Anybody run any tohatsu outboards?

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southernjeeper

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I have a 14' war eagle with a 15 2stroke from the late 90s. But I am wanting to do a repower perhaps before next summer.

I'm thinking of a Yamaha or tohatsu. Tohatsu's seem to be great tough engines for 3rd world countries so why not for here in the states. I see one on a boat once in a blue moon but I'm really wanting to get a 20hp for a little more ummmph and 25hp is too much for the boat since only a 20 is rated.


Thanks for any opinions.

I have not looked to compare price but I'm not sure it's not a big difference.
 
Friend has one. Works great. Not F.I. like his Suzuki so it doesn't start as easily but it does start each time. Lil louder than a Honda but still does the job.
 
I don't know anything about their current motors, but 30+ years ago when I was looking to buy it was also mostly third world. There were few dealers here and I think that vintage were still oil mix while the Yamaha I bought was oil injection. Good luck-
 
I know rental fleets used to love Tohatsu 2 strokes. Tough as nails. I've used some 9.9s years ago and they were outstanding.
 
I bought new and ran a 50 hp 3 cyl tohatsu for 12 years before selling it and my boat. It was with no reservation the best motor I ever owned and ran , absolutely no problems. I replaced the impeller one time spark plugs every year and that was it.If I remember correctly I bought this motor around 1991 sold it around 2003.My previous motors were an ancient 85 hp Chrysler and a 25 Johnson.
 
Some of the highest hour outboard motors in the world are Tohatsu.

Nissan buys Tahatsu outboard engines and then slaps a Nissan sticker on the side of them and sells them as Nissan engines.

Basically they are reliable and durable.

I would buy based on features you want though. 4 stroke vs 2 stroke, oil injection vs premix, etc. It's really hard to bypass a 4 stroke Yamaha when it is an option, in my opinion.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
There was a time when outboards came from America.


Like Chrysler/Force engines?

crackmeup2.gif


Evinrude makes many high quantity outboards in the USA
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
There was a time when outboards came from America.


Like Chrysler/Force engines?

crackmeup2.gif


Evinrude makes many high quantity outboards in the USA
The parent company is Canadian now, but I assume the quality is still there. There was a time when every dock I could see from our summer place had a Johnson or Evinrude powered boat tied to it, with a smattering of Mercs which were called "fresh water" motors back then.
 
The quality is actually better...OMC quality went down hill in the 90's when they started outsourcing parts. When BRP took over they had to scrap millions of dollars of bad OMC parts. BRP is 51% owned by Bain Capital of Boston as far as I know.
 
Cool. I might just get one before next summer to push my 14footer better. It will last til I am an old man then...
 
In the 20 HP range you really can't go wrong with any brand... I would go tohatsu for a small motor no problem. Online prices good. They look easy to wrench on.
Seems to be a lot of rebranding in the 4 stroke outboard market... use good gas and maintain them, any should be good...
When I am on the water, I seem to see more Hondas than others. Your best bet would be to hit a few boat places and see if they got a 20 a few years old collecting dust... here in upstate NY I have seen a bunch of small motors at boat shops... money talks to get an old tiller motor off the floor...
 
I use a 14ft with tohatsu 15hp 4stroke, over ten years hard heavy use.
Amsoil 10w-30 etc and oe filters every two years or so, runs like new.

I have evinrude's myself, two- 2mate's, a 25hp and the a 35hp on a 16ft blue fin.
They are imo the bees knees. The older ones, I don't know about the newer evinrude's.



Harvey
 
they are basically bulletproof. My dad bought a 90 hp Tohatsu brand new in April 1998, i was only 7 at the time. Its seen constant use since then without a problem, all saltwater use, and dragging a 25 foot net for shrimp for hours on end during the May and August seasons. Seventeen years later, Im now 24 and use it all the time and its still just as reliable as new. The only thing I did was disconnect the oil injection and I mix the gas/oil.
 
I "swear" by Nissan and Tohatsu outboards... truly are bulletproof.

I have owned an early 90's 15hp 2-stroke (blue and grey) and currently own a late 90's (charcoal gray) 15hp 2-stroke. Never once had a single problem with either, and they are good on gas to boot!
 
I had a 70 hp 2 stoke (1995) branded as a Nissan. I was told it was considered the "gold standard" of 2 strokes in the era. I don't know since I have little to compare it to. Never gave me any issues in the 2 years I ran it.
 
They are good just not very big in the US. I think they make a lot of the small engines for Merc actually.

A 4 stroke 20 will run about like a 2 stroke 15.

Small 4 stroke outboards are all about the same, buy on price.
 
Last edited:
Nice. I will see what I can find for a decent 20hp tohatsu soon from a dealer to see if they have any that they are trying to sell offs. Then I'll try perhaps craigslist and most definitely get the motor checked out before a purchase like that... And if all fails I'll just be patient and find a connection of anyone knowing if someone trying to part with their 20hp from meeting someone at a ramp waiting to put in or take out and then telling me "oh, they know a guy with one that they know he trying to sell". Most down here don't rely on simple ads on Craigslist and I don not blame them but I have had luck with buying certain items like appliances and super Swamper tires for an old willys of mine.

What is anyone's opinion on the higher 150-250hp Tohatsu's? Are they uncharted territory since they haven't had high horsepower motors offered til recent years? I might consider a 115 or 150hp for a 19.6" or a 21.6" aluiminum boat in the next 6mths or less.

Thanks
 
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