Finally PERFORMANCE MODS For Yamaha 1.8 Motors

[sysinu]

Will I think the only feasible way to sell them would be to combine them with the ribbon delete mod. Other than that, by themselves I see no advantage over stock. If someone wants better flow they could simply remove the paper element. I have ran boats for decades and this yamaha is the first I have ever seen with an actual paper element. All others just had a flame arrestor, bilges are not dirty places and typically run very clean air on their own unlike a car etc. dirt is really not an issue on a boat.

agreed. The only reason I got my filters replaced was to be legal after removing the ribbon and replacing it with an intake spacer. I'm one of "those guys" that makes every effort to abide by the laws.

 

[Englewoodcowboy]

I would not have any inboard motor without some form of flame arrestor on it, not from a what is legal stand point but rather from a safety standpoint.

 

[smashedheadcat]

I think it is wonderful that you provide the yamaha community the option to upgrade. There are people out there that require a filter that flows more than oem, and it is always a good thing to have the parts available for those that need it.

I also agree with what was said previously in regard to offering it with a kit. Test the products and be honest with your findings. If you do a filter/ribbon delete etc and pick up nothing, then don't market it for everyone. If you see something, advertise it. 1 mph, .2 reduction in 0-30, anything. Those looking for power will take anything they can get.

 

[Englewoodcowboy]

I agree with @smashedheadcat on that. Some will want whatever they can get. For me deciding on a ribbon delete will be after my Bimini trip next year. If the boat feels like it performs significantly better at sea level than my 2100' altitude, a ribbon delete and flame arresting filter will be ordered to compare the difference but right now I only have my AR192 to compare performance to and the 212X eats the 192 for breakfast... and doest break the bank at fill ups afterwards.

 

[DoubleThrust]

I'd expect -3HP re the original post.

 

[Nucem140]

Ordered the air filters from Will today to go along with the ribbon delete.

 

[Noko]

Ordered the air filters from Will today to go along with the ribbon delete.

I'd like to here the results. Please include lake elevation if you can. Thanks

 

[Noko]

I'd like to here the results. Please include lake elevation if you can. Thanks

What are the filter part numbers? I ordered 2 R & D filters for my AR240 but the aren't the right ones. They are too big.

 

[motorboater]

I tried a modified air cleaner element on my supercharged s h o and a solas impeller, it really did not make a noticeable difference other than to my checking account but it was fun doing the impeller, NOT REALLY I had to cut the thing and split the hub to remove it from the driveshaft and yes I know they are left hand thread I heated it with a huge torch and built a special driveshaft holder but nothing worked short of a plasma cutter and a cut off wheel.

I had the same experience with one of the impellers on my boat. In fact the dealer gave up and sent me home with parts. They said they broke a workbench and vice trying to get it off and were done trying. Took two of us a couple hours to cut it off.

 

[Nucem140]

I'd like to here the results. Please include lake elevation if you can. Thanks

I plan to do the ribbon delete then run it with the factory filters then swap to the aftermarket filters and run it again. My goal is to do it the same day, same load and within the same hour. I will try to keep things consistent, one being density altitude and of course the other obvious things. I will post elevation, water temp and air temp.

 

[Ronnie]

This is probably covered earlier in this thread but the costs to try are approximately $100 for both manifold mods and $200 for two aftermarket air filters / flame arrestors. I could more easily justify the filte costs on the sx 230 because my stock filters were covered in oil which is not a problem on the 1.8 liter engines. The ribbon delete was snake oil for me in both boats. The cheapest though not the safest way to go would be to simply remove the stock filters and flame arrestors. The air flow may not be a smooth as with the mods but it won't cost $300 either.

 

[Noko]

This is probably covered earlier in this thread but the costs to try are approximately $100 for both manifold mods and $200 for two aftermarket air filters / flame arrestors. I could more easily justify the filte costs on the sx 230 because my stock filters were covered in oil which is not a problem on the 1.8 liter engines. The ribbon delete was snake oil for me in both boats. The cheapest though not the safest way to go would be to simply remove the stock filters and flame arrestors. The air flow may not be a smooth as with the mods but it won't cost $300 either.

This would be interesting to try a one time run on the lake without the ribbon or filters and see whether having them out would make a difference. I guess you could remove them on one engine and see if there is any difference.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I know for many years boats only used an air box /flame arrestor/ And my KAWASAKI ultra 250 used a plastic flame arrestor with no filter at all.
Some people just use velocity stacks.
I designed a replacement for the air filter screen on my S H O rather than run without any filter because when I removed the filter it had a piece of paper in it from a factory sticker that had come loose from the engine, if it had not been for the air filter it would have ended up getting sucked into the throttle body .
In either case My experience was that I did not notice any difference either way.
So just keep in mind totally removing the air filter element is probably not a good choice but to temporarily test the difference in performance It would probably be ok for a run or two.

 

[Rod5]

I know this is an older thread and the verdict has more or less been said regarding the ribbon delete on our 1.8L Natural Aspirated engines but some may find this useful.

I installed the Riva Rings last weekend, left the stock paper air filters in, but removed the restrictive air box boots (black rubber tubes that let the outside air into the air box) and saw the below small but measurable results:

My engines have 84+ hours on them, Allatoona lake elevation is about 950 ft per GPS, outside air temp was upper 80's water temp was 86, Full load of fuel, 6 adults, and one small dog on board.

Before install, WOT normally is 7,200 ~7,300 RPMs at 41 ~43 MPH (these figures and associated load were very constant all year)
After Riva Rings install and Boots removed 7,500 ~ 7,590 RPMs and 44 to 45 MPH. I was pleasantly surprised to see 7,500+ RPMs being that with just 2 adults and half tank the most I ever saw as 7,4xx on the digital RPM gauges 47 to 48MPH consistently on Allatoona. (I have not yet run with just two adults and half tank since the install)

I also notice what I would say is a 10% increase in throttle response when pulling two tubes with one adult on each. Definitely had noticeably more low and mid range Grunt!

So I would say yes the $80 investment was worth it, but I think there are two key elements to my results: Elevation of almost 1,000 and removing the restrictive air box Boots.

I also noticed for the first time when pulling up adults on surf board, with all 3 ballast tanks full, plus a 550 bag on the swim platform, and everyone at the rear of the cockpit, RPM readings breaking into the 8k range and the sound of slight cavitation when boat was trying to plane off (plowing with nose high), to me another indication of increased power.

 

[swatski]

I know this is an older thread and the verdict has more or less been said regarding the ribbon delete on our 1.8L Natural Aspirated engines but some may find this useful.

I installed the Riva Rings last weekend, left the stock paper air filters in, but removed the restrictive air box boots (black rubber tubes that let the outside air into the air box) and saw the below small but measurable results:

My engines have 84+ hours on them, Allatoona lake elevation is about 950 ft per GPS, outside air temp was upper 80's water temp was 86, Full load of fuel, 6 adults, and one small dog on board.

Before install, WOT normally is 7,200 ~7,300 RPMs at 41 ~43 MPH (these figures and associated load were very constant all year)
After Riva Rings install and Boots removed 7,500 ~ 7,590 RPMs and 44 to 45 MPH. I was pleasantly surprised to see 7,500+ RPMs being that with just 2 adults and half tank the most I ever saw as 7,4xx on the digital RPM gauges 47 to 48MPH consistently on Allatoona. (I have not yet run with just two adults and half tank since the install)

I also notice what I would say is a 10% increase in throttle response when pulling two tubes with one adult on each. Definitely had noticeably more low and mid range Grunt!

So I would say yes the $80 investment was worth it, but I think there are two key elements to my results: Elevation of almost 1,000 and removing the restrictive air box Boots.

I also noticed for the first time when pulling up adults on surf board, with all 3 ballast tanks full, plus a 550 bag on the swim platform, and everyone at the rear of the cockpit, RPM readings breaking into the 8k range and the sound of slight cavitation when boat was trying to plane off (plowing with nose high), to me another indication of increased power.

Those are great results, maybe better than average (which would be about 200RPM gains). And you can't beat 2-3mph plus some extra low end grunt for $80! The best part of this deal is -- you do not need to do anything, and may even get a bit better fuel economy.

I'm about to do this myself, just wanted to run the boat stock for a while. I am only on the fence about buying the rings/spacers. Not a lot of money, but it just seems rather silly. I could never get a strait idea about whether or not those riva spacers make a difference (as compared to removing the ribbons and leaving nothing back). Something tells me - they don't.

Removing the air filter box boots - what a great idea! I think you maybe the first to come up with that? I doubt that the net performance effect of that modification alone, if any, would be measurable, but I like the idea a lot and it couldn't hurt. Thanks for sharing. I'm going to be doing it, probably this weekend.
I'm very curious about the low end cavitation, wonder if I will see any in my boat albeit without similar load like your full ballast, which I don't have. That would be a clear sign of increased power, and there are ways to deal with it, too. Exciting.

 

[Rod5]

I totally considered leaving them out, but what I noticed when I had the throttle body off was beyond the area the ring sits the diameter increases behind the lip that holds the ring in place. So by leaving them out there would be considerable turbulence created in the intake manifold and probably starve the closest one or two cylinders.

The air box tube or snorkel removal makes huge increases on motorcycles, hence I immediately knew to remove them. On bikes you tend to get a lot more engine sound after removal which is what they are designed to mute, but I really didn't notice any increase in sound levels and I asked everyone onboard if they thought it was any louder and they all said not at all.

Agree I can't think of any other way to get a measurable change for only $80!

And yes I'm glad I waited to do the mod until I had 80+ hours of seat time to really know the boat in stock trim. Those are small gains, but noticeable after a full season of consistent boating.

Good luck with your mods!
One other note, I found it easier to pull the mounted portion of the Air box out completely, (just pull/slide the 2 rubber grommets off the studs no need to remove the nuts that hold them in place). Reassemble the two halves of the air box, lock the clips with the intake boot on, then wiggle in to reinstall as one complete unit instead of trying to reinstall the removable half/cover between the engine and mounted box half on compartment wall. Once the air box assembly is mounted then you can work the boot back on the throttle body. You'll see what I mean its a tight fit in there!

 

[Neutron]

Thank you for the updated results. I was planning on doing this mod as well as remove the snorkles. On my FZS I made my own cold air intake but still havent done ribbon delete yet. On the ski its more of a project to take ribbon out since the ribbon is more difficult to access. But this winter i plan on doing it on the ski.
The boat engines are gonna get it sooner since I have much more boating to do and its easier to do

 

[Rod5]

Thank you for the updated results. I was planning on doing this mod as well as remove the snorkles. On my FZS I made my own cold air intake but still havent done ribbon delete yet. On the ski its more of a project to take ribbon out since the ribbon is more difficult to access. But this winter i plan on doing it on the ski.
The boat engines are gonna get it sooner since I have much more boating to do and its easier to do

Nice SM @Neutron, what bike is it?
We lover our Super Duke.

 

[Evil Sports]

Anyone have a picture of what yer talking about here

 

[Rod5]

Anyone have a picture of what yer talking about here

Ribbon and Air box boot removed. Note the inside diameter of boot is less than the volume of ribbon.