timing chain in pre 2016 is bugging me ...

[yam240sx]

No issues yet but losing sleep over it lol .... someone make me feel better please lol ...

 

[jgourlie]

I have a 2015 ar192 and I was a bit worried about the timing chain. I am at 90 hours now and I figured it affected about 1% of boats so I stopped worrying about it.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I lost one in a 2014 at 350 hours and have an identical 2014 with 860 hours on it with no issues

 

[Dfred]

(Not sure what year your asking about…) for MR1 - There is no service / interval reference in the manual. And only points on Timing Chain is under torque spec and as part of the valve clearance service…. Check and set the tension:

Maybe that will help you sleep well…. the service manual as bedtime reading always helps.

 

[yam240sx]

I lost one in a 2014 at 350 hours and have an identical 2014 with 860 hours on it with no issues

what was the outcome ..whole new engine ? or what was the cost

 

[jmargo]

First thing to do is take off the valve covers, mark the chain and bump it with the starter so you can inspect all the links. If you are still worried you can upgrade to the 2016 chain. You need to replace the cam sprockets and guides also. It will be a little wider on the crank but there are now a few people who have done it on their boats and a lot more jet ski guys.

 

[Evil Sports]

2013 with 260 hours, not worrying. If it blows its time for a new boat

 

[yam240sx]

First thing to do is take off the valve covers, mark the chain and bump it with the starter so you can inspect all the links. If you are still worried you can upgrade to the 2016 chain. You need to replace the cam sprockets and guides also. It will be a little wider on the crank but there are now a few people who have done it on their boats and a lot more jet ski guys.

i would do crank as well then

 

[yam240sx]

2013 with 260 hours, not worrying. If it blows its time for a new boat

good luck getting one

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Yamaha covered the replacement but it was tied up a few months it is a known problem and they did not do a recall so I would think a good consumer lawyer could get it covered by the manufacturer. One thing to avoid is high speed backlash on the chain LIKE REVING THE ENGINE ON THE TRAILER AFTER USE !
As I have said to many of the previous classes, "this being the class of 2021, Don't do it!!! It is bad for the valves, the rings and the timing chain, just let it idle for 30 seconds. Also always warm up your engine slowly each day you take it out for the first time ,don't run it hard before the engine gets a bit of oil circulated and gets the valves loosened up and a bit of operating temperature I run in no wake mode for a few minutes then add a small amount of throttle and gradually get it going fast after that give it hell. Even the new chains should not be run hard on the trailer all it takes is one of those many valves to float for a fraction of a second and it's over.

 

[Evil Sports]

I know, but if you have to wait a season to get a new boat it wont be the end of the world. And yours even with a blown chain will be worth more.

 

[yam240sx]

I know, but if you have to wait a season to get a new boat it wont be the end of the world. And yours even with a blown chain will be worth more.

Blown chain ?? .. lol try blown motor (s)

 

[biffdotorg]

You have a 2013 with 1.8ltr engines that were not even on the most effected list of timing chain failures. Run it as if you had never heard of this failure, as you can only worry about it so much. Enjoy your boat and worry for the folks with late build 2014/early build 2015 1.8ltr engines.

And the only reason it was a Technical Service Bulletin for those specific timeframes, and not a recall from Yamaha is that the numbers were significant to note, but not significant to recall. That's not saying it can't happen, as it has, but not enough for me to worry about it. I'm running mine like I never heard of this issue.

 

[Evil Sports]

Stop it already or just sell the dam boat. Your heart can blow a chain too....

 

[biffdotorg]

Blown chain ?? .. lol try blown motor (s)

I see the problem here, and I think it's a common one. Folks get on Forums like this, or facebook groups or wherever and read about the horribly expensive issue that someone has had, and feel that it could happen to them.

And then they read another thread, and another, and then go back into the archives of threads and read all the posts written in all caps about someone leaving the brand for being mistreated. Soon, they feel that they have no choice but to do the same, or do some crazy preventative maintenance to solve this issue that they have yet to experience. The amount of folks that have experienced said problem are a very very small fraction of the number sold. It's just that it is overhyped so much, that everyone feels it will get them. Only Yamaha knows the actual numbers, and they have no need to share that with the public, unless they are part of that effected group.

Here is the down and dirty of this particular one. Yes, I feel for those that have had this happen, and it truly can be so expensive that it can ruin their ownership of that boat.

But one has to realize, when I say Yamaha considered this to be significant enough to put out a TSB, but not significant enough to put out a recall, on a very specific range of builds. And, to crush those that feel shafted by Yamaha, Yamaha actually took care of failures for "original owners" outside of warranty when the failure happened. So to put it very bluntly, Yamaha has taken care of customers above and beyond their estimate of effected models.

Can it happen to your 2013, yes. What is the likelihood, very slim. Let it go. And bringing up all these old posts and asking what the conclusion was, the conclusion is that the hype meter is going up on used boat owners, that it shouldn't. Yup, if you bought a 2014-2015 with 1.8ltr engines used, you need to take that into consideration. But anyone else, you are worrying about getting hit by lightning.

 

[Evil Sports]

This^^^^^^

 

[yam240sx]

my thought is if i like my boat and would not plan on upgrading ( to a newer model ) and plan to keep it for at least another decade .. would it be worth it to spend 7-10 grand parts / labor on doing the upgrade and while the engines are open refresh them and clean all water ports/jackets new bearings , ect ... than rather: even if not now have a chance of chain blowing and motor being totaled and have to shell out 20 gs and then if only one goes have the other as a ticking time bomb as well .... its either that or order a new model now .

 

[jmargo]

Obviously your money and piece of mind. However, the crank is not a necessity to change since the rest will keep it in line. The parts are under $500 an engine if you go that route plus labor. All in you should be under 2K and the motors stay in. These motors will go a long time with proper maintenance.

 

[biffdotorg]

No, absolutely not. And I'm not just saying that cuz I'm cheap.

It's because I have owned no less than 16 Yamaha engines, including one with a known bad crank from Yamaha, which they offered to repair prior to failure out of warranty. Unless they feel it is necessary, I ran them all, and ran them hard. This doomsday mentality is nothing more than internet thread hype on what everyone feels is the the most bulletproof Yamaha marine engine they have ever put in one of their boats, in the middle of the most stable years. 11-12-13 model year 1.8's have little to no known recurring issues. You don't bank on the very rare ones. If that were the case, I would be swapping out the engine on my 3 year old Sierra Denali, cuz someone on the Internet said they blow up out of warranty, even though GM disagrees.

Yamaha has our best interest in mind, and if a half dozen threads scare you, then you got bigger issues.

Do what helps you sleep at night, and if it's under $2K, that may be worth it. But I would recommend stop researching it, as it sounds like you are going to believe whatever you read in all caps.

 

[yam240sx]

its getting to the point i wondering if this is a project doable yourself if crank is left in ...then