So Here's a Funny One....

[White Horses (Mike)]

Picked up our new 225 last week with F250... I followed the dealers instructions to run at differing RPMs after the first 2 hours and I approached redline after 4 hours. When I did - WATER IN FUEL began flashing at me. The boat did not need to throttle back. I THROTTLED BACK! Anyway - I was close to the mooring, so I limped home slow and tied her up. I left an email with the dealer, but haven't heard back yet. I noticed the next day that I could drive around at medium speeds with no warnings. I ramped up throughout the day and nothing. I have a feeling it is a sensor issue. On Monday I will quiz the dealer and find out what they have to say, but it hasn't come back and I am now at 6.5 hours.

I was very interested to see this post...

Mike

 

[capt chris]

Mike,
Did you follow the break in instructions in the owner's manual or just do the break in the way the dealer recommended? Maybe the methods were the same, just curious.
Also didn't you say your 225 was a 2007 model? Maybe it had been in inventory longer and had a greater chance for condensation in the tank or the "old" gas going bad? Did you fill it up after delivery with "fresh" gas? Just trying to think of possibilites for your situation.

 

[jekyl]

While at the dealers it would be wise to have them show you where all seacocks are and how they work. If you have not had them in a boat before then it is extremely important you know how water can get in to your boat.
Shame on the dealer for not going thru the really important stuff.

 

[gerrys]

Unless the stain was created by really bad stuff, the dealer should be able to deal with it. Is the dealer aware that the stain was present when the boat was delivered?

I would think that the dealer would work with you on the bottom paint. Most of the time they have left over paint around the yard but, if not, a fair split would be his labor and your paint. I can't imagine any pushback over this.

 

[Dogwood]

So here's the scoop so far...

1) Called Yamaha (kudos to Capt!) and explained the water in fuel warning.
His take was that a legitimate water contamination should flash the alarm on the tach and sound an audible alarm in neutral. When in gear the readout should continue to flash but the alarm should silence, hence it is likely a sensor/electrical issue and not true contamination. You can visually inspect for water at the sensor by removing the cowling and looking at the small bowl-like housing. He advised to get it checked by the dealer immediately.

Then inquired about the break-in period; in short--1st hour 2000rpm; 2nd hour 3000 rpm; next 8 hours periodic WOT for 5 min then cool down to much lower rpms for 20-25 min. 10-20 hours run as you like, then 20 hour service.

2) Called GW tech: advised removing gel coat stain with Aurora Marine Boat Scrub and Boat Clean mixed 50:50 and applied per instruction on container.

Passive water through live well not dangerous but should close seacock when not in use. Dealer should have shown you its location near the transom.

3) Called the dealer an raised all issues. Seemed very amenable to addressing the Yami issue, getting rid of the gel coat stain, remarking and repainting the bottom at no extra charge, and showing me the seacock location. It was clearly advantagious to have all my facts straight prior to my call as he clearly knew I had done my homework which in turn would not have been possible without all of advice I had received from you kind folks on this website. Thank you again as I am clearly ignorant but learning fast! I'm scheduled to take the boat back to the dealer tomorrow to have all issues addressed at will let you know the results, especially the sensor issue as this seems common and of interest to many. Once again thank you all for your helpful advice!!!!!

 

[capt chris]

Keep us posted Dogwood! That's how we all learn from each other. Thanks!

 

[White Horses (Mike)]

Basically the dealers recomendations were the same as Dogwood just described. That's pretty much what I went with. The trip downriver to the sound takes enough time that we were pretty much into hour number 3 after a test run with the dealer in the boat. I have done very little W.O.T. mostly just ranging up and down the RPM scale.

I am pretty sure the tank was not fueled at all until the boat was placed in the water for delivery. I understand where the seacocks are and they are closed. The bilge is dry, etc. Condensation in the empty tank over the last year is theoretically possible, but my guess is that Yamaha has a sensor issue.

In my case their was never any audable allarm. just a flashing message on the Yamaha guage for about 30 seconds or so. Since then, all systems apear to be go...

 

[capt chris]

Mike,
I think you're probably right about Yamaha having a sensor issue. The only thing that seems to be a common issue to everyone is that it's happening on new boats with little or no time on them. I will be going on a shakedown cruise @ Beaver Park before I head for home so I'll see if it happens to me as well. I would be curious to know when everyone's engines were manufactured. I think there is an ID plate on the motors that tells you the manufacturing date. Let's see if they were all built around the same time. Maybe just a bad bunch of sensors during a production run.

 

[White Horses (Mike)]

I've been meaning to get back to this topic for a little while. Our dealer is emphatic that yamaha has a sensor/software issue and not to worry about it. (The alarm would sound if it was real, etc.)

The "water in fuel" warning did reappear once last week during a similar situation, brief run up to WOT. It disappears when I back down a bit. The dealers are coming up in the next few days to do the initial "break-in" period service, and they intend to disconnect the water sensor until yamaha comes out with their ""fix." According to the dealer, yamaha didn't have a water sensor until last year and they have been having this issue ever since. They expect a remedial action from Yamaha soon.

BTW - the more we use this boat, the more it kicks butt... What a great design! I have only minor complaints as follows:

I thought the anchor that came with the boat was a little cheesy - an 8 lb danforth style. The width of the stock was not wide enough to reach the rubber bumpers that Grady installs at the factory. I will give my dealer some ribbing about this - it is embarassing.

My nav lights do not work - maybe a bad bulb. Dealer will deal with it.

I guess that's not a bad list of complaints for a new boat!

Last note - I followed a beautiful grady C.C. with twin 250s out of Cove Marina in Norwalk today. It looked like a brand new 28 footer? I imagine it was a Release 283? Whoever you are - -NICE RIG!

Happy Summer to you all.