Causes Outboard Failure

1. Electrical Problem
 An electrical problem is a common suspect. Check the battery and connections to be sure everything is
connected and free of corrosion.
a. Outboard won’t start- Dead battery.
b. Won’t start and the battery is charged- Check throttle position, and that all battery connections are tight
and corrosion-free.

2. Fuel Flow
 Be sure to top off the tank before you leave and in daily maintenance be checking for leaks and clogs.
a. Won’t start or it sputters to a stop- Make sure you have gas. Fuel gauges on boats are often unreliable.
Top off the tank before leaving the dock.
b. Won’t start or sputters but you have gas- Check the fuel line for blockage or leaking. Check the filter for
clogging

3. Temperature Problems
 Outboard motors are cooled by water, which means if this system gets messed up for whatever reason,
the outboard is in high risk of overheating. Be sure to keep an eye on these problems because
temperature problems are a common problem with outboards as well.
a. No water flowing through the “telltale” valve- The cooling system has stopped, and immediate care needs
to be taken.
b. There is water flowing through the valve, but the temperature warning light goes off or the motor conks
out- The intakes on the motor may be clogged.

4. Strange Noise
 Strange noises coming from the outboard such as rattling or shaking- The propeller could be bent or
damaged. Slow down a bit until it can be fixed.
5. Exhaust Smoke Color
 Black Smoke
a. engine overload
b. restricted air supply
c. fuel injector malfunction (only in diesel motors)
 Blue Smoke – Blue smoke is a result of when the motors lubricating oil combusts. This can be caused by
several things.
a. worn piston rings/ worn valve guides/ worn oil seals
b. overfilled air filter (diesel)excess oil in the crankcase
 White Smoke – White smoke can be caused by several different things.
a. dirty fuel can cause a white vapor
b. water leaking into the cylinder
c. atomized by completely unburned fuel
d. air in the fuel
6. Oil Appearance Change
 The appearance and level of your oil is something that needs to constantly be kept upon. Unattended oil
can lead to many severe problems for your motor and you. At the very least, the oil should be checked at
least once a day before heading out on the water. But, it improves safety and reliability if the oil is
checked before every start of the motor.
 When checking the oil there are several things that must be checked. The first thing that must be checked
is the level of oil. There always needs to be enough oil in the motor to keep it running and saving it from
any problems. Along with that, the consistency of the oil needs to be checked.
a. Oil Level is Too High – This could very well be a sign that water has gotten into the oil somehow. If this
has happened, the oil will have a “milky” look to it. If the oil is too high and it’s milky it’s crucial to
immediately get it fixed as soon as humanly possible. If there is water in the oil and the motor is
turned over there are a lot of things that could go wrong, such as causing a crack to form in the
cylinder head, break a piston, or even both.
b. Oil Level is Too Low – If the oil level is too low, this could be a sign that there is an oil leak. If this
continues, the motor could end up seizing up, which is very bad as it can lead to more problems. To
check if there has been a leak, check the bilge for any oil residue. Sometimes the motor can be sitting
extremely low on the bilge, which means that water is always touching it. That can end up leading to
corrosion, causing the oil to start leaking out.
7. Gasoline Outboard
 Gasoline outboard motors usually can serve for a solid 1500 hours when taken care of on average. It’s
said that the first 1000 hours will be peachy-keen with no problems whatsoever. At 1000 hours it will start
to exhibit the small problems that often start occurring from old age. These problems, although small
need to be addressed immediately as so they don’t turn into big problems.
8. Diesel Outboard
 As for a diesel outboard motor, they last about three times as long as gasoline outboards, coming in at
about 5,000 hours of service. If dedicatedly well maintained, some can work up into 8000 hours of work.
If you were to boat 200 hours a year, that motor would serve you for 40 years.
 According to Boat Safe, diesel motors have a better tolerance than gasoline, accept harsher conditions,
but are extremely more expensive. This is worth it though if you know you’re going to be an avid boater
for the next 40 years or so. They have incredible longevity, durability, economy, and safety (they’re less
likely to catch abrupt fire because diesel has a higher flashpoint than gasoline.

9. To Prolong motor Life

Even old beat-up motors can fun a long and fulfilling life if properly taken care of. There are several ways
that one can prolong the life of their motor. On one blog website, Outboard Motor Oil Blog, they discuss
different things that can be done to get the most out of your motor. Some of these things include
winterization, regular maintenance, proper mixtures, proper storage, etc.
a. Winterize
Just as your boat needs to be winterized, so does your motor. If it is not winterized, often the cold can
cause any water left inside the motor to crack or bust parts of the motor. So, there are a couple of
things that need to be taken into account when winterizing your boat’s motor according to BoatUS.

 Change coolant — fresh-water cooled engines only

Coolant loses its anti-corrosion properties over time. Replacing it every year with a fresh 50-50 mix
protects the inside of your engine.
 b. Checklist
Look for a winterizing instruction list in the owner’s manual of your motor. If there isn’t a checklist
available, BoatUS provides a great generalized list that you can use. You will need the following in
order to winterize your motor.
 an aerosol can of fogging oil
 a fuel stabilizer (gasoline engines) or a fuel biocide (diesel engines)
 for inboards, a gallon or two of non-toxic propylene glycol antifreeze

c. What to Do
 Freshwater Flush – Flush out your motor with a flushing attachment. Using this clean water to clear
the tank can help to rid the motor of any grime and residue.
 Empty Fuel Lines and Carburetors – Disconnect the fuel line from the engine while the engine is still
running. Then after the engine dies, this will allow the fuel delivery components will be empty. This
prevents gum and residue from clogging different lines, jets or injectors.
 Fog the Carburetor Intake(s) – Take the fogging out and spray in into the carburetors before the
engine runs out of fuel. This fogging oil prevents the internal surfaces of the motor from corrosion.
 Draining Cooling Passages – Remove flush attachment and empty out all of the water-holding cells.
 Lubricate Links and the Electric Starter Drive Mechanism – Clean visible joints, gears, and pivots with
grease.
 Drain and Refill Gearcase – Use lubricant specified in the owner’s manual. Fill the oil tank to keep
condensation from the inside of the tank.
 Touch Up Damaged Paint – Mist the paint or damaged the paint with an anti-corrosion spray.
 Drain Fuel Tank and Supply Lines – Don’t start the boat up after winter with old gasoline. Empty out
gas towards the end of the boating season.
 Stabilize the Fuel – If leaving full fuel in the boat over the winter be sure to dose it with gasoline
stabilizer.
 Clean and Liberally Lubricate Propeller Shaft – Use the winter to your advantage and take this time to
repair propellers and other parts of the motor.
 Store Upright – If the motor is stored laying down or on its side water can pool where it shouldn’t
undoing the winterization process.

10. Proper Oil-Gasoline Mixture

 With two-stroke motors, it’s important to have the correct amount and ratio mixture of oil and
gasoline.
 Without this correct mixture, the motor fades and wears down much faster than if the correct mixture
is used.
11. Regular Maintenance
After Every Trip
The following list is a list of things that need to be maintained and checked after every single trip. Not
only does this prolong the life of the motor but it provides preventive measures against bigger problems.

 Often people know to flush out their motors when used in salt water, but it’s a good idea to flush out
the motor whether it’s been used in saltwater or freshwater alike. This rids the motor of gunk and
residue.
 In order to pump the water out of the motor, start it up and then let the water pump full out the
water. (Stay safe by staying clear of the propeller).

 While in the process of flushing out the motor be sure to check that the water pump has a good
steady water flow. Discover Boating states to check to flow by doing the following
“Carefully your finger through the stream of water. It may be warm, but it shouldn’t be hot. If the output
is not strong, you may have some debris stuck in the outflow tube. Immediately shut down the engine to
prevent any overheating and damage. Insert a small piece of wire into the flow tube and work it back it
forth. Start the engine again and check the output. If that doesn’t solve the problem, you may need a new
water pump.”

 After the engine has been flushed be sure to disconnect the fuel line from the motor. Keep the engine
running to burn all of the leftover fuel in the carburetor.

 After done flushing the system and disconnecting the fuel line turn the motor off. If you have a battery
switch, switch that off too.

 Remove the engine cowling. After doing this check for cracks, fuel leaks or water leaks. If leaks are
found a boating mechanic needs to be conferred with asap.

 After a day on the ocean or lake, it is important that everything is wiped down. This removes any
excess residue or grime from the day. After it’s been wiped down, spray it over with some kind of anti-
corrosive (Discover Boating suggests WD 40 or Quick-Lube.) The parts that are most important to
lubricate are anything that moves, sways turn or hinges.

 Return the engine cowling to its place and wipe it down. It’s a very wise idea to get a cover (plastic or
canvas) to protect the outboard from any harm that may come to it in between trips on the water.

 Lastly, (a long list I know, but each of these things benefits greatly) never reuse fuel. Fresh fuel only.
When the season ends and you’re getting ready to winterize the boat and outboard, this should
include draining the tanks of the fuel leftover. That fuel then needs to be dropped off at the proper
recycling place.

 Flush out the engine. This doesn't just apply to saltwater adventures, but to freshwater outings as well.
Start up the engine and let the water pump do the rest (practice safe boating by remembering to stay
clear of the prop and make sure no one tries to shift the motor into gear).
 While you're flushing the motor, check the water pump to make sure it has good water flow. Carefully
put your finger through the stream of water. It may be warm, but it shouldn't be hot. If the output is
not strong, you may have some debris stuck in the outflow tube. Immediately shut down the engine to
prevent overheating and damage. Insert a small piece of wire into the flow tube and work it back and
forth. Start the engine again and check the output. If that doesn't solve the problem, you may need a
new water pump.
 After flushing the engine, disconnect the fuel line and allow the engine to burn all the fuel in the
carburetor.
 Once you've finished the flushing and run the engine out of fuel, be sure to turn off the key and, if you
have a battery switch, turn it off.
  Take the engine cowling off and check for fuel or water leaks. If you find leaks, consult your safe
boating mechanic.
 Wipe everything down and spray with an anti-corrosive like WD 40 or Quick-lube. Be sure to lubricate
all the moving parts, such as the shift, throttle cables, carburetor valves, etc.
 Replace the cowling and wipe it down. Keep a canvas or plastic cover on the engine between trips.
 Always use fresh fuel. At the end of the season, boat motor maintenance should include draining your
tanks and taking the fuel to the proper recycling authority.

12. Daily and Trip check

 Periodically check the fuel line for cracks and worn spots.
 Make sure the fuel primer bulb is not cracked and is pliable.
 Make sure the fuel-line fittings seat properly and don't leak.
 Check the clamps on the fuel line for rust or corrosion.
 Check the fuel tanks for damage and corrosion.
 Check the tank vent to make sure it aspirates properly.
 Check regularly for water in the fuel.
The very simplified illustration up above is designed to show you the basic operating principle of an outboard
motor; real motors are somewhat more complex than this! Here's a very clear cutaway illustration prepared by
Suzuki Motor Corporation for a patent application they were granted in 1999 for a new design (US Patent
#5,980,341: Outboard Motor, courtesy of US Patent and Trademark Office). I've colored it and greatly simplified
the numbering so you can make sense of it more easily; if you want to know all the details, check out the patent,
where you'll find more drawings of the same engine. Here a few of the parts that are worth noting:
1. Flywheel (blue): A heavy wheel that builds up momentum as the engine accelerates, helping to maintain a
smooth and steady engine speed.
2. Starter motor (grey): Normally you'd start an outboard motor electrically, just as you'd start a car. If that's
not possible, you can attach a pull cord to the flywheel and tug it vigorously to "crank" the motor into life.
There's a special notch in the flywheel where you attach the cord. (Find out more about flywheels.)
3. Crankshaft (red): Collects power from the engine pistons, which fire slightly out of step to keep the motor
running at a steady speed
4. Cylinders (blue): This motor has three cylinders arranged horizontally. A medium-sized, three-cylinder
outboard like this produces something like 40–50 horsepower. It's a fairly hefty machine, weighing in at
86kg (190lb)—almost the exact average weight of an American adult male!
5. Pistons (yellow): Move back and forth in the cylinders, driven by the energy released from burning fuel,
and transferring that energy to the crankshaft.
6. Carburetors (orange): Three separate carburetors combine fuel with air to make an explosive mixture—
there's one for each cylinder.
7. Camshaft (green): Opens and closes cylinder valves that let fuel in and exhaust gas out.
8. Fuel pump: Sends fuel to the carburetors.
9. Sparking plugs (red): ignite the fuel in the cylinders.
10. Mounting bracket: Where the motor attaches to the back of the boat and swivels up and down.
11. Driveshaft: Carries power from the crankshaft down to the gears. Think of it as a kind of "spinning spine,"
running straight down through the center of the motor linking the cylinders at the top to the gears and
propeller at the bottom.
12. Anti-ventilation/cavitation plate: Cavitation is what happens when a spinning propeller churns up air or
engine exhaust gas in the water. Bubbles form and burst, which, over time, wear away the propeller's
surface. The anti-cavitation plate is designed to reduce that problem, but cavitation can still be caused by
floating debris disrupting the smooth flow of water around the propeller blades.
13. Gear unit: The gears (not shown) and clutch (sometimes centrifugal in design, like the one in a chainsaw)
are inside here.
14. Propeller.