Tohatsu Screw Replacement

[blocknshackle]

Heres' one for you Tohatsu/Nissan OB owners: I have a 6 hp Nissan on my Eclipse.  Since this is my first year keeping the boat in salt water, I am being especially diligent about flushing out the motor after each use.  I just know that eventually I am going to fumble that screw you remove in order to thread in the flushing adapter.  I thought about picking up a spare to prepare for the inevitable.  Went to a Tohatsu dealer in Seattle and the shop wanted $12.60 after telling me that it was a non-standard metric thread.  Whoa!  Has anyone either found a much less expensive screw or a way to help prevent the thing from dropping in the drink on removal?

[Bob23]

Sounds like that 12 clams and change is a good incentive to not loose the screw! I've never heard of a non standard metric thread. But could it be a tapered screw?
Bob23

[blocknshackle]

Yeah, Bob, I am highly motivated.   The screw is not tapered, but it has a hex head.  As soon as I can, I'm going to take it to my helpful hardware place and see if I can match it.  I said it is a metric screw only because the engine was made in Japan, and I made an assumption.  Perhaps it is some proprietary thread Tohatsu came up with to foil cheapskates like me.

Mike

[blocknshackle]

Turns out the flushing adapter hole takes a short M8 x 1.25 stainless screw.  95 cents at Ace.  I've got two old Norwegian words for the Tohatsu dealer in Seattle (Ballard)....Uff da!

[Bob23]

Glad you didn't get "screwed"! We can only guess at the translation of Uff da!
Bob23

[blocknshackle]

Yeah, Bob, I see where your mind may be wandering with the translation of the phrase.  As you may know, the Ballard area of Seattle was originally a Norwegian enclave and many residents there continue to happily express their Nordic pride.  The phrase has lingered thru the generations, and it is quite common to see it in the Ballard neighborhood.  The Tohatsu store proprietor there certainly knows it is not used in a complimentary way; it commonly is used to express frustration, disappointment, or maybe even something along the lines of what you may have been imagining 

[Bob23]

Not sure what I was imagining but it wasn't nice...WikiPedia is helpful here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uff_da
Bob23