Lehr 2.5 Propane Outboard

alion

Cadet
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Messages
22
I just got this model for my dink and it "idles" too fast. The manual says it should idle at 2,000 rpm, +/- 150 rpm. Anyone else find this as a problem and what, if anything did you do about it?
 

rsnyder518

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 13, 2012
Messages
37
I don't own a Lehr myself, but I've considered the 5 HP model in the past and have done a lot of internet research on the Lehrs. One of the most common complaints that I see are regarding high idle speeds. I understand that there is an idle speed adjustment screw that you can use to adjust the idle speed if it's above specification. But even the specified value of 2000 RPM seems high to me! Lehr's customer service is reputed to be pretty good, so perhaps it's worth a call to them. Let me know how you make out!
 

alion

Cadet
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Messages
22
Thanks for your reply rsnyder518...I have re-set the adjustment screw but that doesn't solve it as the engine will "cut-out" after warm-up. I hope you have a better experience with the 5hp.
 

rsnyder518

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 13, 2012
Messages
37
The Lehr spec's are, as you stated, 2000 ± 150 RPM. 2150 RPM is, in my opinion, a very high idle speed but perhaps it is necessary to prevent it from cutting out as you noted. I think a call to customer service or your dealer might help you in rectifying this. Where did you buy the motor from and did they perform a pre-delivery inspection? There are some rumors on the internet that the propane they use in China to test the motors is less "potent" than the propane here in the United States and therefore many motors require both idle speed and mixture adjustments upon delivery. Motors bought direct from dealers (rather than online) are supposed to be adjusted by the dealer prior to delivery to the customer. A motor straight out of the box from China has not had these adjustments.

For now I've decided against the Lehr motors and I'm sticking with my gasoline powered 4 stroke. The propane technology is promising and I think there's a real market for propane powered outboards for use in applications where the motors are run infrequently and for short durations. I have a sailboat and infrequent, short use of my motor is the norm. I really only use it to get into and out of my slip and occasionally if the wind dies while I'm out on the lake. My main issues with the Lehr's are overall construction quality (including ill fitting cowls, cheap plastic and persistent oil leaks), repeated problems with idle quality such as yours (which seems not to affect every motor), and the lack of a robust dealer/service/parts network.

I think Lehr can get there eventually but only time will tell. I'll be really interested if Tohatsu, Honda, Yamaha, etc...get on board with propane especially for the US inland small boat market. But that market may not be lucrative enough to spur these larger companies to invest in that type of development.

All that being said, there are also lots of people that love their Lehr's. I think with some partience and some support from Lehr or your delaer directly that you will get there! Good luck and let me know how it works out.
 

HopCar

Cadet
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
24
Alion, I'm a Lehr dealer and I personally own a 2.5. When I test run before delivering an engine, I sometimes need to reset the idle. I have a tachometer but usually just do it by ear. Let me ask you a couple of questions.
What makes you think it is idling too fast?
Is it hard to start?
 

alion

Cadet
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Messages
22
HopCar & rsyyder518, Thanks for your replies. I bought 2.5 Lehr at Westmarine. My Pelican dink restricts weight and output of the outboard. The Lehr, at least temporarily, replaces a 20 year old Evinrude that still hangs on the stern of my trawler. To answer your specific question why I think it runs too fast, I have to quickly take it out of gear and "coast" to the dinghy dock or the swim platform, hoping I've gauged the distance properly whereas the Evinrude, running at about 1,000 gives me adequate leeway. The Lehr is an easy start.
 

HopCar

Cadet
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
24
Easy to start is good. You probably don't have any real problems. Just play with the idle speed screw. I try to set them as slow as I can and not have it stall when you put it in gear. If you feel it's slamming into gear and the boat leaps forward, it's probably set too fast. Be sure to set the idle when the engine is warm.


As for having to take it out of gear and coasting to the dock, I do what you are doing. I take the engine out of gear well away from the dock and coast. I try to do it far enough away that I won't quite make it too the dock and have to give it just a quick bump of forward to get in. When I bump it into gear that also lets me make any steering corrections needed.
 

alion

Cadet
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Messages
22
Exactly what I have to do HopCar. I bought the little beast at a well known boat products retail store but this site would not allow the exact name, so, I'll sneak the name in as worstmarine.
 

ronaldj

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
655
Yes all the Lehrs run fast. There is a video on the Lehrer site that shows you how to adjust the idle. Your experience just shows that WM does not check the outboards as that adjustment is normally made by a dealer before they sell the outboard. FYI the outboard will also run faster on a LPG tank than on the 1 pound bottles
 
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