2013 Tohatsu 30 Overheat with Weak Stream

New Tohatsu 30 4 Stroke with 8 hours has been intermittently throwing an overheat alarm and either losing stream or sometimes just very weak especially at idle. Several on/off cycles would get the stream back. I did some troubleshooting and found the plastic water inlet grate was not flush with lower unit. After removing the grate I found there is a small plastic tab that holds the top of the grate in and it has broke off and now I'm thinking it got sucked into the cooling system and is causing the overheat issue. I plan on taking it in since it is under warranty but I'm curious if anyone has had or seen this problem before. Is the piece likely in the impeller housing or could it go further downstream? Does anyone have any recommendations for Tohatsu warranty work in the Orlando area? Thanks.

 

I've done a few impeller jobs in the past....but... With an overheating issue on such a new motor I should play the warranty game.... Just in case.

I'm thinking of giving Boat Tune a call on Monday. Anyone use them?

 

Thanks guys. I'll call them tomorrow.

 

Cut/Creek,
Can you guys please take a look at this video and let me know, besides the obvious, if you have any ideas as to what is causing the stream to not work then after a couple minutes start to spit then start pumping? To induce the failure I let the motor run for 30 minutes. Shut it off for 1 min, then restart and let idle. After restart no stream or sometimes it will start up after a couple minutes. Motor has 9 hours on it.

http://youtu.be/cAD5JdoKUGw

I've had a difficult time convincing the shop to drop the LU and inspect the impeller housing. If it wasn't a warranty deal I'd troubleshoot myself and the impeller would have been one of the first things I would have checked after flushing the system. I don't know if it is because thats just how Tohatsu/dealers handle warranty repairs or what. I brought it back to the shop today and they finally agreed to check the impeller. They have told me the broken plastic piece is too small and would have gotten flushed right out the exhaust discharge so that is not the problem. Do you guys agree? Maybe it is just a coincidence that piece is broke and I have stream issues but I have a hard time believing that doesn't have something to do with it.  I'm trying to be patient and let them do their job but I've had the boat 4 weeks and 2 of those it has been in for repair... tired of back and forth to the shop I just wanna fish.

[smiley=frustrated.gif] [smiley=fun_84.gif] [smiley=frustrated.gif] [smiley=fun_84.gif]

 

Not for long but had to do it. Needed to capture video evidence of the issue to convince/motivate the dealer there is a problem. They were unable to replicate in the shop...
[smiley=frustrate2.gif]
Would I run WOT like that....nah. I dont think the impeller is running dry tho, I think like ducknut said there is a blockage downstream somewhere or maybe some reversed spun tabs. The hatsu' has an overheat alarm, wasn't hot enough to trigger alarm/safety mode during that video. Trust me you would of heard it, that beep is so loud you can hear it a mile away across the lagoon. Got my vid on the lake test, put it right back on the trailer and headed home.

 

In work, pending hatsu approval to R&R the water pump. Impeller had chunks missing from it. Hope to get it back tomorrow.

Boat wrench is doing the work. They have been good to deal with, Angel is a good guy. Just a little frustrated they didn't inspect the impeller the first time I brought it in, like I requested. They apologized and all is well. The display of old outboards they have in the shop is impressive. Thanks for the tip, I'll keep some on board.

 

Got the boat back from the shop today.  Was able to snap a couple pics of damaged impeller.  The rubber itself was in great shape, no dry rot, but there were notches torn out of many of the fins that were the same shape of the missing plastic piece from the strainer.  No doubt that piece broke off and wrecked havoc inside the impeller housing before exiting out the system. Tohatsu says they've never seen this type of failure before.