"oneslikfish" wrote in message
oups.com...
My outboard overheat alarm goes off when backtrolling for a short
period of time. After 5 mins or so it runs fine again and the alarm
never sounds when running at normal speeds. Where should I start a new
water pump the thermostat or a clogged passige way.



On a 22 year old Yamaha, especially if used in sal****er, clogged
passageways are usually associated with high speed overheat problems, not at
idle. Most likely a worn water pump assembly and a corroded thermostat are
the causes and should be replaced first. Clean out any debris or corrosion
in the thermostat cavity and look for "eaten away" areas on the aluminum
castings. Replace the waterpump as a complete kit, not just the impeller.
There is also a possibility of a head gasket leak on a motor that old but
don't try to take things apart that you don't have to at the moment.

Be sure to let us know what fixes the problem

Bill Grannis
service manager