I purchased a Nissan 15 HP electric start tiller steer outboard this past spring from a retailer. I followed the manuals recommendations on starting the motor for the first time, and I followed the break-in instructions precisely. I do not have an authorized Nissan dealership nearby so I did not have it checked prior to running the motor the first time.
The motor starts and idles fine until I slowly increase the speed to approximately 2 mph; the motor then starts doing what i call surging. It acts like I am adjusting the throttle up and down fairly quickly but I am holding it steady. This continues until I increase the throttle enough to reach approximately 3 mph (as shown on my gps). The motor has done this since the very first break-in run in March. I checked the spark plugs after the second break-in run and set the gap on them, but this did not make a difference.
I read the forum threads on the Nissan/Tohatsu motors quite a bit before purchasing this motor so I followed the advice on filling the motor with the correct oil and doing so by using the dip stick as my gauge. I only filled it approximately 3/4 of the way on the dipstick, and I did not use synthetic oil, I also check the oil level prior to using the motor every time. I also run the carb dry after every time it is used, and installed a water separating fuel filter in the fuel line prior to using the motor the first time.
I really like this outboard, except for the surging issue. It frustrates me because I do quite a bit of trolling and use the 2-3 mph speeds when searching for fish in deeper water. I will greatly appreciate any advice that anyone can give me to correct this problem.
The motor starts and idles fine until I slowly increase the speed to approximately 2 mph; the motor then starts doing what i call surging. It acts like I am adjusting the throttle up and down fairly quickly but I am holding it steady. This continues until I increase the throttle enough to reach approximately 3 mph (as shown on my gps). The motor has done this since the very first break-in run in March. I checked the spark plugs after the second break-in run and set the gap on them, but this did not make a difference.
I read the forum threads on the Nissan/Tohatsu motors quite a bit before purchasing this motor so I followed the advice on filling the motor with the correct oil and doing so by using the dip stick as my gauge. I only filled it approximately 3/4 of the way on the dipstick, and I did not use synthetic oil, I also check the oil level prior to using the motor every time. I also run the carb dry after every time it is used, and installed a water separating fuel filter in the fuel line prior to using the motor the first time.
I really like this outboard, except for the surging issue. It frustrates me because I do quite a bit of trolling and use the 2-3 mph speeds when searching for fish in deeper water. I will greatly appreciate any advice that anyone can give me to correct this problem.
