Took the boat out yesterday and noticed a clicking/tapping noise coming from my normally quiet outboard motor. The noise would match the rpms and would stay the same volume. At higher rpms it would be drowned out by the sound of the motor. It never got worse, just stayed the same and had no effect on performance. Got it home and looked into it further and the sound seems to be coming from the flywheel or just under. Very definitive tapping sound, not clanging or resonating like it was internal. Started manually moving the flywheel and noticed some play (shifting back and forth) in the camshaft timing pulley. Could this be my problem and be causing this noise? Is that play normal? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
How’s your oil level look?
'06 Mckee Craft
184 Marathon
DF140 Suzuki
This may be a long shot but check for a fuel restriction going to the low pressure fuel pump.I had the same thing happen to my 60 hp Yamaha four stroke.It got enough fuel to run ok but tapped like crazy until it got to higher rpm`s.I had replaced the fuel line from the filter to the motor and the new fuel connector to the motor was bad. Remove the line going to the fuel pump and squeeze the ball, it should push a lot of fuel thru.If it does not, check filters , connections etc.
Got it sorted out. Turns out the nut on top of the camshaft timing pulley had backed off a bit causing the pulley, timing belt retaining washer and lock washer to be loose. So that was the source of my noise and problem. Thanks to those who put any thought into this.
I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing…
Sundance Skiff B18, 60hp Johnsnon 4-stroke
Native Ultimate 14.5
Glad you got it sorted out. That was very nearly a costly disaster.
'06 Mckee Craft
184 Marathon
DF140 Suzuki