2012 Yamaha 9.9 long shaft - manual tilt issue

[goingcoastal]

Hi folks,
I'm having an issue with my kicker and looking for some advice. I've had a problem with the kicker not staying in the 'up' position - it always seems to bounce around and the tilt lock doesn't seem to hold it up. As a temp fix I've put some wood blocking underneath to hold it up (see photo). I was out yesterday and the blocking slipped out and the motor went fully down until an audible click. I could not get it to release to come back up. I made sure it was in neutral and tried pressing on the manual tilt mechanism but just could not get it to release from the locked down position. I fiddled with it for about 20mins on the trailer afterward and still could not seem to release it. I feel like I'm missing something super basic but couldnt see anything in the manual. I rarely use it, it's mostly for backup, but I can't leave it in the down position for obvious reasons. Any one had this issue or have any suggestions on how to solve? Thanks

 

[Fishtank]

Hi folks,
I'm having an issue with my kicker and looking for some advice. I've had a problem with the kicker not staying in the 'up' position - it always seems to bounce around and the tilt lock doesn't seem to hold it up. As a temp fix I've put some wood blocking underneath to hold it up (see photo). I was out yesterday and the blocking slipped out and the motor went fully down until an audible click. I could not get it to release to come back up. I made sure it was in neutral and tried pressing on the manual tilt mechanism but just could not get it to release from the locked down position. I fiddled with it for about 20mins on the trailer afterward and still could not seem to release it. I feel like I'm missing something super basic but couldnt see anything in the manual. I rarely use it, it's mostly for backup, but I can't leave it in the down position for obvious reasons. Any one had this issue or have any suggestions on how to solve? Thanks

Happened to mee too, engine would drop down underway. Spray wd40 in the cracks of the button, work the motor and button up and down over and over. More wd40 and work the botton more and more

 

[daddystoy]

I had something similar happen to me. I'm trying to remember the exact problem. I would push the release button down and raise the motor but there was a part that pivoted with the motor when I raised the motor that wasn't supposed to pivot?? Something like this. Anyway.. my problem was the grease in the pivot tube wasn't really doing the job properly and causing corrosion issues in there.
I mixed a 50/50 ratio of acetone and automatic transmission fluid and just went to town in trying to get it in the areas to break down the corrosion.
It solved my problem and now I have grease fittings that I screw into the pivot tube to be able to pump grease better into that pivot tube area.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Hi folks,
I'm having an issue with my kicker and looking for some advice. I've had a problem with the kicker not staying in the 'up' position - it always seems to bounce around and the tilt lock doesn't seem to hold it up. As a temp fix I've put some wood blocking underneath to hold it up (see photo). I was out yesterday and the blocking slipped out and the motor went fully down until an audible click. I could not get it to release to come back up. I made sure it was in neutral and tried pressing on the manual tilt mechanism but just could not get it to release from the locked down position. I fiddled with it for about 20mins on the trailer afterward and still could not seem to release it. I feel like I'm missing something super basic but couldnt see anything in the manual. I rarely use it, it's mostly for backup, but I can't leave it in the down position for obvious reasons. Any one had this issue or have any suggestions on how to solve? Thanks

It is corroded. The sheet metal bracket is POS. Another Yamaha miracle of design. I had it fixed eventually on old motor, and know exactly what you speak of.

I put a wood block under it with bungy chords as temp fix.

 

[goingcoastal]

Ok , thanks for the quick responses, appreciate it. Sounds like it's a design flaw, not operator error... at least this time.
I'll try some of the suggestions above see if I can get it sorted. Cheers

 

[SeaWolf]

I think that 9.9 is the same design as the 6 and 8. I had that problem with a 2005 - 6HP. Look for bent metal in the lock mechanism. You may be able to release it by pulling the lockplate out of the detentes on the clamp arm casting. Mine had several broken detentes and the metal in the locking mechanism was bent. Definitely a design problem and not cheap to fix. I tried replacing springs etc, only thing that worked was a bungee from the locking plate tied inside the boat, it kept forward pressure so the plate would reengage. I think I did the worst damage on Hwy 4, all the bouncing. Always trailer in the down position.

 

[SeaWolf]

Look for bends in part 38, part 26 is what I call the locking plate, looks even cheaper by your model year.

 

[goingcoastal]

I think that 9.9 is the same design as the 6 and 8. I had that problem with a 2005 - 6HP. Look for bent metal in the lock mechanism. You may be able to release it by pulling the lockplate out of the detentes on the clamp arm casting. Mine had several broken detentes and the metal in the locking mechanism was bent. Definitely a design problem and not cheap to fix. I tried replacing springs etc, only thing that worked was a bungee from the locking plate tied inside the boat, it kept forward pressure so the plate would reengage. I think I did the worst damage on Hwy 4, all the bouncing. Always trailer in the down position.

Thanks, good tips. I'll have a closer look at what's happening - I was hoping it would be a quick and/or cheap fix but then I remembered it was a boat!

 

[goingcoastal]

Look for bends in part 38, part 26 is what I call the locking plate, looks even cheaper by your model year.

Super helpful, thanks!

 

[SeaWolf]

If you get it released, tie a small bungee to the middle of the centre bar in part 26. Snake it through the front of your motor, tie it to something inside your boat. When the motor jumps it will keep that catch in position, no more dropped motor when you nose into a swell. You can leave the bungee in place up or down.

To try to release your motor pull that part 26 out of the detentes while gently leveraging the shaft upwards. I'm betting one or two of those part 38 slides is bent.

Cheers

 

[Fishtank]

Part 8 and 20 where seized together on mine, fixable with wd40 and lots of movement in my case. Where are you located?

 

[goingcoastal]

Part 8 and 20 where seized together on mine, fixable with wd40 and lots of movement in my case. Where are you located?

I'm appreciating the schematic and ideas on which parts may be seized or corroded - thanks for the additional detail. I'm in North Van

 

[SpringVelocity]

Look for bends in part 38, part 26 is what I call the locking plate, looks even cheaper by your model year.
View attachment 81299

If you have the locking plate above on earlier motor you would be fine. Its the one after that I think you have. Mine was I think 2009 vintage.

It is piece of sheet metal and it has a hemmed edge that fits into the casting on housing. Water gets in that hemmed seam and rusts off. Only way to replace it is dissembling. I drew it in Solidworks just for a visual.

Another thing that can happen is that you have sheared off the casting rests in arms (hope not). ( another Yamaha issue). Just tilt it up and you can see how it works and the plate.

 

[goingcoastal]

If you have the locking plate above on earlier motor you would be fine. Its the one after that I think you have. Mine was I think 2009 vintage.

It is piece of sheet metal and it has a hemmed edge that fits into the casting on housing. Water gets in that hemmed seam and rusts off. Only way to replace it is dissembling. I drew it in Solidworks just for a visual.

Another thing that can happen is that you have sheared off the casting rests in arms (hope not). ( another Yamaha issue). Just tilt it up and you can see how it works and the plate.


View attachment 81309

Thanks for this. I was having trouble being able to see the mechanism because it's now stuck in the down position and I can't get it disengaged to lift if up and have a look. Didn't help that I had a 7year old jumping on me. I'll hopefully get down there later this week to have another look. Appreciate the effort and Intel

 

[goingcoastal]

Update - got it sorted, thank everyone for your suggestions. I oiled up all the mechanical joints and that seemed to do the trick. It seems part of the issue was that the pin (#15 on parts diagram) needed to be fully removed before I was able to disengage the lock mechanism, it was holding it back from getting the right range of motion . I didn't see anything bent or broken but there was definitely a fair bit of corrosion. Thanks again for everyone's feedback!