Yamaha 200 cold starting trouble

[rcruz31]

New boater here..... I have a Yamaha 200. Whenever I start it after sitting for more than a day or two, it takes several cranks to fire up. After that, it will fire up immediately. Is this normal? Should I be doing anything other than priming the fuel line? One of my batteries is weak, more than once I've run down the batteries and had to get the charger out......

 

[Ray Neudecker]

Re: Yamaha 200 cold starting trouble

A weak battery is bad news when trying to start the engine. If it doesn't spin the motor fast enough it will not fire.

 

[rcruz31]

Re: Yamaha 200 cold starting trouble

Batteries read 12.5v when cranking. Even if I hook the charger to them they read 13v and up and it still takes several attempts to turn over. Anywhere from 5 to 10 cranks. Is this normal for an outboard, or should I be looking at adjusting carbs or something? Could it be fuel grade? I'm using 87...

 

[suprmnn602]

Re: Yamaha 200 cold starting trouble

I don't know much about boats as I'm new too, but I had an inboard that was hard to start and then ran better when warm. I ended up changing the fuel pump and didn't have a problem after that. Just a suggestion though.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Yamaha 200 cold starting trouble

to start an 87 200, trim engine down, pump primer until firm, move throttle only lever so when it fires its gonna run between 1500 and 2000 RPM, turn key swithch on, engage the choke with either the toggle or push to choke switch. turn keyswitch to start. you may have to pumb the choke once or twice during engine warm up.
that motor is very difficult to start cold at a dead idle throttle setting.

 

[rcruz31]

Re: Yamaha 200 cold starting trouble

That's the procedure I'm following. Choke toggle is directly under ignition and I hold it while turning key. Sometimes I move throttle up to full and back. Should it still take so many attempts to fire? Once it fires it runs great and will re-start if you just wave the key at it! Also, this past wknd we were at anchor for a few hours and it gave me some trouble re-starting. When I primed the line, the bulb had no pressure to it no matter how much I pumped. I pulled the line from the engine, and it was fully primed. Is my bulb done? Thanks for the help.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Yamaha 200 cold starting trouble

on that carbed motor all the primer bulb does is that, it primes the system.
once the fuel bowls are full it can be tossed in the creek.
pumping the throttle on that 2 stroke only wears out the cable faster.
post us the engine model number so we can be sure which fuel and ign system we are dealing with.
but the throttle needs to be placed so when that carbed motor, unless its got prime start, lights up at at least 1500 RPM.
if its prime start and you move the throttle much it will become difficult to impossible to start.
and thats why we need a model number.

 

[rcruz31]

Re: Yamaha 200 cold starting trouble

I'll get the mod # when I get home from work, will this picture help.

 

[Ray Neudecker]

Re: Yamaha 200 cold starting trouble

Should be an etlg motor. You should replace the bulb if you don't get a back pressure.May not be pumping through the pumps in to the carbs. No wally world ones either. Get a good one from a dealer.
no prime start on this one straight choke set up.