cooling YAMAHA VX 2012 Owners Manual

Table of contents
General and important labels ........... 1
Identification numbers .................... 1
Primary Identification (PRI-ID)
number ........................................... 1
Craft Identification Number (CIN) ...... 1
Engine serial number ........................ 1
Manufactured date label .................... 2
Model information ........................... 2
Builder’s plate .................................... 2
Important labels .............................. 4
Warning labels ................................... 5
Other labels ....................................... 8
Safety information ........................... 10
Limitations on who may operate
the watercraft ............................ 10
Cruising limitations ....................... 11
Operation requirements ............... 12
Recommended equipment ........... 14
Hazard information ....................... 15
Watercraft characteristics ............. 15
Water-skiing ................................. 17
Safe boating rules ........................ 18
Enjoy your watercraft
responsibly ................................ 19
Description....................................... 20
Watercraft glossary ...................... 20
Location of main components ...... 21
Control function operation ............. 25
Watercraft control functions ......... 25
Remote control transmitter
(VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser) ............. 25
Yamaha Security System
(VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser) ............. 26
Engine stop switch .......................... 27
Engine shut-off switch ..................... 27
Start switch ...................................... 27
Throttle lever ................................... 28
Steering system ............................... 28
Cooling water pilot outlet ................. 29
Water separator ............................... 29
Watercraft operation ....................... 30
Watercraft operation functions ..... 30
Reverse system
(VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser) ............. 30
Watercraft operation modes ......... 31
Low RPM Mode
(VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser) ............. 31
Instrument operation ...................... 33
Multifunction information center ... 33
Information display .......................... 33
Equipment operation ...................... 38
Equipment .................................... 38
Seat ................................................. 38
Handgrip .......................................... 39
Reboarding step (VX Cruiser) ......... 39
Bow eye ........................................... 39
Stern eyes ....................................... 40
Cleat ................................................ 40
Storage compartments .................... 40
Fire extinguisher holder and
cover ............................................ 42
Operation and handling
requirements ................................... 44
Fuel requirements ........................ 44
Fuel ................................................. 44
Engine oil requirements ............... 45
Engine oil ......................................... 45
Draining the bilge water ............... 47
Draining the bilge water on land ...... 47
Draining the bilge water on water .... 47
Transporting on a trailer ............... 48
First-time operation ........................ 49
Engine break-in ............................ 49
Pre-operation checks ..................... 50
Pre-operation checklist .................... 50
Pre-operation check points .......... 52
Pre-launch checks ........................... 52
Post-launch checks ......................... 58
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Table of contents
Operation ......................................... 59
Operating your watercraft ............. 59
Getting to know your watercraft ....... 59
Learning to operate
your watercraft ............................. 59
Riding position ................................. 60
Launching the watercraft ................. 60
Starting the engine on water ........... 60
Stopping the engine ........................ 61
Leaving the watercraft ..................... 61
Operating the watercraft .................. 61
Turning the watercraft ..................... 62
Stopping the watercraft ................... 63
Operating the watercraft in reverse
(VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser) ............. 64
Boarding the watercraft ................... 64
Starting off ....................................... 67
Capsized watercraft ......................... 68
Beaching and docking
the watercraft ............................... 69
Operating in weeded areas ............. 70
After removing the watercraft
from the water .............................. 70
Care and storage ............................. 71
Post-operation care ...................... 71
Flushing the cooling water
passages ...................................... 71
Cleaning the watercraft ................... 72
Battery care ..................................... 72
Long-term storage ........................ 75
Cleaning .......................................... 75
Lubrication ....................................... 75
Rustproofing .................................... 76
Maintenance..................................... 77
Maintenance ................................. 77
Tool kit ............................................. 77
Periodic maintenance chart ............. 78
Engine oil and oil filter ..................... 79
Specifications.................................. 80
Specifications ................................ 80
Trouble recovery ............................. 81
Troubleshooting ........................... 81
Troubleshooting chart ...................... 81
Emergency procedures ................ 84
Cleaning the jet intake and
impeller ........................................ 84
Jumping the battery ......................... 85
Replacing the fuses ......................... 85
Towing the watercraft ...................... 87
Submerged watercraft ..................... 87
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Description
21
EJU31011
Location of main components
Exterior
5
6789 4 3 2 1
1Hood
2Handlebars
3Seat (page 38)
4Footwell
5Bow eye (page 39)
6Fuel filler cap (page 44)
7Cooling water pilot outlet (page 29)
8Gunwale
9Sponson
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Control function operation
29
in response to handlebar input until you apply
throttle again or you reach trolling speed.
EJU35974Cooling water pilot outlet
When the engine is running, some of the cool-
ing water that is circulated in the engine is dis-
charged from the cooling water pilot outlet.
There is a cooling water pilot outlet on the port
(left) side of the watercraft. To check for prop-
er operation of the cooling system, make sure
that water is being discharged from the cool-
ing water pilot outlet. If water is not being dis-
charged from the outlet, stop the engine and
check the jet intake for clogging. (See page
84 for information on the jet intake.)
TIP:

It will take about 60 seconds for the water to
reach the outlet after the engine is started.

Water discharge may not be constant when
the engine is running at idling speed. If this
occurs, apply a little throttle to make sure
that water discharges properly.
EJU40322Water separator
The water separator prevents water from en-
tering the fuel tank by collecting any water that
has entered the fuel tank breather hose if the
watercraft was capsized.If water has collected in the water separator,
drain it by loosening the drain screw.
To drain water from the water separator:
(1) Place a drain pan or dry cloth under the
water separator.
(2) Gradually loosen the drain screw to drain
the water. Catch the draining water in the
drain pan or soak it up with the dry cloth
so that it does not spill into the engine
compartment. If any water spills into the
watercraft, be sure to wipe it up with a dry
cloth.
(3) Securely tighten the drain screw until it
stops.
1Cooling water pilot outlet
1
1Water separator
1Drain screw
1
1
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Instrument operation
36
cator light blink, and the buzzer sounds inter-
mittently.
If the fuel level warning is activated, refill the
fuel tank as soon as possible. (See page 44
for information on filling the fuel tank.)
After the fuel tank is refilled, the warning sig-
nals will be cleared when the engine is restart-
ed.
TIP:
Push the select button on the multifunction in-
formation center to stop the buzzer.
EJU31626Oil pressure warning
If the oil pressure drops significantly, the oil
pressure warning indicator and the “WARN-
ING” indicator light blink, and the buzzer
sounds intermittently. At the same time, the
maximum engine speed is limited.
If the oil pressure warning is activated, imme-
diately reduce the engine speed, return to
shore, and then check the engine oil level.(See page 45 for information on checking the
engine oil level.) If the oil level is sufficient,
have a Yamaha dealer check the watercraft.
TIP:
Push the select button on the multifunction in-
formation center to stop the buzzer.
EJU31609Engine overheat warning
If the engine temperature rises significantly,
the engine overheat warning indicator and the
“WARNING” indicator light blink, and the
buzzer sounds intermittently. Then, the en-
gine overheat warning indicator and the
“WARNING” indicator light stop blinking and
remain on, and the buzzer sounds continu-
ously. At the same time, the maximum engine
speed is limited.
If the engine overheat warning is activated,
immediately reduce the engine speed, return
to shore, and then make sure that water is be-
ing discharged from the cooling water pilot
outlet while the engine is running. If there is no
discharge of water, stop the engine, and then
check the jet intake for clogging. (See page
84 for information on the jet intake.) NOTICE:
If you cannot locate and correct the cause
of the overheating, consult a Yamaha deal-
er. Continuing to operate at higher speeds
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Operation and handling requirements
45
(6) Stop filling when the fuel level reaches
approximately 50 mm (2 in) from the top
of the fuel tank. Do not overfill the fuel
tank. Because fuel expands when it heats
up, heat from the engine or the sun can
cause fuel to spill out of the fuel tank. Do
not leave the watercraft with a full tank in
direct sunlight.
(7) Wipe up any spilled fuel immediately with
a dry cloth.
(8) Securely install the fuel filler cap by tight-
ening it until it clicks.
(9) Securely install the seat in its original po-
sition.
EJU40290
Engine oil requirements EJU41542Engine oil
NOTICE
ECJ00281
Use only 4-stroke engine oil. Usage of 2-
stroke engine oil could result in severe en-
gine damage.
Checking the engine oil level
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
ECJ00391

Do not run the engine with too much or
not enough oil in the oil tank, otherwise
the engine could be damaged.

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.
TIP:

When checking the engine oil level on land,
the engine must be running while water is
being supplied to the cooling water passag-
es. (See “Flushing the cooling water pas-
seges” on page 71 for information on
supplying water.)

When checking the engine oil level on wa-
ter, moor the watercraft so that it will not drift
away. Fuel tank capacity:
60 L (15.9 US gal, 13.2 Imp.gal)
1Approximately 50 mm (2 in) from top of the
fuel tank
1
Recommended engine oil type:
SAE 10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40, 20W-
50
Recommended engine oil grade:
API SE,SF,SG,SH,SJ,SL
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Pre-operation checks
51
TIP:
To ensure safety and reliability, pre-operation checks should be made each time the watercraft
is used.
HoodCheck that the hood is securely closed. 58
SeatCheck that the seat is securely installed. 38
POST-LAUNCH CHECKS
Cooling water pilot outletCheck that water is discharged from the cooling wa-
ter pilot outlet while the engine is running.58
Multifunction information
centerCheck the multifunction information center for proper
operation.58
Engine idling speedCheck the engine idling speed. 58 ITEM ROUTINE PAGE
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Pre-operation checks
58
EJU41440Hood check
Push down on the rear of the hood and make
sure that it is securely closed.
EJU40144Post-launch checks
Perform the post-launch checks in the pre-op-
eration checklist while the watercraft is in the
water and the engine is running.
To perform the post-launch checks:
(1) Launch the watercraft. (See page 60 for
information on launching the watercraft.)
(2) Perform the checks and make sure that
there are no malfunctioning items or oth-
er problems.
EJU40552Cooling water pilot outlet check
Make sure that water is discharged from the
cooling water pilot outlet while the engine is
running. (See page 29 for information on the
cooling water pilot outlet.)
EJU32713Multifunction information center check
Make sure that the multifunction information
center operates properly. (See page 33 for in-
formation on proper operation of the multi-
function information center.)
EJU40171Engine idling speed check
Start the engine and warm it up. Use the ta-
chometer in the multifunction information cen-
ter to make sure that the engine idling speed
is not significantly above or below the speci-
fied range.
Engine idling speed:
1650 ±50 r/min
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Operation
70
(2) Release the throttle lever to reduce
speed about 100 m (330 ft) before you
reach the intended beaching area.
(3) Slowly approach the beach and stop the
engine just before reaching land.
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 se-
vere injury or death.
[EWJ00601] NOTICE:
Never run the engine 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.
[ECJ00472]
(4) Get off the watercraft and pull it up on the
beach.
To dock the watercraft:
(1) Make sure that there are no boats, swim-
mers, or obstacles near the dock.
(2) Release the throttle lever to reduce
speed about 100 m (330 ft) away from the
dock.
(3) Slowly approach the dock and stop the
engine just before coming alongside it.
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 se-
vere injury or death.
[EWJ00601]
(4) Come alongside the dock and get off the
watercraft.
EJU37193Operating in weeded areas
Always avoid using your watercraft in areas
where weed growth is thick. If operating in
weeded areas is unavoidable, alternately
squeeze the throttle lever and relax your grip
on the throttle lever to vary the engine speed.
Weeds tend to become clogged more when
operating at a steady speed and at trollingspeed. If weeds may have clogged the intake
area, clean the jet intake. (See page 84 for in-
formation on the jet intake.)
EJU40241After removing the watercraft from the
water
NOTICE
ECJ01310
Do not run the engine over 4000 r/min on
land. Also, do not run the engine for more
than 15 seconds without supplying water,
otherwise the engine could overheat.
After operating and removing the watercraft
from the water, promptly discharge the re-
maining water from the cooling water passag-
es.
To discharge water from the cooling water
passages:
(1) Make sure that the area around the wa-
tercraft is clear, and then start the engine.
(2) Discharge the remaining water out of the
cooling water passages by alternately
squeezing and releasing the throttle lever
quickly for 10 to 15 seconds.
(3) Stop the engine.
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Care and storage
71
EJU37145
Post-operation care
WARNING
EWJ00330
Always place the watercraft upright in a
horizontal position when storing it, other-
wise fuel could leak out into the engine or
engine compartment, which could create a
fire hazard.
After using the watercraft, always take it out of
the water, clean it, and store it. Leaving the
watercraft in the water for extended periods
will accelerate the rate of normal deterioration
of the jet pump and hull. Marine organisms
and corrosion are some of the conditions that
can shorten the life of many watercraft com-
ponents.
EJU33547Flushing the cooling water passages
NOTICE
ECJ01310
Do not run the engine over 4000 r/min on
land. Also, do not run the engine for more
than 15 seconds without supplying water,
otherwise the engine could overheat.
Flush the cooling water passages to prevent
them from clogging with salt, sand, or dirt.
(1) Place the watercraft in a horizontal posi-
tion.
(2) Remove the seat. (See page 38 for seat
removal and installation procedures.)(3) Connect the garden hose adapter to a
garden hose.
(4) Loosen the flushing hose connector cap
and remove it. Insert the garden hose
adapter into the flushing hose connector
and turn it until it is securely connected.
(5) Connect the garden hose to a water tap.
(6) Make sure that the area around the wa-
tercraft is clear, and then start the engine.
Immediately after the engine starts, fully
turn the water supply on so that water
1Garden hose adapter
1Garden hose adapter
2Flushing hose connector
3Flushing hose connector cap
321
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