Yamaha 4 strokes

C

chimoii

New member
I am looking at a C-Dory with 2 x Yamaha 4 strokes. I have heard that the 4 strokes don't like to spend time in the fully tilted up position. That's important because if the boat is in the water (salt water) as in a slip the motors would obviously be best out of the water. Apparently leaving them in the "up" position puts oil in a couple of cylinders. Has anyone heard of this?

Thanks
 
That particular concern has never been voiced here, to the best of my knowledge. I personally am not in the least worried about that particular issue, given all the other things I can worry about! :twisted:

Warren
 
Quote from my Yamaha Certified mechanics. Run with them down, keep 'em down when stored parked on the trailer, put 'em up at least part way to travel on the trailer, and it's OK to put them up for over a weekend at the dock, but don't leave them stored in the up position for general storage on the trailer.

Twin Yamaha 40's - 4 strokers.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
hardee":3s47v0yw said:
Quote from my Yamaha Certified mechanics. Run with them down, keep 'em down when stored parked on the trailer, put 'em up at least part way to travel on the trailer, and it's OK to put them up for over a weekend at the dock, but don't leave them stored in the up position for general storage on the trailer.
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Wow. That's a great ad for Honda. Really, though, I think the mechanic's advice to Harvey is for other reasons than the oil getting loose, and makes sense for those other reasons.

The oil (Honda's, anyway) is in a reservoir in the lower unit and will not get out of where it belongs when the motor is tilted fully up to the limits of the tilt cylinder. Now maybe if the bow was aimed downhill so the motor was sitting nearly horizontal, maybe, but in normal operation my Honda oil stays put. When my boat is in the slip and it is not freezing, the motor is tilted full up and resting on the stop all the time. I have never lost any oil or had even a puff of smoke at start up. If the boat is sitting on the trailer at home or in the water when it might freeze, the motor stays down. The only reason I put it down when sitting on the trailer is to let the cooling water drain. I usually travel on the trailer with the motor tilted down against a wood 2x2, but have towed with it tilted fully up a few times without problems.

Another story that would be debunked on Snopes if Snopes did outboards is that you have to wait a bit after tilting the motor down before starting it to let the oil get to the pickup tube. The oil never leaves the pickup tube in normal circumstances unless it is a couple quarts low.

The marina where I moor is pretty slimy water, and every outboard in the place is stored tilted up. I wouldn't worry too much about it. The guys with I/O outdrives that have to stay in the water are the ones who should worry.
 
The recomendation for storage with motor down has nothing to do with oil. It has to do with allowing water to run out of the motor, as mentioned, so that in the winter it won't freeze and crack the lower unit. All outboards, including Honda, should be stored down for best drainage of water in the unit.

And the issue with storing a four stroke on it's side is that if stored on the wrong side oil can flow into the carb and the cylinders, hydro-locking the motor.
 
I have been storing my Yamaha 115 on the 18 foot CC for 5 years in the "up" position (after letting water drain out when running)--No problems. I will continue to do this. I also run the engine just at the upper limit of the "down"-before it goes into the rapid tilt up, when running in thin water--again--no problems.

I pulled out the shop manual--and looking at the schematics and photos, I don't see how oil in the sump can get into a cylinder when the engine is on the transom tilted up. The engines are lubed with a pump--not splash lubed. The sump is at the bottom.
 
Many thanks, I think that clarifies it well:

Don't store on the side.

Keep down if there's a chance of freezing

No problem keeping up if on a mooring or at the dock.

:)
 
Storing the motors down while on a trailer when there is a chance of freezing is always a good idea. It's also not just water that remains in the lower unit that can be a problem. I read of someone (either on this site or another) who had the hub crack due to water collecting in it when it rained and freezing when it got cold. Definitely something to think about in WA where rain followed by freezing temps is common in winter.
 
chimoii said:
"No problem keeping up if on a mooring or at the dock."
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A word of caution. When using a finger dock, I prefer to back in. Puts the OB's in a protected position, less chance of getting them bumped, whether up or down.

Clarification: on my previous post.
".... and it's OK to put them up for over a weekend at the dock,"
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I should have added that he recommends using "Salt Away" and rinsing if leaving them up, to keep the salt from crystallizing in the cooling path. If no rinse is available, leaving them down for the weekend is OK, but would not recommend storing in the down position in the water, only when up and on the trailer or a lift.

Harvey
SleepyC
 
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