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T9.9 Fuel Starvation FIXED! (long)

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  • T9.9 Fuel Starvation FIXED! (long)

    Our Yamaha T9.9 4 stroke outboard - vintage 1999 - began to fail last season. Looking back through the messages on boating lists showed lots of similar complaints. It first it would mysteriously die at low RPMs....later it would die at any speed. It ran fine at full throttle, but then would quit as though it had suddenly run out of gas. Sometimes it would run good for half an hour, but eventually quit. Though it would always restart after a short rest, docking under power - or under no power - became an adventure.

    I'm familiar with engines, and kind of enjoy the challenge of getting one to run right.
    So this summer I inspected and rebuilt all the parts from the tank on back to the intake manifold and was disappointed to find nothing wrong...in fact, nothing even suspicious. About $150 later the motor didn't run one bit different. This was becoming less fun as the season wore on. So I took the approach used by many confused mechanics and simply retraced my steps but this time replacing every single part with a brand new one. Including the carb! Ugh $278! After each part was replaced we motored out for a test. Nothing worked until the last part to arrive -the new fuel pump. That is a very different looking piece....Apparently Yamaha has again redsigned the fuel pump with a new version. I didn't know about the change, had just ordered by the proper part number and they automatically sent the new style pump. Physically its a direct replacement for the old style pump. The difference is that the old pump just had the 2 fuel ports; the new pump has 4 ports and is water cooled. To install it connect the fuel lines just like the old pump, and then plumb the "pee water" line through the two brass ports on the port side of the pump....then send the pee water overboard as usual. The new pump comes as a kit with the required hoses and a mysterious clip. Both of my local Yamaha dealers were unaware of the design change and still have not received any tech bulletins about it. In my opinion, the design change is an attempt to cure fuel starvation caused by vapor lock in the fuel pump.

    RESULTS: So far, so good....last week we motored all afternoon and even *****ed at idle for a couple hours (fishing). Motor didn't miss a beat.

    Notes:
    1. Apparently there was an intermediate design change that had a water-cooling block bolted to the port side of the fuel pump. That one can be replaced with this latest design which has all 4 ports in a one-piece aluminum casting. Better cooling.
    2. The new carb no longer has the idle mixture adjustment hidden under a knock out; it is now a simple screwdriver adjustment. All else is the same, including jet sizes. They do not include the carb to intake manifold gaskets with the carb or with the carb kit. Best to order two of these gaskets.
    3. If you use the Yamaha fuel fittings at the gas tank and motor, note that they will fit either end, but Yamaha makes them slightly different depending on which way the fuel flows. Look on the metal thumb lever to see the arrow denoting fuel flow direction. Being a curious sort, I tried it both ways and it didn't make a difference.
    4. Its a good idea to add an additional in-line fuel filter between the primer bulb and engine. If you do so, use a large & low restriction type. Mercury makes a good one with 5/16 fuel barbs.
    5. For boats with the ****pit remote control Yamaha makes two grades of control cable. For smooth and fingertip control replace the stock cables with the more expensive ones. Identical fittings, and the difference in price is small.

    Finally, thanks to this list, the techs, and to Boats.net for all the help.
    Hope this helps someone else out, Roger_Scotty

  • #2
    scotty,
    Great post! Thanks for the feedback - great info on the fuel pump - so you think the old pump was getting to hot and causing vapor lock?
    You can't be the only 4-stroke owner having this problem - hope others read your fix.
    Good luck,
    Ken K

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    • #3
      Thanks for the good words Ken. Yep, I also think the problem was caused by gasoline vapor-locking in the fuel pump. Don't know if it was a design issue that only applies to the T9.9 4 stroke, or if there is something different about the gasoline this year. This year's gasoline surely smells and looks different from the gasoline I'm used to running.

      But I do know that whatever the cause, the new style water-cooled fuel pump is the cure.

      Got a chance to run it again Saturday for about 4 hours in all conditions. That new fuel pump is a miracle and the motor has never run so nice; it just sounds "right". Several people on board had the same comment.
      Scotty

      Comment


      • #4
        Yamaha 9.9 four stroke 1999

        Hey Scotty just anote to let you know that I bought a 1999 Yamaha F 9.9 four stroke kicker motor over the winter. Today was the first time that I was able to get it out on the water and I had the exact same problems that you described. Thanks for Posting this info, I will pass it on to some friends.

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        • #5
          I think this has helped me out. I have 2 2000 9.9s that started giving me problems, not idling and then dying when throttled back to idle. I had the carbs cleaned several times, cleaned out the fuel tanks, added water separating filters, replaced the fuel lines, and the primer bulbs, and the inline filter and nothing seemed to help.

          Finally I replaced the fuel pump on the starboard engine, and I have my fingers crossed as it is performing the way it should. The port engine idles ok, but dies when throttled back, so I'm going to replace that fuel pump too.

          I couldn't find anything wrong with the old fuel pump, but the fuel that emptied out seemed oily to me. Maybe a leak in the diaphragm

          The mysterious clip, I think, anchors the water line into the fuel pump to the upright water line, and pulls it away from otherwise contacting the cowling.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by elorimer View Post
            I think this has helped me out. I have 2 2000 9.9s that started giving me problems, not idling and then dying when throttled back to idle. I had the carbs cleaned several times, cleaned out the fuel tanks, added water separating filters, replaced the fuel lines, and the primer bulbs, and the inline filter and nothing seemed to help.

            Finally I replaced the fuel pump on the starboard engine, and I have my fingers crossed as it is performing the way it should. The port engine idles ok, but dies when throttled back, so I'm going to replace that fuel pump too.

            I couldn't find anything wrong with the old fuel pump, but the fuel that emptied out seemed oily to me. Maybe a leak in the diaphragm

            The mysterious clip, I think, anchors the water line into the fuel pump to the upright water line, and pulls it away from otherwise contacting the cowling.
            Just wanted to know if replacing your fuel pumps had definitely fixed the problems with your motors. I am having a similar problem with my 1999 Yamaha Four Stroke Hi-thrust 9.9 and am hoping the revised fuel pump will be the fix.

            Thanks - Dave
            Last edited by Skipjack20; 07-25-2012, 08:34 PM.

            Comment


            • #7
              Thank You!!!!!!!!

              Just wanted to post a big Thank You to the starter of this thread, Scotty. I purchased and installed the revised version of fuel pump (Yamaha p/n 99999-03273-00) and it has totally eliminated the dying/stalling problem with my 1999 Yamaha T9.9 Hi Thrust outboard!

              Yamaha Motors Corporation on the other hand gets a big Thumbs Down for not stepping up and doing the right thing in their failure to make an attempt to contact owners of earlier Yamaha outboards to notify them of the redesigned fuel pumps.
              Last edited by Skipjack20; 07-25-2012, 08:32 PM.

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