It’s a good day when she starts

[captpierre]

Took my ride out of the boathouse today for the first time. 2007 Yammy  115 started right up. Original battery too. Deka. I’d buy another one in a minute.  Not much wood floating around anymore.  No other boats seen. Surface temp 60F this afternoon. 

[Old Ironmaker]

Don't you love it when she fires right up. It means you did something right in the Fall and your engine is well tuned. I have to fire the 115 and the 15 baby this week. I hope I have the same results as you did.

[LostAnotherOne]

Its a weird feeling but i started my 96 with only three pulls in the driveway a few weeks ago.  I think i shouted something like "Ooooohhhhh baby".  Dont mind spending the 70 bucks to get winterized. 

Edited May 12, 2018 by LostAnotherOne

[chris.brock]

It's a Yammi, that's how they roll.

Last weekend mine came out of storage, I shoved off with a brisk offshore wind, no paddles, wife and son, old gas, 2 pulls and a few blips of the choke and mine was purring like a kitten, I said to my wife, I love this motor, lol.

Edited May 12, 2018 by chris.brock

[AKRISONER]

And that’s why I’m a Yamaha man

[Lukasaurus]

I'll be starting mine up today. I picked up a new E-TEC 90 HO last year and took it up the the French river where it stays in the water at the marina till fall. When I got there last spring I launched the boat, loaded it up, idled through the marina. When I gave it some throttle it felt like it was in guardian mode, it  ran very rough with low rpm's. So I idled back and got on the phone to the marina where I bought the motor and they were at a loss to what the problem is. As I was on the phone with them I flagged down the resident marine mechanic. At this time my stress level instantly went through the roof, the boat is all loaded, I have my Wife and dog in the boat and all I was thinking is I would have to unload the boat, pull it out and trailer it 6 hours back to where I bought it. Well the resident mechanic got on the phone with the guys where I bought it, they talked for about one minute then the mechanic told me to start it up. Well that thing ran for about 3 seconds then the mechanic handed me the phone and with a half grin on his face said we don't need this anymore. I wasn't sure what was going on but I said goodbye to the other guys and by this time the mechanic had the cowling off and said can you hear that, and I said hear what, he said you have 1 cylinder not firing you must have a spark plug wire off. He reached down and attached the spark plug wire and it purred like a kitten the way it should. Boy I have never been destressed so fast. Ended up after I got the new motor, I took it somewhere else to get a new Lowrance elite 9 TI installed and they must have knocked off the spark plug putting the cowling back on, they had to get under there cause my Lowrance is connected to my E-TEC and my trolling motor. Plus these guys left my power on when they installed my Lowrance and drained my battery. Anyway I learned my lesson and I will be starting up my motor BEFORE I go up next weekend.

Oh and I phoned up the guys where I bought the motor and assured them they were in no way at fault, plus I took up gifts and thanked everyone at the marina for their help and especially the mechanic for all his help. That whole experience was stressful and embarrassing, I don't want to go through that again.

[Rizzo]

Hoping for the same! Maybe fire up the 90 Yamaha some night this week. Its 5 years old this year, here's hoping this year's start is as easy as the previous ones. Also have a 2003 Nissan 8 hp...it gave me grief last year (Freshtrax got it going for me)...hope this year is less eventful for getting that one going!

[Old Ironmaker]

13 hours ago, LostAnotherOne said:

Its a weird feeling but i started my 96 with only three pulls in the driveway a few weeks ago.  I think i shouted something like "Ooooohhhhh baby".  Dont mind spending the 70 bucks to get winterized. 

I too was paying for winterization myself about a 100 bucks. Then I watched a buddy do his then mine, watched a few You Tube videos and saw how silly simple it is I have done it myself for the last 7 years. I have a check list I refer to because it's only done once a year. It is so simple. If you know what end of a spray can and screw driver to hold, are able to open a bottle of gear lube and remove 2 screws you too can winterize your outboard, doesn't matter if it's 9.9 or 300 HP, a 2 stroke is a 2 stroke, 4 strokes are even easier. If I can do it an 8 year old can. I am mechanically challenged to say the very least. I didn't spend 50 bucks for the stuff I didn't have like the set of ear muffs, a grease gun and the screw on pump for the gear lube. I would guess between the lower end O ring gaskets, fogging spray, gear lube, a splash of fuel stabilizer and a few squeezes of Marine grease it doesn't cost 30 bucks, maybe. And I know it is done right including replacing the O ring gaskets for the lower end which I don't think the small Marina was doing because I supplied what he asked for and he never asked me to pick them up.  You can do it. I don't know where you are but unless it's a days drive I will more than happy to show you this Fall. Google "Winterizing outboards" and your specific engine make on You Tube and you will never spend a penny to have it done again. You don't know what you don't know until you do.

Edited May 12, 2018 by Old Ironmaker

[Sinker]

My 93 yammy built 40 mariner fired up on the 5th pull. I called 7th pull. The thing is bullet proof. Crazy the amount of hours I"ve put on it and it still purrs like a kitten like day one.  Hard to justify a new one as bad as I want one lol. I didn't even disconnect the fuel line from the fall. Just had seafoam in the full tank of gas and away to go. 

 

 

S. 

[LostAnotherOne]

2 hours ago, Old Ironmaker said:

I too was paying for winterization myself about a 100 bucks. Then I watched a buddy do his then mine, watched a few You Tube videos and saw how silly simple it is I have done it myself for the last 7 years. I have a check list I refer to because it's only done once a year. It is so simple. If you know what end of a spray can and screw driver to hold, are able to open a bottle of gear lube and remove 2 screws you too can winterize your outboard, doesn't matter if it's 9.9 or 300 HP, a 2 stroke is a 2 stroke, 4 strokes are even easier. If I can do it an 8 year old can. I am mechanically challenged to say the very least. I didn't spend 50 bucks for the stuff I didn't have like the set of ear muffs, a grease gun and the screw on pump for the gear lube. I would guess between the lower end O ring gaskets, fogging spray, gear lube, a splash of fuel stabilizer and a few squeezes of Marine grease it doesn't cost 30 bucks, maybe. And I know it is done right including replacing the O ring gaskets for the lower end which I don't think the small Marina was doing because I supplied what he asked for and he never asked me to pick them up.  You can do it. I don't know where you are but unless it's a days drive I will more than happy to show you this Fall. Google "Winterizing outboards" and your specific engine make on You Tube and you will never spend a penny to have it done again. You don't know what you don't know until you do.

Definitely been wanting someone to show me.  PM sent

[leaf4]

Sounds like me when I had to cut my grass for the first time last weekend, first pull and I was off to the races.

[misfish]

8 hours ago, AKRISONER said:

And that’s why I’m a Yamaha man

And thats why I am a flipper and oar man. They both go, no matter. Just add caffeine. LOL

[Old Ironmaker]

4 hours ago, Sinker said:

My 93 yammy built 40 mariner fired up on the 5th pull. I called 7th pull. The thing is bullet proof. Crazy the amount of hours I"ve put on it and it still purrs like a kitten like day one.  Hard to justify a new one as bad as I want one lol. I didn't even disconnect the fuel line from the fall. Just had seafoam in the full tank of gas and away to go. 

 

 

S. 

We love our Mariners eh Sinker. I scored 3 years ago as I found a 15 horse kicker with electric start and controls.to match the 115, same year, same graphics. I mounted the controls on the Port side. I was told impossible by a few Marine Guru's. Not impossible and not difficult. When my wife saw it she said" Look the Mommy motor had a baby. I don't even need to choke them unless they have sat for a week.

[AKRISONER]

On 5/12/2018 at 4:48 PM, misfish said:

And thats why I am a flipper and oar man. They both go, no matter. Just add caffeine. LOL

and just like a yammy two stroke, you put too much corn alcohol in you, it will be harder to start in the morning.

[KawarthaAngler]

Yup ... it sure is nice when she starts up first time in the spring like it ran the day before.

This spring startup for me had some added anxiety.

I made the BIG mistake of forgetting to take my boat plug out when I put her into storage last fall.  Even though I double tarp the boat .. both tarps were garbage and let water in.

The result ... lots of water was in the boat (actually ice at first ...so I had to let it thaw out).  My Fish & Ski boat has a 100L tank under the floor and I'm pretty sure she was completely under water.        I was pretty pissed at myself.

She always is put away in the fall with a full tank of premium and stabalizer.  But still ... could water have leached in somehow since the boat is 10years old?

I don't have (at least not yet) a water/fuel separator ... so I put a container of 'water remover' in the gas and crossed my fingers.

Yesterday she started right up and for my run around the lake she didn't miss a beat. 

2007 75hp 4-stroke Honda.

[jimmer]

I pulled my 1965 9.5hp out of storage this spring. I didn't have it running at all last year and it started on 3 pulls.  They are such simple little machines.

My 25 hp Yamaha hates the colder weather and it took a few more pulls. on the first weekend of May when I went pike fishing.

[BillM]

Both the F115 and the T8 high thrust on the back of the Lund started up with ease.  Although, it's not like the boat is out of the water for more then 2-3 months a year.

[HTHM]

My 1996 90 Mariner had three chugga chugga's in the driveway before she fired up, and the 9.9 two pulls. This was the week before the ice storm. 

[Mister G]

On 5/12/2018 at 8:40 AM, Lukasaurus said:

I'll be starting mine up today. I picked up a new E-TEC 90 HO last year and took it up the the French river where it stays in the water at the marina till fall. When I got there last spring I launched the boat, loaded it up, idled through the marina. When I gave it some throttle it felt like it was in guardian mode, it  ran very rough with low rpm's. So I idled back and got on the phone to the marina where I bought the motor and they were at a loss to what the problem is. As I was on the phone with them I flagged down the resident marine mechanic. At this time my stress level instantly went through the roof, the boat is all loaded, I have my Wife and dog in the boat and all I was thinking is I would have to unload the boat, pull it out and trailer it 6 hours back to where I bought it. Well the resident mechanic got on the phone with the guys where I bought it, they talked for about one minute then the mechanic told me to start it up. Well that thing ran for about 3 seconds then the mechanic handed me the phone and with a half grin on his face said we don't need this anymore. I wasn't sure what was going on but I said goodbye to the other guys and by this time the mechanic had the cowling off and said can you hear that, and I said hear what, he said you have 1 cylinder not firing you must have a spark plug wire off. He reached down and attached the spark plug wire and it purred like a kitten the way it should. Boy I have never been destressed so fast. Ended up after I got the new motor, I took it somewhere else to get a new Lowrance elite 9 TI installed and they must have knocked off the spark plug putting the cowling back on, they had to get under there cause my Lowrance is connected to my E-TEC and my trolling motor. Plus these guys left my power on when they installed my Lowrance and drained my battery. Anyway I learned my lesson and I will be starting up my motor BEFORE I go up next weekend.

Oh and I phoned up the guys where I bought the motor and assured them they were in no way at fault, plus I took up gifts and thanked everyone at the marina for their help and especially the mechanic for all his help. That whole experience was stressful and embarrassing, I don't want to go through that again.

I got the same E-TEC 90 HO and it's a bear of a outboard. Fires up each and EVERY TIME I turn the key even after it was winterized and sat for 5 months in the garage.

Speaking of winterizing, this motor does that for you at NO COST whatsoever. Nice feature and can't understand why more manufactures don't offer this feature ? ? ?

[Tom S]

11 hours ago, HTHM said:

My 1996 90 Mariner had three chugga chugga's in the driveway before she fired up, and the 9.9 two pulls. This was the week before the ice storm. 

Sure, it will start no problem in your driveway. At the launch however, it's a different story. I know how you operate.

[LeXXington]

I do all my own Winterizing.  

1. You can buy all the good oil.  I changed over to synthetic, easier cold starts and nice for the trolling motor  

2. You save a few buck's, no waiting and you get better the more you do it.

3. You get to know your engine. So when crap happens you know where to start  

If you can always start you engine once in the driveway.   First of the year there are always the people trying to figure out why there engine won't start at the dock.

 

[HTHM]

20 hours ago, Tom S said:

Sure, it will start no problem in your driveway. At the launch however, it's a different story. I know how you operate.

You and Tim want to find out Saturday? 

Edited May 17, 2018 by HTHM

[DanD]

20 hours ago, Tom S said:

Sure, it will start no problem in your driveway. At the launch however, it's a different story. I know how you operate.

Back about 20 some years ago, I had a 15hp 2 stroke Mercury. That thing always started with a half pull.  I get down to the lake and it would not fire; I just about pulled my arm off trying to get it to start. Then I remembered that I had pulled the spark plug wires off at the plugs. My son that was 10 at the time; couldn't leave anything alone that had a motor connected to it. So for safety sake; I made it impossible for him to start it. I felt like the scarecrow from the wizard of Oz, when he sang "If I only had a brain". LOL

Dan.

 

[JoshS]

2004 merc 75 2stroke here. Every spring I"m a bit nervous lol. But she starts up after a few cranks and we have a little celebratory moment. I do my winterizing at the launch last day of the season in Dec. Fog the engine before I pull out of the water while on the trailer. Pull out and find a place to change lower gear oil and do the rest, usually done on the side of a country road in the light of my headlamp. It's become tradition, same thing every year.  Then top off gas, additives and drop it off in storage on my way home and wait till spring and hope all works again.

When everything works first trip of the year - trolling motor, lights, bilge, main motor, electronics, etc - it's a great feeling. Knocking on wood they keep going all season.

[BassMan11]

On 5/16/2018 at 7:01 AM, Mister G said:

I got the same E-TEC 90 HO and it's a bear of a outboard. Fires up each and EVERY TIME I turn the key even after it was winterized and sat for 5 months in the garage.

Speaking of winterizing, this motor does that for you at NO COST whatsoever. Nice feature and can't understand why more manufactures don't offer this feature ? ? ?

I have the 75 (tiller) and it has been great as well for winterizing and starting up in the spring. Although being in a garage all winter I am sure helps. You still need to do the lower end, antifreeze the pumps, etc... but I know what you mean.  "Winterizing" which is just fogging, can be done in 2 minutes at the boat ramp on your last trip before winter storage. Very convenient.