F-Ribs And Sibs - Inflatable Boat Community

Wonder if anyone can advise.

Is it possible to retro fit an electric start motor to a Tohatsu 20 Hp outboard and if so what would be involved and what would be needed.

I've had the outboard for about 4 years and was torn at the time with getting an electric start or not. In the end I decided against it for the extra cost of the outboard and the added weight of lifting it on and off the boat an e-start would give. Since then the outboard lives permanently on the boat throughout the season
as I leave it on the trailer.
I have never found the engine easy to start (although recently I found out why and is an easy fix) and am toying with the idea of doing a conversion.

Any ideas anyone ?

Many thanks in advance.

Sonofgum wrote: ↑

25 Jun 2022, 16:47

I have never found the engine easy to start (although recently I found out why and is an easy fix)

Sorry no idea how to convert to electric start but intrigued on this easy fix. Do tell.

Assuming you’re running the efi Tohatsu, we have the Mariner clone, and always amazed it needs such a long hard pull (Oooer! missus) to generate enough juice to kick in the battery less injection system….our previous similar tech Suzuki efi started with literally half the effort.

I also dont know but I suspect a conversion would not be easy and also quite expensive

harrison wrote: ↑

25 Jun 2022, 17:37

Sonofgum wrote: ↑

25 Jun 2022, 16:47

I have never found the engine easy to start (although recently I found out why and is an easy fix)

Sorry no idea how to convert to electric start but intrigued on this easy fix. Do tell.

Assuming you’re running the efi Tohatsu, we have the Mariner clone, and always amazed it needs such a long hard pull (Oooer! missus) to generate enough juice to kick in the battery less injection system….our previous similar tech Suzuki efi started with literally half the effort.

The problem has been fuel starvation, I found that when I pushed in the fuel line and heard it click in place it wasn't always connecting to the engine, I would then have to pump the priming bulb but it never really go hard just a bit 'squishy' and the same time I was pulling like billy-o on the engine trying to start it. Sometimes it was 12 pulls or more before it fired and you start to get tired, I noticed once the engine had run for a while it never failed to fire on one pull or 2 after it had been turned off.

I had the boat on my trailer in the drive and was messing about with the fuel connector and I found that once the line was connected to the engine, if I fiddled about with it a little and then pushed more firmly in place the priming pump would get hard after a couple of pumps at the same time I could hear the fuel hissing as it squirted into the internal tank on the engine. With that the engine would start after a couple of pulls.

Its due a service in a couple of weeks so I'll raise it with the dealer and yes its an efi Tohatsu.

Thanks for your response.

@Bigplumbs

Ok
Thanks for your feedback fella.