Servicing my Tohatsu four stroke 3.5hp outboard engine

OK, be kind. Here is part one.

Remember "We don't know what we don't know".

I don't know ANYTHING about outboard engines. My learning curve is STEEP!

Servicing a four stroke 3.5 hp Tohatsu outboard engine

Well I have successfully changed a spark plug and the engine oil for the first time ever. Put that alongside sorting out a water circulation blockage, learning how to attach a flushing unit and flushing the engine using a hose pipe, taking off the prop to change the shear pin and grease the propeller shaft and, of course, building a new outboard engine maintenance stand.

I'm in the process of editing a video about doing the spark plug and engine oil change - that should be ready by the end of the week - a part one. Part two will cover replacing the impeller, cleaning the carb and general cleaning of the engine area under the cowling. Previous posts to this one detail the prop work, flushing the engine and building the stand.

Old plug out - slightly wet and oily with some carbon deposits and some faint burning at the base of the white ceramic part

Found the oil filler cap and the oil in the sight glass below looks thick and deep dark brown - which I think it shouldn't!

Assembling the various bits and pieces needed to do a servicing on the outboard.

I will embed the video in the next post.

Tension knots

Interesting - found it posted on Facebook.

https://smallboatsmonthly.com/article/quick-release-tension-knots/?fbclid=IwAR2R5nMYLSWW1C1PgNq3dwRQPjpJ4F4IQQOXTrKDZD8DRl3Ja2Lg5PuCags

Cooking on a small boat

Found this article posted on Facebook. Had never thought of this before. Might give it a try after the lock down

https://smallboatsmonthly.com/article/thermos-cooking/?fbclid=IwAR1bKmwyI6X3vWUSlcjF_sfgq0_qh9TSFIesSwHS2ytHSkJcj3A-3aBPTzY

Boat magazines

Some of the boat magazines have generously discounted their publications during the coronavirus crisis. Two worth taking a look at are

Small craft advisor - a lovely magazine and they are offering a period of time for free subscription and download of some back copies and then a years discounted subscription fee by 50% - see their details at

https://smallcraftadvisor.com/

Contact them and see if it still being offered.

Another one is small boats monthly, an online magazine

https://smallboatsmonthly.com/subscribe/

Contact them for details as well

Meanwhile - the Dinghy Cruising Association journal is held at the printers, for obvious reasons ad so the DCA committee arranged for it to be sent as a PDF. I was really keen to get this edition - part two of my article on cruising the Tamar and Lynher rivers is in it. Nice to see it in print. Too long, too wordy but you have to start somewhere I guess.

As the garden comes to life after a long, long wet winter

This 'on manual' in photography malarkey is hard to get the hang of!