Calling a Tohatsu dealer should clarify if that could be a problem but I'll bet that isn't very likely, but I was surprised to learn that a Briggs & Stratton motor that I had once had that shortcoming. Did they say it fired when they tried adding fuel directly? If varnish/clogging is the problem, it would have fired a time or two then died once the fuel burned. Tod -----Original Message----- From: montgomery_boats-bounces+htmills=bright.net@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:montgomery_boats-bounces+htmills=bright.net@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Craig F. Honshell Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 10:06 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Subject: M_Boats: anyone on the list know anything about the . . . You jogged my memory - They did tell me they tried the fuel directly in the cylinder. AND, you've given me a clue to a possible cause of the problem - I tried a fuel additive after an outing on which the engine ran rough . . . I wonder if I damaged something? And they might've aggravated the problem using carburetor cleaner in the shop (?) . . . Thanks, Tod. ----- Original Message ----- From: htmills@bright.net To: 'For and about Montgomery Sailboats' Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 9:53 PM Subject: anyone on the list know anything about the . . . clogged jets is a universal problem. risk of buildup can be minimized by running the engine out of fuel/draining the carb after each use so that there isn't any fuel there to evaporate. Usually, clogging first shows up in hard starting/poor running although it is possible that the first sign is an inoperable engine, especially if it had sat for a long time with fuel in it. With the lower end in a garbage can of water, you could try putting a bit of fuel into the cylinder via the spark plug hole, replace the plug, and see if it fires at all (even if it doesn't keep running). A shop should be able to clean it out, but perhaps if they don't work on them often there may be a jet tucked away that they don't know is there. A shop manual should say whether carb cleaner might damage any plastic parts (it's odd, but some engines actually do have parts that can be damaged by carb cleaners; I don't know about Tohatsu) Tod -----Original Message----- From: montgomery_boats-bounces+htmills=bright.net@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:montgomery_boats-bounces+htmills=bright.net@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Craig F. Honshell Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 9:34 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Subject: anyone on the list know anything about the . . . They said they had spark, but no ignition . . . Would the varnish phenomenon be something common an outboard repair/maintenance place would automatically check, or is it a particular problem with Tohatsus? ----- Original Message ----- From: htmills@bright.net To: 'For and about Montgomery Sailboats' Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 9:28 PM Subject: anyone on the list know anything about the . . . Were they able to determine whether the problem area was ignition or fuel? I would guess that the most common source of problems would stem from jets (small fuel passageways) clogged by varnish (evaporating fuel). Tod -----Original Message----- From: montgomery_boats-bounces+htmills=bright.net@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:montgomery_boats-bounces+htmills=bright.net@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Craig F. Honshell Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 9:20 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Subject: anyone on the list know anything about the . . . . . . Nissan (Tohatsu) 4-stroke? I know some list members own them, but I'm wondering if anyone out there, unlike me, knows anything about them. I own a 4-horse 4-stroke Nissan (Tohatsu), but know nothing about it, except that, last Fall, it stopped starting. I've had it at a local repair shop, where they can find nothing wrong, yet cannot start it. They told me they were giving up. The shop is most familiar with Johnson and Evinrude, but services all brands, including, a few times in the past, this exact motor. They thought perhaps a Nissan dealer could find a cause they were overlooking. Any ideas? I bought the motor, on sale and tax-free, from an Indiana dealer and it's not particularly practical to take it back to him. The motor ran beautifully and reliably for two seasons before it mysteriously quit last Fall . . . _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats