Yamaha Malta Outboard

RichardTaylor

RichardTaylor

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I have been offered a 3HP Yamaha Malta OBM, however the owner is saying he doesnt know where the cooling water exits the engine.

The engine looks very clean, however if it isnt cooling properly then it is not worth buying. Does anyone have a Malta and confirm where the cooling water exits the engine and the rate of flow?

TIA
 
There is a tell-tale on the back of the leg. Most of the water goes through the exhaust.
Can find a home for it if you don't want it!
 
Depends on the model. Later models had a "tell tail" of water that exited in a continuous stream from under the rear of the power head. Earlier models (like mine) had a barely visible "stutter" from about half way down the leg--the bulk exiting through the exhaust. Best thing to do is fill a wheelie bin two thirds full with water and clamp the engine to the edge. Run in gear at around half to two thirds throttle for a goodly period of time and see if it overheats. Reccomendation is for a 100 to 1 two stroke mix which I personally think is a bit on the lean side.
 
On the same note, I have a Malta that I inherited with the boat and only used once as it is quite heavy (compared to my Honda) the tell tail is intermittant and I am not sure it is working/cooling, does the engine have an impeller and where is it?
 
The water pump is almost certainly located on the top of the gear case unit so you will have to separate that from the leg. You will need to know how to disconnect the shift rod if that's necessary and of any other pit falls there may be. A manual would be sensible.

In a few small engines with a fixed drive ie no clutch or gears the water pump is sometimes located behind the prop.
 
If you don't mind me asking, how much are they worth? Only ask as you have reminded me I have one sat here not being used and maybe I should sell mine as well!
Cheers
JimG
 
Good little engine. The earlier ones (like mine) didn't have a tell-tale. When I bought mine I suspected the impeller was shot, and so it was. The previous owner had never noticed as he only used it for 5mins at a time. I contacted PBO (Dick Everett) who kindly got in touch with Yamaha. They confirmed the situation and stated that several owners had drilled a hole in the base of the water jacket to provide a tell-tale. This I duly did, and it has worked well ever since. Easy to do as the position is not critical, just remove the power head from the base and all will be revealed.

Good luck

Sparkie

PS paid £150 for mine about 8 years ago.
 
Hi I have an old yamaha malta 3 hp I think its 1980 ish I have just got it running after cleaning the carb out. I have submerged the prop in a bucket of water and run it but theres no tell tale water jet and im scared it will overheat, maybe as you said it doesnt have one but how does the operator know if the engine is overheating?

1. How do I change the impellor.
2. If no tell tale from manufacture how do I drill the jacket and where. You say remove the power head from the base sorry to sound thick but do you mean remove the engine from the downshaft/exhaust.
3. Where is the best place to buy spare parts and get technical data/exploded views.

Thanks for your help sparkie and others.
Rich
 
re malta impellor

I have a 1988 malta which untill this year had a small dribble of water from the tell tale half way up the leg, this time I have nothing, so I tried removing the thermostat, still nothing. I'm now trying to remove the bottom leg to get at the impellor but the bottom end will only drop about 3cm then seems to be held by the gear linkage, does anbody now how the linkage comes apart.
chris
 
malta

malta is a lovely engine , powerful for weight and reasonably economical.
impellor is in foot accessed by 4 or 5 bolts on foot and disengaging the gear control via the large rubber bung on side of leg. v easy to do.
telltale is through a small hole on underside of engine block.liable to get blocked up by salt but easy to poke through with fine wire or hot water.
the only downside is that any dismantling of the engine block may be thwarted by the small bolt heads breaking off . i sold mine for 150 so 120-180 would be reasonable
 
balooboat said:
I have a 1988 malta which untill this year had a small dribble of water from the tell tale half way up the leg, this time I have nothing, so I tried removing the thermostat, still nothing. I'm now trying to remove the bottom leg to get at the impellor but the bottom end will only drop about 3cm then seems to be held by the gear linkage, does anbody now how the linkage comes apart.
chris
Click to expand...

Owen is right. Pop off the big rubber grommet halfway up the leg (it'll be sprayed the same metallic blue colour as the leg) and you'll be able to see the clamp that holds the two sections of the gear linkage together. Loosen the cross-head bolt holding the clamp tight (don't undo it all the way!) and the gearbox section should pull away. The impellor is under what looks a bit like an upside down tea-light on top of the gearbox casing with the square drive shaft running through it. I've attached a drawing with it highlighted.

Depending on the model of Malta you have there may not be a tell-tale at all as such. It sounds like mine is the same as yours and all I get is a faint mist of water out of the two holes on the back of the leg halfway down. You have to put your hand in front of them to check (if it gets wet all is well). It is essentially just a "leak" in the exhaust system and the bulk of the exhaust and cooling water exits just below the anti-cavitation plate.

As to the thermostat, mine hasn't got one at all. It starts first time and runs sweetly all day. Not really sure it has much of a purpose really. :confused:
Hope this helps.
 
malta impellor

Thank you both for some very good and very prompt replies, found the grommet streight away and dropped the leg in seconds, amazing though that I had not noticed the grommit before, lets hope I find something tomorrow.
MANY THANKS!!
 
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