Engine Stall and a Dismembered Spark Plug

[troybox]

My brother had an engine stall at speed in his new to him 2014 212x yesterday and it would turn over but not restart. Trouble shooting today he pulled the fourth spark plug and found this:

E2D5E62B-E3CE-4353-95A3-DE39F5D8FE3C

• troybox
• May 7, 2017
• 6

Stalled engine and then this...

Never seen anything like this before. Any ideas we are thinking the worst…

 

[veedubtek]

You are probably correct. Gut reaction is chain failure. Something hit that, and that something was likely a valve that was broken from smacking a piston. Under warranty still I hope?

 

[Chuckbig]

Well, the season is over. See you in 2018. That looks very bad! I'm sorry! I would not try to crank it over, the rest of that plug is hiding somewhere.

 

[troybox]

You are probably correct. Gut reaction is chain failure. Something hit that, and that something was likely a valve that was broken from smacking a piston. Under warranty still I hope?

That's what we are worried about. Engine only has 40 hours on it, but not thinking there is a warranty...

 

[veedubtek]

That's what we are worried about. Engine only has 40 hours on it, but not thinking there is a warranty...

Man, I hate that for your brother. I'd be giving my wife a list of everyone at Yamaha's phone number and telling her they all tried to take her Lularoe leggings. I guarantee they'd be paying for something.

 

[Scottintexas]

that stinks, if your local boat dealer won't help you with getting Yamaha to fix it maybe look for a PWC shop to help you, they may not poke you in the eye quite as bad,

 

[Bruce]

That's what we are worried about. Engine only has 40 hours on it, but not thinking there is a warranty...

My guess is that Yamaha will cover it. They have for others that were just out of warranty.

Have a look at this thread https://jetboaters.net/threads/have-you-had-a-1-8-timing-chain-failure-was-it-in-warranty-and-how-has-yamaha-handled-it.10799/

 

[troybox]

Man, I hate that for your brother. I'd be giving my wife a list of everyone at Yamaha's phone number and telling her they all tried to take her Lularoe leggings. I guarantee they'd be paying for something.

Yeah, his wife has already started emailing the dealer. They think the dealer offered a 30 day warranty or something like that...but it's going to be close!

We believe the dealer had just put the spark plugs in as pre-sale service. Looking in the hole, the piston head does look like it has a small piece of metal welded to the top...but a magnet isn't really picking up anything out of the cylinder.

Not a good start to his first boat. He also corrected me...engine only has 28 hours on it.

 

[Zonie]

Hopefully Yamaha will step up and so something with an engine that new. I agree with Veedubtek. The plug didn't fail, something smashed into it and it's a pretty short list of things that could cause that. I hope they help you.

 

[4x15mph]

First thought is a timing chain failure if that applies to that year/engine but it looks like it does. I would not even turn that engine over since you will damage the cylinder and/or piston. Take this to a Yamaha authorized shop

 

[bronze_10]

Dang.. thats nasty... sorry it happened period... esp with only 28 hours on it!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

It's probably the chain if you crank the engine over and you notice it spins really fast and possibly backfires from fuel in the exhaust it is the chain.
As far as I know Yamaha IS covering timing chain failures on engines out of warranty but don't wait because as the season starts up a lot of chains will probably hatch and as was the case last year people will be on waiting lists for repairs and parts.

 

[VONCE]

@troybox what was the final consensus on this issue?