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I don't have my Tohatsu 50 any more, but for the 8 years I did I had the exact opposite experience. It ran on anything I fed it, new gas, old gas, it didn't care. At the end of the summer I'd turn it off and just park it. No running it out of gas, or draining the carbs. No winterizing at all. The next year I'd put it in the water with it still connected to the same tank of old gas that it was on from the previous year. It always started first time and ran great. I did change the lower unit oil once in those 8 years but that was it. It was bullet proof as long as it had gas and oil in it's tanks. Never once failed to start under any conditions.

So far my new Tohatsu TLDI 90 is exhibiting the exact same reliability over the last two summers with the exact same lack of maintenance.

Ditto on Duane's comments. The wife says i can get a new one when this wears out or breaks down..... still chugging since 1998 new plugs and water pump impeller in 2003 and thats it!

Same as Cpt. Steve & DD. I've had my 9 year old Tohatsu 50 for 5 years without any major problems other than a cracked fuel filter housing (factory). Only one waterpump change in that time. With an external fuel filter / water seperator in place, my only problems have been fuel / fuel line & battery related. Usually full winterize, but skipped one year and no problems the next spring.

Idling, as in the video, can be finicky at times, and sometimes a skip when running at mid-low RPMs. For long time motoring, I vary the RPMs. Engine problems on the water are always a concern, but so far the Tohatsu has served me well, despite my initial reluctance and unfamiliarity with the brand.

I listened to the video again and I think the timing is too advanced at idle. Mechanics make the mistake of setting it 5* BTC (before) when it is supposed to be 5* ATC (after). That alone is enough to make it run rough.