SX230 HO questions

[bklake]

Hello. New member. I wish I were here under different circumstances but I need help with a Yamaha SX230 HO. My best friend passed away this year. His boat went unused for two years during his fight with cancer. I'm trying to get the boat running so his widow can sell it. She has a buyer but it needs to be running.

I've been out on his boat a few times over the years and know enough about these boats to know that everything is different. I've been watching youtube videos and reading some of the posts here trying to gather info.

Another friend started the engines yesterday and they fired right up. Today, I opened the engine hatch and noticed gasoline smell. This is a fuel injected engine, there should be no gas smells right? Two days ago, my neighbor was airlifted to the hospital with 3rd degree burns because he ignored a fuel leak so I'm not taking chances there. This will be solved before the key is turned again.

What can you tell me about the clean out plugs in the back? They need to be in for correct engine cooling correct? How do you reseat them?

I am really appreciative of any help. I have lots of outboard and I/O experience. No jet ski or jet boat experience.

 

[bronze_10]

@bklake .. i am sorry for you circumstances.. u can find any answer here.. it may help if u post your location.. we often have members who will meet new people and help them get started and look things over..

I have the same boat .. there is an engine compartment fan swith next to the keys.. turn this on for a while to vent the gas fumes out of the engine compartment. Next pull the dip sticks and see if u can smell gas in the oil... could be a stuck injector.. it could very well be that it has just sat for so long..

 

[Speedling]

The plugs need to be in and the hatch closed for the motors to turn over. Under that hatch you will see 2 switches. The hatch needs to be down on them to close the switch and let the engines start

 

[bklake]

I'm pretty sure the gas smell is coming from the tank hatch. Do these have in tank fuel pumps? Wondering if the o-rings in the quick connect went dry and are leaking. There wasn't anything in the tank bilge when I pulled that plug. I will definitely check the oil for gas. It ran for 10 minutes the other day. The friend that started the engines is a long time boater. He would not have turned the key if he smelled gas.

I'm having trouble getting the clean out plugs out. I pushed the button and pulled but they seem to be stuck. Do I turn the handle? The times I saw my friend pull them, it was a struggle. I should be able to find all of this in the owner's manual but that was locked in the house today. Sorry to be such a newby.

 

[Bill D]

Other members have noted a fuel smell coming from the fuel pumps and / or sending unit. That's a good place to start tracing it down.

The plugs regularly get stuck if they are left in place for extended periods of time. If the latching dogs are released, there are several tricks to pull them out, but ultimately that is the course of action. Members have used jacks, ice, lube, etc... When I bought my boat, the plugs were stuck in. I was able to put a dock line around the T-handle and pop one out. The other I had to use a jack and 2x4. I immediately rebuilt them and have had no problems since.

 

[Bruce]

Welcome Aboard and what nice thing you are doing for your friend's wife.

Hopefully this is not the cause of the fuel smell https://jetboaters.net/threads/need-a-new-fuel-tank.3635/

Is the boat a 2005 model?

To insert the cleanout plugs under the tray look or feel inside the hole for the slot that matches the plug. Then press the button on plug with your thumb and insert it into the hole. Once it is at the bottom release your thumb, push down on the handle to lock the plug in place then pull up to make sure it is locked.

If the cleanout plugs are in place the boat the top of the jet pump is open and the boat will barely move when in the water. They should be removed after each outing and reinstalled before launching the boat.

 

[maboat]

It ran for 10 minutes the other day. The friend that started the engines is a long time boater. He would not have turned the key if he smelled gas.

And hopefully as a long time boater he would not have run the engines for 10 minutes without a garden hose connected to provide water cooling.

Unfortunately, they don't have a fitting with direct garden hose threads. There is an adapter hose. Hopefully the friend knew about this and found the adapter to connect the garden hose.

 

[bklake]

He used the adapter. I saw it sitting on the dock. Can you run one engine at a time while flushing? I've read it is a no-no on the water without clamping the Y hose.

I washed the fuel tank bay until water came out of the drain. There was no gas in the bilge so hopefully it is the fuel sender or pump flanges. I need to find the vent hose and make sure it is clear. The temperature was significantly warmer yesterday and today. Expansion may be pushing fuel out if the vent is plugged. The pee holes were plugged with insects, I can only imagine what is living in a big vent line.

I'll come up with a way to jack out the plugs. It looked like there was some corrosion locking them in. I sprayed some lubricant in there today to help them along.

I think it is a 2005. He bought it shortly after I bought my Chaparral and that was 2005.

 

[Bruce]

What are the numbers on the plate under the engine hatch? They will identify the year and model.

 

[jdonalds]

He used the adapter. I saw it sitting on the dock. Can you run one engine at a time while flushing? I've read it is a no-no on the water without clamping the Y hose.

This rule applies to being underway in the water. There is a danger that water will get into the engine through the exhaust. No such problem when the boat is on the trailer. Run one engine on the hose all day long.

 

[Julian]

Definitely add your location to your profile as we have many helpful members here that might be close to you and might offer to help out! Great of you to help out like this...we love giving back too!

Yamaha has a clean out rebuild kit that you will want once you get them out.

Hope the gas smell is a simple connection leak as the 2003-2006 models didn't have a removable floor to make replacing the fuel tank easy.

 

[zipper]

This rule applies to being underway in the water. There is a danger that water will get into the engine through the exhaust. No such problem when the boat is on the trailer. Run one engine on the hose all day long.

There is a sequence to follow on the trailer or water will make its way into engine thru the exhaust manifold, start engine first, turn water on, run it, shut water off, then turn off engine. Page 4-1 of my owners manual.

 

[bklake]

I have the owner's manual now and will follow procedures exactly. I'm out of town for a few days so I can't do anything on the boat until I get back. Please keep the tips coming. The boat is in Virginia Beach.

I really appreciate the help especially considering that I'm just dropping in. I feel like the guy that goes out on someone's boat, drinks all the beer and doesn't stay around to clean up.

 

[bronze_10]

I have the owner's manual now and will follow procedures exactly. I'm out of town for a few days so I can't do anything on the boat until I get back. Please keep the tips coming. The boat is in Virginia Beach.

I really appreciate the help especially considering that I'm just dropping in. I feel like the guy that goes out on someone's boat, drinks all the beer and doesn't stay around to clean up.

Lol

 

[Bruce]

I really appreciate the help especially considering that I'm just dropping in. I feel like the guy that goes out on someone's boat, drinks all the beer and doesn't stay around to clean up.

There is some risk that you will fall in love with the boat and give her a good home. If not we are still glad to help you in your good deed.

 

[zipper]

I really appreciate the help especially considering that I'm just dropping in. I feel like the guy that goes out on someone's boat, drinks all the beer and doesn't stay around to clean up.

I know the feeling...Got to do that once on the Miss Budweiser, went out from Ponce Inlet, fished and drank all day for free, all because the bar I worked at in orlando, across the street from UCF, sold ALOT of budweiser products.

circa 1988.


edit: won the fish pool that day with a 50 " Barracuda.

 

[bklake]

I got to mess around with the boat today. Turns out my buddy installed some sort of super lock on the cleanout plugs. I needed a wrench to loosen the bolt on top. There was a ratchet in the boat shed dedicated to the task.

The fuel smell is almost non existent now. I think the connections dried out lack of use. A few pressure cycles and all is well.

The pee holes are cleaned our and flowing nicely.

I'm waiting for his old neighbor to get back from vacation so we can test ride it. I don't know the waters around his house and there is too much shallow water to deal with if you don't know the channels.

 

[bklake]

There is some risk that you will fall in love with the boat and give her a good home. If not we are still glad to help you in your good deed.

I have two boats already. Any more and the next stop will be divorce court.

This boat was the perfect solution for my friend mostly because of the shallow draft. He has "navigable" water behind his house except at low tide. He could launch just about any time.

I am astounded at how the engines fired right up after such a long nap. I see no corrosion issue that I see on my boat and both are salt water boats. Pretty darn nice boat.

 

[Bruce]

@bklake, your post starts off as if it is an impossibility but gets more optomistic as it goes. Try that a few more times and you might conivince Mrs. @bklake.

 

[bronze_10]

Three boats keeps the hours low on all of them! Just take a different boat each time!