SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW: JET BOAT CLEAN OUT COMPARTMENT

[Bruce]

You are partially correct.

The worst case scenario is when a plug blows out at high speed and lodges in the clean out tube vs hitting the hatch cover (and often breaking it and killing the engines). When this happens the force of the water in the intake gets partially directed into the cleanout tube, blows off the rubber hose that connects the pump to the clean out tray and starts flooding the boat VERY quickly. The driver will feel some reduced thrust when this happens, and if he stops the engine, the pressure in the intake will increase as the pump isn't pulling the water through any more. This increases the water flow through the disconnected clean out tube into the bilge. Most people have only seen a slight disconnect of the clean out tube, but imagine if it blew off completely! You'd have an approx 5" hole in the bottom of your boat, connected to a scoop that is driving water at it HARD. In that scenario, I could imagine a boat going 50MPH with a 5" hole connected to the intake could fill the bilge and engine compartment COMPLETELY before the boat came to a halt (so not even my bilge alarm solution would help you). Fortunately not one has ever said that the hose disconnected completely (but perhaps that is what happened to the OP here)? I've reached out to him and will update us if he responds.

My first experience in a Yamaha Jet Boat was the twelve year old extremely poorly maintained LS2000 that I mentioned previously in this thread. The hose was not connected to the tray. The tray was actually bouncing around loose without any screws. The plug had wedged sideways in the tube while the dealer was driving. My guess is that when the boat was on plane the water that was pumping into the bilge was distributed evenly but when the dealer stopped to let me drive it shifted to the stern. When I throttled up the boat was so full of water that it would not plane. I discovered the plug blowout. I was not able to push it down so I pulled it out and tried to reinsert it. It was so swollen that I could not get it to lock in place. The stern was so heavy that when I removed the plug a fountain of water came out and directly into the bilge. We were about 5 miles from the ramp. Another boat towed us to the ramp. I stayed at the stern with one foot in the bilge and the other in the lake holding the plug in place. I do not know if it would have sunk but the entire swim deck was under water by the time we got it on the trailer. The boat was so heavy that the trailer tires looked flat when we pulled it out. I towed it back to the dealership with the drain plug out. When we unhooked the boat the stern was so heavy that the tongue shot up and had to be held down. The engine compartment was full of water.

This happened because of a lack of maintenance. Had the plugs been rebuilt or replaced it is likely that it would have been properly inserted and not have popped out. Had the clean out plug tray been in place it is likely that the water would have flowed over the back of the boat instead of into the bilge. In my experience it was not Yamaha's fault but that of the previous owner and the company that maintained that boat.

 

[txav8r]

With the plugs out and even the tubes off, the normal level of the boat keeps water below the neck of the aluminum plug seat. It won't take on water. However, fill the aft end with water, or be standing on the swim deck (several people possibly greater degree), and you will see the level of the back of the boat deep enough to fill if a tube is dislodged. Even a moving boat that blows a plug at speed, if the boat is stopped, the water stops. There is positive pressure on the plug from movement of the boat, not from the pump. And it is the old adage, path of least resistance. The 5" hole open when a plug is blown gives less resistance than water running through the impeller. And it really has nothing to do with the impeller pulling the water through it. If the engine is running and impeller turning, you wouldn't have an issue. But when the plug comes loose, you are now opening a hole and one of two things happen, it is geysers from the pressure of water entering the intake tunnel and now rushing up the clean out port, or...the big ass hole in the intake pulls in massive amounts of air and the pump cavities. The first happens at speed, the second when the boat is at rest. That is why the boat goes nowhere when we forget to install the plugs! This is a good reason to do a little of what all of the experienced guys (and gals) on this board suggest.
1. Don't forget to install the plugs in the first place.
2. Don't forget to remove them when the boat isn't in use.
3. Don't forget to rebuild them if they are sticking or you have any trouble installing/removing them.
4. Stop the engines and the boat should you experience anything that is not normal, investigate, post a question here, get out the manual, phone a friend, poll the audience...dammit, do something, don't just continue to scoop water into the boat!
5. Bilge pump alarm...that is up to your level of need and comfort.
6. Do not do what some have done. The had a blowout and decided to cement the plugs in!!! And some have still blow out after that. Why? Because they were in need of maintenance they didn't receive.

 

[OperationROL]

In his defense:
I have had the same thing happen to me in my 2016 Yamaha 280LXZ Turbo HO. I just buy new engines after each use!

I thought I was the only one to get the new 2016 model.......I guess I am not alone.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Actually it is caused by power loading your boat too hard. When the hull hits the bunks at 10 mph it knocks the plugs loose .
Ok so for those who believe everything they read on the internet , Yes I am pulling your leg, you actually have to hit the trailer at 15 mph to get them to loosen up.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Isn't this what you tell the dealer/Yamaha after you forget to put the drain plug in?

 

[Noko]

I think he was having also some trouble getting it on plane :

Why does my girlfriend keep posting my mistakes on the Internet?

 

[cybuch]

I thought we were done with this. Just think about how much time this person has caused us to post and read. Not worth it. We all know what we have. Haters will be haters and we are all above it

 

[KXCam22]

Cobra jet is right! My plugs always blow out on the way home from the lake. Go figure. Now I know why. Cam.

 

[GTBRMC]

"Everything on the Internet is true."

- Thomas Jefferson

 

[Julian]

The OP replied nicely and has included his phone number, so given some time tomorrow I may have a chat with him.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Maybe this was a case of not enough education from the dealer? And coincidence that maybe he misquoted engine and vessel?

 

[scokill]

I think I remember a similar post from the other site. The outcome is not far fetched but the root cause assumption is.

 

[Julian]

I've been emailing with the OP (a nice guy--just like all of us), and here is a little more detail on his experience. He had a 2013 212X (I've corrected his profile).

I really enjoyed my boat until it blew. I know the clean out was fully seated because I sometimes had to reseat it when I checked it. I was going full speed when the problem occurred and would not have been able to achieve full speed if the plunger was not in.

If there is a plunger problem either operator error or whatever, it should not destroy the boat. That is my main beef. A shut off and a hull quality seal between the clean out and engine compartment is required .

With catastrophic failure of my boat after two weeks I really expected a new boat or refund . <NAME REMOVED> at Yamaha told me that it is not like buying a toaster oven! Can't take it back. They said they would continue to fix the boat as often as I brought it in, that was their only obligation. I could not believe how I was treated by the dealer and Yamaha. Both blamed each other-it was an unbelievable charade. If they stepped up to the plate, I would probably remain a loyal customer. I took a hell of a hit on a new boat. I learned that the "Lemon laws" do not apply to boat purchases, and that I was basically at the mercy of their very limited good will.

Yes I want to get my story out because I am angry. I bought the boat because yamaha had such a great reputation .

The other aggravating issue is they would never put anything in writing. They would not invoice what was damaged or what was replaced. They would tell me verbally, but refused to even give me an invoice. They made many promises of how they would sell my boat for me THEN take care of me, but always refusing to put anything in writing. The dealer eventually sold the boat including charging another commission ! It took a year and I was told to be grateful I wasn't charged storage. Yamaha gave me a check for <>, but that was less than half of my loss and a fraction of my aggravation .

Thanks for listening to me. Getting my story out is the only.protection consumers have against these megacorporations. If I was a.loyal customer, I would be upset if my company did not treat people right. I have always felt if I could have gotten to the right person at Yamaha my problem could have been more favorably resolved
​

There have been at least two other occurrences like the above that I've read about. This is the first time I've heard of Yamaha compensating the owner, but as they put nothing in writing, just what they are compensating him for could be argued.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Crazy stuff

 

[Geiger41]

Tell this dude to call Yamaha ASAP

 

[Bruce]

Tell this dude to call Yamaha ASAP

That is why he is upset. He was not able to get the assistance he wanted from Yamaha.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Don't know about Yamaha but I had a similar issue with Kawasaki , my feeling it 's really the dealer that the manufacturer relies on to make decisions.
I had tons of issues with my Kawasaki and the first dealer had it all handled flawlessly, then he sold out to a new dealer with service writers that were less than honest.
This is where the problems began and sadly I knew it was a waste of time so I posted it on my jet ski web page. Had I just joined a Kawasaki page to tell them I probably would have met the same resistance.
Interestingly people who have issues with Kawasaki call me to thank me for posting my problem so they can reference it in their attempt to get things made right.
I believe that had you not come in and posted this on your first post and confused the supercharged engine thing it would have been received differently.
As for the clean out plugs there are probably only 3 types from the year 200 to the present .
Those that have blown , those that will blow out sooner or later and those that are locked to prevent it.
In the past Yamaha would usually claim that people did not install the plug properly, so I guess we are making progress in the fact that they did try to help you . I still wonder how much of this is the dealer. The boats do not come under the lemon law as you discovered but the warranty is governed my the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the federal law governing warranties . Perhaps you have a situation that a lawyer can help you with.

 

[buckbuck]

Those that have blown , those that will blow out sooner or later and those that are locked to prevent it.

Absolutely in agreement with you, Jeff. Your locks have prevented numerous blowouts on my boat. But I guess Yamaha would say my lack of experience at installing them is the reason why they come loose.

 

[MutherTucker]

Did the dealer show you how to properly install your clean out plugs. Always to check with 3 good jerks? You didn't notice the boat running strange for a little while before stopping to check?

Yes the cleanout plugs are known to come loose, if not installed properly, but there are fixes online to prevent any plug blowouts. These boats are by far the most universal boats on the market today and with proper education are also the safest most reliable boats on the market.


Also to note. ...the jet boat cleanout compartment is one of the best things about these boats. There would have been a many number of times that I would have had to limp back to the trailer due to debris in the jet pump from the river.

I always have 3 good jerks with me to check that my plugs are locked....oh....oh wait.....that's not what you meant? hehe couldn't help myself..

 

[rkluck]

I agree that the approach to vent was not the best. However, the situation is bad as well. I don't mean to be negative but I wonder what the dealer's POV is. It seems so odd that this would happen so catastrophically!