Whatever you do, do not try to run your outboard engine straight away, if
the water has been ingested into one of the cylinders and
it does fire, the resulting hydraulic lock can and will blow
the cylinder head off or buckle and bend the piston and/or
con rod... Plugs out first, please!
First
aid to get rid of the damaging salt water before it has time
to affect vital parts, can be easily carried out on board
your bareboat or in the tender.
If the outboard engine was running when the engine went under it will have
sucked seawater into the cylinder and this too will need immediate
special attention when giving treatment.
Although your charter boat operator will have to send the outboard engine back to an authorised dealer
for a complete checkout, the following steps taken immediately
when the engine is retrieved will keep the damage - and
subsequently the repair bills - to an absolute minimum.
| Engine starter
will not operate |
| Possible cause |
Remedy |
| Battery capacity weak or low |
Check battery condition. Use battery of recommended
capacity. |
| Battery connections loose or corroded |
Tighten battery cables and clean battery terminals |
| Fuse for electric start circuit blown |
Check for cause of electric overload and repair. Replace
fuse with one of correct amperage. |
| Starter components faulty |
Have dealer service. |
| Engine stop switch lanyard not attached |
Attach lanyard. |
| Shift lever is gear-in position |
Find and correct cause. |
| Outboard engine
will not start (Starter Operates) |
| Fuel tank empty |
Fill tank with clean, fresh fuel. |
| Fuel contaminated or stale |
Fill tank with clean, fresh fuel. |
| Fuel filter clogged. |
Clean or replace it. |
| Starting procedure is wrong |
Read Using Your
Outboard Motor |
| Fuel pump malfunctions |
Have dealer service |
| Spark plug(s) fouled or wrong type. |
Inspect spark plug(s). Clean or replace. |
| Spark plug cap(s) fitted incorrectly |
Check and refit cap(s) |
| Poor connections or damage ignition wiring |
Check wires for wear or breaks. Tighten all connections.
Replace worn or broken wires |
| Ignition parts faulty |
Have dealer service |
| Engine stop switch lanyard not attached |
Attach lanyard |
| Shift lever is gear-in position |
Position to neutral |
| Engine inner parts damaged |
Have dealer service |
| Outboard engine
idles irregularly or stalls |
| Spark plug(s) fouled or wrong type |
Inspect spark plug(s). Clean or replace |
| Fuel system obstructed |
Check for pinched or kinked fuel line or other obstructions
in fuel system |
| Fuel contaminated or stale |
Fill tank with clean, fresh fuel. |
| Fuel filter clogged |
Clean or replace filter |
| Failed ignition parts. |
Have dealer service |
| Warning system activated |
Find and correct cause |
| Spark plug gap incorrect |
Inspect and adjust as specified. |
| Poor connections or damaged ignition wire |
Check wires for wear or breaks |
| Specified engine oil not used |
Check and replace as specified |
| Thermostat faulty or clogged |
Have dealer service |
| Carburetor adjustments incorrect |
Have dealer service |
| Fuel pump damaged |
Have dealer service |
| Air vent screw on the fuel tank is closed |
Open the air vent screw |
| Choke knob is pulled out |
Return to home position |
| Motor angle is too high |
Return to normal operating position |
| Carburetor is clogged |
Have dealer service |
| Fuel joint connection is wrong |
Connect correctly |
| Throttle valve adjustments incorrect |
Have dealer service |
| Battery lead is removed |
Connect securely |
| Warning
buzzer sounds or indicator lamp lights |
| Cooling system clogged |
Check water intake for restriction |
| Engine oil level low |
Fill oil tank with specified engine oil. |
| Heat range of spark plug incorrect |
Check the plug condition and replace |
| Specified engine oil not used |
Check and replace oil with specified type |
| Engine oil contaminated or deteriorated |
Replace oil with fresh, specified type |
| Oil filter clogged |
Have dealer service |
| Oil feed/injection pump malfunctions |
Have dealer service |
| Load on boat improperly distributed |
Distribute load to place boat on an even plane |
| Water pump/thermostat faulty |
Have dealer service |
| Outboard engine
power loss |
| Propeller damage |
Have propeller repaired or replaced |
| Propeller pitch or diameter wrong |
Install correct propeller |
| Trim angle incorrect |
Adjust trim angle to gain most efficient operation |
| Motor mounted at wrong height on transom |
Have motor adjusted to proper transom height |
| Warning system activated |
Find and correct cause. |
| Boat bottom fouled with marine growth |
Clean boat bottom |
| Spark plug(s) fouled or wrong type |
Inspect spark plug(s). Clean or replace |
| Weeds or other foreign matters tangled
on gear housing |
Remove them and clean lower unit. |
| Fuel system obstructed |
Check for pinched or kinked fuel line or other obstructions
in fuel system |
| Fuel filter clogged |
Clean or replace filter. |
| Fuel contaminated or stale |
Fill tank with clean, fresh fuel. |
| Spark plug gap incorrect |
Inspect and adjust as specified. |
| Poor connections or damaged ignition wiring |
Check wires for wear or breaks. Tighten all connections.
Replace worn or broke wires. |
| Failed ignition parts |
Have dealer service |
| Specified engine oil not used |
Check and replace it as specified. |
| Thermostat faulty or clogged |
Have dealer service |
| Air vent screw is closed |
Open the air vent screw. |
| Fuel pump damaged |
Have dealer service |
| Fuel joint connection is wrong |
Connect securely |
| Heat range of spark plug incorrect |
Check the plug condition and replace it with a correct
one. |
| Outboard engine
vibrates excessively |
| Propeller damaged |
Have propeller repaired or replaced |
| Propeller shaft damaged |
Have dealer service |
| Weeds or other foreign matter tangled on
propeller |
Remove and clean propeller |
| Motor mounting bolt is loose |
Tighten the bolt |
| Steering pivot is loose or
damaged |
Tighten or have Yamaha dealer service |