Tohatsu 40hp power tilt and trim problem 2004 M40D2 motor

[Toconn87]

I have a 2004 M40D2 Tohatsu outboard motor and the power trim and tilt is not working. The motor sat in storage on the boat from 2005-10 and I started using it last summer, it has approx 35 hours on it and it worked fine until 2 months ago when the boat overheated because the water impeller in the jet pump stopped working, I raised the 40hp with the power trim and I limped to side of the river with my trolling motor, then on shore noticed that the power trim was slow and stopped working and would only click when it hit the trim button. The motor was hot and I was more concerned about the impeller. A week later the impeller was replaced and I had the dealer check the power trim and it worked to lower the motor. Then I headed for the lake and as I was backing the boat down the ramp I trimmed the motor up and it only made it halfway up before the power trim stopped working and the clicking started again. The clicking is now much quieter, and almost in audible.

I tested the wires to make sure the trim motor was getting power and it is. I also checked the fluid in the power trim (it is full and not leaking) and tilt unit and manually purged the motor by raising and lowering it 5-6 times as the owner's manual suggest. This did not fix the problem.

The local dealer told me he thought I needed a new power tillt motor that would be $400 plus, is there a better way to address or should I bite the bullet and have him install the new motor?

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 40hp power tilt and trim problem 2004 M40D2 motor

If the solenoids are working, and the battery is fully charged, and all connections are good, the TT motor is probably shot, as your dealer suggested. He can test the system to see whether the motor is actually bad. If that's the case, be sure to get a Factory motor, as the aftermarket units, while cheaper, are not nearly the same quality.

 

[Toconn87]

Re: Tohatsu 40hp power tilt and trim problem 2004 M40D2 motor

I will have the dealer test again. Would the overheating of the boat have any effect on the power tilt motor? It seemed so since the power tilt stopped working when the boat overheated, but perhaps that was conincidence.

This is my first experience with Tohatsu and so far I'm unimpressed with the to tohatsu factory parts as the impeller failed 8 hours after the jet pump was installed (the factory impeller had a plastic inside that broke so the dealer replaced with after market impeller) and the power tilt motor failed after only 35 hours. If the motor failed so quickly shouldn't I try an after market one, or was this just bad luck?

Im frustrated because I also had problems with the fuel tank leaking in my 4 hp Tohatsu trolling motor from the strange rubber hose that connects the top of the fuel tank to the bottom for an unexplained and seemingly unnecessary reason. I've now removed the rubber house, per dealer's suggestion, and filled the holes with rubber washers and screws which stopped the leak.

Prior to this I had three Yamaha jets with over 500 hours and one Johnson jet that was over 20 years old and I didn't have these same problems, so it's frustrating to constantly have the Tohatsu in the shop after my previous experiences.

 

[pvanv]

Re: Tohatsu 40hp power tilt and trim problem 2004 M40D2 motor

Probably coincidence that you had the TT motor quit that same day.

Those impellers typically last years. The factory asks you to "inspect or replace" it annually, but in cold, fresh Great Lakes waters, we typically go 3 years on any brand OB impeller, unless it's sandy. Sounds like you may have gotten the odd factory defect. In the vast majority of cases, our shop has found the genuine Tohatsu impellers to be a much better choice than aftermarket, as the rubber is good quality, and the dimensions are perfect. We have Never had a factory impeller hub crack while in service.

The "strange" rubber hose on a 4A2 is there to prevent vapor lock between the upper and lower sections of the tank. Why didn't you just install a new hose? I have dozens of those motors, some of extreme vintage and very rough service, in a rental fleet, and have had no hose issues at all. Odd that your had a problem.

Just because you are running a jet does not relieve you of having a continuous and adequate supply of water to the wp at all times. Running it dry for even a few seconds and any impeller is done for.

You do realize that the 40D is becoming a vintage motor, regardless of hours, right? They have not been sold in the North American market for a decade.

 

[Toconn87]

Re: Tohatsu 40hp power tilt and trim problem 2004 M40D2 motor

Thanks for the knowledge and input, I appreciate your expertise

Probably is a coincidence, but strange and frustrating, it seems this boat would rather spend time in the shop than on the water.

Check on the water supply and it always had one.

Bypassed the hose because plastic nipple was broken and dealer said I didn't need the hose.

I do know it's vintage, but still frustrating given the low hours and maintenance I've had on the motor, when compared to the vintage Yamaha and Johnson's I saw abused for hundreds and thousands of hours while working in Alaska, without any problems. I'm stuck with the Tohatsu now, and will but I wouldn't buy another one based on my experience with this BOAT (Bring on another thousand).

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Tohatsu 40hp power tilt and trim problem 2004 M40D2 motor

What's the serial number of your engine and are you the original owner. The problems you have expierenced are abnormal and I am concerned that the engine that you have was butchered by the previous owner or the person who installed the jet...Also, is the dealer that you are taking the engine to a Tohatsu/Nissan dealer or something else?

 

[Toconn87]

Re: Tohatsu 40hp power tilt and trim problem 2004 M40D2 motor

Serial No. 020836XD 2004

I agree they are not typical based on my past experiences. I'm not the original owner but I had the Tohatsu dealer install the jet last fall, and after the impeller failed they gave me priority to installed a new after market one, but did charge me for it (although it was a reasonable amount). But this is going to be a much more expensive repair...there is only one Tahatsu dealer in the 150 mile radius.