1999 Yamaha 115 idle adjustment

[brodmann]

I have a couple of questions about my 115 Yamaha (S115TLRX). It's on my 1999 Sailfish 198DC. When I first got the boat, when I turned the key to the on position, I remember hearing a sound that sounded like my bilge pump turned on for about a second. It doesn't do that any more, and I've noticed that I have to pump the primer bulb quite a few times before it gets hard. I'm wondering if I have an electric primer that has stopped working. I've looked for specifications on my boat, but can't seem to find anywhere that it states that it had a priming system. I bought it from the original owner and he told me that he has never changed anything on the boat at all. He took it in for service once a year. His mechanic is a high school buddy of mine, and he didn't add a primer, but didn't remember if it had one or not. He has lots of customers and can't seem to remember all the details about all the boats he works on. The bilge pump works fine and it's got an on/auto switch, so it doesn't come on based on the key being turned on.
Any info would be appreciated.

 

[99yam40]

....

 

[brodmann]

Thanks for the help!

 

[boscoe99]

The motor itself does not have an electric fuel pump. Or anything on the motor that would make a noise at key on.

Perhaps someone added an electric fuel pump in the boat. Follow the fuel hose from the motor to the tank. See what is to be seen.

 

[brodmann]

I understand that the motor doesn't have an electric fuel pump. The boat has a built in 50 gallon tank and access is very limited. I can get to the sending unit, but that's about it. I'm curious, but not enough to cut the floor out. In my muscle car days, I always removed mechanical fuel pumps and put on electric ones. I wonder why more folks don't do that on outboard motors? I have never had to replace a fuel pump on an outboard motor, so I guess they're a good design and work well. Pumping up that primer bulb just seems a bit archaic to me though. No big deal though.

 

[Kola16]

I understand that the motor doesn't have an electric fuel pump. The boat has a built in 50 gallon tank and access is very limited. I can get to the sending unit, but that's about it. I'm curious, but not enough to cut the floor out. In my muscle car days, I always removed mechanical fuel pumps and put on electric ones. I wonder why more folks don't do that on outboard motors? I have never had to replace a fuel pump on an outboard motor, so I guess they're a good design and work well. Pumping up that primer bulb just seems a bit archaic to me though. No big deal though.

On a car when an electric fuel pump goes out, you get a ride home from your nearest buddy for free. On a boat when your electric fuel pump goes out, you call 1-800-boat-tow and shell them $2k. Okay maybe exaggerating, hopefully you have a kicker, but crawling home on your kicker over a bar is no fun. Squeezing a primer bulb is archaic, I agree, but it is reliable and super easy. Newer outboards use electric fuel pumps and a 115 can be had for what, $15k?

If you want to know if a Sailfish has an electric fuel pump, just follow your lines like stated. Easy question answered. Access is limited in every boat, that is nothing new. They are not going to foam in a fuel pump so if there was a fuel pump installed, it is findable.

 

[brodmann]

This is totally off-topic, but I notice that you have a 1996 130 Yamaha. Very similar to mine. Just wondering about the oil injection delete. I've always heard that the Yamaha oil injection system is the most reliable one out there. I'm just curious if you had problems with it, or just prefer mixing yourself. I've always considered doing that to my motor, but I always keep an eye on it and the oil level creeps down with every outing and the motor runs great so I haven't given up on the oil injection system. Pretty convenient to just pull up to the pump and fill up and go without having to measure out oil. Not a big problem (like pumping up the primer bulb) but just curious as to our reason for deleting that injection system.

 

[Kola16]

I just bought the 130 outboard a month or so ago. The oiling system I believe worked, but I never tried it. I deleted it because when I go fishing or hunting, I want my stuff to work. I have been told that the Yamaha outboard oiling systems are great too and that I did not need to delete it from the 130 outboard, and I can believe that. They are not invincible though and the engine is as old as me. Additionally, I have a '96 Waverunner and the oil injection went out on that without me knowing, blowing the engine. I have no clue how comparable the Waverunner and outboard oiling systems are, but it is just not something I wanted to regret not doing. When you have replaced one engine from a failed oiling system, it is always on your mind.

I make no recommendations whether you should delete yours or not. I deleted the oil injection more for my sanity. The benefits for me of deleting it outweighed the benefits for me of leaving it.