Have you had a 1.8 timing chain failure, was it in warranty and how has Yamaha handled it?

[LTM1964]

My boat ran for 10 hours after the timing chain replacement. On the first weekend after the oil change, the check engine alarm came on and the boat went into limp mode; it would only move about 2 MPH and made a grinding noise when the wheel was turned. I found another motor mount shim in the bilge. I took it back to the dealer. They spent a lot of time on the phone with Yamaha and a lot of hours on the boat. The diagnosis was a faulty throttle body and steering system assembly. The dealer told me that the motor mount shims were the result of the original motor mount breaking when the motor was swapped out. I got the boat back in under two weeks. Fortunately, I didn't need the boat the weekend that it was at the dealer. I have noticed that it runs smoother and quieter than it did before the steering was replaced.

I don't see how the throttle body and steering failed at the same time but since the boat runs and steers properly now, I have to take their word for it. And Yamaha paid for it all. I got the four year YES warranty as part of a financing incentive package when I bought the boat. If these expensive repairs weren't covered by warranty and I couldn't get some legal remedy, I would have to get it running with some used parts and get rid of it. There is no way I would pay Yamaha's outrageous parts prices plus dealership labor rates on something as unreliable as this boat has been.

I hope my problems are behind me as I don't know of another boat that meets my current size and performance needs and it isn't worth anywhere near what I owe on it.

 

[Spooling]

Update to my post from last August. 2014 212x timing chain failure. We decided to take the boat to the dealer to have it inspected so we could see if Yamaha would cover the repair. We waited the winter due to job uncertainty amongst other things. I keep it inside for the winter, something the dealer couldn't guarantee. Regardless, the boat is at the dealer. It took them a week after I dropped it off to let me know how much it would cost to fix. I don't have extended warranty but I'm hoping Yamaha would cover the repair considering this is a known issue. The dealer said they would fight for me...Today, I received the estimate for the repair. In 3-4 weeks I can have my boat ready to go for the small sum of just under $12,000 CDN. The email response I received was no more than, Hey, you can get your boat back in 3-4 weeks if you give us the go ahead. No mention of a warranty claim or even a failed attempt at a claim. Just here is the price to fix it. I've asked for clarification but haven't heard anything yet. I'll update as I find out more.

Dougg, have you heard anything more in regards to this?

 

[MrMoose]

Thanks for the prompt @Spooling
@dougg ... please share, please, please.

 

[dougg]

Sorry for the slow response. I'm still working out all the details. Yamaha has indicated to the dealer that they will be covering the failure as a good faith measure as I was without warranty. Full engine rebuild including the block and head replacement and everything in between. Seems like a lot for just a broken timing chain. I understand the interference engine and such but....a full engine rebuild? Total cost according to the estimate I have is $14,000 CDN. The dealer has told me that I'm still responsible for some costs so I'm not off the hook completely. Those costs could be between $1400 and $2000. I'm not exactly sure for what but we're still discussing.

I'm waiting for parts now which could be 3-4 weeks. Hopefully, it'll be perfect timing and I'll have my boat back for our short boating season which if we're lucky can start in June.

I'm proud to say that I'm still a happy Yamaha customer. I just hope the other motor doesn't have the same problem.

 

[Tobes]

Considering you can get a used engine for $4000 or less with decent hours, pretty ridiculous to charge 14k for a rebuild.

 

[LTM1964]

It isn't a rebuild. The new block/crank/pistons come as one assembly and the new head/cams/timing gear and chains come as another assembly. The dealership assembles that and installs.

It all has to be replaced since the timing chain and gears throws metal bits into the oil as they destroy themselves. We are fortunate that Yamaha acknowledges that the entire engine must be replaced when this happens.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I have been told by several people that Yamaha is stepping up to the pump on the chain issues. I am still waiting for my other engine to drop one it now has 425 hours with no issues so far the one that hatched had around 360 hours when it broke. So who knows , but one very important thing comes down to who does the work.
As of 6 20 2017 this engine now has 460 hours and still no chain failure, so it makes me wonder if it was a bad batch and a crap shoot if you have one or not.

 

[Tobes]

It isn't a rebuild. The new block/crank/pistons come as one assembly and the new head/cams/timing gear and chains come as another assembly. The dealership assembles that and installs.

It all has to be replaced since the timing chain and gears throws metal bits into the oil as they destroy themselves. We are fortunate that Yamaha acknowledges that the entire engine must be replaced when this happens.

Even still, $14k sounds ridiculous! Cant imagine these engines cost more than about $8000 from Yamaha new for the SHO. And install is not hard at all. I bet a dealer could pull the engine and install the new one within 6-8 hours no problem (probably shorter if the tech is working on Yamaha all the time).

Feel bad for those who have had to pay for theirs ;/

 

[swatski]

Even still, $14k sounds ridiculous! Cant imagine these engines cost more than about $8000 from Yamaha new for the SHO. And install is not hard at all. I bet a dealer could pull the engine and install the new one within 6-8 hours no problem (probably shorter if the tech is working on Yamaha all the time).

Feel bad for those who have had to pay for theirs ;/

I think @dougg stated CDN (Canadian dollars), the boat is 212X with HOs.
I think it is fantastic that Yamaha is taking care of it.

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[Neutron]

Even still, $14k sounds ridiculous! Cant imagine these engines cost more than about $8000 from Yamaha new for the SHO. And install is not hard at all. I bet a dealer could pull the engine and install the new one within 6-8 hours no problem (probably shorter if the tech is working on Yamaha all the time).

Feel bad for those who have had to pay for theirs ;/

Not sure but Yamaha might not make a complete long block. So if its just a short block, head(most likely bear with no valves), cams, chains, oil pump, etc, etc..... then the labor to assemble and install. I can see it going way over 10 grand

 

[ncnmra]

Anything up here in Cannukistan is crazy expensive. Our dollar is worth nothing right now (1 USD ~ 1.36 CAD), and the dealers know it, and charge huge premiums on top of it all. I almost bought a used 2014 212X before I settled on a mint 2008, and after reading all this, am happy with my decision. It does sound insane to pay $14k for a repair like this (and only ONE engine to boot!). Yikes, thank god that Yamaha is stepping up. Surprised that they wouldn't offer to replace the timing chain on the other engine (or at least at cost), to buy some goodwill.

 

[dougg]

Update for you. I'm still waiting for my boat to be fixed. The dealer tells me the parts have been ordered and received except they are missing a few gaskets. Yamaha didn't ship all the parts I'm told. The gaskets are on back order. It's been that way for the past 3 weeks. Two months and the boat is still in the shop.
I can't wait to get it back then be afraid to use it because the other engine might fail. I've asked the dealer to provide any sort of maintenance tips or checks I can do before I use it. With the short boating season, I can't afford to loose the boat for another 2 months. Does anyone have any idea or have they heard of a way to prevent the timing chain from failing?

 

[haknslash]

@dougg There is no real way of knowing if/when it will fail. You could do periodic checks on the chain for any cracks but that would involved bumping the engine to check every couple of inches to inspect the entire chain.

 

[scokill]

@dougg There is no real way of knowing if/when it will fail. You could do periodic checks on the chain for any cracks but that would involved bumping the engine to check every couple of inches to inspect the entire chain.

Spending all this time for unknown effective advance warning (if any at all) why not just replace the chain?

 

[swatski]

Spending all this time for unknown effective advance warning (if any at all) why not just replace the chain?

It is not just the chain, many parts such as tensioners need to be swapped. Major cost in parts and labor.

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[scokill]

It is not just the chain, many parts such as tensioners need to be swapped. Major cost in parts and labor.

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So spending all the time to periodically check and hope to see something seems like a waste of time....that was really the point.

 

[JAUGA82]

Mine blew a few weeks ago, on a newly rebuilt ABT engine with only 12 hrs. Luckily theyre REBUILDING it again under warranty. Didn't want to wait another 2 months, so I bought a new 242 SE.

 

[Spooling]

Just saw this on Greenhulk.

http://www.greenhulk.net/forums/showthread.php?t=262959

The person had inspected the chain the same day as the failure. Further down the thread there's also discussion regarding someone with a 2017 which had a chain failure.

 

[Neutron]

I saw that too. I think Deans 17 ski is heavily modded that broke the chain.

 

[swatski]

Just saw this on Greenhulk.

http://www.greenhulk.net/forums/showthread.php?t=262959

The person had inspected the chain the same day as the failure. Further down the thread there's also discussion regarding someone with a 2017 which had a chain failure.

I did not need to see this a day before we leave for Bimini...

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