Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

[searay420db]

Looking for info and HELP! I have a 2004 Zodiac Projet 350 with a Yamaha 80HP motor for the jet drive. The motor runs great at speed, but it smokes tremendously while at idle. So much so that you can't sit in the boat and breath at the same time. Has anyone else had this problem. The local dealer/service center says "its normal for that motor."

 

[srmccune]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

The man I purchased my 2002 Yachtline from said a service tech told him it was caused by some sort of a proportioning valve - I have not yet followed up on that.

The salesman at West Marine said to put "smokeless" oil in the resevoir

Another person told me to clean and/or rebuild the Mikuni SBN Carbs.

Another told me to relax - that's what 2-stroke motors do (I don't buy that - I've had O/B 2 stokes and none ever smoke that much unless I had mix wrong)...

 

[Howard Mathews]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

I just bought a projet 350 from a friend who bought it new in 2001 and only has 134 hours on it. it smoked just like yours does and I was concerned with that. I took it to the local Yamaha dealer who changed the oil injection pump from a fixed rate pump to a variable rate pump. It was putting in the same amount of oil into the mixture at idle as it did at 5,000 rpm. Now it smokes about 1/10 of what it used to you will always get some smoke from a 2 stroke, but now it is very little.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

I just bought a projet 350 from a friend who bought it new in 2001 and only has 134 hours on it. it smoked just like yours does and I was concerned with that. I took it to the local Yamaha dealer who changed the oil injection pump from a fixed rate pump to a variable rate pump. It was putting in the same amount of oil into the mixture at idle as it did at 5,000 rpm. Now it smokes about 1/10 of what it used to you will always get some smoke from a 2 stroke, but now it is very little.

That is great news about the proportioning pump. I learned that mine (just like yours) smokes quite a bit less if I use synthetic oil. NOW, HOWEVER, I have a bigger problem. both my shifter and steering cable froze up over the winter and, I suppose, wiil have to be replaced. Does anyone have a line on getting these parts?

 

[TonyHawk007]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

I just bought a projet 350 from a friend who bought it new in 2001 and only has 134 hours on it. it smoked just like yours does and I was concerned with that. I took it to the local Yamaha dealer who changed the oil injection pump from a fixed rate pump to a variable rate pump. It was putting in the same amount of oil into the mixture at idle as it did at 5,000 rpm. Now it smokes about 1/10 of what it used to you will always get some smoke from a 2 stroke, but now it is very little.

Hi,

I really want to get this fix done but cant find any information about it anywhere, can you please share any more information?? Which dealer did it? Was it a kit?

Many thanks,

Tony

 

[gdyrhauge]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

Hi Dan!
I just bought a Zodiac 350 from 2001, just like Yours! It only has 28 hours on it. I do though have some problems, the steering wheel is very hard to maneuver. I don't know if it is the cables, like yours. Do you know how I can find out?
Another problem is that the person i bought the boat from, didn't know any thing about the boat. And there was no owners manual with it. Do you know how to get a manual?
Another question is that, when you write oil, what kind of oil is it? Do you have to mix it with the normal fuel?

Kind regards
Gustav

 

[Dan Johnson]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

Gustav,

As to the steering: I am just forking out $650 to have the shift and steering cables replaced. Had I done what the book suggested, I would have had them lubricated, and maybe they would not have frozen up. That's a tough job, and they recommend only a pro do it. As to steering: It's pretty heavy on these boats. You can go under the cowling and take the lever arm off the steering box to make sure the box isn't binding. If it is, it is easy to take the back plate off and lubricate it. Chances are, the cable is where the stiffness is. Despite low hours, it's the years of sitting with some saltwater residual getting into the cable..........
Now, as to oil: YOU DO NOT MIX OIL. It goes into a reservoir under the cowling, near the battery. Use synthetic oil for lower smoke. Did you see the other post about changing oil pumps?

dan.johnson@cbre.com

 

[Dan Johnson]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

Gustav............about the manual. you should have one.......for certain. You shuld just contact Zodiac and they'll direct you to a co. that can provide them. There is stuff in there that you shuld know. One of the biggest things is that you must operate the boat with the proper air pressurein the tubeset. get a good gauge, or pump with gauge, and make sure you are between 3 and 3.4 PSI. Both under- and over-inflation have terrible consequences. I have just paid out $750 to get my tubeset fixed.........mainly because the bead chain came off............again................

 

[gdyrhauge]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

Hi dan!
Thank you so much for your help. You have confirmed our notion that our boat need to have a service check. I saw all the posts and will take all of this great advice into consideration! Again - thanks for your time, Gustav

 

[MagnificCat]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

Hi there,

I bought a new projet 350 ten years ago and used it as a tender on my sailing cat. It has always had excessive smoke at idle: from the very beginning up until now. As well the vendor as several dealers, maintenance/repair men told me the same thing over and over again: this engine is of a pre-variable mixing era, the oil pump always injects the same amount of oil in the fuel, regardless of the rpm's. Noone ever mentioned a solution for this problem. I therefore very interested to hear that there is a solution for it.
Could someone give some more info about the replacement of the original oil pump, with a "variable" one?
Models? Part numbers? Experiences?

Thanks,

Rudy

 

[islandTreeman]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

Hello projet owners
Doesn't your carb.have an alternate idle jet.Going down sizes leans out @ idle.Variable pumps are better.
Take your cables off,take a small clear plastic bag,poke cable into corner of bag,zap strap bag around cable or w/(tie/wire,elastic?,string...)pour light oil into bag covering end of cable,hang up bag suspending cable,cable is lubed when oil drips out other end.I use 2 cycle oil for boat,m/c,mountain bikes, etc...for the last 30 yrs.works well.You can move cable back and forth,works faster.I'm pulling my cables off my projet for another application.If cables have rubber ends,loosen first.

 

[spence spencer]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

I just bought a projet 350 from a friend who bought it new in 2001 and only has 134 hours on it. it smoked just like yours does and I was concerned with that. I took it to the local Yamaha dealer who changed the oil injection pump from a fixed rate pump to a variable rate pump. It was putting in the same amount of oil into the mixture at idle as it did at 5,000 rpm. Now it smokes about 1/10 of what it used to you will always get some smoke from a 2 stroke, but now it is very little.

Howard,

I'd like to obtain the part#, your dealer information so I can order this variable rate pump.

Thanks in advance

Spence

spencerjamesf@aol.com

 

[spence spencer]

Re: Zodiac Projet 350 Excessive smoke at idle

That is great news about the proportioning pump. I learned that mine (just like yours) smokes quite a bit less if I use synthetic oil. NOW, HOWEVER, I have a bigger problem. both my shifter and steering cable froze up over the winter and, I suppose, wiil have to be replaced. Does anyone have a line on getting these parts?

Dan,

Try Short Block Tec. Clearwater, FL for your cables.

Please help! Did you find the varible rate oil pump? I've been trying for weeks to locate one. I'd like the mfg, part# and even your dealer contact information.

Thanks Spence

 

[Mudd man]

I'm also looking for a variable rate oil pump for a Zodiac 350 Projet. Where can I find this oil pump? THANK YOU!

 

[GA_Boater]

I'm also looking for a variable rate oil pump for a Zodiac 350 Projet. Where can I find this oil pump? THANK YOU!

Zodiac did not make the motor. Start a thread in the right motor section of the forum, not in an 11 year old thread.

Closed.