Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

[sbradley7007]

I am 5 hours in on the break in period of a new Tohatsu 25 hp. Been mostly running at half throttle or less, but was bumping it to 3/4 and full throttle for a minute or so at a time. Engine runs fantastic at half or less, but when taking it up to full throttle, a banging noise starts coming from the head area of the engine. Mostly a regular thumping, but once every 10-15 seconds, there's a louder bang. Is this normal at this point in the break in period? If not, any idea what can be causing this?

 

[erwinner]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

I broke in a new 15hp Mercury (Tohatsu) last season and didn't hear anything like that.
Granted they're different motors, but regardless, I'd be taking it back to the dealer!

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Not normal and it is something to be worried about. Get it in to a dealer ASAP.

 

[sbradley7007]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Ugh..ok thanks. Now the question I'm dreading to ask: I bought the motor online...will a local authorized dealer honor the warrantee, or am I screwed?

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

As Elvin noted, that sound is not normal, and you need to have a dealer look at it ASAP.

/Rant mode on/

Did you call/email the selling dealer? What level of support is your internet-***** dealer offering you, now that they have your money, are laughing all the way to the bank, and can hide behind an internet address... and don't have any allegiance to you as a customer? No doubt they are referring you to a real local dealer, or maybe, possibly, offering you a replacement motor, as long as you spend a couple of hundred dollars shipping your present motor back to them.

Did your internet-***** dealer perform a pre-delivery inspection (PDI) on the motor, verifying that everything was up to specifications, or was there the blank, untouched, PDI form -- still in the documentation pack? Odds are that your internet-***** "dealer" did nothing but warehouse cardboard boxes, and frankly could neither confirm nor deny whether there was even a motor in that box -- it could have been a box full of concrete blocks for all they knew.

/Rant mode off/

Real bricks-and-mortar servicing dealers are independent companies. They can accept or reject any work, as they see fit for their business model. When you sheepishly approach your local dealer, asking for them to work on a motor on which they had no involvement, keep in mind that you have already slapped them in the face by buying elsewhere. Your local dealer can service the motor for you under warranty, and if the date of delivery is under 60 days, they can also do the PDI for you at no charge. Just don't expect that your motor will be pushed to the front of the service line.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

The short answer is yes, every dealer is required to perform service on your engine regardless of where purchased. The local dealer is the one who lost your business because they were above market price or failed to advertise that they were a dealer. They should be kissing your rear end to earn your future business(that they threw away) rather than punishing you. If that local dealer fails to live up to their contract with Tohatsu please let me know so that they can be cancelled

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

The short answer is yes, every dealer is required to perform service on your engine regardless of where purchased. The local dealer is the one who lost your business because they were above market price or failed to advertise that they were a dealer. They should be kissing your rear end to earn your future business(that they threw away) rather than punishing you. If that local dealer fails to live up to their contract with Tohatsu please let me know so that they can be cancelled

Or the local dealer may have lost the sale because of tax evasion... our local customers can get an extra 8-3/4% off, should they choose to illegally skip the sales tax when buying out-of-state. In those cases, we encourage them to come to us to do the PDI at no charge.

 

[sbradley7007]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

I knew the risks of buying over the internet vs a local dealer (as there isn't one close to me), so I deserve the rant. Now I have to face the consequences, and hope a dealer can help me. Thanks for the great responses.

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

A local dealer certainly can (and should) help you. Likewise, if you are within the 60-day period, they can do a PDI for you while they are at it -- at no cost to you. You can find the closest ones at http://www.tohatsu.com/dealersearch/index.html

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Sales tax isn't an issue. The IT ho has to pay shipping and the local dealer wouldn't have to so it is break even or so close to it that it still comes down to the local dealer making the mistake...Or the consumer being too stupid to realize there was a local dealer Either way I do not see engines ho's as being a problem since the product is covered either way.

 

[Star]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Just curious did the 5 hours of breakin occur in the lake or a barrel???

 

[sbradley7007]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Just curious did the 5 hours of breakin occur in the lake or a barrel???

Other than the first 15 minutes of so running at idle in a barrel, the rest of the time was on a river or lake.

 

[Davem3]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Other than the first 15 minutes of so running at idle in a barrel, the rest of the time was on a river or lake.

phew

thank god .............

 

[Star]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Is it possible that the thunk you are hearing is the revlimiter kicking in, maybe you are just under proped?

 

[sbradley7007]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

I'm not familiar with the revlimiter. Can you explain?

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

The ESG RPM limitier causes a staggered ignition when you hit the redline, to prevent over-revolution speeds. It also turns on the warning buzzer. Info is in the owner's manual.

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Sales tax isn't an issue. The IT ho has to pay shipping and the local dealer wouldn't have to so it is break even or so close to it that it still comes down to the local dealer making the mistake...Or the consumer being too stupid to realize there was a local dealer Either way I do not see engines ho's as being a problem since the product is covered either way.

Shipping to the IT ho dealer for a 25 is maybe $75. NY sales tax is over $300. So yes, sales tax can make a difference.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Paul,

A 25 cannot be shipped and even shipping on a 20 from the "ho" in TN( it always seems to be him:0 ) would run him $150.00 or more. So, constanly denigrating dealers who service consumers who DO NOTdo business with their local dealer is probably not the best approach.

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Elvin,

I guess I wasn't clear... probably needed another cuppa before engaging keyboard... What I meant was that our I-ho friends could pay freight-in to them for very cheap or free, since they are shipping in by the LTL pallet, and then, the [illegal] lack of sales tax to the consumer would be an incentive for a customer to buy from them instead of a local dealer. Not sure exactly how the OP managed to have a 25 arrive at his house "in the box"... That might be worth investigating...

My boss lost 4 motor sales this spring due to that. But... I picked up the ball, and have done no-charge PDI's for all of them, and now likely have lifetime service customers... and we all know that service is king

 

[sbradley7007]

Re: Tohatsu 25hp - banging noise at high throttle during break in

Jumping back in here....I am taking the motor to a dealer next week. As someone mentioned up-thread, he was not thrilled about where I bought it. And one correction: my motor is 20hp, not 25hp. Must have been a mental slip, as my last motor was a 25. I can't seem to find a way to edit the title of this thread...