Book of Words - Yam 55 - 2cyl

[9D280]

Help! Does anyone happen to have a copy of this- I'm most interested in the tilt assist ram. Moving the lever at the top of the ram seems to have no effect whatsoever, and the thing weighs a ton to pull up, so I'm wondering if it's got a knackered seal / valve or is just low on juice. Good old Yam don't seem to have put manuals for lumps this old out on t'internet.

Engine Number is in the 663L series, and has a big single tilt assist ram (Not a PTT cylinder) inside the transom bracket as opposed to the "twin cylinder" type with a small cyl (a.k.a shock absorber) either side.

Even if you don't have a manual, any clues on locking down or shallow water on these things will be appreciated! (lever seems to have 3 positions, all of which do the same thing - nothing!) I suspect the ram probably just needs a drink, but have no info on what grade of oil I should be pouring in.......

Any clues will be much appreciated.

[eilean mor]

hi, i'll see what i can find, I used to run a yam 50 a good number of years ago, and I might have the books, if I do I'll be in touch

[keelhauled]

Are you sure the whole assembly is not just stiff and close to seizing. I remember that engine and you had to smother the locking lever in grease or it would be stiff as hell and you had to keep a rag handy or you would have grease everywhere. Does the engine go down as slowly as it lifts if so just WD 40 and grease should do the trick.

[Trolli]

Maybe this can help u!
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outboard/parts/home.aspx

[9D280]

Keelhauled,
The engine drops back down like the proverbial stone. The two short wide levers at the side that sit on the top of the transom clamps behave exactly like you say, but the long thin lever attatched to the port side of the top of the cylinder is the one that makes no difference whatever position it's in.
All kind of makes me think the cylinder' s desperately in need of either a replcement seal / valve or fluid top-up.

Trolli,
Nothing there about the 55Hp, thanks anyway.

[9D280]

OK, the mystery has part solved itself! Turns out the lever on the top of the ram isn't actually a 3- position thing at all. It was a two position thing with a bent stop! Yam in their infinite wisdom made the lever out of a (relatively) thin bit of stamped sheet. I can only assume a previous owner has become a little too enthusiastic about moving the lever, and the "stop finger" was bent out of straight, so the "stiff" bit in the middle that I thought was position 3 was in fact it just sticking on the end of the stop lump on the cylinder!

Net result: the engine now locks down happily (lifted the boat off the trailer by the engine!), and in the "release" position, it now drops with a little less excitement than it did before. I can only assume if the valve goes past its stops, all damping / locking effects just don't happen.


So, the question is now - "Should I be able to lock this for shallow water drive with this ram? PArt of me thinks it's probably od a similar design vintage to me ole'72 Johnsorude i.e. shallow water drive = get the paddles out.

Another interesting aside, I can find no official reference or pic of this engine with this tilt ram fitted. I appear to have a late 70s 2- cyl 55 with an early 80s 3- cyl 60Hp bracket!

Oh well. At least it sort of behaves now.....