Spring tune up

[Guest]

What should a spring tune-up cost for a 50 horse Yamaha 2 stroke tiller? I just taked to one minneapolis marina and was quoted $200 plus parts. that seams awfully expensive to me.

I guess another question is do i need to get a tune up. I can change the lower unit oil and put in some new plugs myself.

I bought my first boat last spring so I'm new to this.

thanks for any info

[CMWINTER]

You realy should change the lower unit lube in the fall.

[Valv]

Actually if you winterized motor correctly, just replace oil (even if you did it in fall), new gas in tank, run motor on muffs for few minutes to "relieve" all smoke due to fogging, new plugs, and you are ready to go. While you are there, just pump some grease into the Bering Buddies on your trailer.

$ 200 does seem very high to me too.

www.kvesurplus.com

[This message has been edited by Valv (edited 02-17-2003).]

[delmuts]

i have to agree! if you winterized the motor in the fall, there isn't much to do in the spring. i winterize my 175 myself. run motor with stabilized gas, decarb the cylinders, spray them with fogging oil, grease the joints on the motor, grease the winch. and change the lower unit oil. then all i have to do is start it up in the spring with the muffs on. run it til it warms up. change the plugs and i am ready to go. if you didn't winterize it then you need to do most of these things now, except the fooging. but i would run fresh gas and put some stabilizer in it since the boat my set a while before you use it much. i think $200 is high also ! del

[Guest]

Hello Herkey, the above post's are right on. I run a Yamaha as well. The $200 price you were quoted was probably to pull the carbs,clean them and reset them and change the fuel filter. This is recommended after its third year of use. Two other things I do to my motor is to get some marine grade grease and grease all the zerks on the motor. This will push out any moisture that has set in during the winter. The second thing I do is run Yamaha Ring Free in my gas. This will remove any deposits from the pistons and rings. It's about $8 for 8oz but my factory trained Yamaha mechanic swears by it. I do this in the spring and fall.

Good Luck

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[Steve Foss]

Well, I'm learning too.

We have a 35 Johnson on our 16-foot Lund at the lake. To winterize, we just run it till warmed up in fall, then disconnect gas tank and run it till all gas is gone and motor dies. Then we drain lower unit lube and leave the screws out on the lower unit so no moisture gathers.

Come spring we just change the plugs, put in more lube, run fresh gas in and we're ready to rock.

I also burn only premium gas, because I've always believed the detergents in premium keep the carb systems cleaner longer, especially with a gas/oil mix in a two-stroke.

My Johnson is 25 years old and going strong (no that wasn't an off-color joke). Am I doing everything I should (maybe your extra steps aren't needed for smaller motors) or should I be doing all that too?

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"I still miss my ex-wives, but my aim is getting better!"
Steve Foss
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[Valv]

Stcatfish, you are doing good, only remark I have is to keep lower unit full with new oil, so gears won't tend to rust and seals dry due to moisture collection from leaving plug open, and spray some fogging oil into cylinders, to avoid ring freeze due to same problem (rusting on walls). It actually takes not even 1/2 hour in fall to do it. Cost is approx $ 15.00 for oil and fogging spray. In spring time I also replace water impeller, it cost very few $$ and gives me peace of mind for rest of year, but this requires removing lower unit, and depending on motor can be a diffcult job for somebody that is not familiar with.

[Guest]

Thanks for all of the help.

Last fall I did fog my motor, fill the tank with Sea foam and re-pack my trailer bearing.

The last few months of the season it seamed to be running a little rough so I thought I would have it tuned up this spring. But for $200 I thin I'll try some new plugs first.

If i do deciede that i need a tune up can anyone recamend a good place in the cities to get a Yamaha serviced?

[Hookmaster]

Try Hannay's on Central Ave. They do a great job at a fair price.