Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

[ttownguy]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum...I see I have tons of interesting reading to do.

I have a 2002 Yamaha Vmax 150 (V150TLRB) on my Lowe Tahiti 224 deck boat. This past weekend I stuck the drain plug in the wrong hole and took on quite a bit of water. My auto bilge system didn't work so I have some troubleshooting to do there, but I was able turn the bilge on manually. After realizing the plug was in the wrong hole I decided to run the boat to suction the water out...I had to do this once in my jon boat and it worked great. I started the motor and accelerated. Just before getting on plane it stalled. Haven't been able to start it since. It turns over fine, just doesn't fire. No, I'm not writing this from my stalled/stranded boat ...we got it off the water with some help from a friend and his seadoo.

I checked the fuel filter and there wasn't any water in it. I checked the plugs and noticed some small "beads of water???" on the firing end of some of them. Not 100% sure that it is water. I also checked all of the fuses near the battery and on the engine...no opens and no high resistence.

The motor doesn't fire at all, but it does turn over just fine. I haven't checked to see if the plugs are firing and plan to do that tonight. Taking on water and having the engine stall seem to be related.

Any further ideas of what I could check? I have a manual for the motor.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ttownguy]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

Any help?

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

test the spark, use the forum search for a home made spark tester, test compression, then post back your results.
its rare but if you forced water into a cyl and hydo locked it it can shear a flywheel key among other things.

 

[ttownguy]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

OK, update...

I checked the spark on the plugs...checked ok.

I noticed that one of the plugs had beaded "liquid" on the end...water? Could it simply be fuel?

Another observation, all the plugs ends were lightly wet (like a very thin coat of oil) and black.

I checked the fuel filter cup for water twice and didn't find any.

So, the motor turns over and has spark, but not a pop or bang as if its going to start....just a smooth turn over.

I don't have the tools (or know-how) to do a compression check.

Thanks for the advice so far.

Any other ideas?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

water in the bilge shouldn't affect an OB unless it got in the oil or fuel tank from the tops.
are you using new and/or stabilized fuel? Seperator? it sounds like water in the fuel, maybe enough to cause trouble but not enough to show in the filter yet. Can you test from an independent tank of fresh fuel? Also look at your oil tank and see if there's water in the bottom (dip in a straw, put finger over top, remove).

 

[ttownguy]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

The motor is a 2002 model. The fuel in the tank is a mixture of last years fuel and two trips for new fuel this year...87 octane with ethanol. I don't have a fuel/water separator. There's no water in the oil.

Tonight I plan to...
1) Drain the fuel tank and put non-ethonal fuel in,
2) Try a remote fuel tank,
3) Clean or replace the O2 sensor,
4) Check the fuel pumps for blockage,
5) Replace all the spark plugs, and
6) Look into adding a fuel/water separator.

Any other tips would be appreciated.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

when you turn the key to on have someone listen with the hood off for a faint high pitched whine for about 5 seconds.
if you cant do a compression test please dont do much else without instruction.
you can also try draining the VST into a clean gas approved container and look for debris.
fuel rail pressure should definatly be checked.
if you dont hear that whine at key on engine off for the first 3-5 seconds we take another path.

 

[ttownguy]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

Rodbolt, I listened for the 5-second whine several times and didn't hear it. What does that mean? If you're implying "electric fuel pumps", I don't think this model has electric pumps...its a V150TLRB manufacture date stamped 12/02. Is it possible this is an '03 if it was manufactured in late '02?

I also determined that this model does not have an Oxygen sensor as a buddy had suggested I check out.

 

[ttownguy]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

Answered one of my own questions...

Even though the date stamp shows 12/02 as date of manufacturer, it is a 2003 model. The 2002 model is a V150TLRA and the 2003 is a V150TLRB (which is what mine is).

I think the motor just got a good swallow of water. I'm going to hook up a portable tank of fresh fuel to it. Any suggestions of what else I could do? Removing the carb cover and spraying carb cleaner? Removing spark plugs and putting fuel or carb cleaner?

I'd like to rule out (or in) the fact water is simply keeping it from starting. Any safe tips would be appreciated.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

ok I looked up your model number.
check the filter on the side of the engine for water.
undo the 12mm hex plug on each side of each carb fuel bowl.
there are six and they are chrome plated, gaskets under them are metal and if not damaged are normally resuable once or twice.
with the drain plugs out and the engine filter reinstalled pump some fresh fuel through them then reinstall the plugs and use Dawn dish soap and water to remove the spilled fuel from the cowl.
do a forum search for a home made spark tester.
test spark.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

how would water get in your motor if your bilge was flooded?

 

[ttownguy]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

Good question...There's a leak in the tank, probably at a fitting.

Tonight I disconnected the fuel inlet at the fuel filter, pumped fuel into a 2-liter bottle, and about 20% of it was water!

I've got to call the City tomorrow and find out how I can dispose of about 15 gallons of watered down fuel.

In the morning I'd like to run the fuel line into a 5 gallon tank of fresh fuel and try to start it, but I've got a mixture of fuel and water in my engine. What's the easiest way to attempt to start it...or should I do anything else?

Thanks again for your comments!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

a-ha. That 'splains it.
Someone with expertise will advise on starting.
Fuel disposal options: our city lets you take up to 5 gallons to their hazmat facility but if you ask nice you can take more.
Fuel spill/salvage companies might do this: trailer your boat in, they suck out the gas and dispose at fee + cost per gallon. One here would let me bring it to them in cans and they would dispose for a smaller fee.
US Fuels will pump, clean and return but at 20% I don't think you want it back.
If you are draining into jugs, try this: disconnect the fuelline at the seperator and run it out the bilge plug hole; put the gas can on the ground beneath it. Get a siphon going. It's slow, so I rigged a bulb in the line and pumped it with my foot.
when you get it "all" out there is still stuff inthe bottom. The fuel pick-up won't go all the way to the bottom and that's where the water is. Access your fuel guage sender, remove (disconnect all batteries before doing anything!) and use that hole for access. tie rags to a stick with a cable tie and swab it out. Be sure the rags won't fall apart. then spray a lot of carb cleaner in the tank, drop the tongue of the trailer to move it around, and swab all that out too.

 

[ttownguy]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

Thanks Rodbolt and Home Cookin' for the replies and advice!

This morning I replaced the older spark plugs with new, sprayed a quick shot of carb cleaner in each head and on each plug, put the plugs back in, rigged up the fuel line just aft of the bulb into a portable tank of good fuel, and attempted to start. I tried to start, but then nothing. I repeated cleaning the plugs and spraying carb cleaner about 3 more times, each time almosting getting her to start. The last try it finally started, so I let it run in idle for about 10 minutes with an occasional throttle advance.

I checked the fuel fiter cup for water several times and never found any. The trick was disconnecting the fuel inlet at the fuel filter and pumping the bulb to get fuel into a clear container...lots of water!

I'll make the calls this morning to try to find a fuel dump facility...then I've got to find the leak in the tank! I looked at all of the fittings on the tank and found the engine inlet at the back of the tank corroded quite a bit.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

YOU HAVE WATER IN THE CARBS.
I already explained how to drain the carbs.
do it or you most likly will post about a blown piston.
the ONLY way to dewater the carbs is by physically doing it.
water wont pass through the main jet but will block fuel from passing creating a lean condition.
the water most likly was in your tank and with a bilge full of water and your attempt to plane it the bow rose abnormally high and all the water on the tank bottom ran aft and puddled under the fuel draw tube.
after pumping your tank remove the fuel sender and use a clean rag on a string to finnish mopping up the water.
then check your fuel fill cap.
you DID have water in the engine filter cup just you did not see it.
if your tank deck fill uses an oring carefully inspect it. cracked orings are the leading cause of water in the fuel.
also you can add a water seperator with a water detect alarm,sold by yamaha and a few others, to stop this issue.
well worth the money.

 

[ttownguy]

Re: Yamaha Vmax 150 V150TLRB

Hey Rodbolt,

Forgive my newbie-itis. I probably would've done what you explained had you emphasized it as you did in your previous post. I read it as an option...I chose to do what I explained above because it seemed easier. Again, just my newbieness.

Given that I ran the motor for about 10 minutes, am I good now as far as water in the motor goes?

I siphoned and pumped fuel out of the tank the best I could. The fuel sender hole in the tank is only 1.5 inches in diameter and its thick in that spot...swabbing isn't much of an option. I guess I can stuff a shirt or towel in there and pull the boat around with my truck to move any remaining fuel/water around.

I'm also going to install a fuel/water separator before running from the tank.