Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hours.

[scottfromoz]

Hi all. I have had a 94 for the last 6 years. Gem of a motor. Carbs gum up at times, but cleaned its back again in full swing. Its a pre-saltwater series motor. Its done 300 hours or so. Its trim and tilt will no longer stay up and it gently comes back to full in trim when left, but the rams still work fine up and down and when running. I just replaced the fuel pump and its always been well looked after. A mate has a dealership and just traded a 98 version of the same thing - 300 hours and a saltwater series motor. Mine always starts first time at the ramp hot or cold and runs hard out to 5400 when I want it to. My question is it worth swapping over to the 98 saltwater (especially if I put my new fuel pump on it) with a exchange price fitted of $2,000.00. All my gauges etc should fit straight up - they are both oil injected motors. I am hoping to get another 8 years of so from either mine or the newer one, and thought the newer one, if properly looked after might be the better bet for this?

Cheers

 

[brandomako238]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

thats a hard call to make because things go differently on both sides of the coin. What if you keep yours and next week it falls on it's face or you trade up and the same thing happens to the new one. Personally I would stay with what you have. Good Luck

 

[99yam40]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

How is the corrosion on your motor and have you checked to see what it would cost to repair the power trim?
Newer motor may be a good deal if you look at the price of a new power T&T or repairs and there is not much corrosion on the 98

 

[yamatech43]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

If I remember correctly.....the shift rod on the 94's were NOT stainless and in 95 they became stainless.....this is expensive to replace, indeed so factor that into the equation....I would certainly do the swap, can't see you getting 8 more yrs out of the 94's....no way....I have a lot of experience on working on saltwater motors....no way 94's are gonna go 8 more.

 

[scottfromoz]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

Thanks Gents. I have always flushed and looked after mine. I have had the head covers off (not the heads) and they look in good condition inside - slight pitting only.

I dont know about the 98 in terms of corrosion and doubt that the outboard mech who is my mate will strip the heads off - dont touch a running motor! Maybe I will ask him to do it and pay for labour just to be safe.

I should swap my new fuel pump diaphragm across and do a carby clean, impellor kit, thermostats (if they look dodgy) and popit valve on the new one before sticking it on. I have just done water pump kit on mine and a full service, so the plugs should get swapped across also. I will have to do a compression check on the 98.

Was there any other improvements of any significance on the 98 versus 94?

Cheers

 

[scottfromoz]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

Well I have done the deal. I am having the transom stripped out and rebuilt from the outside in. The inside wall is 12mm solid glass and the outer edges of the transom about 8 inches in are solid glass over 12mm, so plenty of bond strength to be obtained. All fittings will have oversized holes bored, then epoxy filled then drilled to size and then the bolts Sikaflexed in. The new motor is a 25 inch not 20 inch like my old one, so the transom will be the same height across - whereas before it used to dip down in the middle to accommodate the shorter leg (which was a long leg and the new one 'extra long').

Its a 99 model 115 actually - checked with Yamaha Australia. These had fresh water flush point, push to choke key, stainless steering rod and tube, better corrosion resistant alloys (that included titanium), stainless drive and prop shafts and bigger, better sacrificial anodes. No doubt over the years (mine was a 93 now that I have looked it up also) they have made changes to the carbs, spark control module, timing etc to run more efficiently and hopefully it is less prone to jet fouling, but it might just be our rubbish fuel (having said that I had other motors that didnt suffer the same problems with the carbs, but then again I doubt their tolerances and running efficiency was as tight and good as the Yammy).

The new one is clean as a whistle. The engine is spotless and the previous owner very strict with flushing and cleaning down etc. No paint corrosion on motor or leg, no weeping at all around or at gaskets - just like new really.

I will report back once its done with photos! I love the Yammy V4's - just a great motor.

Cheers

 

[99yam40]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

I wonder if a jack plate would get the motor up high enough to keep you from having to rebuild the transom.

Have they screwed up the fuel there with ethanol also?

The 10 micron fuel filter/water separator mounted on transom helps keep things cleaner

 

[scottfromoz]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

Thanks mate. I have a 10 micron on there already, but moving to a genuine Mercury one - easier and cheaper to change filters and drain water than the one I have.

They have buggered up some of the fuel here with ethanol. I always use Premium which is 98 RON and no ethanol.

I was going to use a jacking plate until I discovered that the transom had turned to mush internally..so while re-building might as well make it same height right accross and that equates to 25 inch in the middle of the V which is convenient.

Cant wait!

Cheers

 

[99yam40]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

Keep us up on how it goes, I did not realize you had mush in the transom.
You doing it yourself or someone else handling it for you.
What kind of price estimate they give you?
Sounds like a lot of labor involved in that.

 

[scottfromoz]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

Thanks mate. Yep no flex in the transom at all due to the amount of glass - but now I know about the mush good to replace it. All the stringers are sound.



$2400 AUD to professionals for the replacement and yep heaps of labour including taking off 4 underwater blue squid lights, transom ladder, 2 transducers and Bennett trim tabs. They have discussed it with me again and reckon gel coat rather than 2 pac, to blend better with the rest of the hull, so thats the way we are going.

Cheers

 

[99yam40]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

gel coat rather than 2 pac

Cheers

Not sure what 2 pac is

 

[scottfromoz]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour

Mate it's a two part paint process - enamel - like is used on cars. Common on repainting boats. Cheers

 

[scottfromoz]

Re: Should I upgrade from 94 115 Yam to 1998 115 Yam Saltwater Series? Both same hour



Hi all - very glad I did the swap now that the oil delivery problem form the remote tank has been sorted (all cleaned out).

Havent had it on the water but for a late 98 early 99 model it looks brand new outside and inside the cowl and starts from dead cold under 4 seconds and instantly when hot. It crackles at idle even nicer than my well preserved 92/93 did.

Cheers