Yamaha Boat Outboard Anodes

Yamaha Outboard Anodes

Marine anodes perform a sacrificial task when used with Yamaha outboards. These small pieces of zinc react with minerals in the water so that they dont corrode the moving parts on your motor. If your anodes are looking crusty, then youll want to change them to protect your outboard motor.

Whenever two different metals are connected together and submerged in salt water, they become a sort of makeshift battery. Some amount of current gets generated because of galvanic corrosion, which can destroy Yamaha outboards. Your anodes absorb this damage so that your motor wont take it. They also protect the bottom of your boat to some degree. If you have any model of boat with a metallic bottom, then these will attract the current away from your boat. Anodes feature a round shape to make them easy to install. Most models of anodes also feature a central fastener to hold them tightly to your motor.

Yamaha usually recommends that boaters replace their anodes annually. If you use your boat frequently, check your anodes for zinc oxide every few weeks. Zinc oxides can make the outside of your anodes crusty, which is a sign that these small parts need to be replaced. Sometimes youll notice that your anodes have shrunk, which leaves a small ring on the exterior of your motor. This is another sign that they need to be changed.

You usually see this requirement on larger models. Some Yamaha outboards fit hefty zinc anodes in the shape of a fin on the bottom of the housing. This provides extra protection for outboards that feature exposed metal parts. While youll need to get anodes that are rated to work with these outboards, you wont need to do anything special to install them. Yamaha still uses standard plugs on any model that has trim tab anodes.

The amount of zinc you need to protect your Yamaha boat engine depends on how large your engine model is. Larger model engines that put out a lot of horsepower need larger anodes. If youre using a low-horsepower model with plastic housing, you might opt for smaller anodes. Yamaha generally publishes a size specification for each model, and these numbers can help if youre not sure how much zinc is required for your specific Yamaha engine.

If the anodes are already corroded on your Yamaha engine, youll need a replacement thats never been used. Remove the anodes currently attached to your Yamaha, then scrape the crusty area with a wire brush. Some boaters prefer to use a slightly hard abrasive, but you dont want to cause any damage to the exterior housing. Once you have the area clean, you can install your new parts.