help figuring out motor year from serial number

[mudchuck]

Hi all, I just purchased this motor in may and email Tohatsu twice with no response back. I am hopeful someone on this forum can help determine the year this motor was built.
serial is: 67302 motor is m40c 361a.
thanks in advance for your help.

 

[pvanv]

Year of manufacture is meaningless for servicing/valuing an old Tohatsu OB. The M40D came out around 1992, so the C is really old. You could call Tohatsu America at 214 420 6440 and they might be able to help you determine year of manufacture for nostalgia.

 

[mudchuck]

Year of manufacture is meaningless for servicing/valuing an old Tohatsu OB. The M40D came out around 1992, so the C is really old. You could call Tohatsu America at 214 420 6440 and they might be able to help you determine year of manufacture for nostalgia.

Thanks for that insight, however, I just spent over $300 on a carb repair from a so called reputable Tohatsu dealer, only to have one of the intake cowling bolts found rattling around in the cowling and the idle RPM appear to be excessively high. I'm trying to take this matter up with this dealer repair shop, however, knowing what year this motor is will be helpful in finding the correct repair manual. I'm not looking to value it, but want to take on self performing repairs so as to not get ripped off like I just did by paying excessive dealer shop fees for lousy service.
They charged me for 3 hours at $95/hr to inspect and tell me the main jet had fallen out and they reinstalled in without so much as any other work involved. I had also requested the lower unit lube be replaced but they failed to even perform that task.
I'm okay with self performing most task, and I only took the motor into this dealer since the motor was experiencing hard starts and low idle rough running while I was actually on the water, and on the advice of a nearby shop who referred me to this dealer I decided to trailer the boat and drop if of in hopes of getting good service and a valuable once over of the motor, but apparently this was not what I paid for, in spite of filling out the work order form in such a manner as to request a complete tune up in addition to the trouble shooting of the carb issues. This same dealer/repair shop has no mechanic on duty on weekends...go figure...

 

[mudchuck]

I'm also unclear on why you would say the c is "really old" since I've been rummaging thru the forum articles it appears some say they have C M40C models up to t a 2000 year class, so that doesn't make sense to me.
My M40C has a blue lower unit with a grey cowling if this helps identify the year class.

 

[pvanv]

Yikes. I guess that shop saw you coming. You could have gotten a complete new carb for less than the cost of that service:

345032000M

CARBURETOR ASS'Y

$212.85

I would definitely call them to discuss the situation. 3 hours seems a bit long to R+R and inspect/adjust the carb on a 40C, It is a very simple, reliable, and easy-to-understand carb. I'm sure the Tohatsu Flat Rate for repair of that component is a lot shorter.

Year of manufacture has nothing to do with getting the correct service manual -- the model and serial tell all. Don't bother with the aftermarket manuals (which may go by year), as they are too general to be of much help.

Tohatsu 1- and 2-cylinder 2-stroke outboards are covered by the Factory service manual, Part #: 003-21035-1, List Price (MSRP): $50.00. Before all carbed 2-strokes became obsolete in North America, there were individual manuals for each family of motors, but for many years now, the 2-strokes have been combined, with one manual for the 1- and 2-cylinder motors, and another for the 3- and 4-cylinder motors. Yes, some 2-stroke motors are still sold in other parts of the world, but not in North America.

Correct idle speed for your motor is 1000 RPM in neutral, 850 in gear.

Blue LU on a Tohatsu could date back into the 1980's. 30 years old. In saltwater outboard years, that's well past social security age.

 

[mudchuck]

Thanks Paul, I suspect I was taken advantage of by this marina/repair shop and I'm in the process of dealing with them now over this work order.
Is it possible to order this service manual from iboats?
The motor is used in freshwater.
I also have a situation whereas the motor is a tiller model, but was adapted to be used as a remote console, yet the tiller steer/throttle and associated linkage are still attached. Is it recommended to disconnect all the tiller portions?
The remote console is a Nissan, and works just fine, except has not key or choke features. Is these a way to adapt this so I can at least have choke?

 

[pvanv]

Unfortunately, iBoats is not a Tohatsu dealer, so they don't sell the Factory service manuals. See the dealer locator at http://tohatsu.com/outboards/index.html to find a dealer near you, or there are a few dealers that sell online.

Some Remote outboards did keep tiller controls (mid 70's OMC 9.9/15 comes to mind), as well as the 40C, so it is OK to keep the tiller throttle.

Remote (electric) choke for these motors was not an option. I have seen choke cables adapted to fit non-electric-choke motors.