Signs Your Yamaha Outboard Needs Servicing

Signs Your Yamaha Outboard Needs Servicing Prime Electric Auto

 Sep 12 2023

Signs Your Yamaha Outboard Needs Servicing An outboard motor is unique among boat components because it sits outside the boat’s hull. This makes it easy to install and maintain! Yamaha outboards, in particular, are reliable and long-lasting.

Take prime advantage of your high-quality Yamaha outboard motor and help it last as long as possible by performing regular maintenance. Have a professional look at your Yamaha outboard at the first sign it needs servicing. Read on for a list of those signs, and keep an eye on your outboard whenever you take your boat out on the water.

It’s That Time of Year

Yamaha outboards have a life expectancy of between 1,500 and 3,000 hours—when serviced and maintained regularly. Experts recommend that you have a professional service your outboard either once a year or every 100 hours of use.

If you use your outboard every day, count the hours. You may get to 100 hours long before boating season is over. And even if everything seems to be running smoothly, make that maintenance appointment anyway. Think of it like a doctor’s checkup for your boat.

Too Much Vibration

Excessive vibration is a common problem among Yamaha outboard motors in particular. If you have a noticeable problem with vibration when you use your outboard, there may be a problem with the propeller.

Remove and visually inspect the propeller to see if there’s anything stuck or tangled. Seaweed and fishing line are common culprits for propeller trouble. Brush off any debris, replace the propeller, and tighten the motor mounting bolt for good measure.

If you restart your boat and still have a problem with vibration, call a Yamaha outboard repair expert to take a closer look. There could be deeper issues, and a professional will know where to look to make a proper diagnosis.

Problems With the Fuel System

How is your engine doing? Poor fuel system performance is a common woe for Yamaha outboards that don’t get serviced regularly. Whether you get bogged down occasionally or experience a complete failure, outboard service can help you get back on the water.

Check your fuel lines regularly for leaks, and clean those fuel filters while you’re at it. Change filters outright at your annual maintenance appointment.

Top Tip:

What kind of fuel are you using for your boat? Yamaha outboards should only use low-ethanol gasoline. Ethanol attracts water, so too much ethanol in your fuel can dilute it over time.

Rapid Fuel Usage

How’s the mileage on your outboard motor? If you find yourself going through fuel at an unprecedented rate, there could be a problem with your fuel pump. Other symptoms of fuel pump failure include stalling, sputtering, or outright silence when you try to start your boat.

If you’re an experienced boat owner and have had your Yamaha outboard for a while, you should have an idea of how long a tank of gas will last you. Keep that benchmark on your mind every time you refill your tank. Once you notice that a full tank isn’t getting you as far as it usually does, call an outboard repair expert. They’ll take a closer look at your whole fuel system and diagnose the problem more precisely.

You Haven’t Broken It In

If you’re a new Yamaha outboard owner, you may not know that these motors need to be properly broken in before regular usage! You should spend the first 10 hours of your outboard motor’s lifespan breaking it in. Here’s what that process looks like:

• Get your boat in the water. Perform all breaking in under “regular” boating conditions.
• Once your new Yamaha outboard is ready for operation, spend the first hour running the outboard motor at various speeds up to 2000 rpm. If you don’t have a tachometer, put it up to half throttle.
• For the second hour, accelerate strongly enough for the boat to go on plane, but not on full throttle. Then, ease off the throttle while keeping it on plane.
• For the next eight hours, practice running your boat at all speeds. Avoid running it at wide open throttle (WOT) for more than five continuous minutes.

You don’t have to do all 10 hours of breaking in at once if you don’t have that kind of time. However, you do need to complete all 10 of those break-in hours before running your outboard as usual. Failure to do so can lead to premature wear and tear on the outboard components.

If you know you didn’t break in your Yamaha outboard before using it regularly, be on the lookout for that extra wear and tear. At your next outboard service appointment, let your technician know that you didn’t break it in. They can give you more specialized service and repair recommendations when they look at your outboard.

You Dry-Start Your Outboard

Are you in the habit of starting your outboard motor before your boat is in the water? While many boat owners have done it at least once, it’s a dangerous (and potentially expensive) habit to get into. If you dry-start your motor too often, it will overheat—it needs contact with the water to cool itself.

In particular, your outboard’s impeller will begin to warp from the excess heat if you dry-start your outboard too often. An impeller is relatively easy for an outboard technician to replace, but be on the lookout for deeper engine issues. And in the meantime, only start your outboard when it’s safely in the water.

Do any of the above points apply to you and your Yamaha outboard motor? If you experience excess vibration, engine sputtering, or rapid fuel usage during your boating trips, it may be time to call a professional. These signs that your Yamaha outboard needs servicing should not go unnoticed!

Outboard motors, especially those of the Yamaha brand, are relatively easy to service and maintain. There’s no excuse to let your beloved outboard fall into disrepair. Schedule annual service appointments with your local outboard maintenance professional, and do your own maintenance in the meantime.