YSE8 shattered valve spring! Help?

[SailingFan]

Hello everyone, I have been reading the board for a long time, but am posting my first post tonight! I have learned much already!

I am currently working on a Hunter 27 from 1978, with the Yanmar YSE8 inboard. I had not attempted to start the engine before (new to me vessel) and when I tried the other day, was unable to get compression.

After toying a bit to gather a manual from online, I took off the valve cover and one of the valve springs was in three or more pieces. A relative assisting lifted a pushrod from that side, and then dropped it back into the head, but missed the tappet and it went into the crankcase (ugh!).

So, the problem is that I think I can drop the pan and get the pushrod back, but I am having difficulty in locating a suitable pair of valve springs. I am assuming it is best to replace them in pairs? Does someone in Florida or who can ship to Florida have a pair of them available? Also, if not, is it an acceptable option to use some aftermarket spring set, perhaps from a diesel powered truck or car as replacements, or perhaps a Yanmar generator set? or some other source?

I cannot seem to locate a dealer online who is willing to ship these 6 dollar springs to Florida, and even the ones who have automated carts list shipping at over $26.00 for them (and still won't ship)...

I am pulling her onto the hard next weekend, and would like to repair the engine while dry. Also painting hull, and repairing mast step (compression of core), and installing a new head and black water tank, but those are other issues...

Help me, please?

Save

[Lepke]

Any rebuild shop that does diesel heads should be able to supply springs. I would think any Yanmar dealer including tractors.

[four winds]

Yanmar has a very territorial dealer network policy for marine engines.

Where in Florida?

If you are near St. Pete go to Mastry. They are the distributor for the region. And almost certainly will have the springs in stock.

Otherwise find the closest Yanmar dealer and they can have them in a day or two.

Yanmar tractor shops probably will not be willing to help.

[shakey doug]

As previously mentioned take the remaining good spring into a Head Reco shop for matching, also ask them to show you which end goes towards the Cyl Head when fitting, Yes there is a correct way. Are the Valve stem Rotator caps in place?. Broken valve springs in motors of this vintage is not uncommon due mainly to corrosion.

[topmast]

Piston at TDC or valve might have to be recovered by taking off the head (comment generic ,engines differ) Wonder if valve stem is bent?

[sainted]

I just rebuilt my Yanmar 4JH3-HTE because it broke two valve springs. It did so while running, destroying the valves, cylinder head and two pistons. Unless the OP was incredibly lucky and his spring broke while the engine was NOT running, he's got a whole lot more than a couple of valve springs to replace.

If it were me, I'd be pulling the head off to see what's up. I don't even know how you'd reinstall new springs without doing so. (On a gas engine you can push compressed air thru the spark plug hole and the pressure will hold the valve up. I guess you could do the same with a diesel if you had a compression test fitting for the fuel injector.)

You should replace all the springs, btw. Breaking springs is a common problem with Yanmar engines.

[roverhi]

Yanmar tractors are painted green and rebranded as John Deere in the US. Not aware if anyone has gone to the trouble of matching JD/Yanmar tractor motors to the Marine engines so you could try and buy the non marine parts from your local JD dealer. Yanmar Marine dealers are limited to selling in a specific geographic area. These dealers cannot sell outside their area so mail/internet orders for Yanmar parts doesn't work. You need to find the dealer in your area to order any parts for the engine.

[SailingFan]

Originally Posted by shakey doug

As previously mentioned take the remaining good spring into a Head Reco shop for matching, also ask them to show you which end goes towards the Cyl Head when fitting, Yes there is a correct way. Are the Valve stem Rotator caps in place?. Broken valve springs in motors of this vintage is not uncommon due mainly to corrosion.

I did not see any corrosion, just the shattered spring. The valves are both still there, as are the caps and all the obvious bits. However, as asked as well, I don't know if the valves are bent. When I turned the motor over (before I knew about the springs) I heard no untoward noises, and when I pulled the valve cover, it seemed like it had been on there a long time, so I doubt anyone else has been in there lately. I am hoping that the lack of noise means that nothing is broken or striking anything else in there, but who knows? The proof will be more obvious with the head removed.

The PO was saying that the person before him had replaced the exhaust elbow due to carbon blockage, and that he had not yet fired the engine up, dealing with other issues on board (the boat had largely been cleared out and he was in the process of restoration when he had delivery of new grandkids inland). I am praying that I did not purchase a lemon...

In any case, I will give a few more calls out. Tractor shops don't return my calls or talk with me when I ask for marine parts. I am noplace near St. Pete, but surely the US Mail reaches there, I will give them a call.

A local marine mechanic said you can stuff cotton rope into the injector hole to fill the cylinder to hold valves up, but I am going to pull the head anyway.

This is a single cylinder engine, and once you lose compression the thing ceases ability to fire (no glow plugs, and it will only fire on compression). Once the valve ceased to seat properly, the engine must halt, but there is still a moment of moving mass that must wind down I suppose. Hopefully nothing is bent, but we shall see...

About the best news is that the head gasket is normally reusable and there are no oil leaks!

[SailingFan]

Oh, and both valves are still locked securely in the head, but again without pulling the head, I don't know if either are bent.. I will be replacing both springs and probably the pushrods (the pushrods just because I am there). I am unsure what else, until I pull the head...

[Cheechako]

Florida Marine Diesel, Fort Pierce. He's a Yanmar dealer. Just a little place run out of an old house. 772 466 3027

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Originally Posted by SailingFan

About the best news is that the head gasket is normally reusable and there are no oil leaks!

Don't know about "normally" but anything I've read is once a head gasket is compressed, it can not be reused when the head comes off. You may end up needing a new head gasket anyway.

[Cheechako]

Do it right, replace any gaskets. Check the push rod for straightness also.

[model 10]

Solid copper head gaskets are reusable. You can reuse them to the point they are all squished out past the head. Very common in drag racing where they need to tear down the engine often. Any decent machinist can straighten a slightly bent valve. Very common in motorcycle racing where they often over rev and bend valves. Push rods no, into the trash.

[Compass790]

I feel your pain! Same thing happened to me with pushrod on YSM8. My solution ( suggested by my 87yr old father who still does sailboat races :-) was to get a small powerful magnet & put a length of heatshrink on the end & feed it down the hole that the pushrod went down & it picked it up. You can also get magnets on a telescoping rod. YSM8 doesnt have a sump pan. Pushrods are easy to hammer straight, bent one of those as well squirting engine oil in the air intake to get compression up but its done 75 hrs since I hammered it straight ( only a slight bend). I've reused my head gasket 2x using Loctite 515 flange sealant. If you want aftermarket parts PM me. I hope you havent got a junked piston coz they are eye-wateringly expensive from the Yanmar mafia if you must have genuine.Done most mechanical stuff on our YSM8 which is pretty close to your YSE8 so can answer most questions you may have

[sailon46]

Originally Posted by sainted

I just rebuilt my Yanmar 4JH3-HTE because it broke two valve springs. It did so while running, destroying the valves, cylinder head and two pistons. Unless the OP was incredibly lucky and his spring broke while the engine was NOT running, he's got a whole lot more than a couple of valve springs to replace.

If it were me, I'd be pulling the head off to see what's up. I don't even know how you'd reinstall new springs without doing so. (On a gas engine you can push compressed air thru the spark plug hole and the pressure will hold the valve up. I guess you could do the same with a diesel if you had a compression test fitting for the fuel injector.)

You should replace all the springs, btw. Breaking springs is a common problem with Yanmar engines.

Sainted hello I have the same engine in a 51.4 beneteau how many hours on your motor and under what load running conditions did your breakdown occur
I'll appreciate it a lot
Ernie on the Mary Janeeace