About those sponsons...

[StreamFixer]

Are any outboards, less than 15 HP, EFI???

StreamFixer

[rockhill]

Are any outboards, less than 15 HP, EFI???

StreamFixer

I bought a Suzuki 9.9 last summer that is EFI

[Threeweight]

Suzuki has the only EFI kickers that I know of, and they just came out with them a few years ago.  Several Arima folks have them and seem to like them a lot.

Very different motors than the old carbed Suzukis.

Carbs on my Honda 9.9 have been mostly ok... just run it regularly (like 2 times a month, if possible, even if just on the muffs for a few minutes) and run it off a good fuel-water separator.

I had one issue with a little speck of junk plugging up a jet.  My fault, I let it set for about 2 months unused and some varnish formed in the carb.

[Yachter Yat]

   Carbs or FI, you still have to have clean fuel.  Sometimes it seems you can't filter enough.  In over 20 seasons, I never, ever had carb problems with my old 94 Honda 45 HP motor.   I believe the dealer checked the vacuum sync  once.  With that exception, I never touched them; that is, except to drain the bowls if the boat was going to sit for any extended period of time.  I think the solution to some of these problems could be solved (for the most part) by practicing good "fuel habits". 

   These "habits" I refer to are things like:   Fueling your gas-guzzling tow vehicle (from the same nozzle) "before" fueling the boat.  Avoiding fueling at marinas located near the shore.  Changing your fuel filter "more" than once a season.   Being sure to always add an appropriate amount fuel conditioner every time you add fuel, and sealing-off fuel tank vents (where possible) to prevent moisture entrainment.  I believe it might be reasonably safe to assume;  anything that comes out of a tank in the ground could contain some level of contamination.  Our job is to find the best ways to deal with it.   

Yat

[Fisherdv]

Yat, I totally agree. On a 1994 carbureted Mercury I had I only rebuilt/cleaned the carbs once in about 17 years. Had a very small blockage as 3wt described. Other than that the carbs had NO varnish at all. Almost looked like new. I couldn't believe it. I would run Mecury quickleen (I'm a total believer in that stuff!) in every other tank (every tank if trolling) and a good fuel stabilizer. I also used Mercury Powertune carbon cleaner once a year. Boat has sat at times for up to a year. Garage kept. I also ran it out of gas before putting it away. Of course I kept up with all the usual maintenance as well.

[PNW Drifter]

No one has mentioned buying a used kicker on here. I run a 1980s Honda 7.5 and love it. It's old but starts 1st pull. I run a homemade I troll set up with the servo on the carburetor. And this old girl charges my batteries. What else do I need? It only cost $500. It's plum to my main tank.

There's lots on craigslist. Those old Hondas run forever.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[darci]

My old setup had the Starboard side saddle tank plumbed to the 6hp 1/100 two stroke six hp kicker.
The 27 and port fueled the 90 hp 50/1 two stroke kicker.
I just pulled the tanks. the 1/100 saddle tank has just a smear of brown goo in the bottom of the tank.
The 50/1 side has about a fluid ounce of brown goo on the bottom.
My dealer removed and flushed the 27 gallon before he installed the new e-tec. He said there was nothing odd about the half gallon of 50/1 fuel in the tank.
Running PURE gas as long as it is available...Racor filter was my very first "fix" on Darci!

[Sparhawk]

One thing that I use my 6 HP kicker for is docking. The docks at Mystery Bay are packed pretty tight end to end. I can just come in nice and slow, tie off a bow line with a bit of slack, then slowly move my stern towards the dock and tie off. Also, it is great for trailering and launching because I can do the short 150ft run to the dock without starting the 70 HP. Trailering is just super easy to get in line and give it a bit of gas to slide onto the bunks a few feet, then crank the boat up the rest of the way.