mercury / tohatsu 9.8 low compression after head gasket change

Michawilden

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 4, 2015
Messages
153
posting this in the merc forum since I don't get a responce in the tohatsu forum.

I'm repairing a 2019 6 hp 2 cyl 4 stroke tohatsu outboard. Same powerhead as the 8 and 9.8 or 15 hp tohatsu and mercury I believe. The motor was running and starting really good. Started in 1 pull. Problem is that the motor gets water in the oil. Quite a lot. I figured that it might leak at the head gasket so I pulled the head. Did not see any damage but still replaced the gasket as well as the lower powerhead gasket. Checked for warping on the powerhead and cylinderhead. Could not see any warping so I cleaned the head and installed it with a new original gasket.
Set the timing again with the timing marks and figured It would start right up but first pull did not create as much compression as before. Compression test gave only 40 psi on both cylinders with the carb at WOT.
I will check and set the valve clearance. I did not change it so I figured that would just remain the same. Next step is that I pull the head again and check but what did I miss?
This motor does not have an automatic decompression I believe.
 
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