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1999 DF40T Problems

FarrellZach

New member
Hey everybody, brand new here and to boat ownership in general. I purchased a 1999 Sylvan 818 pontoon last weekend. Started up and idled no problem when I bought it and did yesterday when we went to the lake.

The issue is this—the motor idles at roughly 1k and sounds just fine. When you give it any throttle forward or reverse, it’ll hit 2500 and then just keep bouncing up to 3000 and back to 2500. It won’t go higher than that and isn’t doing anything to the prop, from what I can tell.

Hopefully this explanation makes any bit of sense, I took video of it, but I can’t post that straight from my phone.

Any suggestions or help would be awesome!
 
Check the nuetral shift switch.-----If the computor gets a signal that the motor is in nuetral it just will not go to full power.
 
Check the nuetral shift switch.-----If the computor gets a signal that the motor is in nuetral it just will not go to full power.

Okay so next dumb question—what’s the easiest way to find that? I’ve got the manual with wiring diagram and know the colors to look for, but should I be looking under the cowling or up near the throttle?
 
This switch would be found on the motor near shift linkages.-----Not saying that is your problem but easy and free to check that item.
 
This switch would be found on the motor near shift linkages.-----Not saying that is your problem but easy and free to check that item.

Great I’ll do some checking when I get free this afternoon.

The other thing I’ve noticed is when you get it in gear, the prop doesn’t move any differently than in neutral. Does that sound like a similar issue to what you’ve suggested?
 
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I am going to guess that you are running it on hose during this " testing " episode , yes or no ?

Only idle for 5-10min max when I’ve got muffs on it.

The wide open and revving or whatever you’d want to call it issue was when we put the boat in the water for the first time a couple of days ago.
 
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