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Along with the gas fumes in the bilge problem, I am also having a problem with burnt gear lube in my brand new F225 Yamaha as reported by my dealer.
Here is the scoop: After the 20 hour checkup, the dealer informed me that the gear lube was being burnt. I was told to put some more hours on the boat and bring it back. Again the gear lube was burnt. I do not know the extent of how burnt it was, but it was enough for the dealer to place a call with Yamaha. The dealer then proceeded to take apart the lower unit to find the cause, but did not find anything. I was told that Yamaha is aware of the issue if anything major was to happen.
I believe that burnt gear lube may not be a problem within the warranty period (3 years), but will drastically shorten the life of the motor and with my luck probably shortly after year 3.
Does anyone know what causes gear lube to be burnt? The dealer has asked that I bring it back after 30 to 40 more hours and they will check again. If the gear lube is not burnt at that time should I assume it is all set or do you think that the damage has been done at this point?
Parker,
First, Be sure and get an invoice or work order everytime the dealer puts a wrench on your engine.
Second, If your oil is burnt on the third time, I would get a lil more concerned and nicely try to get some answers but I think your 3 year warranty should cover you if something has been damaged, it should fail by then.
BTW my buddy just bought a new boat with new pair of Yami's after this weekend it should go in for the 20 hour check up with 25 hours on the engines. They are the f225 also.
WannaBeInAParker, Sorry to hear of your troubles. Bad vent hose and lower unit problems aside, I believe you'll really enjoy your boat. I have the same thing w/o the cabin. It's hard to believe the lower unit fluid could get hot enough th "cook". I've had Merc's, Evinrudes, and Yamaha, changed all fluids myself. Never had one burnt. Sound's like the dealer is suggesting the excessive heat will quit when your lower unit either melts down, or wears to very loose tolerances!
I have been reading up on gear lube and have read in numerous places that milky gear lube means that water is getting into the gear case. Nowhere can I find what would cause the gear lube to get burnt. The only logical thing I can think of is that there is not enough lube. The fact that it happened twice leads me elsewhere.
As for the boat, I still have 74 hours (since 7/1) on it and it has been either in the shop, getting fixed or getting the electronics installed. I am definitely enjoying it. The reason I went with a new boat was to avoid these bumps in the road that I am hitting. It proves to show that new ain't always the best. I will definitely make the best out of it.
I'd be real concerned about the lower unit with the burned lube. Think a second, when you run the boat the lower unit is surrounded by coolant (water) how hot do think it is getting to burn the lube???? Those gears are being roasted as are the seals, water pump etc. The only thing that would create that kind of heat in a seal lower unit is the gears grinding away at each other or a totally misaligned gear box. The exhaust goes thru the hub but that is relatively cool and I don't think it would cook lube oil. As suggested get it all down in writing and if it were me I would want a new lower unit installed.
good luck
YAMAHA customer service in Mission Viejo, Ca. 714-761-7435 was the number a few years ago. They insisted on working thru a dealer, but were very helpful.
You may consider doing your own basic maintainance. Oil changes, lubrications, fluid levels, electronics install etc. aren't that hard to learn. No one cares as much about your boat as you do. If you goof up, you will have done no worse than the "pro", do you think he's gonna tell you he forgot something? Oh no, it's a new problem now! Why do you think that 1.5 inch fender washer is used w/ a 1/4 inch bolt? It's covering the 1 inch hole some clown accidentally drilled!
What do you see when you spin the prop in neutral? Does it appear to qobble? Even remove the prop and stand or sit "eye level" with the propshaft from directly behind and have someone else spin the shaft. A bend/bow in the prop shaft is likely to stress the bearings, which would heat up and burn the oil.
It has to be caused by heat under severe loading or pressure to burn that 90 weight oil and that tells me to investigate the propshaft. Then again, it migtht not be a bend per se, but some tolerance stackup that wasn't counted on.
I wouldn't rely too much on Yamaha to be proactive about this. Great engines for sure, but they appear to have a nasty habit about not even communicating issues to their own dealers until an "upgrade" kit is announced. If they truly want to be #1, they need to correct that attitude. I sincerely hope you make out OK with the new toy !
After your dealer reassembled the lower unit, did they check the backlash? If backlash is in spec, lower unit should be in good shape. Is the dealer using Yamaha gearlube?
Location: Quebec, Canada and Pirates Cove, OBX, NC
Posts: 17,813
Brand new Yamaha F225 burnt gear lube
It sounds like the gears are out of alignment to me. have a look to see if the wear pattern on the gears seems abnormal or not in line with the mesh.
I was in a marina last week getting the 50 hr first inspection and lubricant change . . . they had someone elses outboard lower drive taken apart . . . gears worn diagonally and they were replaced along with bearings . . . mech said they were 2 degrees off spec . . . and it took a machinest to find the problem.
Just something else to check. Hope you find your problem.
are they using yamaha synthetic lube? everytime we put regular lube in it came out burnt in 50 hrs but synthetic comes out clean after couple hundred hours....burnt smell or burnt black color ? burnt smell could just be regular grade lube
I would think if it is burnt, you would also have an unbelieveable amount of metal shavings in it when it's drained! Also the lower unit would be hot to touch and have a bad vibration! The F225 is so quiet, you should see or hear any vibration it has. How can you tell gear lube is burnt? Doesn't lower unit oil have a short life expectancy anyway which is why you should change it often? Is the motor broken in yet?
Parker is right. That case would be too hot to touch. Any gears which are misaligned or backlash adjusted improperly would create a spalling condition on the gears but probably not an excessive amount of heat. A spun bearing would cause excessive heat but would also create metal flakes in the oil. I wish I had a f225 manual so we could look into Chips theory. Did the Yamaha Mech. say he had seen this before or was it a first? Surely it had the right oil in it???
Well when I went through three lower units in one year on my 2001 Fichts, I had burnt oil every time I changed it and I did that every 30 hours! The surprising part is I also had no metal shavings beyond what are typical in all new lower units....go figure. Assuming you are using the right oil, something is wrong with the lower unit. Yamaha lower units are shimmed for very little play and it is very unusual for problems with them. Something is not right on the inside!!
Brand new Yamaha F225 burnt gear lube 
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"Life's too short to own an ugly boat ..." 
Also the lower unit would be hot to touch and have a bad vibration! The F225 is so quiet, you should see or hear any vibration it has. How can you tell gear lube is burnt? Doesn't lower unit oil have a short life expectancy anyway which is why you should change it often? Is the motor broken in yet? 
