2008 YAMAHA VX Owners Manual

Operation
42
EJU32280Pre-operation check points EJU32310Engine compartment
Ventilate the engine compartment before
each use.
To ventilate the engine compartment, remove
the seat. (See page 23 for seat removal and
installation procedures.) Leave the engine
compartment open for a few minutes to allow
any fuel vapors to escape.
While the engine compartment is open, check
for loose electrical connections.
WARNING
EWJ00460
Failure to ventilate the engine compart-
ment could result in a fire or explosion. Do
not start the engine if there is a fuel leak or
a loose electrical connection.
EJU32350Hull and deck
Check the hull and deck for cracks and other
damage. If any damage is found, have a
Yamaha dealer repair the watercraft.
EJU32390Fuel level
Check the fuel system for leakage, cracks,
and malfunctions before each use. (See page
70 for check points and correct procedures.)
(1) Remove the fuel tank filler cap to release
any pressure that might have built up in
the fuel tank.(2) Remove the seat. (See page 23 for seat
removal and installation procedures.)
(3) Check the fuel level in the fuel tank and
replenish if necessary. (See page 39 for
filling procedures.)
(4) Install the fuel tank filler cap and the seat.
EJU32400Engine oil level
Check the engine oil level before each use.
CAUTION:
ECJ00390

When checking the engine oil level on
water, be careful of other watercraft,
boats, swimmers, and obstacles. The
water current and wind can cause the
watercraft to move and lead to a colli-
sion.

When checking the engine oil level on
land, supply water to the cooling water
passages. (See page 63 for procedures
on supplying water.)

Make sure that the engine has enough
oil, but do not overfill it. If there is too lit-
tle oil, the engine can be damaged. If
there is too much oil, the air filter can be-
come saturated with oil, permanently
damaging the filter and reducing engine
performance. Follow the checking pro-
cedure carefully.

Make sure that debris and water do not
enter the oil tank filler hole. Debris and
water in the engine oil can cause serious
engine damage.
To check the engine oil level:
(1) Place the watercraft in a horizontal posi-
tion or launch the watercraft, and then
start the engine.
(2) Run the engine at trolling speed for 6 min-
utes or more, and then stop the engine.
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Operation
43
NOTE:
If the ambient temperature is 20 °C (68 °F) or
less, warm up the engine for an additional 5
minutes.
(3) Remove the seat. (See page 23 for seat
removal and installation procedures.)
(4) Remove the oil tank filler cap, wipe the
dipstick clean, and then screw the filler
cap into the filler hole completely. Re-
move the filler cap again and check that
the engine oil level is between the mini-
mum level mark and maximum level
mark on the dipstick.
(5) If the engine oil level is below the mini-
mum level mark, add enough oil so that
the oil level is between the minimum and
maximum level marks on the dipstick,and then install the filler cap. If the engine
oil level is significantly above the maxi-
mum level mark, the oil tank is overfilled.
Have a Yamaha dealer remove the ex-
cessive amount of engine oil.EJU32420Water separator
Check the water separator for water. The wa-
ter separator retains any water that may have
entered through the fuel tank breather hose if
the watercraft was capsized. Normally, the
water separator is empty.
If water remains in the water separator, drain
it by removing the drain screw. Place a drain
pan under the water separator to catch the
draining water or use a dry cloth to soak up
any water that could spill into the watercraft. If
any water spills into the watercraft, be sure to
wipe it up with a dry cloth. Also, be sure to in-
stall the drain screw after draining the water
separator.
EJU32460Bilge
Check the bilge for moisture and fuel residue.
CAUTION:
ECJ00370
Excessive water in the bilge can splash
into the engine, which can result in severe
damage.
1Oil tank filler cap
1Minimum level mark
2Maximum level mark
1Water separator
2Drain screw
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Operation
44
To drain water from the bilge:
(1) Remove the stern drain plugs.
(2) Raise the bow of the watercraft until the
water drains.
(3) After the water has drained, wipe the
bilge with dry rags to make sure that it is
thoroughly dry.
(4) Install the stern drain plugs.
CAUTION:
ECJ00360

Before installing the stern drain plugs,
clean the drain plug threads to remove
any foreign materials, such as dirt or
sand. Otherwise, the stern drain plugs
could be damaged, allowing water to en-
ter the engine compartment.

Make sure that the stern drain plugs are
tightened securely before launching the
watercraft. Otherwise, water may flood
the engine compartment and cause the
watercraft to submerge.
EJU32470Stern drain plugs
Check the stern drain plugs for proper instal-
lation.
CAUTION:
ECJ00360

Before installing the stern drain plugs,
clean the drain plug threads to remove
any foreign materials, such as dirt or
sand. Otherwise, the stern drain plugscould be damaged, allowing water to en-
ter the engine compartment.

Make sure that the stern drain plugs are
tightened securely before launching the
watercraft. Otherwise, water may flood
the engine compartment and cause the
watercraft to submerge.
EJU32481Battery
Check the battery electrolyte level and check
that the battery has sufficient power to start
the engine easily. Recharge the battery or re-
place it if it is not in good condition. (See page
74 for battery recharging procedures.)
Also, check that the battery leads are tight-
ened securely and that there is no corrosion
on the battery terminals. Check that the
breather hose is securely connected to the
battery and that it is not pinched.
WARNING
EWJ00450

The battery must always be fully
charged and in good condition. Loss of
battery power may leave you stranded.
Never operate the watercraft if the bat-
tery does not have sufficient power to
start the engine or if it shows any other
signs of decreased power.
1Positive (+) battery terminal: Red lead
2Negative (–) battery terminal: Black lead
3Breather hose
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Operation
45

Be sure to connect the breather hose to
the battery. Fire or explosion could re-
sult if the breather hose is damaged, ob-
structed, or not connected properly.
Make sure that the battery is securely held in
place.
EJU32540Fire extinguisher
Check that there is a full fire extinguisher on
board.
The fire extinguisher holder and cover are lo-
cated in the front storage compartment.
To store the fire extinguisher, unhook the
band and remove the cover. Place the fire ex-
tinguisher in the holder, and then place the
cover over the fire extinguisher. Fasten the
cover and the fire extinguisher with the band
securely.
NOTE:

To check the fire extinguisher, see the in-
structions supplied by the fire extinguisher
manufacturer. Always keep the fire extin-
guisher secured in the holder with its cover
in place.

Always carry a fire extinguisher on board. A
fire extinguisher is not standard equipment
with this watercraft. If you do not have one,
contact a Yamaha dealer or a fire extin-
guisher dealer to obtain one meeting the
proper specifications.
EJU32590Throttle lever
Check the throttle lever for proper operation.
Squeeze and release the throttle lever several
times to make sure that there is no hesitation
in its travel. It should be smooth over the com-
plete range and spring back to the idle posi-
tion when released.
WARNING
EWJ00490
Before starting the engine, always check
the operation of the throttle lever.
EJU32600Steering system
Check the handlebars for looseness.
Turn the handlebars as far as possible to the
right and left to make sure that operation is
smooth and unrestricted throughout the
whole range. Also, make sure that the jet
1Fire extinguisher holder and cover
2Band
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Operation
46
thrust nozzle moves as the handlebars are
turned, and that there is no free play between
the handlebars and the jet thrust nozzle.
EJU32631Shift lever and reverse gate
(for VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser)
Check the shift lever and reverse gate for
proper operation.
Make sure that the reverse gate goes down
completely when the shift lever is pulled up.Also, make sure that the reverse gate goes up
completely when the shift lever is pushed
down.
WARNING
EWJ00030

Make sure that the throttle lever is com-
pletely released and that the engine is at
idle before shifting into reverse.

Do not use the reverse function to slow
down or stop the watercraft as it could
cause you to lose control, be ejected, or
impact the handlebars.

Use reverse for slow-speed maneuver-
ing only.

Make sure that there are no obstacles or
people behind you before shifting into
reverse.

Do not touch the reverse gate while the
shift lever is being operated, otherwise
you could be pinched.
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Operation
47
EJU32650Jet intake
Carefully check the jet intake for weeds, de-
bris, or anything else that might restrict the in-
take of water. If the jet intake is clogged,
cavitation could occur, reducing jet thrust, and
possibly damaging the jet pump.
In some cases, the engine may overheat be-
cause of lack of cooling water, and damage to
the engine could result. Cooling water is fed to
the engine by the jet pump. (See page 80 for
jet intake cleaning procedures.)
WARNING
EWJ00470

Keep away from the intake grate while
the engine is on. Items such as long hair,
loose clothing, or PFD straps can be-
come entangled in moving parts, result-
ing in severe injury or drowning.

Stop the engine and remove the clip
from the engine shut-off switch before
removing any debris or weeds, whichmay have collected around the jet in-
take.
EJU32660Engine shut-off cord
Check that the engine shut-off cord is not
frayed or broken. If the cord is damaged, re-
place it; never try to repair it or tie it together.
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Operation
48
EJU32670Switches
CAUTION:
ECJ00410
Do not run the engine for more than 15
seconds when checking the switches on
land without supplying water, otherwise
the engine could overheat.
Check the start switch, the engine stop
switch, and the engine shut-off switch for
proper operation.
Push the start switch to start the engine. As
soon as the engine starts running, push the
engine stop switch to verify that the engine
stops immediately. Restart the engine, and
then pull the engine shut-off cord to remove
the clip from the engine shut-off switch to ver-
ify that the engine stops immediately. (See
pages 25 to 26 for information on proper op-
eration of the start switch, the engine stop
switch, and the engine shut-off switch.)
EJU32680Cooling water pilot outlet
Check that water comes out from the cooling
water pilot outlet while the engine is runningand the watercraft is in the water. (See page
26 for more information.)
EJU32710Multifunction information center
Check the multifunction information center for
proper operation. (See page 30 for informa-
tion on proper operation of the multifunction
information center.)
1Start switch
2Engine stop switch
3Engine shut-off switch
4Clip
5Engine shut-off cord
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Operation
49
EJU32740
Operation
WARNING
EWJ00510
Before operating your watercraft, become
familiar with all of the controls. Consult a
Yamaha dealer about any control or func-
tion that you do not fully understand. Fail-
ure to understand how the controls work
could cause an accident or prevent you
from avoiding an accident.
CAUTION:
ECJ00460
Make sure that the stern drain plugs are
tightened securely before launching the
watercraft.
EJU32781Engine break-in
The engine break-in period is essential to al-
low the various components of the engine to
wear and polish themselves to the correct op-
erating clearances. This ensures proper per-
formance and promotes longer component
life.
CAUTION:
ECJ00440
Be sure to check the engine oil level be-
fore operating the watercraft for the first
time. (See page 42 for engine oil checking
procedures.)
(1) Launch the watercraft and start the en-
gine. (See page 49 for engine starting
procedures.)
(2) For the first 5 minutes, run the engine at
trolling speed only. For the 30 minutes of
operation after that, keep the engine
speed below 5000 r/min. For the 1 hour of
operation after that, keep the engine
speed below 6500 r/min.
(3) Proceed with normal operation.
CAUTION:
ECJ00430
Failure to follow the engine break-in pro-
cedure could result in reduced engine life
or even severe engine damage.
EJU32811Launching the watercraft
When launching the watercraft, make sure
that there are no obstacles around you.
If there are waves, someone should make
sure that the watercraft is not pushed into the
trailer after launching the watercraft.

For VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser:
Use the remote control transmitter to select
the unlock mode. (See page 29 for Yamaha
Security System and low-RPM mode selec-
tion procedures.)
After the watercraft is in the water, start the
engine. Shift into reverse and move the wa-
tercraft back slowly.

For VX:
After the watercraft is in the water, turn it
around so that the bow faces the direction
you wish to go. Start the engine, and then
slowly move away from the launching area.
EJU32851Starting the engine
WARNING
EWJ00560
Never start the engine or let it run for any
length of time in an enclosed area. Ex-
haust fumes contain carbon monoxide, a
UF1K73E0.book Page 49 Wednesday, July 11, 2007 9:15 AM