Trolling with big motor

td2pts · 10-23-2006, 11:31 AM

I heard that it was thought to be bad to troll for extended periods with a big motor (or even a small one)? Is this still the case with newer motors?

I have a 2005 Suzuki DF 140 HP outboard prop on my boat. I can troll quite slow with it and would like to be able to do so regularly but am not sure I should. I also have a Honda 8 kicker that works just fine but would like to know about using the big motor. Is there any danger in trolling with the 140 (other than going broke paying for the gas)?

Thanks
TD

Seefood Man · 10-23-2006, 11:53 AM

Trolling with your big motor at idle, in time, will cause it to load up with carbon and cause a ridge to form in the cylinders. The kicker motors are a lot less expensice to repair as they get many more hours on them then the main motor. Save you big motor by using your kicker.

Geemo · 10-23-2006, 01:04 PM

I use to troll using the main motor and two sea anchors to slow it down. After a few hours we'd pull up the sea anchors and fishing gear and blast around a few miles. We didn't have the option of a kicker. If you have one you might as well use it....

If stearning is the issue. Big motor at the wheel and kicker outback.... then I guess you'll be looking at a TR-1 soon. That's one way to be comfortable driving the boat while trolling.

We will soon have a new fishing boat w/kicker. I won't have to use the main motor while trolling. I'm counting the days. :grin:

MattPark · 10-23-2006, 01:45 PM

The issue of carbon buildup is much less now than it used to be with old fashioned carbureted and pre-mix 2 stroke engines. Modern fuel injected 4 strokes and oil injected 2 strokes run very clean and efficient at almost every rpm, especially the 4 strokes. I wouldn't worry about doing it with a newer motor, but if you are going to be trolling a lot, you really should buy a trolling motor. If nothing else, it keeps the hours off the big motor, which add up very quickly while trolling.

I used to troll with my ski boat a couple times a year, it has a fuel injected 351. I was curious about this very question, so I peered into the cylinders one day after trolling for 8 hours. I did the same thing after pulling wakeboarders all day. There was zero difference in carbon buildup, piston coloring, spark plug condition, or anything like that. I suspect that would not be the case with the same motor from the 80's with a carburetor on it.

Still, it's not what the engine was designed for, so I use a motor designed for trolling now.

lucky2 · 10-23-2006, 01:52 PM

The DF 140 is a fuel injected four stroke. Extended trolling at low speeds with this motor won't hurt anything, other than maybe using a little more fuel than a small kicker would.

If it was a 2 cycle motor with a Carburetor, then you waould have to worry about loading up after extended periods of idling.

Keep trolling and don't worry about it!

Chrome Bumper · 10-23-2006, 02:30 PM

I'de think you would want to change the oil and plugs more frequently. With the carberated 2 strokes it would be worse, they are sensitive and not tuned for that service. With a prop pitched high enough for good planing performance the engine would lug abit engaged at idle. If you have a kicker put the hours on it, its cheaper to run and easier to maintain/overhaul. If you want to troll the big one do it. In any event you should have a few thousand hours between major overhauls in any event.

Check with the manufacturer for their concerns/directions.

troutski · 10-23-2006, 02:32 PM

Now I know you guy's are all talking about high Horse Power engines, but what about the small engines. My main power plant is a 25hp Fourstroke Merc./bigfoot(2005), I use it for full power and also for trolling all day. I believe it is a carb. style and very efficient on fuel. At the end of the day I do run it up to full power for a minute or two just to blow it out (actually I do it cause I like it) but my wife thinks it's the manufactures recommendation. Just wondering, I haven't had a problem with carbon build up on my spark plug. I change them once a year, like clock work along with oil and fuel filters. I am not stealing the tread - just borrowing it, honest.

Chuck

Chrome Bumper · 10-23-2006, 02:51 PM

Troutski, I have a carbed honda 25. It seems to lug a bit trolling, but that's just too bad. I could use a lower pitch prop but I like current performance and the 25mph cruising speed. The 15 mpg is a nice too.

I do the same thing you do, It's nice to see everything is blown out, up to full temp and working well when I put it away. Of course going fast and making a coupla hard turns is fun too.

I haven't seem any direction from the Manufacturer though.

Herring Problem · 10-23-2006, 02:54 PM

My son uses his 40 hp 4 stroke merc for running and trolling. Never hurts anyhting and uses very little gas. Last time out the motor idle us around for five hours and then we ran her back downriver for 30 minutes. No problems at all.

I used to have a 115 HP Merc 2-stroke. idle her around at Astoria for salmon, she only hit on two cylinders and did fine. Called Merc and they said the motor was designed to troll for hours without any problems.

td2pts · 10-24-2006, 07:23 AM

Thanks all for the input. I do have an 8 HP Honda kicker. I assume there are times that using the big motor is a better option, however. Also, the 140 Suzuki is still in the "break in" period so trolling is a pretty good option with it for now.

Thanks again,
TD

Seefood Man · 10-24-2006, 08:30 AM

Good point about the newer EFI engines. I guess I was showing my age

In that case, being that your engine is a 2005, just make sure that you are over that hours of the break in period and you should be fine.

WAID · 10-25-2006, 11:17 PM

We always use the main motor in grandpas boat for salmon out of Ilwaco. Its a '84 90hp Yamaha on a 17' Arima. We can troll all day and only use half a tank of gas circling the CR buoy. Never had any problems with the motor except for the power tilt going out at the dock coming in.

Starfish · 10-29-2006, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by td2pts

Thanks all for the input. I do have an 8 HP Honda kicker. I assume there are times that using the big motor is a better option, however. Also, the 140 Suzuki is still in the "break in" period so trolling is a pretty good option with it for now.

Thanks again,
TD

Actually if the motor is still in break-in you probably should NOT troll with it... extended operation at the same RPMs is usually not recommended during break-in. However, once broken in the Suzuki DF140 is able to troll just fine for extended times. A lot of the walleye fishermen in the midwest use them for backtrolling for hours at a time without any ill effects. It's also as quiet as most kickers. A friend of mine had his kicker fail midway through salmon season last year and he trolled the rest of the season on his 140. He liked it so much he waited almost a year to get the kicker fixed.

In general I think you're better off using the kicker for its intended purpose, but the Suzuki would work great for windy/rough water conditions or anytime you just prefer using it.

Pete · 10-29-2006, 07:41 AM

Given that any motor has only a certain number of hours in it's useful life ... Mercury says something like 2000 ... the question for me is which motor would you rather replace? Choices are: 8 HP kicker - $1800, or 175 HP main - $6000. Added to that is the likelihood a big motor will need additional maintenance from running at minimum RPM and the conclusion is plain - if you have a kicker, use it!

Tagster · 10-30-2006, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by td2pts

I heard that it was thought to be bad to troll for extended periods with a big motor (or even a small one)? Is this still the case with newer motors?

I have a 2005 Suzuki DF 140 HP outboard prop on my boat. I can troll quite slow with it and would like to be able to do so regularly but am not sure I should. I also have a Honda 8 kicker that works just fine but would like to know about using the big motor. Is there any danger in trolling with the 140 (other than going broke paying for the gas)?

Thanks
TD

I have two DF140's on my boat and no kicker.

I troll with one for a while, then switch to the other to keep the hours consistent.

I have had no trouble with either and have seen no evidence of any carbon buildup. They are so quiet it is amazing!

If I am on a downstream troll, I do have to throw buckets or drift socks to stay slow enough.

Tag