Yamaha '01 8 hp 4 stroke 2 cyl - no start - HELP!!!

[wharfcreek]

I've got an '01 Yamaha 2 cylinder 8 hp 4-stroke that won't start. Recently purchased from a 'friend'.....and been itching to get it running to do some fishing. Well, got to it this past Friday.....and found the carb was REALLY screwed up!! LOTS of 'crud' in it from sitting. I'm pretty good w/ carbs.....and took it off and gave it some well-needed attention. Re-installed it....fresh plugs, new crank-case oil, fresh gas, fuel pump 'appears' to be working.....bulb on fuel line DEFINITELY working.....and engine showed a couple of signs of life with some starting ether....but now.....NUTHIN!! I've pulled the carb off no less than 5 times.......and I'm seeing some gas out the drain hole...... I'm even seeing some wetness on the plugs. But, now it's like the ignition has quit! AND.....what is the little LED flasher thing in front of the housing at the bottom of the cowl?? I seem to recall that light blinking 'green' when I was yanking on the pull-cord and when the engine started a few times, but now it's like one red blink about when the pulling comes to an end. I have no 'manual'......and clearly this is a bit more complicated than my old Johnson and Merc motors of decades past. I 'get' 4-stroke engines.....have re-build probably a thousand carbs in my life.....and I'm not saying this one is OK at this point. I think the ethanol in the area just ate it up! And...... I'm not opposed to going to buy a new one. BUT.....why won't this thing even fire up anymore? It's like the key is turned off!! The only 'kill' mechanism I see it the little red kill button with the overboard lanyard to kill the motor if I fall out of the boat. But, the 'C' clip is in place, and I don't see a problem there either. I'm completely baffled.....and my arm and shoulder are about shot! At 63, I'm done 'crankin' on this thing until I get some better info about what I'm looking at. 'Defeat' is often the result of lack of good advice.........so......I know when to 'ask'.....and here I am!! Any help would be REALLY appreciated!! Many thanks, Tom D. Wharf_Creek at hotmail dot com

 

[99yam40]

did you do the basics to start out with?
Compression, spark, and timing?

If all that is good then you are left with fuel

 

[wharfcreek]

OK, Guess I 'rambled' in my original post. Let me try to clarify: I did what I 'thought' were the basics: I changed the oil and fuel filter, also completely drained the old gas from the tank and hose and started w/ fresh. Put in new plugs....and gave it a try. Nothing! Hit it with a little starting ether and it did the typical rev and die. So, pulled the carb and found it LOADED with crud. Looks like what I believe to be deterioration and damage from ethanol. So, I went through the carb pretty thoroughly, including cleaning out the fuel entry area at the fuel line nipple, then cleaned up the float needle and needle bore.....got the float working as far as I know, went through the main and idle jets, assured I had fuel coming out the idle port after the idle adjustment screw, and have fuel coming out the two transfer ports. So, the carb looks good....finally. So, re-installed it.....and now I can't even get it to fire on ether. It's like the ignition gave out while I was working on the carb! VERY frustrating! So......back to the 'little LED light' issue. I need to know what that is....what it means.....and if it's telling me something I should know. Being a 'four stroke'.....I'm wondering if that light is some how related to oil pressure....as in a 'low oil pressure' indicator....or something like that. But, also, is there any kind of ignition 'switch' on this thing other than the 'kill' button? Once again.....the main thing here is that it DID start and run for a few brief seconds on the ether initially, so the basics of 'compression', and valve timing, etc....those should all be fine. This motor has like ZERO hours on it.....it's original owner who bought it new basically never used it. He had it on a little john boat and put like maybe 10 hours on it...then it just sat......for like several years. So, like I said, I started with changing oil, new plugs, fresh gas, and just a general check-over. That carb problem didn't surprise me......and I think my time on it should now either 'make it or break it' as far as overhauling it goes. But.....why is it no longer even kicking over on the ether can? I don't get it! TSD

 

[99yam40]

if you do not test things how do you expect to see what the motor is lacking?
we cannot test because we are on the other end of a computer

 

[wharfcreek]

99..... First, you're the only one who has responded.......so, I appreciate that, and thank you. However, you're not really 'helping' me here. Do you know what the little light is I'm referring to> If so, please tell me.........if now, maybe you know how to find out? As to 'testing' things.......I'm not sure what it is you want me to test at this point. Do you want me to pull the coil pack and test it? And' how' is that test completed? Do you know if there's any other kind of 'ignition' switch or circuit breaker that might have triggered to kill my ignition? If so....please tell me........if not, maybe you know someone who might have that knowledge. Being 'critical' of my comments is one thing.....but doing so without answering my questions tells me you really don't have a clue about this problem either. You may be the 'moderator' of this forum......and if so......I"m not trying to be a smart-ass here myself. But, telling me to 'test' things when certain aspects are already basically proven to function isn't really helping me. LIke I said...the engine started a few times 'briefly' when sprayed with ether.......so, it 'had' compression, and a fully functioning 4-stroke cycle as related to cam timing and piston position, as well as enough compression to fire up. It also 'had' ignition....and was getting 'fuel' from the ether. Now, even with the ether, I'm not getting any sign that the engine still has ignition....and I'm 'looking' for things to 'test' to see why. The plugs are new, and I don't see anything obvious.....it has not 'on/off' switch (or does it?).....only that 'kill' mechanism. But, there's also that little indicator light...which means something......and I'd like to know what. So, if you want to help me....let's start with that. Do you know what that light means? WC

 

[wharfcreek]

99..... First, you're the only one who has responded.......so, I appreciate that, and thank you. However, you're not really 'helping' me here. Do you know what the little light is I'm referring to? If so, please tell me.........if not, maybe you know how to find out? As to 'testing' things.......I'm not sure what it is you want me to test at this point. Do you want me to pull the coil pack and test it? And' how' is that test completed? Do you know if there's any other kind of 'ignition' switch or circuit breaker that might have triggered to kill my ignition? If so....please tell me........if not, maybe you know someone who might have that knowledge. Being 'critical' of my comments is one thing.....but doing so without answering my questions tells me you really don't have a clue about this problem either. You may be the 'moderator' of this forum......and if so......I"m not trying to be a smart-ass here myself. But, telling me to 'test' things when certain aspects are already basically proven to function isn't really helping me. LIke I said...the engine started a few times 'briefly' when sprayed with ether.......so, it 'had' compression, and a fully functioning 4-stroke cycle as related to cam timing and piston position, as well as enough compression to fire up. It also 'had' ignition....and was getting 'fuel' from the ether. Now, even with the ether, I'm not getting any sign that the engine still has ignition....and I'm 'looking' for things to 'test' to see why. The plugs are new, and I don't see anything obvious.....it has no 'on/off' switch (or does it?).....only that 'kill' mechanism. But, there's also that little indicator light...which means something......and I'd like to know what. So, if you want to help me....let's start with that. Do you know what that light means? WC

 

[99yam40]

Just repeating yourself about what you think is good without testing means nothing.

All motors need good compression on all cylinders, leak down test on 4 strokes is even better to tell all are sealing properly.
compression tester are easy to find ,rent, borrow, or buy
no reason to mess with anything else if it is not sealing properly.
That is why that is the 1st thing that should be checked.

Spark is also easy to test with a store bought tester or a home made one.
even a timing light will show if the plugs are getting the voltage/ current (depending on the type of timing light you use) to spark properly.


Timing light will also show if the spark is being directed to the proper spark plug at the proper time only if there is good spark.

So , have you tested any of these things or not?

If it will not start seems you would test things to make sure what is good and what is not.

If you need to find out what the light means look in the owners manual,
Yamaha allows you to read the newer(98 on up) ones online but not print them out

If you do not have any spark or weak spark then the service manual for your motor will have tests and specs for peak voltages into and out of the CDI. of course you need the proper test equipment for that also.

Good luck and hope someone else can help you further on

 

[wharfcreek]

99,

Again, thanks for responding. I understand your point about 'tests'. I guess the difficult part here is that I'm looking for a specific answer about that little light, and what ever it's significance is.....as well as dealing with 'multiple' problems.......and some of the 'basics' you're referring to really aren't in need of further confirmation. A cylinder leakage test is really a pretty sophisticated diagnostic.....more so than just your basic compression test. If I had a running engine and was burning oil or had poor power......or just wanted to get some real data on the combustion chamber condition; valves and/or rings, a cylinder leakage test would be great. But, that's really not a necessary test for a motor that has fired up and ran, then quit....and won't re-start. If a little motor like this fires up and runs for a few seconds and then dies......you're not likely to be dealing with the die-out being the cause of something you'd find in a cylinder leakage test....or even a compression test. If you can repeatedly start it on something like ether, then you're probably dealing with a 'fuel' delivery problem from the carb. If it WON'T start, even on the ether, and if the plugs are wet....then 'ignition' would be a next good place to check I'm certainly not claiming to be an expert....on anything!! And, I am smart enough to know that there are things I DON'T know about this outboard......and one is the significance of that light! For the record, I removed the carb again...and the fuel pump....went through them both again....and re-installed them. I also pulled the spark plugs out, and while I did, I yanked on the starter a few times...and I noted a steady blinking of that little red light. I put the plugs back in and gave the engine a yank and the thing started right up!! I dove for the kill switch as I didn't have water running.......but I think it died out on it's own. When I tried to restart it with water running, it's now dead again....only now I'm NOT seeing the little red light blinking....EXCEPT when I complete the pull on the cord. It blinks once......and that's it. So....there's now clearly something going on with the ignition as well....which I why I'm trying to get some info about the meaning of that light.....if anything. I have a feeling that my next move will be to either replace a pick-up.....or a module....or both. But.....in a world of unknown stuff...........'Knowledge' is king! I'd really like to find out all there is to know about that light............