Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post here for issues with outboard engines (i.e Yamaha 9.9) on PDQ yachts
amytom
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by amytom »

Any chance you could get a better picture of the cylinder walls?
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

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I ordered the spring and cotter from Boats.Net. They don't stock these parts. So, although I placed the order on Sunday, the parts don't ship until Thursday from the Yamaha source. Therefore, the parts don't arrive until the following week and I get delayed another week.

For the valve and seal, I tried Crowley Marine. Same deal. Order placed on Sunday (early Monday morning actually). Parts not in stock are shipped sometime later from Yamaha source.

So, two weeks go by between parts ordered and project completion.

Does anyone know of a faster process ?(besides buying a new engine 8) )

Tom, here are your pix:
Number 1 Right
Number 1 Right
Number 1 Top
Number 1 Top
Number 1 Left
Number 1 Left
Number 1 Bottom
Number 1 Bottom
Joe & Deb
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NautiBits
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by NautiBits »

And Cylinder 2:

Forced flash on top views...better?
Number 2 Top
Number 2 Top
Number 2 Top v2
Number 2 Top v2
Number 2 Right
Number 2 Right
Number 2 Bottom
Number 2 Bottom
Number 2 Left
Number 2 Left
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amytom
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by amytom »

Do you feel much of a lip right at the top 1/4" of each cylinder? Hard to tell from pictures?

If you find a better source for Yamaha parts please do share, frustrating isn't it?

Tom
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by NautiBits »

No lip. It is pretty smooth actually. Surprising.

It seems the parts situation is as good as it gets. That is one of the reasons I might go with a normal shaft Yammie.
One spare for three engines sounds good right now. Something to think about anyway.

Meanwhile I wait....
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by Page 83 »

Then what? Happily ever after?
Sandy Daugherty "Page 83" PDQ 36026
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

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Until the next breakdown...

May your happily ever after be a long one.
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by NautiBits »

Well, some reasonable interval between next week and forever would be nice. Happily ever after is good too.

Crowley just shipped the parts, a week after ordering. I'll cross them off my list.
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by Page 83 »

I hope that turned out ok for you, and that the following is redundant.
It takes more than a carburetor bowl-full of ethanol to create the gobs of goo that plug things up: the problem starts in the tanks less than a month after they were last used. You could have a life-time supply of little amber gummy-balls lurking in both your inboard and your portable fuel tanks AND HOSES. Getting at the house tank is a supreme PITA and cleaning out the portable tanks isn't much easier. I have to ask Drew if there is a common solvent that will break them up; MEK, acetone, or Mrs. Murphy's oil soap? I suppose a Baja fuel-water funnel could capture them but then IT would need cleaning.
Sandy Daugherty "Page 83" PDQ 36026
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by NautiBits »

Thanks for the heads up on the gummy balls. I have not used the main tank yet. I will open it up and inspect/clean it out first. The portable tanks are doing fine for me. They seem clean at the moment. My new neighbor pulled in bragging about his $18,000 fill up en-route to Corpus. I have yet to spend $18.

The parts are in!! Tomorrow she gets put back together!!

Wish me luck!!
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by NautiBits »

No love from Louise yet!

I put the valve train back together and installed the head. That is when I noticed I did not know what the gear positions were for the timing belt replacement. The service manual I found (9.9, close enough?) gave the locations before installing the flywheel. Well, I never removed the flywheel. So, I removed the head and puzzled it out by observing the movement of the pistons and valves manually. Upon closer observation of the drive gear under the flywheel, I noticed there was a notched semicircle at the base of the drive gear that aligned with a mark on the case when the pistons were at TDC. Thanks Yamaha! Not exactly made for older eyeballs! I set the ratchet handle to swing into position over the driven gear when the timing was set. Bingo!

But, no compression on number one. My index finger compression tester found significant pressure and vacuum on number two. Light vacuum and minimal pressure build-up on number one. I pulled the head and lapped the valve again. And again. Then I "palm checked" the cylinders with the head removed. There seemed to be even pressure on both cylinders. I mused that the head might be warped, the valve seats needed to be dressed at a machine shop, or......

I turned the head so the combustion chamber was up and sprayed carb cleaner into it. It leaked out slowly(okay, maybe not so slowly :cry: ) I turned the head over and the fluid poured out....of the intake manifold!! The exhaust manifold was dry! I thought that I was getting pretty good at lapping technique. Now I get to dress up the intake valve too!! Whoopie!!

If I'd done a "leak-down" test prior to disassembly, I may have seen that leakage on the intake valve. But, I don't have a leak-down tester, or a compressor. See new thread in general forum.

There is new hope. Next weekend....victory at sea!!!(okay, victory at dockside isn't very sexy :roll: )

Soliciting a modicum of spare good luck for this venture.....
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by NautiBits »

Here is what I expect is the culprit of our latest misfortune:
Seen better years!
Seen better years!
This is her best side!
This is her best side!
It is pitted and otherwise nasty, but you should have seen it when I first pulled it out. If I wouldn't have to wait another two weeks for delivery of a new one...I may end up ordering one anyway...I had to use Vaseline smeared on the head of the valve in order to provide surface for the valve lapping tool suction cup to adhere..messy but necessary...lapped fairly well..
This end is the head that you press the lapping tool onto, and then twist away!
This end is the head that you press the lapping tool onto, and then twist away!

Going back together shortly...hoping for improved combustion ...any...
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by NautiBits »

Success!

She started right up. I lapped the hell out of that miserable valve after sticking it in cordless drill while gently deburring it with various abrasives with a Dremel. The valve was spinning and the Dremel was going to town. It's not perfect, but better than it was.

I'll give it a few days. If it doesn't blow up I may get another new valve to replace that scary one.

Next project!

Thanks for the help all!

Joe Mc
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by NautiBits »

Five days later, Louise is still running fine. But...

THAT CURSED Thelma won't start!! She is the older sister, a 2002 purchased in Belize. I pulled and cleaned her carb again today to help eradicate a rough and stalling idle condition. She was running fine too, after re-installing the carb. I shut her down in gear(I'd forgotten she was in gear :mrgreen: ) but, I slipped the throttle back into neutral before trying to restart her. Nothing! I checked connections. All good. I swapped the wiring harness from one ignition switch to the other. Both switches started the port engine without a problem. I pulled the starter to get at the positive lead. The starter functioned when voltage was applied. Starter good. That pretty much leaves the starter relay and the 10-pin harness as possible culprits. Now I know where the starter relay is, so I'll attempt to bypass the ignition switch and wiring harness tomorrow morning. Then I may pull the harness off the port engine and put it on the starboard one. Oh, I also checked the 10 amp fuse on top of the engine, but it was good. What is that fuse for?

Damn you Thelma!! We rescued you from the jungle and brought you to paradise...okay, Corpus is not exactly paradise, but it is on the way there 8)
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Re: Thelma and Louise Up To No Good

Post by amytom »

Disconnect the wire harness but leave the battery cables on. Then jump the starter with a screwdriver. If it runs this way then it's boat side wiring. If no starter then check battery connections. If starter turns but it doesn't run check spark, then carb, then compression and keep a little holy water handy.
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