Yamaha timing chain and engine failure…cylinder head damage

[Prwilkins]

Our 2013 AR190 experienced a catastrophic timing chain failure which has damaged the cylinder head, broken a piston which fell into crank case, and we expect more damage beyond that once the dealer has finished disassembly. Dealer contacted Yamaha and they won’t cover repairs. We have 78 hours on the engine and this boat was serviced annually!! I saw a post by zwillz referencing case #’s, names and a written letter from Yamaha. Would love getting that info as I want to pursue further with Yamaha.
Spending $35,000+ for a boat only to have this kind of a catastrophic failure after 78 hours when the manufacturer was clearly aware of the issue is criminal. They should have issued a recall or at least notified owners at the very least!!!
We are absolutely sick about this!!!!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

That was one of the years that had the timing chain issue do some research and contact a consumer lawyer, I had one fail also years back but they covered it.

 

[Ronnie]

Sounds like your warranty is expired. Good luck getting Yamaha to pay for this.

One of the timing chains broke on my 2010 242 ls with about 500 hours on it. I took it to a shop that I trust for a repair estimate. In addition to the new chain, it needed several intake and exhaust valves plus chain guides and gaskets. Total cost would have been about $2,500 including labor. It sounds like you have a lot more parts to replace, including the additional labor you’re looking at a hefty bill to rebuild an engine with the same chain.

Yamaha offfers a timing chain upgrade kit for about $2,500 excluding the labor to install it.

I would look into swapping the engine out of a used Waverunner (FX or GP1800 models), the newer models have engines with upgraded timing chains.

Again, I wish you luck in getting this resolved, hopefully quickly and in the least expensive way possible.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Yes there were a few models " this one included that had bad chains and I recall talk about a recall that was supposedly avoided by Yamaha agreeing to fix any of the chains that failed warranty or not so do a search on here and see what you can find regarding this issue.

 

[biffdotorg]

the manufacturer was clearly aware of the issue is criminal. They should have issued a recall or at least notified owners at the very least!!!
We are absolutely sick about this!!!!

As you and Ronnie pointed out, the 2010-2014 1.8ltr engines could experience this failure, but the amount of engines built in that amount of time compared to the ones that have failed didn't even add up to enough to justify a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) from Yamaha, let alone a recall.

It wasn't until the 2015 year that these failures did reach that level that they did issue a TSB, and did take care of "original owners" and those with YES contracts. But the issue was resolved late 2015 and 2016 with upgraded components. The 1.8's produced since have seen very few failures, but they have happened.

So as much as I empathize with your situation, Yamaha has done the right thing in the years where they recognized an issue in mass. The only reason we even hear about the few that failed in the 2010-2014 model years is because when it does happen, it's catastrophic and can cost plenty to fix and folks hit every piece of social media they can to talk about it. Just as you have done in your very first post here.

But that does not make it common, or make Yamaha require a recall. As the numbers just did not add up to warrant it until 2015, which did not cover any of the units produced from 2010-2014. (i'm in that range as well, but feel confident in my engines) I would be as pissed as you if it failed, but understand I don't have a leg to stand on with Yamaha. @#@# happens. The sky is not falling for the thousands and thousands of 1.8's produced for boats and waverunners in those model years.