Yamaha F350V6

[GWcpa]

Evidently Yamaha will release a 4.2 V6 350 in the spring. Grady has already updated the max HP on the 235/236 from 300 to 350 and 600 to 700 on the 285 (307?)

Look forward to updated performance reports on these models. I know my 235 would be happier with 40-50 more HP.

 

[family affair]

What makes you think it will be a 4.2 V6 and not something else?
I'm sure they can get there with DI, but at what cost $$ and reliability? So far it looks like the DI systems in the 425 and 450 are getting the job done, but to say they are reliable is too soon to say IMO. They are also a step backwards in emissions. I'd feel better about a DI outboard if they put at least a TB injector upstream to minimize the potential for carbon deposits or used a dual injection system. We will all know soon.

 

[Sardinia306Bimini]

I hope it will not be the 4.2L V6 and prefer the old but modified 5.3L F350 without the old an new coming problems.
Yamaha had more than enough time to fix the problems of the discontinued F350 and the torque of big blocks is what counts in that HP class.
Chris

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I'm honestly quite surprised that Yamaha discontinued the F350 years ago and is just now coming out with a replacement motor for it. Their lineup goes from an F300 straight to a F425, and especially since Mercury, Suzuki and now even Honda offer a 350 hp outboard. I had to double check on Honda, but it looks like they just recently came out with their BF350. Seems like Yamaha is definitely behind the 8 ball here when all of their competitors offer a product that they haven't offered for several years now.

Honda BF350 Outboard Engine | 350 hp 4 Stroke Motor Specs and Features

The Honda BF200, BF225, and BF250 are 4-stroke 200 hp, 225 hp, and 250 hp marine engines. These powerful, quiet outboard motors are ideal for pontoons, center console, multi-hull, bay boats, and more.

marine.honda.com

 

[GWcpa]

My assumption of the V6 block (4.2 L or close) since the 235/236/285 are now rated for 350/700 but were not when only the 5.3 V8 was the only F350 option.

 

[family affair]

My assumption of the V6 block (4.2 L or close) since the 235/236/285 are now rated for 350/700 but were not when only the 5.3 V8 was the only F350 option.

I think we should start the rumor that GW will now be offering Honda as an option.

 

[Sardinia306Bimini]

I'm honestly quite surprised that Yamaha discontinued the F350 years ago and is just now coming out with a replacement motor for it. Their lineup goes from an F300 straight to a F425, and especially since Mercury, Suzuki and now even Honda offer a 350 hp outboard. I had to double check on Honda, but it looks like they just recently came out with their BF350. Seems like Yamaha is definitely behind the 8 ball here when all of their competitors offer a product that they haven't offered for several years now.

Honda BF350 Outboard Engine | 350 hp 4 Stroke Motor Specs and Features

The Honda BF200, BF225, and BF250 are 4-stroke 200 hp, 225 hp, and 250 hp marine engines. These powerful, quiet outboard motors are ideal for pontoons, center console, multi-hull, bay boats, and more.

marine.honda.com

After the disastrous introduction of the F350 Yamaha made 2 revisions of this engine and fixed most of the problems.
But meanwhile Suzuki presented the DF350 with DuoProp what turned out to be very beneficial for heavy boats and after some initial mechanical problems it seems that the DF350 is a great performer. But then and after a sneak peak in 2017 Honda packed all their knowledge in one 5L block and it seems that they totally nailed it. My friend who is one of the biggest Suzuki and Honda dealers on the island here told me already that Honda will present something stunning at the Genova Boat Show in October 2023. And they did....
It seems they not only worked silent on the BF350, they also installed silently the first production models on some boats to test drive in Genova. And the reviews where more than good and certainly Honda knows their Sç%&t, in marine, car/Motorcycle and small engines. But the lack of a capillary dealer network let them always be the last of the pack what they not should be.
Would I install the BF350? Maybe, the temptation is great but the fear of having problems with a completely new outboard is certainly damping my motivation to fork out big $$$.

We will see what Yamaha will present to fill the gap they created on their own decision,
maybe a tuned F300, maybe a modified F350 or maybe something totally new they where developing same secretly as Honda did.

Chris

 

[Sardinia306Bimini]

I think we should start the rumor that GW will now be offering Honda as an option.

Unfortunately they will 99% not, at least not in US where buyers have to take a new GW with a Yamaha outboard, while here in Europe it's different, we have the freedom to choose what will be rigged.

However, twin BF350 on a GW would be a sweet setup, very sweet ....

Chris

 

[family affair]

Unfortunately they will 99% not, at least not in US where buyers have to take a new GW with a Yamaha outboard, while here in Europe it's different, we have the freedom to choose what will be rigged.

However, twin BF350 on a GW would be a sweet setup, very sweet ....

Chris

I know it won't happen, but the rumors that get started on forums are legendary.
I'm confident the Honda 5.0 will be a 100% ass kicker. Honda is the king of the NA 4 stroke design. Considering this is their 1st purpose built marine engine, it will be exceptional.
The only reason the f350 had it's issues was because Yamaha got in bed with the wrong v8 manufacturer - Volvo.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

After the disastrous introduction of the F350 Yamaha made 2 revisions of this engine and fixed most of the problems.
But meanwhile Suzuki presented the DF350 with DuoProp what turned out to be very beneficial for heavy boats and after some initial mechanical problems it seems that the DF350 is a great performer. But then and after a sneak peak in 2017 Honda packed all their knowledge in one 5L block and it seems that they totally nailed it. My friend who is one of the biggest Suzuki and Honda dealers on the island here told me already that Honda will present something stunning at the Genova Boat Show in October 2023. And they did....
It seems they not only worked silent on the BF350, they also installed silently the first production models on some boats to test drive in Genova. And the reviews where more than good and certainly Honda knows their Sç%&t, in marine, car/Motorcycle and small engines. But the lack of a capillary dealer network let them always be the last of the pack what they not should be.
Would I install the BF350? Maybe, the temptation is great but the fear of having problems with a completely new outboard is certainly damping my motivation to fork out big $$$.

We will see what Yamaha will present to fill the gap they created on their own decision,
maybe a tuned F300, maybe a modified F350 or maybe something totally new they where developing same secretly as Honda did.

Chris

Holy rambling Batman...

 

[family affair]

Holy rambling Batman...

Kettle, meet Pot.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Kettle, meet Pot.

Likewise... although I must admit, I thought you were already on my ignore list... I guess I was mistaken. Oh well, onward and upward.

 

[family affair]

Aw come on Stang. That nerve just needs a to grow some thicker forum callouses over it!
Sardinia/Chris, I appreciated your post. I find it interesting that Honda had a bigger hype campaign in Europe than here. I wouldn't think that market would be as important to them as the US.
OP, I won't be surprised if it is a 4.2 V6, but the only way it will make 350 HP is with a vastly different fuel delivery system. I can't wait to see what it is.

 

[Sardinia306Bimini]

I believe that Honda brought and presented the BF350 to the FLIB just two weeks after the Genova Boat show and the public response there was not so excited as here in Italy. Probably because US is more Mercury orientated and/or Honda dealer network is even less than here and that is Hondas biggest problem, there and here. The most selling brand here is Yamaha and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, including that GW chooses to sell Yamaha what is a understandable decision.

There is a lot of boaters waiting for a new F350 to decide in a few months what brand to use for a repower, so Yamaha should start to get serious about presenting the new F350 and communicate availability.

From what I understood investigating about repower options for a 306 Bimini/Canyon or the 330 Express the old F350 was actually more fuel efficient on cruise speed around 28 knots than twin F300 what first surprised me. But the higher displacement and V8 torque explained that and that is what I would be interested in new outboards as I don't mind at all about top speed. While gas prices sky rocket in US, they skyrocket here too and gas is much more expensive here (between 7.2-8$ / gallon at gas station, 8-9$ per gallon at marinas) so Europeans are more interested in fuel efficiency than other countries where gs is cheaper.

GW boats are not light boats and I guess that at cruising speed they would benefit more from a high displacement V8 outboard than from a smaller displacement V6 with the last in technology to reach 350HP.

But we will see when Yamaha unveils what they developed to fill the gap.

Chris

 

[seasick]

From a marketing point if view, I would think that it wouldn't be a smart move to market a new 350 based on two factors: The history of the earlier 350s and the reluctance ( at least mine) to power a hull with a new model motor ( early production ). Why fight the success of other manufactures to try and resurrect a 'dead' product It seems like the higher output motors are the current target market and bases on the past years history of bigger and bigger hulls, the trend for more powerful motors will continue. You would think that those in their right mind would prefer fewer number of motors with higher output.

 

[family affair]

From a marketing point if view, I would think that it wouldn't be a smart move to market a new 350 based on two factors: The history of the earlier 350s and the reluctance ( at least mine) to power a hull with a new model motor ( early production ). Why fight the success of other manufactures to try and resurrect a 'dead' product It seems like the higher output motors are the current target market and bases on the past years history of bigger and bigger hulls, the trend for more powerful motors will continue. You would think that those in their right mind would prefer fewer number of motors with higher output.

I think I get what you are saying, but Yamaha has a gap that needs to be filled and the 5.6 is too big and too heavy for that gap.
Despite the success of the 5.6, I think Joe public will be reluctant to trust Yamaha on a smaller displacement v8 simply because "Yamaha V6 = good; Yamaha v8 = bad!"
Too bad Yamaha pockets weren't deep enough to design their own 5.3 v8 all those years ago. The v8 they built for Ford was quite good.

 

[Sardinia306Bimini]

Yes, I know that and think same regarding public acceptance of a modified V8 F350.
But I question myself why Yamaha waited so long to present the new F350 discontinued/not built anymore in 2019 as the 2017 presented C version.
Basically I would have been enough to use the F300, load the NizPro tunes and change another few things and the new 4.2L F350 is ready. But it's nor announced nor ready and until now just a hypothesis based on weak arguments.

There is a interesting tread in THT where some it was discussed if the F350 is discontinued or on backorder and some answers are particularly interesting
F.E.: Alloyboy wrote: Rumour has it that availability of the motor is being held pending final validation testing of a new crank shaft and rotor/flywheel/generator.

Chris