Have these Yanmar Diesels a good reputation for reliability

[Boxertwinjeff]

Hi, a boat I will be looking at soon has a 50hp Yanmar diesel, Model 4JH2Ce, don't know what year it was built, Owner says it was completely rebuilt in 2012 and has 645 hrs up. From photos & a survey report it appears to have been well maintained. Are they a good reliable engine?
and any ideas to what year it is? thanks for any replys...

[Lizzy Belle]

Engines are so not my specialty ... I learned about the engine in my boat so I can keep it running and solve the minor issues, but that is about it

However, from what I understand, Yanmar parts are not easy to come by, nor very affordable (putting it mildly ).
Which is why I had that engine on my 'avoid if at all possible' list.

That doesn't answer any of your questions tho -sorry!- but might be something you want to keep in mind.

Edit: the year etc. should be something the owner knows or at least can look up in the boat's documents?

[Hobie_ind]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

However, from what I understand, Yanmar parts are not easy to come by, nor very affordable (putting it mildly ).

I've seen similar responses a few times over the past 6 months on this forum and completely disagree. I've found Yanmar parts dealers, often with good stock and probably more common than any other brand with the possible exception of Volvo, at very regular intervals throughout the Caribbean, Columbia, Panama, French Polynesia, Tonga, Fiji and now New Zealand.

As for parts, with minimal effort you can often find the cross references for many common spares (ie. Starters, filters, water pump, impellers, etc) on other applications (and often non-marine) at significantly cheaper costs. For example, I bought a replacement Hitachi starter for about 1/3 the cost of the OEM part as they share that part with engines used in some Tohatsu and John Deere heavy equipment. That said, I'm not sure you'll find that Yanmar OEM parts are much differently priced than many of the other main marine engine manufacturers. Have you priced out Volvo parts lately?

Walking away from a potentially good boat because you don't like the potential price of an engine part doesn't make a lot of sense to me if you step back and look at the big picture.

Just my thoughts....YMMV

[Hobie_ind]

Back to your original question though....

I don't have a lot of experience with that engine, but a quick call to a local Yanmar rep may reveal any common issues to look out for on that model and from the Serial Number they could probably tell you the year it was made from their parts catalogs.

One more observation, I think on that model, the water pump">raw water pump is on the port side under the cooler. If you buy the boat, do yourself a favour and buy the Yanmar impeller pulling tool and the Yanmar impellers that are threaded for the tool. Makes it an easy job rather than a pain for tighter installations like that looks to be. In fact, I don't know why all impellers aren't made that way.

Have fun shopping....

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Engines are so not my specialty ... I learned about the engine in my boat so I can keep it running and solve the minor issues, but that is about it

However, from what I understand, Yanmar parts are not easy to come by, nor very affordable (putting it mildly ).
Which is why I had that engine on my 'avoid if at all possible' list.

That doesn't answer any of your questions tho -sorry!- but might be something you want to keep in mind.

Edit: the year etc. should be something the owner knows or at least can look up in the boat's documents?

Originally Posted by Hobie_ind

I've seen similar responses a few times over the past 6 months on this forum and completely disagree. I've found Yanmar parts dealers, often with good stock and probably more common than any other brand with the possible exception of Volvo, at very regular intervals throughout the Caribbean, Columbia, Panama, French Polynesia, Tonga, Fiji and now New Zealand.

As for parts, with minimal effort you can often find the cross references for many common spares (ie. Starters, filters, water pump, impellers, etc) on other applications (and often non-marine) at significantly cheaper costs. For example, I bought a replacement Hitachi starter for about 1/3 the cost of the OEM part as they share that part with engines used in some Tohatsu and John Deere heavy equipment. That said, I'm not sure you'll find that Yanmar OEM parts are much differently priced than many of the other main marine engine manufacturers. Have you priced out Volvo parts lately?

Walking away from a potentially good boat because you don't like the potential price of an engine part doesn't make a lot of sense to me if you step back and look at the big picture.

Just my thoughts....YMMV

I had a Yanmar 4JH. What a great engine. Parts expensive??? Not really compared to Volvo or Westerbeke.
Gee Lizzy making a random statement like that after admitting you know little about engines seems counter-productive. Perhaps Yanmar parts in EUR. are difficult to find because of the way Yanmar networks their distributors but in the US, they're everywhere.
I think Kabota based engines (Beta, Universal and a few others are the cheapest and easiest to find of them all. I like Perkins too. Even if they leak a lot of oil.

[sck5]

yanmars were the only kindof parts I could find in some places in the eastern caribbean. It being Japanese I would expect it to be een more so in the Pacific

[malbert73]

I have the original 4jhe in my boat. 28 years old and 2500 hours and still runs perfectly. I have heard the 4jh series is very robust and reliable. My engine surveyor told me never to get rid of it. Easy replaceable cylinder sleeves also apparently.


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[a64pilot]

Engines are so my specialty, it's sailing that I am a Novice in.
My opinion is from a brand perspective Yanmar is about as bullet proof as there is, but just like every brand of engine, there are red headed step children. I have no idea if this one is, as has been said I'd call Mack Boring or similar and ask if it's a model to avoid or not.
Plus, I'd look into the overhaul, that means different things to different people.

Most of my Yanmar experience comes from their engine in John Deere lawn tractors and the like.

As more boats in the US have Yanmars that probably all other brands, parts seem readily available, (in the US anyway) but they are expensive. I think that is a boat thing though.

A lot of this is the old Ford or Chevrolet argument, people seem to like what they have to, so there will be different opinions of course.

[akprb]

We have one and we love it. Transmission uses straight 30W and can spin. Easy to service and reliable runner. Maintenance and good fuel management always a must.

[seasick]

I have a 4JH2 in my current boat and think the world of it. I have lived with many other manufacturers of diesels and I can't say enough good things about this particular Yanmar.

It is very well balanced, quiet, clean burning, smooth, easy to live with when motoring for days on end, fires right up everytime, filters and pumps easy to access, tolerates my abuse and misuse, I could go on but I'll leave it to say I would give preference to a boat with one of these engines over any other manufacturer.

[Symphony]

I have had three boats with yanmar diesels. All were/ are excellent. I have bought and sold alternators (yanmar Hitachi), regulators on Ebay, and yanmar-brand impellers, easily finding them in stock at chandleries large or small in US or Caribe.

The only flaw i would note is the small size and poor terminal for the starter solenoid. replace that wire before leaving the dock or bring a remote start button

[SVTwilight]

Originally Posted by Hobie_ind

I've seen similar responses a few times over the past 6 months on this forum and completely disagree. I've found Yanmar parts dealers, often with good stock and probably more common than any other brand with the possible exception of Volvo, at very regular intervals throughout the Caribbean, Columbia, Panama, French Polynesia, Tonga, Fiji and now New Zealand.

As for parts, with minimal effort you can often find the cross references for many common spares (ie. Starters, filters, water pump, impellers, etc) on other applications (and often non-marine) at significantly cheaper costs. For example, I bought a replacement Hitachi starter for about 1/3 the cost of the OEM part as they share that part with engines used in some Tohatsu and John Deere heavy equipment. That said, I'm not sure you'll find that Yanmar OEM parts are much differently priced than many of the other main marine engine manufacturers. Have you priced out Volvo parts lately?

Walking away from a potentially good boat because you don't like the potential price of an engine part doesn't make a lot of sense to me if you step back and look at the big picture.

Just my thoughts....YMMV

Second that!

[George DuBose]

Originally Posted by seasick

I could go on but I'll leave it to say I would give preference to a boat with one of these engines over any other manufacturer.

I second that opinion. I have found that many of Yanmar's consumables are identical to some items used by auto manufacturers. Engine oil filters, impellers, etc.

Parts hard to find? I don't believe that. Shopping around for OEM Yanmar parts will bring the best prices and with overnight deliveries around the world, there really isn't too much to worry about. PM me and I will share who I deal with for my parts needs.

Other than fastidious maintenance, I have no problems with my 3GM30F. It should outlive me.

[MarkJudy]

Originally Posted by Boxertwinjeff

Hi, a boat I will be looking at soon has a 50hp Yanmar diesel, Model 4JH2Ce, don't know what year it was built, Owner says it was completely rebuilt in 2012 and has 645 hrs up. From photos & a survey report it appears to have been well maintained. Are they a good reliable engine?
and any ideas to what year it is? thanks for any replys...

we just sailed. Around the world withh a Yanmarr 4jh4 that now has over 7000 hours on it. Never been seen by a mechanic. Change oil and filters often. That's all. Starts in a second. Runs beautifully. I say: buy it.

[Rough Magic]

I have owned two Yanmar, a 4 cylinder and a 6, both were excellent engines. I would buy again.