engine YAMAHA FX SHO 2009 Owner's Guide

Operation
56
EJU32280Pre-operation check points EJU32331Engine compartment
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.
Ventilate the engine compartment before
each use.
To ventilate the engine compartment, remove
the seats. (See page 25 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.
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.
EJU36871Fuel level
Make sure that there is sufficient fuel in the
fuel tank before each use.
Also, check the fuel system for leakage,
cracks, and malfunctions. (See page 83 for
check points and correct procedures.)
(1) Open the hood and remove the fuel tank
filler cap to release any pressure thatmight have built up in the fuel tank. (See
page 26 for hood opening and closing
procedures.)
(2) Remove the seats. (See page 25 for seat
removal and installation procedures.)
(3) Check the fuel level in the fuel tank and
replenish if necessary. (See page 52 for
filling procedures.)
(4) Install the fuel tank filler cap, and then
close the hood and install the seats.
EJU36882Engine oil level
Check the engine oil level before each use.
WARNING
EWJ00340
Engine oil is extremely hot immediately af-
ter the engine is turned off. Coming in con-
tact with or getting any engine oil on your
clothes could result in burns.
NOTICE
ECJ01001
Make sure that debris and water do not en-
ter the oil 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 precisely level
position on land with the engine stopped.
TIP:
If the engine was running, allow the engine oil
to settle by waiting 5 minutes or more before
checking the oil level.
(2) Remove the seats. (See page 25 for seat
removal and installation procedures.)
(3) Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
then insert it back into the dipstick tube
completely. Remove the dipstick again
and check that the engine oil level is be-
UF1W71E0.book Page 56 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM

Operation
57
tween the minimum and maximum level
marks.
(4) If the engine oil level is below the mini-
mum level mark, perform steps 5–7 to
add enough oil so that the oil level is be-
tween the minimum and maximum level
marks on the dipstick. If the engine oil lev-
el is significantly above the maximum lev-
el mark, have a Yamaha dealer service
the watercraft.(5) Remove the engine oil filler cap.
(6) Pour engine oil into the filler hole. Wait
approximately 5 minutes until the engine
oil settles.
TIP:
The difference between the minimum and
maximum level marks on the dipstick is equal
to approximately 1 liter of engine oil.
(7) Repeat steps 3–6 until the engine oil is at
the proper level.
(8) Install the engine oil filler cap, and then
install the seats.
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.
1Dipstick
1Maximum level mark
2Minimum level mark
1
12
1Engine oil filler cap
1Water separator
2Drain screw
1
1
2
UF1W71E0.book Page 57 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM

Operation
58
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.
EJU32452Bilge
Check the bilge for moisture and fuel residue.
NOTICE: Excessive water in the engine
compartment can splash into the engine,
which can result in severe damage.
[ECJ00341]
This watercraft is equipped with a convention-
al jet vacuum bilge draining system and an
electric bilge draining system. The electric
bilge draining system is operated when the
engine is running. When excess water reach-
es the water inlet of the electric bilge pump,
the water is discharged from the electric bilge
pilot outlet at the stern.
A small quantity of water will remain in the
bilge and should be drained manually. To
drain any residual water, beach the watercraft
and perform the following procedure.
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. NOTICE:
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
enter 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.
[ECJ00361]
EJU32472
Stern drain plugs
Check the stern drain plugs for proper instal-
lation.
EJU32482Battery
Check the battery electrolyte level and check
that the battery has sufficient power to start
the engine easily. WARNING! Never operate
the watercraft if the battery does not have
sufficient power to start the engine or if it
shows any other signs of decreased pow-
er. Loss of battery power may leave you
stranded.
[EWJ01240]
1Electric bilge pilot outlet
1
1Stern drain plugs
1
UF1W71E0.book Page 58 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM

Operation
62
EJU32651Jet 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, clean
it. (See page 95 for jet intake cleaning proce-
dures.)
If the watercraft is operated while the jet in-
take is clogged, cavitation could occur, reduc-
ing jet thrust, and possibly damaging the jet
pump. In some cases, the engine may over-
heat because of lack of cooling water, and
damage to the engine could result. Cooling
water is fed to the engine by the jet pump.
EJU32661Engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
Check that the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
is not frayed or broken. If the cord is dam-
aged, replace it. WARNING! Never try to re-
pair the engine shut-off cord (lanyard) or
tie it together. The engine shut-off cord
(lanyard) may not pull free when the oper-
ator falls off, allowing the watercraft tocontinue to run and cause an accident.
[EWJ01220]
EJU32671
Switches
NOTICE
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 (lanyard) to
remove the clip from the engine shut-off
switch to verify that the engine stops immedi-
ately. (See pages 27 to 28 for information on
proper operation of the start switch, the en-
UF1W71E0.book Page 62 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM

Operation
63
gine stop switch, and the engine shut-off
switch.)
EJU36890Cooling water pilot outlets
Check that water comes out from the port
(left) cooling water pilot outlets while the en-
gine is running and the watercraft is in the wa-
ter. (See page 29 for more information.)
EJU32711Multifunction information center
Check the multifunction information center for
proper operation while the watercraft is in the
water. (See page 39 for information on properoperation of the multifunction information cen-
ter.)
1Start switch
2Engine stop switch
3Engine shut-off switch
4Clip
5Engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
4
1 3
5
2
UF1W71E0.book Page 63 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM

Operation
64
EJU32742
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.
NOTICE
ECJ00460
Make sure that the stern drain plugs are
tightened securely before launching the
watercraft.
EJU36661Engine break-in
NOTICE
ECJ00430
Failure to follow the engine break-in pro-
cedure could result in reduced engine life
or even severe engine damage.
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.
TIP:
Be sure to check the engine oil level before
operating the watercraft for the first time. (See
page 56 for engine oil checking procedures.)
(1) Launch the watercraft and start the en-
gine. (See page 64 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 6000 r/min.
(3) Proceed with normal operation.
EJU32801Launching the watercraft
When launching the watercraft, make sure
that there are no obstacles behind you.
Use the remote control transmitter to select
the unlock mode. (See page 35 for Yamaha
Security System lock and unlock mode selec-
tion procedures.)
After the watercraft is in the water, start the
engine. Shift into reverse and move the water-
craft back slowly. If there are waves, some-
one should make sure that the watercraft is
not pushed into the trailer before backing
away.
EJU36341Starting the engine
(1) If the lock mode of the Yamaha Security
System is selected, use the remote con-
trol transmitter to select the unlock mode.
(See page 35 for Yamaha Security Sys-
tem lock and unlock mode selection pro-
cedures.)
(2) Launch the watercraft in water free from
weeds and debris and at least 60 cm (2 ft)
deep from the bottom of the watercraft.
NOTICE: Never operate in water that is
less than 60 cm (2 ft) deep from the
bottom of the watercraft, otherwise
UF1W71E0.book Page 64 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM

Operation
65
pebbles or sand could be sucked into
the jet intake, causing impeller dam-
age and engine overheating.
[ECJ00471]
(3) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch. It is not pos-
sible to start the engine with the clip re-
moved from the engine shut-off switch.
WARNING! Check that the engine
shut-off cord (lanyard) is attached cor-
rectly. If the engine shut-off cord (lan-
yard) is not attached correctly, it may
not pull free when the operator falls
off, allowing the watercraft to continue
to run and cause an accident.
[EWJ00581]
(4) Push the start switch (green button), and
then release it as soon as the engine
starts to run. If the engine does not startin 5 seconds, release the start switch,
wait 15 seconds, and then try again. The
engine will not start if the throttle lever is
squeezed. NOTICE: Never push the
start switch while the engine is run-
ning. Do not operate the start switch
for more than 5 seconds, otherwise
the battery will be discharged and the
engine will not start. Also, the starter
motor could be damaged.
[ECJ01040]
EJU32861
Stopping the engine
To stop the engine, release the throttle lever,
and then push the engine stop switch (red
button). WARNING! You need throttle to
steer. Shutting the engine off can cause
you to hit an obstacle you are attempting
to avoid. A collision could result in severe
injury or death.
[EWJ00601]
1Clip
2Engine shut-off switch
3Engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
31
2
UF1W71E0.book Page 65 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM

Operation
66
EJU37181Shifting
WARNING
EWJ01230

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.

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.
To shift into reverse:
(1) Release the throttle lever and let the en-
gine speed return to idle.
(2) Pull the shift lever toward you.
To shift into forward:
(1) Release the throttle lever and let the en-
gine speed return to idle.(2) Push the shift lever away from you.
EJU32882Leaving the watercraft
If leaving the watercraft, select the lock mode
of the Yamaha Security System and remove
the engine shut-off cord (lanyard) to reduce
the chance of accidental starting or unautho-
rized use by children or others. (See page 35
for Yamaha Security System lock and unlock
mode selection procedures.)
UF1W71E0.book Page 66 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM

Operation
67
EJU32901
Operating your watercraft EJU32961Getting to know your watercraft
Operating your watercraft requires skills ac-
quired through practice over a period of time.
Take the time to learn the basic techniques
well before attempting more difficult maneu-
vers.
Operating your new watercraft can be a very
enjoyable activity, providing you with hours of
pleasure. However, it is essential to familiar-
ize yourself with the operation of the water-
craft to achieve the skill level necessary to
enjoy riding safely.
Before operating this watercraft, read this
owner’s/operator’s manual, the Riding Prac-
tice Guide, the Riding Instruction card, and all
labels on the watercraft. Pay particular atten-
tion to the safety information on page 10.
These materials should give you an under-
standing of the watercraft and its operation.
Remember: This watercraft is designed to
carry the operator and up to 2 passengers.
Never exceed the maximum load limit or allow
more than 3 persons (or 2 persons if a water-
skier is being pulled) to ride the watercraft at
any time.
EJU33001Learning to operate your watercraft
Before operating the watercraft, always per-
form the pre-operation checks listed on page
54. The short time spent checking the water-
craft will reward you with added safety and re-
liability.
Check local laws before operating your water-
craft.Operate defensively at safe speeds and keep
a safe distance away from people, objects,
and other watercraft. Select a wide area to
learn in, where there is good visibility and light
boat traffic.
Use the buddy system—operate with some-
one nearby. Scan constantly for people, ob-
jects, and other watercraft. Be alert for
conditions that limit your visibility or block your
vision of others.
Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard) to
your left wrist and keep it free from the handle-
bars so that the engine stops if you, the oper-
ator, fall off.
Wear a personal flotation device (PFD). All
riders must wear a PFD that is approved by
the appropriate authorities and is suitable for
personal watercraft use.
Wear protective clothing. Severe internal inju-
ries can occur if water is forced into body cav-
ities as a result of falling into the water or
being near the jet thrust nozzle. Normal swim-
wear does not adequately protect against
forceful water entry into the rectum and vagi-
na. All riders must wear a wetsuit bottom or
clothing that provides equivalent protection.
Such clothing includes thick, tightly woven,
sturdy and snug-fitting apparel such as den-
im, but does not include spandex or similar
fabrics, like those used in bicycle shorts. A full
wetsuit can also protect against hypothermia Maximum load:
240 kg (530 lb)
Load is the total weight of cargo, oper-
ator, and passengers.
UF1W71E0.book Page 67 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM

Operation
69
throttle lever when trying to steer away
from objects—you need throttle to steer.
EJU33092Boarding and starting in shallow water
(1) Launch the watercraft in water free from
weeds and debris and at least 60 cm (2 ft)
deep from the bottom of the watercraft.
NOTICE: Never operate in water that is
less than 60 cm (2 ft) deep from the
bottom of the watercraft, otherwise
pebbles or sand could be sucked into
the jet intake, causing impeller dam-
age and engine overheating.
[ECJ00471]
(2) Board the watercraft from the side or the
rear.
(3) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch.
(4) Grip the handlebars with both hands,
place both feet on the floor of the footwell,start the engine, and then look in all direc-
tions before starting off.
EJU33111Boarding and starting from a dock
(1) Board the watercraft from the side.
(2) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch.
(3) Push the watercraft away from the dock,
grip the handlebars with both hands,
place both feet on the floor of the footwell,
start the engine, and then look in all direc-
tions before starting off.
EJU36081Boarding and starting in deep water
WARNING
EWJ01111
Be sure the operator and any passengers
have practiced boarding from the water
while still close to shore before riding. A
person who has made many unsuccessful
attempts to get back on the watercraft may
become fatigued and suffer from expo-
sure, increasing the risk of injury and
drowning.
Boarding in deep water requires more skill.
The operator and passengers should practice
boarding in shallow water before riding in
deep water.
UF1W71E0.book Page 69 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM