Hi,

We had been motoring from our dock for about 1/2 hour when one of our
outboards started making horrible mechanical sounds (I sort of forgot the
exact sounds because they were so alarming!). I pushed the kill button but
it took a few seconds to kill the motor, which seemed to be partially
running on oil. Oil was everywhere under the cowling and dripping into the
outboard well. Tons of oil smoke everywhere. Later trying to run the motor
proved that would idle but sounded very clanking at anything faster. I
killed it again quickly.

Does this sound like a terminal problem with a 1987 outboard (Yamaha 9.9
high thrust 4 stroke)? I recently bought a diesel inboard to be placed in
one of the hulls so I am reluctant to spend anything more than the salvage
value of the outboard motor. I tend to do all my own mechanical work but
have never had to work on a 4 stroke outboard so I don't even know what
could cause that explosion of oil/oil smoke.

Fortunately our boat is a catamaran and we have 2 motors. With one outboard
motor we can still get about 5-6 knots and she sails faster than she motors
when there is any wind! So the weekend trip went off without any troubles.
We hit 11 knots in about an 18 knot gust. grin


--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

If you're handy at that type of stuff, just start tearing it down to see
what went wrong. I'd guess blown oil line or maybe head gasket.

--


Keith
__
"How soon a ship can age and die for want of the love of a human being."
--Peter Gerard--
"Evan Gatehouse" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We had been motoring from our dock for about 1/2 hour when one of our
outboards started making horrible mechanical sounds (I sort of forgot the
exact sounds because they were so alarming!). I pushed the kill button but
it took a few seconds to kill the motor, which seemed to be partially
running on oil. Oil was everywhere under the cowling and dripping into
the
outboard well. Tons of oil smoke everywhere. Later trying to run the
motor
proved that would idle but sounded very clanking at anything faster. I
killed it again quickly.

Does this sound like a terminal problem with a 1987 outboard (Yamaha 9.9
high thrust 4 stroke)? I recently bought a diesel inboard to be placed in
one of the hulls so I am reluctant to spend anything more than the salvage
value of the outboard motor. I tend to do all my own mechanical work but
have never had to work on a 4 stroke outboard so I don't even know what
could cause that explosion of oil/oil smoke.

Fortunately our boat is a catamaran and we have 2 motors. With one
outboard
motor we can still get about 5-6 knots and she sails faster than she
motors
when there is any wind! So the weekend trip went off without any
troubles.
We hit 11 knots in about an 18 knot gust. grin


--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

Evan Gatehouse wrote:
We had been motoring from our dock for about 1/2 hour when one of our
outboards started making horrible mechanical sounds (I sort of forgot the
exact sounds because they were so alarming!). I pushed the kill button but
it took a few seconds to kill the motor, which seemed to be partially
running on oil. Oil was everywhere under the cowling and dripping into the
outboard well. Tons of oil smoke everywhere. Later trying to run the motor
proved that would idle but sounded very clanking at anything faster. I
killed it again quickly.

If it would start & run, then it's likely not a terminal problem... the
big question is how much to fix it? The oil, smoke, clanking, and
running at idle suggest a valve guide or something in that neighborhood.

FWIW I agree with Keith, start taking it apart until you get to the
broken part(s).

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

FWIW I agree with Keith, start taking it apart until you get to the
broken part(s).


the standard -- and often only -- technique available to the "hammer mechanic".

NEVER buy a used car from a hammer mechanic.

JAXAshby wrote:
NEVER buy a used car from a hammer mechanic.

Or a hammer head.

DSK

On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 01:02:03 -0700, "Evan Gatehouse"
wrote:

Hi,

We had been motoring from our dock for about 1/2 hour when one of our
outboards started making horrible mechanical sounds (I sort of forgot the
exact sounds because they were so alarming!). I pushed the kill button but
it took a few seconds to kill the motor, which seemed to be partially
running on oil. Oil was everywhere under the cowling and dripping into the
outboard well. Tons of oil smoke everywhere. Later trying to run the motor
proved that would idle but sounded very clanking at anything faster. I
killed it again quickly.

Does this sound like a terminal problem with a 1987 outboard (Yamaha 9.9
high thrust 4 stroke)?

Sounds like a cracked crankcase. Can come from a connecting rod
parting company with piston or crank. Invariably expensive.

Brian W

Sounds like a cracked crankcase. Can come from a connecting rod
parting company with piston or crank. Invariably expensive.

Brian W

I have never seen a case like that where the engine continued to run. Why do
you think that is the case?

JAXAshby wrote:
NEVER buy a used car from a hammer mechanic.

Or a hammer head.

DSK


or from someone who makes his living selling concrete slabs to brand new owners
of single wide mobile homes.

On 16 Jun 2004 02:39:18 GMT, (JAXAshby) wrote:

Sounds like a cracked crankcase. Can come from a connecting rod
parting company with piston or crank. Invariably expensive.

I have never seen a case like that where the engine continued to run. Why do
you think that is the case?

Most of the time I've see that happen, the engine does continue to run
on the cylinders it has left operating. At least until it doesn't have
any more oil. I've seen engines continue to run (very poorly) in
everything from a 2 cyl lawnmower where the broken rod punched a nickle
sized hole in the crankcase to drag racers, where it happens frequently.

Steve

schlackoff, you have had too many hard drugs too long.

Sounds like a cracked crankcase. Can come from a connecting rod
parting company with piston or crank. Invariably expensive.

I have never seen a case like that where the engine continued to run. Why
do
you think that is the case?

Most of the time I've see that happen, the engine does continue to run
on the cylinders it has left operating. At least until it doesn't have
any more oil. I've seen engines continue to run (very poorly) in
everything from a 2 cyl lawnmower where the broken rod punched a nickle
sized hole in the crankcase to drag racers, where it happens frequently.

Steve