Worn engine and transmission mounts can be the cause of clunks, thumps and vibration. The purpose of the motor and transmission mounts, besides holding them securely is to insulate the vibration from the engine and transmission from the uni-body or frame of the vehicle. In fact some manufacturers even call them insulators NOT motor mounts. Sometimes motor mounts can be collapsed, greatly reducing their ability to absorb vibration from the engine. Collapsed mounts are the hardest to diagnose, since the rubber does not have to appear worn. Usually when checking engine mounts, one person will be in the driver’s seat power braking while another very trusting individual checks for excessive movement in the mounts!

Looking at the mounts with a light while power braking in drive and reverse is typically done since broken mounts can allow for more movement in one direction or the other. Another way to check for worn mounts is to rock the car back and forth with your knees on the bumper – this is a quick check that’ easy to do by yourself with the engine off and the car in park. If you choose to check the mounts this way, make sure that the hood is supported well. On more than one occasion, I’ve caught the car hood when it was closing because of weak hood supports. Some motor mounts can be visibly checked for worn or split rubber without the need of torquing the engine back and forth.

When changing motor and transmission mounts, the car should be supported by a floor jack and a block of wood or supported from above with an engine support bar. I’ve also used jack stands and jack screws under the car whiles it’s up on the lift.

Tools Needed to Check & Change Motor Mounts

1. A good flashlight or drop light.
2. Floor jack and/or jack stand.
3. Vehicle lift is nice but not always necessary.
4. Jack screw if working with the car on a lift.
5. Hand tools like wrenches, sockets, ratchets and extensions.

By Dennis Bandy

The two types of electric motors currently being used in the radio controlled boats hobby are the brushed motor and the brushless motor.

What are they, and which one is best? Good Questions…let’s take a quick look at these two types of electric motors.

To begin, all electric motors have magnets and coils of wire (windings). You don’t have to remember any of your high-school physics, but the basics are that a coil of wire moving in a magnetic field creates an electric current. When you have a varying current through a coil of wire it will move relative to the magnetic field…in other words, it goes round and round!

* First is the brushed motor

Most electric radio controlled boats use a brushed motor. These brushed motors look somewhat like a small metal can with an axle sticking out of one end and battery leads on the other. Inside that ‘can’ are the commutator shaft, the armature, wires, carbon brushes, and magnets.

The carbon brushes press against a spinning commutator (a set of electrical contacts on the armature) causing friction. This contact forms an electrical circuit between the DC electrical source (battery) and the armature coil-windings. When voltage is applied through the battery leads to these brushes it causes the motor to spin and gives forward and reverse motion to the radio controlled boat.

The downside of this configuration is the inevitable friction puts extra strain on the motor, and the brushes wear down with use…therefore needing periodical replacement.

In addition, the windings are pretty heavy to rotate, and since they are in the middle of everything they have difficulty getting rid of waste heat being created. Not only that, but the brushes make imperfect contact with the commutator as currents and speeds increase. So, you can see that there are quite a few losses in this setup. In practice a brushed motor will rarely be more than about 65-70% efficient.

* Now let’s examine the brushless motor

The brushless motor is becoming increasingly popular in the radio controlled boats hobby. Why is that? Well, one of the appeals of a brushless motor is in the sheer power it can give to your electric radio controlled boat. Brushless motors, as you might guess, do not have brushes. In turn, they don’t require frequent cleaning, and without the brushes there is less friction which results in less heat — the biggest killer of motor performance.

Another appealing factor for brushless motors is that they can handle a much higher voltage than brushed motors. With an increased voltage supply, brushless motors can really help someone new to radio controlled boating race at blistering speeds!

How does the brushless motor work? In contrast to its ‘brushed’ counterpart, the brushless motor has a permanent magnet in the rotor or shaft. There are sensors that determine the direction and how fast the magnet turns in order to produce voltage. Unlike the carbon brushes of the brushed motor, these sensors do not touch the armature.

In this configuration, the permanent magnets rotate and the armature remains static…opposite of the brushed motor model. This eliminates the problem of how to transfer current to a moving armature. In this setup, the brush-system/commutator assembly is replaced by an electronic controller. This controller performs the same power distribution function you will find in a brushed motor, but instead uses a solid-state circuit instead of a commutator/brush system.

This setup eliminates friction, and therefore results in much greater efficiency and a huge increase in power – a brushless motor can be up to 300% more powerful than a brushed motor. Plus, gone is the issue of brush replacement!

There are definitely advantages to running with a brushless motors…the first one being the brushless motor requires less maintenance and can be more reliable. A brushless motor can, in most cases, provide more torque and more efficient power than a comparable brushed motor.

Even though the initial cost of a brushless system is higher, if you factor in the maintenance and other costs associated with a low turn, powerful brushed motor, the cost will very quickly justify itself.

Keep in mind, however, these motors are only just now becoming legal in some professional radio controlled racing circuits! That may or may not apply to your individual situation and/or needs.

So, there you have it. The decision is yours…brushed or brushless. Consider your individual needs and goals, as well as cost and choose from the many radio controlled boats the one that is right for you right now. The thing is, your skills and goals will change over time, and you can certainly have more than one boat…one for every occassion!!

Get out there and have Fun!!

By Lynn McArthur

Unit Maintenance Operations are vital to the success of any Army unit. No unit can fight and win on the battlefield without maintaining a high level of operational readiness. If the tanks, guns, artillery and rifles don’t work, we cannot win the battle.

More importantly, all Army leaders have the responsibility to maintain their assigned equipment. This includes the “safekeeping” of the equipment and ensuring it is fully-mission-capable. In other words, could the unit deploy with their equipment right now? And, would it work?

In the Army, we use the term “operational readiness” to describe the posture of our equipment. In other words, your operational readiness rate corresponds with the percentage of fully-mission-capable equipment. As of today, the Army standard is 90%. For instance, if your unit has 20 tanks, your goal is to have 18 fully-mission-capable at any time. Anything less than that and you would fail to meet your required OR rate.

Failure to maintain a high level of operational readiness is one of the fastest ways to get fired from your job. Therefore, you need a basic understanding of unit maintenance and then you need to make it a high priority in your unit.

Some of the best things you can do to improve your OR Rate include:

- Establishing Priorities
- Training Maintenance Personnel
- Develop and Implement a Maintenance SOP
- Place Command Focus on Motor Stables
- As a Leader, be Involved with Motor Stables
- Ensure Maintenance Personnel have required Tools

This is just a starting point. There are many other great ways to improve your unit’s operational readiness.

By Charles Holmes

You can easily get a free auto repair manual for whichever repair need you might have. You need an internet access and have to follow a certain procedure searching for auto repair manuals, but when you have done this procedure a few times it will be very easy to find the right instructions for do it yourself auto repair and it won’t cost you a dime.

There are four types of automotive description documents that you will need to choose from when you want to do a repair;

* General manuals
* Diagnosis descriptions
* Repair manuals
* Maintenance manuals

General Manuals

In addition to some general manuals, most of these are related to the make. Here you can get step by step guidance on how to repair most of the makes in the vehicle market. Let’s say you have a Honda Acura 2002 model and you want to find a manual for that make and model. What you do is perform the following search in a search engine: “free car manuals+Honda Acura+2002″. Then you will have a long list of sites that provide you with all kinds of descriptions for your Honda Acure 2002 model, and you can choose what you want.

Diagnosis descriptions

Automotive diagnosis manuals can also be sub-divided by make and model. But it can also be divided by the area of the vehicle that is affected, for example engine intake problems, brake problems, cooling problems, exhaust problems, start or stall problems, transmission problems etc. Let’s say you have a start problem. Your search would be “car diagnosis manual+ start problem”, then you should get more than enough repair information to choose from. You can even get diagnostic trees where all options are covered for nothing.

You have probably more than one time heard some annoying noise from somewhere in your vehicle, without finding the source of it. This is one of the most kinky situations to run into because you don’t know if it is a serious signal or just a small thing. Some websites gives you the opportunity to diagnose vehicle problems by the noise, sound and vibrating signals – and that is great. The sooner you find it the sooner you can fix it and then you can relax. When you search, you can describe the sound, for example “whine noise” or “shifter knocks” or “driveline vibration” plus car diagnosis manual plus eventually the make.

Repair Manuals

In addition to regular manuals you can also get very instructive and detailed descriptions in other internet document or websites like articles, etc. The natural way to sub-divide such repairs before searching, is by the area of the vehicle that is going to be repaired, for instance body repair, exhaust repair, suspension fix, interior repair and even general car repair.

You do the search the same way as above; “car repair manual (or description) + the area of repair and go through the list of resources you get.

Maintenance manuals

Though vehicle maintenance is closely related to your vehicle make and model, there are some maintenance issues that are pretty much common whether you have a Cadillac, VW or a Mercedes, for example changing oil, changing air filters, engine wash, fluid maintenance, tier maintenance etc. You can get access to maintenance descriptions by searching for the kind of maintenance plus “car maintenance manual (or description)” plus eventually your make and model.

I think you’ll be amazed of the amount of automotive repair free stuff online.

By Terje Ellingsen

One of the best ways to keep a car and driver safe is to keep the vehicle in good repair. There is more to car maintenance than filling up with quality fuel and adding the proper grade motor oil. Especially for Canadian motorists that deal with extreme winter temperatures, it reduces the chance for accidents and, as a result, keeps the rates lower on Ontario vehicle insurance.

Take a few minutes to read through the owner’s manual to see what is recommended in monthly and yearly maintenance. There may also be tips on what octane fuel or motor oil to use. Use the tire pressure suggested for the best gas mileage and tire wear. Over-inflated tires will result in a bumpy ride and poor handling. Under-inflation makes tires wear more rapidly.

Every so often, do a basic preventive maintenance check on the vehicle to be sure it is in good repair. Fixing little problems before they become big ones not only reduces driving hazards, it is usually cheaper.

Tire Wear

Flat tires and blowouts are a frequent cause of accidents. Sudden loss of tire pressure may result in swerving uncontrollably into oncoming traffic, barriers or other motorists. Before taking long trips or driving in ice and snow, take the time to check tire treads and pressure. The owner’s manual or a label inside the driver’s side door will list recommended pounds or kilograms. Inspect each tire for bald spots, punctures or missing stem caps.

Visibility

Check windshield wipers periodically for dry rot and cracks. Worn wipers can hinder visibility in inclement weather. Make sure the blades are properly attached to the arm to prevent metal or hard plastic from scraping and scratching the windshield. Repair or replace a windshield with dings or cracks.

Engine Safety

Open the hood every so often when the engine is cool. Become familiar with the basic parts and what they do. Look for cracked or bulging hoses and replace them before they burst. Check all fluid levels and add them as needed. Inspect the battery for corrosion. Wearing gloves and safety glasses, use a wire brush to remove any debris. This will prolong the life of the battery and prevent dead cells. Look for loose wires, brackets and bolts. If anything looks broken or out of line, consult a repair shop or dealership. Pooling or dripping liquids signal a leak.

Signals and Lighting

Have a friend or family member help check that all lights and signals are working on the outside. On the inside turn all switches on and off, including hazards, and step on the brakes to make sure they work as well. Replace any burnt bulbs or have a professional do it.

Leaks

Park the car in a clean, dry area and check underneath for any leaks. Green fluid comes from antifreeze; black spots usually mean oil. Pink, red or brown drops usually belong to transmission fluid. A vehicle in good repair should not have any fluid leaks. In hot summer weather, however, water condensation may drip after the air conditioner has run for a long period of time. This is not a problem and should be expected.

Preventive maintenance is the best way to keep a car from malfunctioning on the road and causing an accident. For Ontario drivers this is a simple way to reduce rates on Toronto car insurance.

By Jeremy P Stanfords

A mobility scooter is nothing but a power operated scooter also known as a electric scooter as well. It is similar to a wheelchair but configured like a motor scooter. These scooter are usually battery powered. A battery is stored on the board of the scooter and charged via an on board charger or a separated battery charger unit from standard electric power.

There are most useful for persons with systematic or whole body disabling conditions. Of late, there has been considerable increase in demand of the mobility scooters. These are powered by strong and high-performance mobility batteries and many companies are coming forward with various kinds of mobility scooter batteries. Mobility scooters too come in different models and their price also differ widely according to their capacity and brand.

The maintenance of a motor scooter battery is very important for its proper and effective functioning. This is help in essentially maintaining its speed as well as life span of the scooter. Keeping the battery in good condition will help you to save a lot of money and also help you have a safe ride every time. Take simple precautions like keeping the scooter battery charged, keeping the battery in a cool and dry place, proper greasing of the terminals in order to enhance the life of the mobility scooter battery.

There are many companies willing to give you a battery replacement in case of its failure. Mobility scooters batteries are also very easy to find and purchase. You simply browse this site to look for the battery that you need and you will surely find the one. There are many online stores that sell batteries for scooters and will ship directly to your door. There are also many scooter retail stores that can personally assist you in your battery replacement endeavors. Other thing you need to have in mind is the price according to your budget and delivery fees. Most of manufactures have different lines products according to different budgets and quality.

Small sit-down motor scooters provide important advantages to people with mobility problems across the globe. One of the biggest advantages of this scooter is that they do not look like a wheel chair and in general are more affordable leading them to become a cheaper alternative to any other mobility device.

By Ignacio Duran

It is very essential to get gearbox repair done as soon as you detect even a minor problem in your vehicle’s gearbox. This is to avoid any further complications which may either result in your gearbox breaking down completely or replacement of the whole set. And this would only mean that you have to incur additional expenditure for the same. Similarly, servo motor repair is also an important thing for you if you are a vehicle owner.

Where to get your gearbox repair done?

It is seen that most of the time people get their gearbox repair done in the nearby garage in the neighborhood. This is indeed a good idea, but what if you are traveling and you encounter some problem in your gearbox. Well, then we suggests that you try logging online. The internet would give you access to some of the best sites where, the service providers would even collect your vehicle from just anywhere and you can get your gearbox repair done instantly. Most of these companies with their presence online, offer customized gearboxes rebuild services. You can even get in-house design and certification of gearing layouts from professional engineers.

Getting the best servo motor repair services

Like in the case of gearbox, it is also very essential to get the perfect repair services for your servo motors. And it is also very essential to get it done at regular intervals. This includes diagnostics of encoders, resolvers and other repair needs.

A great servo motor repair service company can lead test servo drives up to 250 In-LB with 2 Magtrol computerized Dynometers. A really efficient company can offer rush turnaround service even for emergency situations.

Whether, you are getting servo repair service or gearbox repair, it is always better to get it done at regular basis. And, also we suggest you to go online to get the best servo repair services which the minimum expenses incurred on the same.

By Kevin Pete

Engine Sludge has ruined thousands of automobile engines, often surprising car owners who thought they had done proper maintenance.

Automakers responded poorly, leaving thousands of customers in the lurch.

Sludge prone engines in some cars from Chrysler, Dodge, Toyota, Saab, Volkswagen, Audi, and Lexus from 1998-2004 await unwary buyers.

But any engine can develop sludge if maintenance is delayed.

Class action lawsuits have resulted in settlements, but no manufacturer has issued a recall.

News reports still trickle in, offering a continuing picture of used car buyers whose bargain dream car turned into a sludge monster. Sludge is gelled oil, with its additive package depleted by heat and contaminant accumulation. Oil galleries, small passages in the engine block and cylinder head, can build up deposits. These block delivery and starve engine components of life giving oil.

Once the oil galleries are blocked, reverting to manufacturer’s recommended oil change intervals generally fails to reverse the sludging.

Engine failure due to oil gelling is expensive, and in sludge-prone engines, can be repetitive.

Among cars that sludged, mean engine failure occurred at 63k miles.

A few poorly maintained engines locked up with as little as 15k.

Many still had warranty coverage, but numerous claims were denied.

Rental fleet cast-offs and lease returns, which often are poorly maintained by first owners, composed the majority of sludged engines.

Oiling problems are not a new issue.

In the early days of the auto business, motors were routinely disassembled and scrubbed with kerosene.

My father was the third owner of a 1956 Plymouth V-8 that sludged up in 1961, despite his regular maintenance. I went to the dealership and watched it being steam cleaned. Oil change intervals had been getting longer for a couple decades without incident when the sludge problem reappeared. An engineering crisis in the mid-1990′s brought the sludge monster back.

Evolving emissions standards and fuel mileage targets added new complexity to drive train engineering, putting pressure on overworked design teams.

Here is a very brief overview of a few of these issues.

Aluminum engines with new heat transfer rates combined with hotter internal temperatures for emissions compliance, often overheating oil.

Finer internal tolerances and friction reduction called for lower viscosity motor oils.

These thinner lubricants allowed smaller pores on oil pan uptake screens which tended to clog easily. Front wheel drive compacted entire drive trains in crowded engine bays, where heat from tack-on turbochargers and catalytic converters built up. Cylinder heads evolved with three and four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing, and overhead cams with their associated chains and gears.

This new head complexity and crowding gave engineers few alternatives but to downsize valve guides, oil passages, spark plug threads, and coolant galleys.

Long life antifreeze and radiator maintenance intervals up to 100,000 miles allowed some cooling systems to deteriorate.

Coolant leaks contaminate oil quickly.

So beginning in 1996, problems with extended oil change intervals developed.

Late model cars began to show up at dealer service bays with sludge in engines.

Dealers kept this quiet, often claiming they had never heard of the sludge problem.

When manufacturers saw the mountain of warranty claims coming, denial took over.

Many builders denied warranty claims, claiming improper maintenance as the cause of sludged engines.

A certain percentage of new cars will inevitably be improperly maintained, but engine sludge occurred more frequently in selected models.

As the problem grew, internet owner’s forums filled with posts about weak customer service, claim denials, and dealer stonewalling. Eventually extended drive train warranties were offered by VW, Toyota, Audi, and Saab. Troubled Chrysler declined to offer extend warranty protection or speed up claims.

For engines engineered liable to sludge, flushes are offered, but no good solution is available.

But to prevent oil sludge better maintenance is suggested.

Avoid the illusory savings of quicky lube shops.

Manufacturers “severe service” or “severe climate” oil drain interval listed in the owner’s manual should be followed.

This means every oil change receipt should show mileage lower than the figure specified.

Some owners report being disqualified for just a few miles over.

Replace the PCV (crankcase ventilation) valve every 30K miles.

Every single service or repair receipt must be retained, showing the vehicle identification number (VIN), date, mileage, and description of service performed.

Never drive with an overheated motor, repair the cooling system and replace the oil immediately. Cooling systems should be serviced more often than manufacturer’s specs. Short trips in cool climates don’t warm up motor lubricant fully, allowing condensation to build up. Just taking the car for a longer ride every two weeks might help.

Car buyers beware “hot deals” and “low payments.”

Many oil sludgers were “bargains.”

As new cars, many were moved with heavy incentives,low-front-money lease contracts, and rental fleet package contracts.

Previous owner’s service records should be central to the used-car evaluation.

By Ed Sherbenou

Understanding the marine diesel engine cooling system is a necessary part of marine diesel engine maintenance.

Raw Water Cooling

Flexible impeller pumps provide an efficient solution to most raw water pumping needs. The primary advantage of a flexible impeller pump is that it is self-priming, which means that when the vanes of the impeller are depressed and rebound, they create their own vacuum, drawing fluid into the pump. A dry pump can lift water up to as much as three meters. Thus a flexible impeller pump being used for engine cooling does not need to be manually primed or located below the water line. An added feature of a flexible impeller pump is that it can pass fairly large solids without clogging or damaging the pump. This reduces the need for filtration of incoming fluids.

For general or fresh water applications, a standard long lasting neoprene rubber impeller is used.

A general feature of all flexible impeller pumps is that they cannot be permitted to run dry for more than 30 seconds. Both the impeller and the seals require water for lubrication and will soon burn out if run dry. Parts that start to show wear are easily replaceable and service kits are readily available for most models.

Fresh Water Cooling

For circulation of the internal, closed, fresh water circuit of the cooling system it is common to use a flexible rubber pump if it is located on the cold side of the system (max. 55°C). Other types of belt-driven centrifugal pumps are also used. The closed circuit normally transfers heat from the engine to the heat exchanger. The liquid used is water and anti-freeze.

Cooling Capacity

The required output of the cooling pump is related to engine type and size, not to the size of the heat exchanger and exhaust system. This is true for both raw water as well as fresh water handling systems.

Temperature Regulators (Thermostats)

Thermostats are usually placed in the outlet at the top of the cylinder head to prevent the coolant from moving to the header tank until the marine engine has nearly reached operating temperature.

There are different types of thermostats, the most common being the wax pellet type. The capsule on the lower part of the thermostat has a mixture of wax and copper (to increase the thermal conductivity) sealed in it. As the coolant temperature increases, the wax expands and forces a rod to open the poppet valve at the top of the thermostat, which allows the coolant to circulate.

Cooling system checks

* To test your thermostat, boil a pot of water and drop in the thermostat. (The water must be 100°C–the thermostat usually opens at 85°C.) If the thermostat opens it is okay. If it doesn’t open, replace or clean carefully as they can become sticky with deposits. Yanmar thermostats can and should be regularly serviced. Some thermostats cannot be serviced.
* If the thermostat doesn’t work, do not remove it and run the engine without it, as the engine will run cold and tight. You can drill a series of 1/4Ë holes to give equivalent flow to an open thermostat. This will get you home, but you must then replace it. Be careful not to fit thermostat upside down.
* Thermostat housings often corrode and need to be replaced. Some can be fabricated.
* The cooling system should be checked after 100 hours running, or at least once each season, for leakage, deposits, etc.
* The thermostat can be taken out of the housing on the front of the engine.
* The heat exchanger core should be removed bi-annually for cleaning and inspection.
* Many heat exchangers are fitted with anodes to protect the expensive core. Check regularly.
* Check all hoses and clamps regularly.

Replacing the sea-water pump impeller

The pump impeller is made of neoprene rubber and this can be damaged in the case of water deficiency if, for example, the sea-water intake should be blocked. The pump impeller is changed as follows:

1. Remove the cover from the sea-water pump. Note that there is the risk of water getting into the boat. With the help of two screwdrivers pull the shaft with the pump impeller out of the housing as far as necessary to reach the bolt retaining the impeller. Place some kind of protection under the screwdrivers in order not to damage the impeller housing. Alternatively, using channel-lock pliers, slide jaws between blades of impeller, rotate and withdraw.
2. Pull the impeller off the shaft. Clean the inside of the pump housing and fit the new impeller. Always have a spare impeller on board.
3. Check that the pump coupling is not damaged, by trying to turn the pump impeller. Fit the cover with the original gasket, which has the right thickness.

By Christopher Miley

30 years ago American manufacturers dominated the outboard motor market.Names such as Mercury, Johnson, Evinrude and Chrysler, led the field competing with each other to produce bigger and better outboard engines. However, while this was going on they were neglecting the smallest of the outboards. These are the outboard motors that sell in the greatest of numbers and are often the first outboard many of us, buy. This being the case many of us stick to the same brand (brand loyalty) as we buy other bigger outboards over the years. The Japanese seized on this fact and gradually Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Tohatsu concentrating on small outboards began to take over as market leaders. They achieved this domination by improving efficiency and reliability. As well as adding features to these small outboards previously only found on larger engines.

Having achieved success in the small outboard market, these Japanese manufacturers expanded up the power range. They again came to dominate the outboard engine market up to at least 20 hp. The American manufacturers instead of competing with the Japanese, gave up and decided to buy these engines from the Japanese and badge them as their own. Now the Chinese have entered the market. Basically doing what the Japanese did previously, copying the best features of the present engines and at the same time keeping costs down.

So let us compare the outboards that are on offer for those looking for an outboard motor for their dinghy. If we take a fairly larger dinghy say, a Pioner 12, so that each outboard has to push a reasonably heavy weight through the water. If we then take the following outboard motors :

Mercury 2.5hp; Mercury 3.5hp; Mariner 2.5hp; Tohatsu 3.5hp; Yamaha 2.5hp; Suzuki 2.5hp; Honda 2.3hp; and a Parsun 2.6hp. All these outboards are 4 stroke engines. This is due to an E.U. Directive that prevents 2 strokes from being sold in the E.U. These outboards will provide a fairly wide range of engines available on the market, for powering dinghies.

To judge one engine against the another several tests were completed. A Bollard pull test showed that the Mercury 3.5hp and Tohatsu 3.5hp were the most powerful at 90lbs of thrust (These two engines along with the Mariner are virtually identical). The least effective was the Honda 2.3hp at 66lbs of thrust. In between were the Suzuki 2.5hp at 83lbs of thrust, the Yamaha 2.5hp at 78lbs of thrust and the Parsun 2.6hp at 70 lbs of thrust.

Next test was Fuel Consumption. At full speed – 5.75 knots, the best outboards were the Yamaha 2.5hp and the Suzuki 2.5hp by at least 20%. The worst was the Parsun 2.6hp. When the throttles were eased and the dinghy was cruising the Fuel Consumption comparision was less evident, only about 10% difference. All these figures are for 4 stroke engines. However, based on figures previously recorded for 2 strokes under similar circumstances, the older engines were up to 50% less fuel efficient at full speed. Very thirsty! Remember 2 stroke outboards are still available second hand.

Then the weight of each outboard motor was compared. Four stroke engines are heavier than older 2 strokes because of the powerhead etc. The Mercury, Mariner, Tohatsu, Yamaha and Parsun all weighed approx. 38 – 41 lbs (18 kg.). However, the Honda 2.3hp and Suzuki 2.5hp weighed a lot less at 28 lbs (12.5 kg.).

The price of each outboard motor was then compared. This was difficult to be accurate as discounts and sale offers are always changing.

Mercury 3.5hp £449
Mercury 2.5hp £380
Mariner 2.5hp £429
Tohatsu 3.5hp £449
Yamaha 2.5hp £489
Suzuki 2.5hp £379
Honda 2.3hp £429
Parsun 2.6hp £375

Although the Parsun was the cheapest and it is virtually identical the same engine as in the Yamaha 2.5hp, it is not as good. It is a bit like me following a Gordon Ramsay recipe, to the letter, but when compared side by side you just know that his is going to be that much better. The Chinese are able to copy, just like the Japanese did before them, but they have not got it right, yet!

Finally a little about each outboard tested. The Mercury, Mariner and Tohatsu are the same engine. Starting settings for the throttle are easy to understand with the choke and stop button clearly labelled. The petrol on/off tap is not so clearly marked. All these motors have gears. Ahead and neutral then using the 360 degree rotation you can get astern thrust. There are 4 tilt positions and a shallow water ability. Oil levels can be easily checked by viewing the indicator on the side of the engine cover.

The Yamaha 2.5hp also had easily understood starting and stopping settings but the oil level gauge was out of sight under the engine casing cover. As with the Mercury outboard the Yamaha 2.5hp has gears, ahead and neutral with 360 degree rotation. Unlike the Mercury which has a shear pin, the Yamaha has a rubber hub at the propeller, so no shear pin to break.

The Suzuki 2.5hp is as above but with the oil gauge easily viewed at the side of the cover. The propeller has a shear pin with spares stowed under the engine cover.

The Honda 2.3hp is not water cooled like all the other outboards tested. It is aircooled and has no gears. Instead it uses a centrifugal clutch. This makes starting and maneuvering more difficult than the others. It simply takes a bit of getting used to it. The oil gauge is out of sight under the cover. The propeller has a shear pin with spares kept under the engine cover.

Finally the Parsun 2.6hp, a copy of the Yamaha 2.5hp but not as good. However it is the cheapest engine when new. Fuel consumption was its biggest draw back.

By Ian Mcculloch