2001 Yamaha 8hp or 2018 Yamaha 9.9hp

treefort

Member
Hey there, I'm looking for a nice quiet and clean burning 4 stroke kicker for my 1997 Trophy 2002.

I am looking at the two high thrust models in the title and am wondering your opinions on which one I should get.

2001 8hp high thrust XL Shaft - only 1 hr use so basically never used. Comes with power tilt, electric start and brand new 703 controller. Asking price $2500 CDN.

2018 9.9hp high thrust XL Shaft - bought last year, still looks new. Electric start, tiller model, manual tilt. Asking price $3100 CDN.

Both are sweet but I'm leaning towards the 8hp because of the remote controls and power tilt. I think they're probably similar in weight. The 8hp might be a bit heavier with the tilt? Pretty sure the new 2018 9.9s are lighter than previous models.

Anyways, please let me know your thoughts! I don't have any experience with the Yamaha 4 strokes so am not sure if the 2018s are way quieter an cleaner than the 2001s but am hoping someone can chime in to help me make my decision! Thanks!!
 
I ran a 06 8 hp Yamaha ht. On my 20 trophy I used to have. It’s a great motor , never had a problem with it.its big enough for for that size of boat. Ya might have problems with that one your looking at . Sounds like it’s been sitting a while. Probably have to clean the carburetor. I know with my trophy the weight of the four stroke motors she sat low in stern and the water would come in through the scuppers and fill the fish locker on the kicker side. I had plugs I put in to help keep the locker empty. The 9.9 is a good motor too. Depends on the weight differences. I’d put the lighter motor on. J.s
 
The T8 has a great reputation. I have one and really like it. That said you want to make sure the block isn't salted, even if it just sat there for years. you can take a peek inside in a couple places without tearing it all apart. one place is the internal anode which is under a stainless hex bolt on the starboard back side of the block, and another is to remove the housing over the thermostat which is under the cover for the timing belt sort of in the middle of the motor, has a rubber hose out the side of it. both easy to remove and check. do a compression check, should have around 180psi if it is really not that well used. Also will probably want to put a new impeller in it since that rubber has got 18 years of memory on it. The carb will almost certainly need to be cleaned but that wouldnt stop me from buying it so i probably wouldn't even bother checking that. You should be able to deal him down a little though, even on a showroom motor, its still 19 years old and all the rubber seals are 19 years old too, that has to be considered. was it stored indoors?
 
I run a Yam 8 HP High Thrust long shaft that I bought new in 2008 on my 5500 lb 23 ft Grady. It's got power lift, elec start and I have it plumbed into my Sea Star steering with the Sea Star kicker cable tie system to my main motor. It basically runs like my main engine. Never bending over the transom and no pull starting needed. Bullet proof. I service it at the end of every season. I had one minor issue in 11 years with the carb where something got into it and it idled rough for a couple of days. Had it rebuilt for a couple of hundred bucks. Other than that, never an issue. I'd guess I've got 3000 hours on the motor and it shows no sign of quitting any time soon. The Yam 8 HP HT is a good engine. Just one mans experience.
 
I run a Yam 8 HP High Thrust long shaft that I bought new in 2008 on my 5500 lb 23 ft Grady. It's got power lift, elec start and I have it plumbed into my Sea Star steering with the Sea Star kicker cable tie system to my main motor. It basically runs like my main engine. Never bending over the transom and no pull starting needed. Bullet proof. I service it at the end of every season. I had one minor issue in 11 years with the carb where something got into it and it idled rough for a couple of days. Had it rebuilt for a couple of hundred bucks. Other than that, never an issue. I'd guess I've got 3000 hours on the motor and it shows no sign of quitting any time soon. The Yam 8 HP HT is a good engine. Just one mans experience.

What’s the weight difference of the 8HT compared to the 9.9?
 
Those prices are too close together for me to choose the older motor, Id be going with the newer 9.9 since the warranty is probably transferable recreational to recreational (Merc is). Can you easily link the steering to your main?

But then again I don't have a bad back or high transom that makes manual tilting uncomfortable. Older power tilts can be problematic and costly to repair depending on the availability of the parts.
 
Can you add the 703 gear shifter and throttle to any motor? ie can I buy the 703 controller and use it with the 2018? Thanks guys.

Edit: looks like you can swap out the tiller for the 703 controls.
 
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I'd go for the newer one,maybe add tilt later,any chance of transferring the warranty should be looked into.
 
If it helps I bought the same 9.9 last year new electric start manual tilt and have absolutely no regrets
 
If it helps I bought the same 9.9 last year new electric start manual tilt and have absolutely no regrets

Do you find it a bit of a chore using a tiller vs. everything at the helm? I think we will use this kicker as our "main" motor for cruising around even docking and launching the boat so I think it'd be really nice to be able to put it in neutral then reverse or forward, speed up or slow down without having to run back and forth. Our big main is a big ol stinky 2 stroke Mariner that the wife doesn't like to smell when cruising..
 
I wouldn't have a kicker now without tilt and remote,my last 3 boats have had them,but that's me (bad back and almost a fossil). Anything that makes my day on the water less painful or less stressfull is worth every penny.Shockwave seats are next on my list.
 
I steer from the helm but operate throttle and tilt from the back and it can be a pain in a perfect world I'd have the kicker controls at the helm but it usually comes down to the price of things maybe on the next boat
 
Having the power tilt and remote binnacle is pretty advantageous, and if you have a podded boat like i do, its a must. My boat came with a manual tilt and pull start T8 but i converted it to power a few years ago. It was actually quite difficult to reach over and lift it, especially in sporty conditions, I almost fell in once and just decided to upgrade to a power tilter. Totally depends on your situation, probably easier in a Trophy with a manual tilt though. and the block of the T8 is only the same as the 9.9 for the last 4 years. The 2001 T8 shares the block with the 6hp not the 9.9, but i doubt there is a significant weight difference nonetheless.

If you could get a way better price on the T8, I'd probably go for that. yes you can get a binnacle control for the 9.9 (i did that on my boat too) it was about 350$ back in 2016, but I had to buy a 703 extension and cut it in half to expose the wire and make a custom harness for the motor and you will too because the 9.9 won't have the harness built into it. You can buy it separate but its unbelievably expensive, more than the binnacle if i recall. Its a bit of screwing around but you can do it if your handy. With the T8 it would be a turnkey solution, literally, as it comes with it. Also, the T9 will have the power choke which the 9.9 wont have so you'll always have to cold start it from the motor in the morning.

In summary if you want a binnacle control at the helm get the T8 or spend more and get a 9.9 that comes with it. IF you are happy with the manual tilt then maybe the 9.9 is for you. I know i'll never buy a non power tilt kicker again!
 
Hi guys, I ended up finding and purchasing a 2013 9.9hp hi thrust xl shaft with electric start and power tilt for $1680. It doesn't come with the 703 controller so I will have to buy one of those. I read that in 2013 the 9.9s started using the 8hp blocks and we're 20% lighter than the previous 2012s. With that said they are still 118lbs. Quite a bit heavier than my current 2 stroke tiller Mariner 9.9 I bet.

A couple questions I'm hoping someone can help me out with:

1. Does anyone have experience with the china made knock off 703 controllers? I seen a few on eBay and they even have videos comparing the two. They are about twice as cheap if they're basically the same then I will save a few bucks and get one.

2. What is "push to open" or "pull to open" when referring to the 703 controllers? Is that push forward to goo forward and open the throttle to increase speed? Like you would normally see?

3. Right now I've got one of those adjustable kicker mounts. The common ones.. I can't think of the name. Should I look into a more permanent fixed bracket? Can anyone recommend one?

4. Should I plug the scupper holes so they don't fill the fish tanks? Or get those ping pong balls?

5. Should I get one of those dual outlet with check valves gas water filter for the two motors?

6. Is it ok wiring the two motors to the battery if only ever running them together for short periods of time? Or do I need diodes or something?

I realize that is quite a few questions but whatever you can help with is much appreciated.

Can't wait to get the family out there with the new clean burning Yamaha! This summer is looking good..
 
Here are my findings..

1. Does anyone have experience with the china made knock off 703 controllers? I seen a few on eBay and they even have videos comparing the two. They are about twice as cheap if they're basically the same then I will save a few bucks and get one.

- I ended up getting the knockoff version off ebay. Saved about $170 after seller accepted my offer of $10US less than asking price. It is a clone of the new version of 703 remote model # 703-48207-22-00. The comparison video on youtube shows them to be identical.

2. What is "push to open" or "pull to open" when referring to the 703 controllers? Is that push forward to goo forward and open the throttle to increase speed? Like you would normally see?

- Sounds like the older Yamaha motors were pull the throttle to open and the newer ones are push the throttle to open. So I bought a push to open version of the 703. Fingers crossed.. I also measured my cable run and added 3 or 4 feet for a loop at the motor then ordered a shift cable and a throttle cable of that length. And ordered a couple end connectors for the motor end which the 703 does not come with.

3. Right now I've got one of those adjustable kicker mounts. The common ones.. I can't think of the name. Should I look into a more permanent fixed bracket? Can anyone recommend one?

- I'm going to see how the adjustable works out and get the static mount if its wobbly or poses an issue of some kind.

4. Should I plug the scupper holes so they don't fill the fish tanks? Or get those ping pong balls?

- Again, see what happens then look at ping pong balls if need be.

5. Should I get one of those dual outlet with check valves gas water filter for the two motors?

- I am going to try and just tee off the outlet of my single filter to each motor with a primer bulb on each line. See if that gives grief or not.

6. Is it ok wiring the two motors to the battery if only ever running them together for short periods of time? Or do I need diodes or something?

- Still not quite sure if this will be ok or not but I am thinking I may learn the hard way here. Sometimes that is the case.
 
I think you'll want a fixed bracket for your kicker sooner than later,running both motors off one filter works fine in my experience.
 
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