Rigging new motor questions

[yardbird]

These might sound like dumb questions, but... I can live with that...

Just now installing the 40hp, 4-stroke, Tohatsu on my 18ft Landau pontoon boat.
Installed onto the new transom I built in the fall.
Centered, bolted on, all that part is good.

Also got new helm station from Pontoonstuff, new steering cable, etc.

Setting the initial motor position:
If I leave the thrust rod in the lowest position, the motor is "tucked under"" pretty hard. Also the lower unit is like... 2 inches from the trailer frame. So I moved the thrust rod up one hole. Motor still tucked under (negative trim?) .. Not sure what to call it, but the effect on the water would be to drive the bow down.

Do I want this set such that when it's resting on the thrust rod, the angle of the motor (anti-cavitation plate) is in line with the pontoons? I'd call that "neutral".

I haven't installed the trim sensor yet. I'm hoping that whatever I do with the thrust rod, there's a way to make that the "zero trim" position on the gauge.

Regarding the control cables (throttle and shift)... ok to bundle these with the steering cable until they get near to the motor? At which point I would take them past the motor and make a big loop and bring them back to their attach point on the motor.

Thanks... going out to uncover it and get back to work...

[FLOUNDERPOUNDER225]

yes for bundling together, as far as the trim, never worked on a Tohatsu but most trim indicators I've ever worked with are adjustable, if your motor has power tilt and trim that pin wouldn't be used, because the TTU controls the trim of the engine from full negative to all the way up. the only adjustment I have ever done was with yamahas where we adjusted the tilt limit so the engine cowling wouldn't hit something when tilting all the way up.

[yardbird]

Regarding the trim....
Ok.. I'll pull the pin and put it back where it was originally. When I trailer it I'm going to want to... like... lower it onto a transom saver. It's literally so close to the trailer frame I'm afraid it would be bouncing off of it.

Steering cable length was spot on and the control cables come back and make a nice wide loop before entering the engine. The electrical cabling is long though. I'm probably going to end up having to coil up the excess and hang it someplace out of the way. The steering cable instructions specifically say not to bundle it with electrical, so... maybe just keep the electrical separate... would make sense to bundle it with the control cables though since they all go into the same grommeted entry point.....

[FLOUNDERPOUNDER225]

I cannot think of any reason why they would object to bundling the two together as long as the span of distance they will be together there is no movement created by the steering cable which might cause fatigue on the wire over time?

[yardbird]

I used some of that split, corrugated wire loom to bundle the electrical and control cables. And I agree with you about the steering cable isn't moving so why not bundle?

Truth be told though... my steering cable exits the console and goes to the floor, following the starboard rail. The controls are mounted at the rail, not the console, so the electrical and control cables are already aft of the steering cable's "starting point"..... (the console). The control cables/electric bundle... converges with the steering cable... just before passing through the rear fence. So they'd really only be together for that sweeping bend toward the motor and would separate before the steering cable gets to the steering tube on the motor.

It's starting to shape up. I have to reroute the wiring for the lights and have them penetrate the floor from below about 8 inches forward of where they now penetrate.
Bolt down the console
Make the wiring connections for lights to the new switch panel
Figure out the connection of the gauges supplied with the motor
Then once more back through to check everything, bolts all tight, etc
Then it'll be time for test run the engine. (I have a 55 gallon drum I should be able to fit under it.... or muffs if that doesn't work out)

But... supposed to get some rainy weather for a few days so probably going to tarp it tonight and let it sit a few days while I work on other stuff

[TWB]

I cannot think of any reason why they would object to bundling the two together as long as the span of distance they will be together there is no movement created by the steering cable which might cause fatigue on the wire over time?

I'll throw in on the bundling. Last weekend, my steering cable broke at the helm. New helm in, BUT - the steering cable is being a huge pain in the butt. It runs down through the floor and routes across the top of the starboard toon to the back (as expected). The top of the toon offers no more than about 4" to try to reach across and "follow" the steering cable. Can't get the cable to free up and pull out - LIKELY because it might be bundled with other lines. 4" is not enough room (yet) to get up in there and see what's going on.

I do realize you said it runs along the starboard rail... that should make things a whole lot different with the ability to bundle now and separate later, if needed.

So my beautiful Saturday, so far, is booked with this dang cable... NOT motoring in the sun.

[Retired OG]

I just ran my two new control cables to my console, yesterday afternoon...I taped them together on the ends, but I didn't bundle, because there may come a time when I need to replace one...

[yardbird]

OK... here's where I am so far...
New console is bolted down. Steering cable is not bundled with anything. Exits console, dives to floor at starboard rail, runs along floor back to the motor.
Throttle/Shift control is mounted to a plate on the fence next to "captain's chair". The control cables and the wiring bundle coming from the control to the motor are bundled.
I'm using the flexible, corrugated, split wire loom. Makes it look a little neater and will be easy to "unbundle" if necessary.

Called the dealer regarding the thrust rod. They said "use it". My transom is not straight vertical. It's angled. They said I still want to set the thrust angle of the motor such that when it's all the way down (against the thrust rod), it's just slightly "negative trimmed". "You'll never need or use all of the negative trim with your transom angled as it is. The thrust rod compensates for the different angles on transoms. Some are straight vertical or only very slightly angled. You still want to set the base trim of your boat as though you didn't have power trim. Then test run. If the bow jumps up too much when you accelerate from a stop with the motor against the thrust rod, then you tilt up, move the thrust rod down a hole, and test again. You're still going for the best default trim angle for your motor/transom combination"

They also helped me figure out exactly where the trim sender gets mounted. So that's installed. Still have to run that wiring up to the console for the trim gauge.

Hooked up the battery and just ran the motor through tilt to full up to make sure I have no obstructions and that my control cable and wiring bundle doesn't get pinched or bent hard.

If it stops raining... I'll put oil in the motor (they drain the oil to ship them). And then sit and start making all the wiring connections inside the console for gauges and switches.

Then... I have a white plastic 55 gallon drum doing absolutely nothing. So I'm going to use it to test run the motor. Cut it down as needed, fill it with water, and tilt the motor down into it. I have muffs, but I feel better about dropping it into a barrel. Running in the barrel will be without prop.

Then... (I know... a lotta "then"s)... finalize the fuel system (install the water separator, which means buying some hose and fittings).

REALLY want to change out the bimini attach points. They're all mismatched and weird.

I think I'm close though (grins)

[yardbird]

Test run went just fine.

Gauges all work. Starts right up and runs so quiet compared to the old 2-stroke it replaced.

Still have to hook up the lights, depth finder, install the water separator, screw the seats down (I removed one and moved 2 around a bit). Wires are mostly squared away, but there are a couple spots that could use some tidying up.

I have to order some fuel fittings and hose in order to hook up the water separator. If I have an opportunity to put her on the water before I get that stuff, I may just run it straight from tank to motor for a little while. I only have a 6 gallon tank so it's not like it sits for any length of time. I think it would be ok. I think back on all the years my family had boats of various sizes and there was never a water separator. So I can't imagine it hurting anything to run it without one a few times.

[yardbird]

AAaaaand... of course I get everything reconnected and find that my nav light doesn't work. Meter... power check... yup.. got power...

Take light off and disassemble. It's shot. Corroded and certainly not worth fixing. Ordered a new one on Amazon. It'll be here Tuesday.

[TWB]

AAaaaand... of course I get everything reconnected and find that my nav light doesn't work. Meter... power check... yup.. got power...

Take light off and disassemble. It's shot. Corroded and certainly not worth fixing. Ordered a new one on Amazon. It'll be here Tuesday.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one always wondering "what's next?".

[yardbird]

AAaaaand... of course I get everything reconnected and find that my nav light doesn't work. Meter... power check... yup.. got power...

Take light off and disassemble. It's shot. Corroded and certainly not worth fixing. Ordered a new one on Amazon. It'll be here Tuesday.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one always wondering "what's next?".

Hahahah... yeah... well... I left the bimini up last night and it rained. It fills up with water ...
Now... it's an old bimini. Has some mouse chews. Frame is slightly bent here and there.
Works fine as a sun shade but apparently not good as an umbrella.
So is that normal? I've never had a boat with a bimini. Are they meant strictly for shade? Or is this one just so old and the fabric stretched out so much that I should be replacing that too?.

[TWB]

[/quote]

Hahahah... yeah... well... I left the bimini up last night and it rained. It fills up with water ...
Now... it's an old bimini. Has some mouse chews. Frame is slightly bent here and there.
Works fine as a sun shade but apparently not good as an umbrella.
So is that normal? I've never had a boat with a bimini. Are they meant strictly for shade? Or is this one just so old and the fabric stretched out so much that I should be replacing that too?.
[/quote]

OOPS!

Well.... Opinions are like armpits - everyone has a couple and they all stink. Here's one of mine......

The fact that it filled with water says that it will "protect" you from rain. When moving, the rain will run off. I had a bimini on a jet boat that was more water "resistant" than "repellant." Great shade. Good, not perfect, rain cover. Made me become diligent to fold it down every time.

I guess my other armpit is if it functions for now, maybe it can be a "put it on the list for later" project. With the expectation of surprise repair needs, I am trying to prioritize to delay some spending.