Wiring diagram for motor and boat connectors.

Yamaha 10 Pin Harness

Yes, the Yamaha wire color coding can be confusing! For people that don’t work on electrical systems regularly, this can be frustrating even when doing seemly easy service procedures. The 10-pin motor-to-boat harness connector is one of those items that can trip you up. We felt a simple color code chart and 10-pin connector layout […]


Hand spraying silicone lubricant on equipment.

Keep Your Motor Running With A Healthy Fuel System

The largest source of trouble with marine engines these days lies with the fuel and fuel system. Paying regular attention to both can help prevent major headaches down the road. From hoses and connections to proper filtration and even fuel additives, time spent maintaining your fuel system helps keep you safe and your boat ready […]


Blank gray image with black frame.

Yamaha Paint Codes

Yamaha uses coding to signify their paint colors on different parts of their outboard motors.  These paint codes are referenced in the chart below, but can often be found in the last two digits of the part number of certain items, for example a lower unit: Note the “8D” code in the part number below.  […]


Narrow and wide flange comparison images.

HPDI Fuel Injector Gasket Installation

Many times when the HPDI Cylinder Head Side Gasket pictured below are removed for injector service, not much attention is paid to the orientation of the gaskets until the new ones need to be installed.  When the injectors are removed from the cylinder head, the old injector gasket material needs to be cleaned from the […]


Hand using a wrench on a battery terminal.

Yamaha Four Stroke Maintenance Schedule

Yamaha recommends service intervals based on “typical” use that includes operating at varied speeds, sufficient time for the engine warm up and cool down, medium to light and average cruising speed near 3000 to 4000 rpm range.  If your normal operating conditions are different, more frequent services should be considered, especially engine oil and gear […]


Yamaha Outboard Model Codes chart for reference.

What Does My Yamaha Engine Model Code Mean?

Yamaha uses a model coding system to signify different specifications of a motor.  In the past few years they’ve revised their model code designations.  Earlier model codes used the designation chart below (courtesy of Yamaha’s Outboard & Rigging Parts Guide).  Note that the 2006 models don’t use a year designation as they did in 2005 […]


Caliper measuring metal component with 4.00 mm.

Which trim and tilt cap wrench do I need?

We receive this question many times a day. We wish it were as cut and dry as ordering the wrench listed in your service manual for your motor, but it’s not that simple. We’ve found that the caps used on motors from the factory don’t always match what is listed as the replacement on the […]