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Random Quote: Red sky in morning, Sailors take warning.
I just bought a new 2002 saltwater series motor. I have blown 2 powerheads in less than 5 hours on both motors. The dealer told me that the Yamaha technicans said that the battery caused the o2 sensor to go off or misfuntion and this is the problem with the motor??? I ask to have a Yamaha Mechanic come out to look at the motor before any work is done. They agreed but the dealer is going to rebuil the engine again before the Yamaha mechanic can come look at the boat. I am concered that the engine was built with some problem that the dealer mechanic can't find.
Let me tell you how this started, The first engine worked fine the first 2 times out. For the first hour stayed between 3000 and 4500 rpm. The third trip out in the first 5 minutes @ 4250 rmp the engine mad a sound so I slow down but the engine stopped then CLICK CLICK CLICK would not start. Took it too the dealer and the piston was melted #5 I believe. The piston was on the left side. After a month got the boat back. When I picked up the boat the mechanic said he called Yamaha to make sure everythin was ok. Yanaha sent him somethings to test to make sure the motor was running correctly. The mechanic said I had to follow a breakin procedure.
1. idle for 20 minutes Dealer did this one
2 first hour not over 3000 rpm and run the boat between 2000-3000 and not under 2000 --- Fine did that one myself
3. You can run the engine at full throttle for a minute and run the boat from 3000-4000 rpm. Once you run the boat @ full throttle let the engine cool down.
This is where I had a problem at #3, I ran the boat between 3000-4000 and the Max was 4500rpm. The boat was making a funny noise so slowed down. Started to run the boat again and @ 3500 rpm the engine made a really bad sound, I slowed down and CLICK CLICK. I knew what had happened but could not believe it.
Took it to the Dealer thinking I was going to get a new motor. No dice. The Dealer mechanic said that the Yamaha mechanic said the problem was with the Battery low voltage cause a sensor or something from working and this is why the second powerhead blew, # 2 piston melted on the right side this time. When I picked up the boat from the dealer from the first engine failure, the battery was dead so the dealer replaced it.
This makes no sense to me if you can give me any help on how I can get my motor fixed I would appeciate it. If you need more information or have a contact @ yamaha that I could talk to I would appricaite it.
WHERE WAS I ?WHY DIDN'T I SEE THESE YAMI STORIES BEFORE I ORDERED MINE?WHAT CAN I DO? I AM SUPPOSED TO TAKE DELIVERY NEXT WEEK.ARE THERE ANY GOOD YAMAHA STORIES OUT THERE?
Just be thankfull it wasn't on a Scout, or the transom mighta cracked as well - just to really make your day! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
New = tight = hot.
Crapped O2 sensor = lean = Hot
Water pump / theormostat failure (stayed closed) = hot
Lean = Low oil ratio = more friction = hot
4 x hot = BBQ pistons?
I'd be makin sure I got a new one period!
It'd say "Merc" on the side! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
If you get a good Yamaha motor you will not have any problems. But if you get one like me you might be in trouble.
I had my on the water 3 time on April 20 the motor burt the piston, I got the boat back May 30, blew the second powerhead in less that 2 hours on June 1.
Yamaha says that if the motor is repairable then thay will repair the motor. They will not replace it. I had a Yamaha customer rep say that they are not in the business of buying back motors????
This really stinks because I don't know who to believe the Dealer or Yamaha????
I bought a new motor so problems like that would not happen. Now I have to wait another 30-50 days to get the boat back plus 320 worth of towing expense and no one want to go out on my boat because they think we are going to break down. I am even scared to take the boat to far into the chesapeake bay because I can't depend on the Yamaha engine to get me back....
WOW THAT REALLY MAKES ME WONDER ABOUT THE YAMAHA NAME FOR RELIABILITY.YOU WOULD THINK THAT SINCE THE MOTOR WAS INSTALLED BY A YAMAHA CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND AFTER SUCH LITTLE HOURS THEY WOULD WANT TO MAKE YOU HAPPY.
OH WELL I GUESS THAT WHY GOD IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM CREATED............. LAWYERS !!!
Not tring to bash a product just tring to fix the problem. I sure people have problems with all types of motors. The difference is how the companys handle the problem.
Brown, I have been on this board since day one and find your "new member" status and blown powerheads on a Yamaha story suspect thats all. It is the EXACT profile of people who have posted bogus info on this board time and time again and got the Saltwater Sportsman site shut down.
With that said, I'm quite sure Yamaha will take care of it.
It is a known fact that the greatest likelyhood of a blown motor is in the first 20 hours. Yamaha's are not above a blown motor or two. I bet the other manufact. wished they had as few as Yamaha.
A couple of observations. First it sounds like you did not follow the prescribed break-in procedure initially as during the first hour you were running up to 4500 rpm's. The Yamaha manual says to limit your rpm's to 3000 for the first hour. Whether that was the cause of the problem is hard to tell but the breakin period is very important in properly setting rings.
Second it seems that your mechanic is less than ideal. Unfortunately you will find your warranty and experience with a problem motor is usually only as good as your mechanic. I wish I had a phone number or something for you to call. Have you tried Yamaha service number?? I am not sure if you can get any satisfacton there or not but I would definetly pursue this with Yamaha.
When you say rebuild do you mean put new powerheads on the motor??
Yamaha has sent a new powerhead the last time they fixed the motor but that one blew up also. I want Yamaha to send me a brand new motor( a different motor that the one I have now) and not fix the the blew motor.
Mako
Again I am not bashing Yamaha, I just want my engine fixed correctly. I hope they will take care of me but as of right now I still am unable to go fishing.. After the second powerhead went you would think Yamaha would send me a entirely new motor. No they want to rebuild it again. I don't know if it is the local dealer or Yamaha making the call to send a new engine or rebuild?
Maybe we can get mako a commodores uniform and he can stand at the gate and welcome new members to the hull thruth dock? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
I dunno...
It coulda been worse - he coulda started his first post with "lousey scout hull cracks caused by yam OB or something? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]
Maybe we need a sign on the front gate Wiley?..
"Never mind the dog - beware Mako!" [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Yup yup yup - must be a new moon again!
Buffy? - you out there? - we have a wee job for you!...best bring your silver stake! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]
I don't understand why someone would take the time to bash a product. From what I have heard on this board and other places, Yamaha motors are top quality and so is their customer service.
Although I think they should help you out as much as possible, what are the chances that you bought two bad motors? I would think that brand new Yamahas blowing their powerheads is quite rare. Therefore if I was from Yamaha, I would fix the engines (not replace them) and try to find out what caused the problem on your end.
"I ask to have a Yamaha Mechanic come out to look at the motor before any work is done. They agreed but the dealer is going to rebuil the engine again before the Yamaha mechanic can come look at the boat."
you lead me to believe that your dealer(who is rebuilding your engine) is not a yamaha certified mechanic. If this is the case, your only begging for trouble. I find it hard to believe that yamaha would pay to rebuild a powerhead when it's not done by somebody they feel who is certified to do it. I guess my question is, is your dealer certified to work on yamaha's?
During the first hour of both motors I did not exceed 3000 rpm. It was during the second hour when I had the engine upto 4500 rpm. It was only up to that amount for 10-25 seconds. In the book it says you can run the motor wide open for a minute, then let the motor cool. I took the motor to 4500 thinking I would take it easy??
Troublmaker
I am in the process of finding this out. The boat was sold with the Yamaha engine so I don't think they have to be trained on Yamaha engines. I am checking to see if the mechanic is trained on Yamaha motors if not I am going to request to take the motor to a trained Yamaha mechanic. I took the boat back to the Dealership where I bought the boat to have it looked at when the problem occured.
Again I am not bashing the Yamaha motors I am just tring to find out the best way to have my motor fixed so I can use the boat. I am check to see if the mechanic is trained to work on Yamha motors. If he is not trained then why would Yamaha allow him to replace the first powerhead???
Regardless of brand or type of motor, they don't just fail at random unless there is a manufacturing defect. Usually, SOMETHING causes an engine to fail. The fact that your engine failed again after being rebuilt does not point to a manufacturing defect in the engine.
During my auto racing days, I took an engine building course at a community college, & they placed a great deal of focus on diagnosing engine failures. The point they made (and they made this point because it is a problem in the repair industry right now) is that if an engine is rebuilt without diagnosing why it failed in the first place, it will probably fail again. A engine failure is usually a symptom of another problem rather than a problem in & of itself.
This is what I think has happened to you. Your engine failed because of a fuel system problem that cause a lean condition. Melted pistons are a classic lean condition failure. Overheating due to a cooling system problem will usually cause engine seizure, a head gasket failure, or a warped or cracked cylinder head. Probably not a bad O2 sensor either. A bad O2 sensor (if boat EFI systems work like car EFI systems) should cause the fuel system to go into open loop mode which should make the engine run rich. Anyway, regardless of what the problem is, your mechanic rebuilt your motor without taking the time to diagnose why it failed in the first place. Thus, when you got the motor back, the same problem caused the engine to fail again, & until that problem is found & corrected, you will continue to have engine failures regardless of whether your powerhead is rebuilt or replaced.
Mechanics typically don't like to diagnose these types of problems because they can be time consuming to locate, & mechanics only get paid to make repairs, not to diagnose. You need to hold your dealer's feet to the fire & force them to either take the time to properly diagnose the cause of your engine failures or give you a whole new motor. A new powerhead will probably not solve your problem.
Thanks for the info. I will do some research on my mechanic and how I can have a qualified Yamaha mechanic diagnose the problem. I think if they replace the powerhead the same problem will happen again unless they can findout why the powerhead was blown.
Do you think a yamaha mechanic can lookat the motor with the melted piston and diagnose the problem or will the engine have to be rebuilt before he can find the problem?
