Yanmar can't fix a Yanmar engine they broke

[captstu]

Hi, My boat is equipped with a Yanmar 4BY2-150 engine, about 5 years old and running very well.

Yanmar issued a service bulletin, YASA2014-005-M and last September I begin the process of having this applied to my boat's engine - since the boat was exhibiting the symptoms described.

I took the boat to a Yanmar dealer, paid nearly $1000 in slip fees, and was surprised with a bill that included over $250 to apply the advisory - even though Yanmar paid for the actual labor and parts.

I wanted the boat back and wanted to stop the slip fees so I paid the bill.

Imagine my surprise to find only a portion of the advisory was applied.

The repair dealer refused to keep two separate appointments to finish the work that both Yanmar and I had paid for.

So, I contacted the boat manufacturer who put me in touch with they Yanmar regional distributor who connected me with a closer Yanmar deal who applied the rest of the advisory.

And broke my boat in the process. The engine red "NO" oil pressure - not zero, but none.

The mechanic, working on his own, I believe, applied a mechanical pressure gauge and determined, as we expected, there was no engine internal problem. The gauge read about 60 psi.

Two months of calls, e/mails, and such to Yanmar resulted in the local mechanic swapping parts, re-connecting the pre-advisory wiring and other seemingly random actions without restoring the oil pressure.

Yanmar, during this time, refused to give or sell me the manuals and diagrams necessary to fix the problem on my own.

O offered to pay for the necessary adapter to permit a diagnostic meter connection, they refused to sell it to me or the local authorized dealer. It didn't seem hard to make the adapter, but they also refused to sell me, or the local authorized dealer, the diagnostic codes.

I contacted Yanmar again and they require me to truck the boat to their location at my expense and leave it there until they can repair the oil pressure sender.

I finally down converted to an analog oil pressure (the thread was 1/4" NPT), installed an analog oil warning device and am back on the water.

Don't buy a used boat with a Yanmar - they can, but will not, repair it.

[newhaul]

We have a yanmar in our spencer never had an issue however we also have all the manuals in I think 5 different languages. But it is about 12 years old with less than 850 hours on it.

[captstu]

Clearly, Yanmar builds good engines - and it is equally clear that the older, non-electronic control engines were robust and relatively easy to self repair.

Around 2010, the new first phase electronic engines has a early life problem. Documentation was incomplete, the electronic software was not written by Yanmar employees - think hobbiest - and they didn't build the tools to repair the engines when they built the engines.

If you have a Yanmar without an electronic control problem, you are lucky and probably have a fine engine with a long life.

But, if you break something -- or in my case an authorized repair station breaks something - there is no way to have it reasonably repaired.

Taking it to a regional repair center that may be $2000 in transportation away and giving it up for an unspecified interval is not an acceptable substitute for hiring a certified/trained Yanmar technician paying him lots of money, and having him/her diagnose and replace the defective part.

One mechanic suggested I replace a $10,000+ part (plus labor) that had the fuse I think caused the problem. Yanmar would not tell me what fuse was involved - and I didn't go hunting without Yanmar's support since this problem was a result of their mis-step.

Net result, if you have an electronic control Yanmar engine, it runs until it doesn't. Then it doesn't.

They are not in the engine repair business - just swap the parts and hope for the best.

[Lepke]

Circuit board failure and other electronic problems are the main reason I rebuilt my 100% mechanical mains. I know of boats experiencing nearby electrical storms and loosing their engine and control circuits.

[roverhi]

Don't you just love electronics on a boat, reliable, sure!!!! Will be rebuilding my ultra reliable 3GM when the time comes rather than replace it.

[RaymondR]

When I decided to replace my Yanmar 3GM30 I went to the dealers and looked at a new Yanmar and decided that there was to much fancy electronics on it so opted for a marinised Kubota industrial engine which has none of the fancy electronics on it. After reading your posts I am really glad I went this route.

[lamadriver]

Intersting. I met someone recently who went and bought a whole new Yanmar this past year because this model that was in his boat was to be replaced this year with the new electroniclly controlled version. His has plenty of use left, he just wanted a spare so when the time came he had the right motor.... expensive investment