Yanmar GM owners - check the lube oil pipe!!!!!!

[lockie]

I thought I'd post this for the benefit of anyone with a 1, 2 or 3GM or similar engine.

I had read in this forum of the known problem of rusting and failure of the little lube oil line that runs from beneath the starter around to the rear of the cylinder head, but hadn't looked closely at mine.

Just over a week ago, after pulling into Port Fairy's safe harbour I thought I'd better check things like engine oil, bilge level etc. Many short epithets came from my lips when I discovered the rear of the engine coated in oil, sump level down to lowest mark on the dipstick, and the bilge contents a deep black colour.

I managed to trace the leak to the pipe and removed it, to find it had a small hole around midway along. Bad enough, but then it almost fell in half as I handled it. So how lucky was I that it hadn't broken through and quickly dumped all the oil the previous day while I was out there in 25 knots motoring to safety?

To add to my great fortune, the local bush mechanic who services the Port Fairy fishing fleet diesels was around and brazed the banjo's onto a bit of tube for me in under an hour. This all happened just after Christmas, so I avoided having to wait a week or so for the dealers to reopen and ship one to and charge me the horrendous Yanmar OEM price.

So here's a shout out to Andy Gilmore ("Gilly") the bush mechanic in Port Fairy, look out for him if you need repairs.

And here's a strong prompt to all you GM owners to take the pipe off and inspect it, and probably replace the little sucker anyway.

And here's to the great sea-god who wasn't quite hungry enough for my life on that particular day.

Cheers, Graeme

[Island Time O25]

Last spring I had the same little pipe on 2QM15 started to spew oil all over. At least I was on the hard when this happened during the Spring engine check up. Yanmar stopped selling this particular QM pipe and the GM or YS pipes would not fit. Plus it was US$50 or there about, while each part of it - 2 banjos and a 4" pipe itself - separately is $2-3 or thereabout. But my marine pro buddy saved the day when he found the right size but flexible type (though still rated for high pressure oil) in his old bits and pieces bag (he used to have 3QM30 on his previous boat).

There is a guy in England selling these online by the bagful at reasonable, compared to Yanmar dealers, prices. Was going to order from him until my friend found his piece.

[rdempsey]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

There is a guy in England selling these online by the bagful at reasonable, compared to Yanmar dealers, prices. Was going to order from him until my friend found his piece.

Do you have a link for him?

[sailorchic34]

Anyone with a yanmar GM that is at or over 20 years old, really should replace the external oil line ASAP. They all will leak from the same place on the tubing, once the steel tube corrodes.

I used a $1 of copper tube and solder to replace mine. Yanmar offers a new copper replacement for $56 ish. But it's easy enough to do with a drill and tubing.

Having extra crush washers to replace the ones you drop into the bilge durring installation is good to have too.