Yamaha 90hp Outboard | F90XB

Description

Looking for a new Yamaha F90XB outboard? We sell it new, in the factory crate, and ship it to boat owners all over the world. The F90XB is Yamaha’s 90 horsepower four-stroke with the 25 inch extra-long shaft and mechanical controls. It is the motor a lot of skippers pick for open-water centre consoles, pangas, workboats and taller-transom fishing boats.

This page is written for people who are going to use the motor hard. I want to talk about how it holds up in daily use, what it takes to keep it running in salt, how to set it up for heavy loads, and what to expect over years of ownership. If you just want a delivered price, send us a message.

Key Specifications

• Model: Yamaha F90XB
• Power: 90 HP
• Engine: Inline 4-cylinder four-stroke, SOHC, 16 valves
• Displacement: 1,832 cc
• Bore x stroke: 81 x 88.9 mm
• Fuel: Electronic fuel injection
• Shaft: 25 inch (X)
• Weight: 362 lb (164 kg)
• Controls: Remote mechanical throttle and shift
• Starting: Electric
• Trim: Power trim and tilt
• Alternator: 35 amp
• Full throttle: 5,000 to 6,000 rpm
• Condition: New

Built for Boats That Work

Some motors spend their lives doing a few weekend trips a year. Others get used every day. The Yamaha F90XB outboard is one that handles both, but it really shines on boats that work for a living. In fishing towns, island ferry runs, dive operations and river crossings across the world, you see a lot of Yamaha 90s. There are good reasons for that.

The block is big for a 90. That means the motor makes its power without being pushed hard. An engine that is not stressed lasts longer. The design is simple and proven. A single overhead cam, four valves per cylinder, fuel injection and mechanical controls. There is nothing exotic in there. Any good marine mechanic can work on it, and parts are easy to find in most countries.

When a boat is earning money, downtime costs you twice. Once for the repair and again for the trips you could not do. A motor that keeps running and is easy to fix when it does need something is worth more than a motor that is a little faster or a little cheaper. That is the case for the Yamaha F90XB outboard in a sentence.

Why a Long Shaft Suits Heavy, Open-Water Boats

Workboats and open-water fishing boats are often built with taller transoms. A taller transom keeps following seas out of the boat and gives more freeboard at the stern. It also means the motor needs a longer shaft so the prop reaches solid water.

With the 25 inch shaft on the right transom, the prop sits deep enough to keep its grip when the boat is loaded and pitching through waves. That gives you steady thrust and control in conditions where a short-shaft motor would keep losing its bite. If your transom measures about 25 inches from the top to the bottom of the hull at the centre, the Yamaha F90XB outboard is the right length. If it is about 20 inches, you want the L shaft instead.

Setting Up for Heavy Loads

Workboats and fishing boats often run heavy. Fuel, ice, catch, passengers, dive gear, cargo. That changes how you should set up the motor.

Prop pitch. A heavily loaded boat needs a prop that lets the motor reach its full throttle range of 5,000 to 6,000 rpm with that load on board. If you prop the boat empty, it will lug when it is full. That is hard on the engine. Test with a typical working load and choose the pitch from there.

Blade count. A four-blade prop often helps heavy boats. It gives better grip at low speed, gets the boat on plane more easily and holds better in rough water. You might lose a little top speed, but on a workboat that rarely matters.

Material. Stainless props are stronger and hold their shape. Aluminium props are cheaper and easier to replace if you hit something. Many working skippers carry an aluminium spare even if they run stainless day to day.

Trim. With a heavy load, trim in to get on plane, then trim out gradually until the boat runs level. Too much trim out with a heavy stern load can make the boat porpoise.

Yamaha’s propeller guide covers the basics, and we can suggest a prop for your Yamaha F90XB outboard if you tell us about the boat and the load.

Living With Salt Water Every Day

Most hard-working 90s live in salt. Salt gets into everything. Here is how to keep it from winning.

Flush every day. Not once a week. Every day the boat is used. Fresh water through the cooling system clears salt before it can crystallise in the passages. Use the flush port or a set of muffs.

Rinse the outside. Hose down the cowling, the bracket, the tilt tube and the gearcase. Salt sitting on the outside eats paint and fasteners.

Tilt up when moored. If the boat lives on a mooring or at a dock, tilt the motor up out of the water when you are done. A gearcase sitting in salt all week corrodes far faster than one that gets lifted out.

Watch the anodes. Anodes are there to corrode instead of your motor. Check them often. Replace them when they are about half gone. Never paint them.

Protect the electrics. Spray connections and plugs with a marine corrosion inhibitor every few months. Check the battery terminals and keep them clean.

Touch up paint. A chip in the paint lets salt reach the metal. Touch it up quickly.

The Yamaha F90XB outboard is built with a corrosion-resistant alloy and a multi-layer paint system, but salt is patient. A few minutes of care every day keeps the motor in good shape for years.

Service Schedule for Heavy Use

A boat that runs every day racks up hours fast. Go by hours, not by the calendar. The manual in the crate lists the intervals. As a working rule:

• Daily: Flush, rinse, check the tell-tale, look for leaks, check the fuel filter bowl.
• Weekly: Check anodes, grease fittings, check the prop for damage or fishing line.
• At the oil change interval: Oil and filter, fuel filter, check plugs.
• At the gear lube interval: Change gear lube and check for water.
• At the impeller interval: Replace the impeller, more often if you run in sandy or muddy water.
• Yearly: A full inspection by a qualified mechanic.

Keep a simple log. Date, hours and what was done. It helps you stay on schedule, helps your mechanic, and it adds value if you ever sell the boat. A well-logged Yamaha F90XB outboard is much easier to sell than one with no history.

Fuel Quality in Remote Places

In some parts of the world, fuel quality is a real issue. Water, dirt and old fuel are common. A fuel-injected motor needs clean fuel to run well. Here is what I would do.

Fit a good water-separating fuel filter between the tank and the motor, ideally one with a clear bowl so you can see water building up. Drain it when you see water. Change the element on schedule. Carry spare elements.

Buy fuel from the busiest place you can. Fuel that moves quickly is fresher. If you fill from drums, let the drum settle and do not pump from the very bottom where water and dirt collect. A filter funnel when filling helps too.

Keep your tank vents clear and fill caps sealed. Rain and spray getting into the tank is a common cause of water in fuel. Do all that and the Yamaha F90XB outboard will run cleanly even in places where fuel is not perfect.

Spare Parts for a Working Boat

If your boat earns money, a small spare kit pays for itself the first time you need it. I would keep:

• A spare prop and prop nut kit
• Engine oil and two oil filters
• Gear lube and drain plug gaskets
• Two water pump impeller kits
• A set of spark plugs
• Several fuel filter elements
• Anodes
• Fuses and a few basic electrical connectors
• A thermostat and gasket

We can add any of these to your order for the Yamaha F90XB outboard. Overseas customers often buy a kit like this with the motor so they are not stuck waiting for small parts.

Rigging

The F90XB uses mechanical controls. That makes rigging affordable and repairs simple. You will need a Yamaha mechanical control box, throttle and shift cables, a wiring harness, a key switch, a gauge, steering, a fuel line with a filter and a good starting battery. If you are replacing an older Yamaha with mechanical controls, some of that may carry over.

We recommend having a Yamaha dealer or qualified marine mechanic install the motor. They will set the mounting height, adjust the cables, set up the steering and test the motor on the water. Warranty terms depend on your country, so ask your local dealer what applies once the motor is registered.

Break-in

Even a workboat motor needs a proper start. The break-in is ten hours. Keep speeds low to moderate at first, vary the rpm, and avoid long periods at full throttle. After the break-in, change the oil, filter and gear lube. If the boat needs to work right away, plan the first few days around light duty so the motor can bed in properly.

Ordering a Yamaha F90XB Outboard From Us

1. Send a message through our contact page.
2. Tell us the model, the number of units, and your country and nearest city.
3. List any props, controls or spare parts you want.
4. We send a delivered price.
5. You confirm and pay.
6. We ship with FedEx, UPS or USPS and send tracking.

Read our refund and return policy and terms and conditions any time.

Fleet and Dealer Orders

If you run a fleet or sell boats, ask about buying several units together. Shipping several motors at once often reduces the cost per motor. Keeping your boats on one model also makes life easier for your mechanic and keeps your spare parts simple. Tell us how many Yamaha F90XB outboard units you need and we will put together a quote.

You can read what other customers say on our reviews page, and learn more about us.

Shipping

We ship worldwide. The motor travels in its factory crate. Import duties and taxes depend on your country, so check with your customs office or a broker before it arrives. When it lands, inspect the crate before signing, and take photos of any damage. Keep the paperwork safe for registration with your local dealer.

Other Motors to Consider

• Yamaha F90XB, our other listing for this model
• Yamaha F90LB, the 20 inch version
• Yamaha F90JB jet, for shallow rivers
• Yamaha VF90XA V MAX SHO, the performance 90 with an X shaft

See the 90 HP Yamaha category, all Yamaha outboards, or the shop. Our blog has more care and buying tips. Yamaha’s official site has background on the F90 range.

What Skippers Tell Us After a Season

We hear back from a lot of working owners after their first season with a new motor. The same few comments come up again and again, so I will pass them on.

The first is about starting. Owners coming from old carbureted motors are used to fiddling with the choke, pumping the bulb and pulling or cranking several times on cold mornings. With fuel injection, the Yamaha F90XB outboard just starts. Turn the key and it runs. When you have customers waiting on the dock, that matters.

The second is fuel. Skippers who track their fuel closely usually see a clear drop compared to their old motor. On a boat that runs every day, that adds up to real money by the end of the season.

The third is noise. Passengers and crew notice how much quieter the boat is. You can talk at cruise. Divers can hear briefings. Fishing clients enjoy the ride more.

The fourth is smoke and smell. There is none. For tour and water taxi operators especially, that makes a difference to how customers see the business.

None of that is surprising for a modern four-stroke, but it is good to hear it from people who use the Yamaha F90XB outboard every day.

Troubleshooting the Basics

When you are out on the water, knowing a few basics can save a trip. Here are the most common issues and what to check first.

Weak or no tell-tale stream. Shut down. Check the tell-tale outlet for a blockage and clear it with a thin wire. Check the water intake on the gearcase for weed or a plastic bag. If it is still weak, the impeller may be worn. Do not keep running a motor that is not pumping water.

Motor will not crank. Check the battery connections and the battery charge. Check the kill switch lanyard is in place. Make sure the control is in neutral. Check the main fuse.

Cranks but will not start. Check that the fuel valve is open, the tank has fuel and the vent is open. Squeeze the primer bulb until firm. Check the fuel filter bowl for water.

Runs rough or loses power. Often fuel related. Check the filter and the bowl. Check for a kinked or collapsed fuel hose. Check the prop for fishing line or damage.

Vibration. Usually a damaged prop or something wrapped around it. Stop and check.

Carry the owner’s manual on board. It has a good troubleshooting section. And keep the number of a local mechanic who knows Yamaha. With the Yamaha F90XB outboard, you will rarely need it, but it is good to have.

Training Your Crew

If other people run your boat, take ten minutes to show them the basics. How to check the tell-tale. How to flush. How to tilt the motor up. How to trim. What the warning alarms mean. Where the kill switch lanyard goes. Many motor problems come from someone not noticing a warning sign early. A crew that knows what to look for protects the motor and the business.

Write a short checklist and stick it near the helm. Start of day, end of day. It takes a minute to follow and it can save a lot of money over the life of a Yamaha F90XB outboard.

When to Replace Rather Than Repair

If you are reading this because your old motor just had another big failure, here is a simple way to think about it. Add up what you spent on repairs over the last two seasons. Add what the next repair will cost. Add the days the boat could not work. If that total is a large share of the price of a new motor, it is time to stop pouring money into the old one.

A new Yamaha F90XB outboard resets the clock. Zero hours, known history and a motor that should give you many years of work before anything major comes up. For a working boat, that peace of mind is worth a lot.

Pangas and Open Skiffs

In many coastal regions, the panga is the everyday boat. Long, narrow, high-bowed fibreglass hulls that handle surf launches and rough water. A lot of them run a 90 on the back, and many have a transom that calls for a 25 inch shaft. The Yamaha F90XB outboard suits them well.

On a panga, the motor often gets launched through the surf, run all day, and pulled back up a beach. That means sand and salt get everywhere. Flush the motor every day, and check the water pump more often than the manual suggests, because sand wears the impeller fast. Rinse sand out of the bracket and tilt mechanism. Keep the prop in good shape, since a beach landing can ding the blades.

Fishermen who run pangas also tend to run heavy, with ice, nets and catch. Prop the motor for that load, not for an empty boat. A four-blade aluminium prop is a common choice: good grip, cheap to replace. Many skippers carry two.

If you run a panga fleet, keeping every boat on the same Yamaha F90XB outboard makes spare parts and repairs much simpler. One kit of filters, impellers and props covers them all, and every mechanic in the area learns the motor.

Dive and Tour Boats

Dive and tour operators care about two things: getting out and back on schedule, and keeping customers comfortable. A quiet, smoke-free motor helps with the second. A reliable one helps with the first. With divers in the water, you also need a motor that idles smoothly and shifts cleanly, so you can hold position and pick people up safely. The Yamaha F90XB outboard does all of that without drama, which is why we see so many of them on small dive boats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Yamaha F90XB outboard new?

Yes, new and in the factory crate.

Is it suitable for commercial use?

Many owners use the F90 commercially. Ask your local dealer about warranty terms for commercial use in your country.

What shaft length is the Yamaha F90XB outboard?

25 inches.

Can you supply spare parts with it?

Yes. Tell us what you need and we will add it to the quote.

Do you ship worldwide?

Yes, with FedEx, UPS and USPS.

Get a Quote

If your boat needs a tough, simple, proven 90 with a 25 inch shaft, the Yamaha F90XB outboard is a great choice. Send us your country and the number of units you need, and we will reply with a delivered price.

Ready to order the Yamaha F90XB outboard? Add it to your cart above, or send us your location for a delivered quote. We ship worldwide with FedEx, UPS and USPS, crated and tracked, and we are always happy to help with rigging questions before and after the motor arrives at your door.

Still deciding? Message us with your boat details and we will tell you honestly whether the Yamaha F90XB outboard is the right motor, what rigging you will need and what it will cost delivered to your door. We answer every message personally, and there is never any pressure to buy. If it is not the right fit, we will point you to the model that is.