentioned before, 4 strokes don't have a compression release.
I have a Honda 9.9 4 stroke, had a Nissan 5hp -4 and the OP manual on both say if you're going to transport it laying down, you have to do it a certain way, might be handle down or handle up.
I put an additive in mine- Seafoam and use premium gas. I'm not sure if you can get Seafoam in Turkey though.
Dings in a prop can be straightened, and your prop is aluminum. File rough edges down. Extra shear pins are a good idea. To drain all your water out, just pull the boat out of the water and lower the motor down. I also run all the fuel out of the carb before pulling it out of the water. One thing to remember, fuel will turn to varnish very quickly in a small carb in the heat if not run out. That'll give you more headaches.

 

[querorz]

ia_trouter, siege and mojo, thank you.

I used my motor in saltwater only once but i forgot the get the gas out, and i also couldn't flush it. I hope i didn't damage it so badly.

Do i have to have that flush plug to flush my engine? We don't have it in Turkey? Can't i connect the hose directly? It will be very hard to find original shear pins or spark plugs for my Suzuki. Can i use some other brands' pins and plugs or do i need the Suzuki ones?

My prop is all right , right now. If it gets worse i will take it to a bicycle shop.

ia_trouter, yes it is brandnew.

 

[Ard]

Hi,

Can you go to Suzuki.com to find shear pins and other parts?

I used to run prop motors and you must be very careful of the bottom, good luck and give us pictures

 

[ia_trouter]

Shear pins will fit in a small envelope. If they won't ship to Turkey somebody here could mail them. A bit of a hassle but you need some spares. And don't stress not draining the fuel for a just few weeks or months. Yes you should do it, but it doesn't ruin stuff that quick. Leave it in a year or more and it can devastate a small carburetor.

 

[jimp]

The water intake on small OB's are sometimes different from the larger OB's as they are usually on the underside of the cavitation plate (on my 4stroke it is) so flushing after using in saltwater may mean you will have to use the barrel again to flush the saltwater out of the water passages in the engine block. Look on the lower unit on both sides and see if there are any grooves/holes for water to be sucked into the motor for cooling. If none, then look on the underside of the cav plate and see if the holes/grate, etc is there. If the holes are on the side of the lower unit, you can use "muffs" to flush the motor. If not, use the barrel to flush, and you can run the carbs dry during this procedure.