With less than 8 hours on my new motor the electric start quit on me. I checked the battery and fuse both are good. This is what happened: started motor with electric start and it fired right up, oil light cleared and then came right back on. I kill the motor, then try to start it again with the electric start and it won't start! Manual pull start works fine. I just don't get it. Are all new outboards this problematic? I get the oil light just about everytime I first start the motor and now the electric start is bad. I was O.K. with the oil light thinking it's just a "quirk" in the design but now with the electric start problem I just don't know.

Any advice guys? I bought a new motor thinking it would be reliable and years before it needed any shop work.

The oil light comes on when you first start it because the motor has to build up the oil pressure. Once that has built up the light goes off. That is normal. As for the electric start if it is less than 3 years old it is under warrenty. Take it to an autherized dealer to get it repaired.

The oil light comes on for about 5 seconds, which is normal, then it clears for about a second and then comes back on. If I restart the motor it comes on for 5 seconds and then stays off.

I called Tohatsu regarding the electric start and will check the neutral switch and connections per the conversation. I'll cross my fingers and hope for a loose connection or maybe the switch is out of position when the shifter is in neutral.

Well I got the electric start to work! I'm pretty sure it was a loose connection (messed with several things so not 100%). The suspect connector is in a clear plastic waterproof tube held in place by a wire loom by the starter motor. The wire color is red.

BTW, I called Tohatsu and they were very helpful also they sent me a PM (Thanks Tommy).

Now I need to address the oil light issue.