Need manual for 8hp Yam. kicker

[Full_Monte]

The new-to-me kicker runs rough...needs choke all the time. It stalls when I put the choke in. Plugs are wet and black. I think I may need a carb kit, sea foam or both. Where is the best place to get a manual online? Model is 2004 F8MLHC. Thanks!

[SmokeOnTheWater]

Here ya go Monte, this should do it! Let me know if this worked.

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/assets/service/manuals/2004/lit-18626-05-30_850.pdf

101superman101

[SuperD]

Monte, I have an 04' Yami 8HP kicker and have had my share of carb problems. Here are the things I would suggest:

1) Go ahead and get carb rebuilt
2) Replace fuel line & bulb
3) Drain ALL the gas out of your tank and start fresh with marine StaBil and Yamaha Ringfree.
4) Once all this is done, run your kicker every couple of weeks regardless of whether you go fishing or not. The gas sold today just doesn't hold up and I've spent a lot finding out the hard way.

[Full_Monte]

Here ya go Monte, this should do it! Let me know if this worked.

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/assets/service/manuals/2004/lit-18626-05-30_850.pdf

101superman101

Thank you, Smoke! I couldn't get it to open up, but I'll try my other computer to see if it will make a difference. Thanks again! I'll PM you if I still have trouble.

[Full_Monte]

Monte, I have an 04' Yami 8HP kicker and have had my share of carb problems. Here are the things I would suggest:

1) Go ahead and get carb rebuilt
2) Replace fuel line & bulb
3) Drain ALL the gas out of your tank and start fresh with marine StaBil and Yamaha Ringfree.
4) Once all this is done, run your kicker every couple of weeks regardless of whether you go fishing or not. The gas sold today just doesn't hold up and I've spent a lot finding out the hard way.

Hello SuperD,
OK...I suspect the gas in the engine was old and I have a full tank of gas of unknown age. On my 2-stroke 25hp Yamaha, I always ran the carburetor dry when retrieving the boat on the trailer. I never had a problem in 20 years with any fuel doing this. (I do use only Chevron). Do you do the same with your kicker?

[SuperD]

Today's gas is so bad, one has to attack potential problems from several angles. I was doing just the run dry method and still had a problem. My mechanic said that doing that will still leave a little gas in the bowl. The ethanol gas also eats up the inside of fuel lines, running disolved plastics through your carb. That's why I'll be replacing my fuel lines & bulbs every couple of years now. The other thing to consider is that the jets on a 2 stroke, 25 HP are many times larger than the jets on an 8 HP. Think hair folicle! I know guys that don't do any of this and get away with it. Many of those tell me they get to store their boats inside. Don't know why that makes a difference but maybe it does. I also still work for a living so I don't get to fish every week like you retired guys do. That is why I went to running the motor with the muffs on every couple of weeks so that the fuel didn't ever sit in it too long.

[Full_Monte]

Thanks, Super D. I was wondering about why changing the fuel lines was pertinent. Hmmm...I hope it's not someone just trying to sell us more stuff. Your comment about storing boats inside may be important. The temperature fluctuations are smaller inside a garage (compared to outside), and fluctuations cause moisture to form on any surface inside an engine or inside a gas tank. The water then does its damage.

Retired? I must be, but it doesn't feel like it. Heck, I don't have time to work anymore. When I was younger, I could accomplish more in two hours after work than I can now in an entire day.

[Bduck]

I have to agree. Todays fuel sucks. I do run my dry but have to keep recycling fresh through to clean out any residual thats left behind. I use both Stabil & Lucas oil fuel additives. My boat has a premium gas in the tank and i usually dump appropriate measured amount of Lucas additive in. I use Stabil for other gas powered items such as snowthrower, lawnmower, etc. Either one does the trick from keeping the gas from getting stale. Next time you get gas on your hands, just look at it what its doing to your hands.

[Kokaholic]

Propnut 69 can also tell you about the problems with today's fuel and what it does with the rubber and such on our lines and hoses. Man if it ain't one thing it's another!

[SuperD]

Welcome to the Jetcraft brotherhood! I think you'll love it. What model is it, 1925?

[Full_Monte]

Welcome to the Jetcraft brotherhood! I think you'll love it. What model is it, 1925?

It's a 2025 sk, whatever that means. I siphoned about 23 gallons out of it today, but didn't get it all out. Don't know how much the tank holds. Pulled the floorboard over the tank out to look for a siphon spot. Had to remove the sending unit. Tomorrow I'm going to smoke up the neighborhood with a Seafoam treatment or two.

[SuperD]

When I siphon mine, I use the sending unit and run the tube out the drain plug hole to the outside of the boat. I have a 2125SK and it holds 36 gallons. Start mixing a 5 gallon can in your truck every week and get the rest of the gas out.

[Full_Monte]

When I siphon mine, I use the sending unit and run the tube out the drain plug hole to the outside of the boat. I have a 2125SK and it holds 36 gallons. Start mixing a 5 gallon can in your truck every week and get the rest of the gas out.

I spent most of the day trying to get the rest of the fuel out. Thanks for the idea about running the siphon tube out the drain hole. That helped a lot.
It didn't work until I jacked up the boat/trailer about a foot higher. The tank is only 5 1/2 inches deep, so it's tough to get a siphon started without much of a height drop.

Do you use a gas filter or a water separator between the tank and the motor? Mine doesn't have anything. I'm thinking about adding one and am wondering what you guys do.

[SuperD]

Yes on the water / fuel separator. You can get them with 2 out ports so there can be a dedicated line for the kicker and main. Very easy to install.

[Full_Monte]

Finally! I took the carburetor apart after trying Sea Foam.
The foam helped some, but the motor still ran bad. I had no manual, but managed to disassemble it and soak it in Chem Dip. What a difference the cleaning and new gas made!
It idles down real nice now, and I don't have to leave the choke on to make it run. Using zip-loc bags helped to keep the parts organized.

Now to get the boat out on the water so I can see if the main engine performance suffers from the same malady.

[Bduck]

Baggin' & taggin' and keeping your parts in line is the best way to keep from getting confused in the order of how things come apart. Try rebuilding a jet engine. Good job Monte.

[Full_Monte]

Thanks, Guys!

I called the Jetcraft company and talked with them about draining all the old fuel out of the tank. I still have about a half inch of it left. I liked their response. They suggested disconnecting the fuel line from the tank, attaching a temporary line to the fitting and running the other end into a gas container. Then, you apply air pressure to the vent line.
Voila! All the gas comes out of the tank. Pretty cool! I think a little restraint on how much air pressure is used would be in order. 101duh101 Why didn't I think of that?