Tohatsu 9.8 - no throttle control

[Drewkat]

Tohatsu Guru(s),

I recently purchased a 9.8 - 4 stroke long shaft for my sailboat from one of those on-line dealers who apparently did not perform the pre-delivery inspection. I installed the motor, gas and electric lines for the starter/alternator and started the motor. It went from 0 rpm to open throttle. The throttle adjuster (tiller) is useless. This happens every time I start the motor. The linkage is adjusted all the way back at idle setting and it even runs the same way with the linkage removed all together.

1) What would cause a brand new motor to do this and how can it be fixed?

2) This happened 6-8 times for less than 15 seconds a piece. Did this hurt by motor's break-in?

3) Should I just force the dealer to take back the motor and start over?

Thanks in advance

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Tohatsu 9.8 - no throttle control

There is no pre delivery inspection required on 18 hp and smaller engines so you have no grounds to return the engine unless the dealer did something fraudulent. Your engine comes with a three year warranty valid at any Nissan or Tohatsu dealer and all you need to do is take it into the closest dealer for them to determine what is wrong with the engine. As a guess your problem is related to a linkage piece that is not moving correctly. It might be bent, loose or broken.

While it is possible that the engine could be damaged it would be extremely unlikely that the RPM got high enough to do anything since the ESG prevents it from reaching a damaging RPM. In other words, no your engine is not damaged.

You can't force anything. It's certainly not the dealers fault that you have a problem. It's a manufacturers defect either in material or workmanship or even damage that might have occured during shipping.

Having said all that, it's unfortunate that this crap happened to you. Feel free to email me with your location and I will be happy to help you get it corrected.

Also, please tell me you didn't get the engine from us?