new 2012 250 sho RPM issue

[hunter82]

Hey guys I wanted to give an update on my RPM issue, i couldn't find my previous post so i'm starting a new one. My previous post stated that my new 250 show had 12 hours on it but RPMs decreased to 5100-5200 RPM on my last trip out before bringing the boat to the dealership. Motor never missed or acted funny but just low RPM. Thought it could be bad gas, sensor, or possibly motor "making oil". Dealership called and said the computer showed nothing wrong but the oil level was just over full which means it was making oil. I was told to run the motor much harder to get my RPM up and seat the rings properly. They drained the oil and refilled at no charge. I bought a bottle of yamaha ring free and also yamaha fuel additive. I added the required amounts and filled up with texaco premium gas and went for a ride yesterday afternoon. I was able to get my RPM up to 5600 barely. A much improvement from last time out but I did have to trim my motor up to the tip of its range, trim tabs up, and jack plate set at what i thought was best. My motor does have a 3 blade prop but not sure the pitch on it.

Do you think its just too early for the motor to be able to get up to 5800 to 6000 RPM? The dealership told me to run the motor at WOT for a while since it hasn't shown me running it hard enough. Problem is I haven't been able to get it above 5600 RPM since the first day I took it out so maybe thats why its reading it that way. Any thoughts?

[rodbolt17]

could be over propped.
over propping will make it make oil.

[hunter82]

I've got a power tech OFX3R23PCL200 prop. It's what came with the motor when I bought it. I'm not sure but I assume that means a 23" in pitch. I talked to the dealer and he said it should gradually increase in RPM as I get more hours on it and it should really open up around 25 hrs on the motor. Does this sound right?

[rodbolt17]

no, it sounds idiotic.
when that engine left japan it had no prop.
when the rigger uncrated it it still had no prop.
the hull rigger installed the prop.
may OR may not be the correct prop for the hull combo.
not the first hull I ever saw rigged improperly.

[hunter82]

The boat is a 2300 hps pathfinder. What do you recommend I do?

[rodbolt17]

use regular gas,89 octane.
did the motor ever turn at the upper range 5800 + ?

[hunter82]

Never once. Only 5600 range since the first day I ran it

[rodbolt17]

you may have an issue.
use the dealer locator function on the yamaha web site,.
find a dealer with a master tech.
if that fails call the yamaha consumer line.

[hunter82]

I hope it's not that bad because nearest one is over 4 hours away. I'll give you an update when I find out more. Thanks again!

[rodbolt17]

if it used to turn 5600,that was low, and now it wont turnover 5200 then you either added weight to the hull or its got an issue.

[hunter82]

let me back up a bit. When i first got the boat i went out and at WOT it ran at 5600 rpm and 57 to 58 mph. Thats the highest it ever went. Two trips ago when i went out i couldn't get about 5200 rpm the entire day out. thats when i took the boat into the dealer and they told me the engine was making oil and that was probably the reason for low rpm as well as i might have got some bad gas. They put new oil in the motor and ran all the computer test and everything else checked out fine. I went back out this past sunday on a dead calm day and i was able to get the motor back up to 5600 RPM and 57 - 58 mph. 5600 rpm and 57-58 mph is the best i've ever got out of the motor. I now have about 14 hours on it.

Is it possible that my throttle cable is not allowing the motor to open up all the way?

[hunter82]

USER ERROR!!! sorry for all the trouble and brain storming. I had a buddy go with me to run it down the river today and it just turns out i was too timid on the trim. I was watching my trim meter on the boat and when it was at the top level i would stop trimming the motor but i could really go a lot more which helped get my RPM up to 6000 and boat ran 60.8 against a really stiff wind and a full load of gear and gas. i needed someone else there to get me to push it harder. I guess i was babying it too much. really sorry for the trouble. I'll still watch my oil levels just to be sure but that was probably due to me having a lot of idle time during break in. thanks again rodbolt

[rodbolt17]

then either your trim meter is off or you need transome wedges.
wont trim past the trim pins.
tilt wont work at that load.
do you have a water pressure guage?
do you have a jack plate ?

[ManateeBWN]

Hunter 82,

check Rodbolt17īs last reply!!!

Not babying a motor usually kills it - sooner or later!
Trim might be your issue, but then thereīs got to be a reason for your indications.
I donīt think transom wedges are necessary - I operate a SX250TXRA on a 20.something boat. Itīs trimmable. I do not use transom wedges or a jack plate. I do only use the trim once the boat starts planing at about 3/4 throttle. Trimming during high thrust demands would not work.
If your engine revs up with trimming I would check the trim meter!
If thatīs mis-set and you know it - allright. If thatīs o.k. something else might be wrong.
An engine should be able to turn up to itīs limit RPM. Even new ones are tested accordingly. If it does not reach the red line without load you have a serious problem. If it does not reach the red line under load, the load may be just too high (i.e. prop pitch does not match).
All the talk about more hours before it "runs free" is talk. Nobody produces engines that need to be run in to deliver full RPM. You brake in the engine to "baby" it, i.e. to use it for hundreds of hours. Max RPM is possible from day one - if not you have a bad engine, a bad prop or a bad gear.
BTW: I do have a 21" pitch prop installed - rips you off the docks but limits high speed runs. Without getting to theoretical - a 20.xyz boat with 250HP and a 21" pitch prop sounds similar to a 23" boat with 250HP with a 23" prop, does it?!

[rodbolt17]

trimming under high thrust loads is possible and permissable.
tilting is not.
the internal valving will prohibit it.
if you have to trim to the top of the trim range you may need transom wedges.
my hydrasport does with an e-tec 175.