Yamaha problem I need some help with

[DEWaterfowler]

Long story but the short version is I took my Parker with a yamaha 200 Saltwater Series II to get get serviced and have some other small issues (replace guages, side scan not working, etc) checked out this spring. Wanted the thermostats replaced, water pump rebuilt, engine serviced, fuel system serviced, etc. Took a little longer than promised but got it back in time for Stripers. First time we launch the water temp alarm starts going off, it will stop over 1200 rpm's or if you turn the motor off and restart, very intermittent. Call the service manager, says he'll talk to the Tech and get right back to me. A couple of days later I call them and he says they may need to reset the ECU, don't worry about if it's running fine and just come by when you get a chance (1 1/2 hours away). Drop it off and he calls saying the head gasket is blown??? I pick it up and take it to a mechanic that was recomended by several friends, he says the description doesn't match a blown head gasket. Calls last night saying 115# compression on all cylinders, the water pump is weak and needs to be rebuilt. If the head gasket is blown shouldn't the motor run like crap at least until it blows up. Motor runs strong, nothing visable on the blown head gasket and good compression don't add up from what little I know about a blown head gasket/

 

[Megabyte]

What they are telling you just does not add up.

I have a 1997 Yamaha 225 OX66 that had similar issues back in 2004 when trolling.
The motor had just been serviced by my dealer, so I called them while I was on the water.
Mechanic asks what RPM's I'm trolling at, then tells me that big-block SWS motor don't move enough water to keep themselves cool below 700 RPM.
He suggested keeping the motor at 800 or above, and let him know if I had any more issues.

Keeping the motor at 800 solved the problem that day, but while navigating marinas and the harbor at low speeds, I still got an overheat alarm is my RPM's were too low for an extended time.

Took the boat back to my dealer and they took the heads off.
The block was WAY salted up because the previous owner never flushed the motor.
The shop dug the salt out, put it back together, and treated it to an extreme flush with SaltAway.
I now flush the motor after every use and give her a SaltAway treatment about twice a season.

No issues with the motor ever since. 8)

Did your dealer replace the poppet when she was serviced?

 

[DEWaterfowler]

Thanks for the reply Kevin. Doesn't add up to me either or why they didn't do the poppet when they did everything else. It's not like it's a consistent alarm. I'm really questioning whether they actually did the water pump or at least did it correctly.

 

[Megabyte]

Sometimes... if you ask for water pump work, some shops will only replace the impeller and not the housing.
That is one possibility if you have poor cooling.

Whenever I have a 'major service' done (performed on mine this spring), I ask for the 'water pump assembly' to be replaced, the t-stats, and the poppet replaced.
All 3 items are related to proper cooling.

If you have never done it, I might also suggest that you give her a good SaltAway soaking.
Run the SaltAway through, and before the treatment tank is empty, shut it off and let it sit for 24 to 48 hours, flush with fresh water then repeat.
After that, give her a good fresh water flush after every use.
Hopefully yours is not as salted up as mine. My motor was so bad it needed to be taken apart and cleaned.

http://www.amazon.com/Salt-Away-oz-plus ... =salt-away

 

[DEWaterfowler]

Thanks again Kevin. I actually asked for the water pump to be replaced and they said that if it was in good shape they'd just rebuild with a new kit.

 

[TWOBOATER]

FWIW, different motor but I had exact same symptoms at idle on a Mercury Opti 200 years ago. My mechanic said it probably needed a new water tube (they were copper and tended to rot-thru) Turned out it was simply an exhaust housing gasket. di the tube anyway while aprt.

 

[warthog5]

Sometimes... if you ask for water pump work, some shops will only replace the impeller and not the housing.

So what have we learned?

Ask for a "Complete" Water Pump kit and specify OEM parts.

I've done it both ways. Non OEM parts don't last as long. There are wear patterns on the housing and that creates looser tolerances. I've seen new ...off the shelf impeller vane break off in less than 4hrs.

 

[DEWaterfowler]

So here's what we learned:
1. "New" impeller doesn't look new and certainally doesn't look like an impeller with less than 10 hours in it. The "new" water pump was very weak according to mechanic 2.
2. When they reinstalled the water pump they put the seal on the bottom of the water pump back in wrong, it cracked and let water mix in with the lower unit oil. Luckily it had not been run long enough to do any damage. Picked up a new Yamaha water pump kit, ordered a new seal and the whole bearing assembly that goes under the water pump. Replacing the poppet valve as well.
3. They also left the anode off of the motor, which I had already spotted and replaced.
4. Gonna go ahead and try the Salt Away after I get it back. Might actually get to splash for the first time in a month this weekend.

Waiting to contact the first shop until I get everything running and make sure nothing else is wrong. That's going to be an interesting conversation.

 

[BradH]

When it's time for a new mechanic, I HIGHLY recommend Chris Pine at Beacon Light in Middle River MD. I haul mine an hour passing by some others just so he can do the work.