Yamaha Maintenance (oil change / gear oil change)

[engineersx2]

When my 150 HP; 4-stoke yamaha's hit their 20 hr service needs, I got a quote of $550 from the marina where I keep our Grady to perform this service. Looking at the required effort, the main task seemed to be chaning the engine oil and the gear oil. So... I took the plunge and did it myself (with the help of my 14 yr old son- took about 3 hrs).

IN doing this service I had 2 problems/questions.

the first was: as compared to my last Yamaha 225 -4 stoke where I used an electric motor to suck out the oil through the dip stick, I used a 14 MM socket to remove a drain plug. Unfortunately, I was concentrating on not spilling the used oil, and when the nut came loose, it fell to the bucket I was using to catch the used oil. All seemed well at that point and I put the plug/bolt back into the block and put about 5 quarts of oil into the motor.

Then when I was doing the same operation to the other motor, I was more careful and caught the drain plug/bolt and noticed that it had what appeared to be an alluminum washer or crush washer.

I tried to find the crush washer for the first motor - looking in the bucket where I had drained the oil - but had no luck. Does anyone know how important this washer is? I was thinking of purchasing this washer and put it on during the 100 hr maintenance service. Just concerned that without the washer, the nut may work loose or?? Guess I am looking for a level of confort as I am hoping to go offshore for the fist time and having this be a problem.

Can someone let me know how important that aluminum/crush washer is?

On a related note, I also changed the lower gear oil. IN doing so, I ended up having to find a larger flat head screw driver than I had brought with me to the marina. Even with the largest head that would fit the drain plug, I had to use a crescent wrench on the screw driver to get the torque needed to screw off the plug. Perhaps it was the paint of the new motor that seemed to make the plug stick.

Question here; how important is it to touque these drain plugs/fill plugs to the owners manual specs? Have to admit when I change the oil in my SUV.s I do not use a torque wrench. Just a reasonable judgement call on how much torque to use. For you mechanics out there, do you believe it is important to torque these nuts/bolts or is it OK to re-install the plugs using a snug fit?

thanks for your input!

Ric from Suffolk VA

 

[ocnslr]

Congrats on the F150s. Sweet engines.

I'm not an expert, but:
1. I wouldn't go far at all until I knew whether that crush washer was in place on the first engine. I believe they should be changed each time.
2. The torque specs are there for a reason on the lower unit plugs. Imagine one vibrating out....
3. If you are going to do your own work, recommend you get a Yamaha shop manual for the F150. Also recommend you contact Andy at Shipyard Island Marina (800-213-3323) to purchase the manual, and your oil, filters, etc. (Usual disclaimer - no financial interest, just a very satisfied customer).
4. Talk to Andy about a pump unit that he has - modified - to remove the oil from the Yamaha engines. You can still remove the plug to get the last dregs, but it really isn't necessary.
5. You didn't mention changing the oil filters (another adventure). Strongly recommend changing the filter whenever you change the oil.
Brian

 

[tony-sally]

20 hr maintance

I thought the 20 hr check up was a warranty issue Ididn't have a charge
with my first set of f-225 now i just repowered with f250 and my 20 hr
is coming up hae some thing changed and their charging for this
work which I thought is warranty work
Tony

 

[Anonymous]

Yes.

 

[capt chris]

I just had the 10hr break in service done on my F250TXR. The dealer here charged me $206.71 for everything. He basically just changed the oil, filter, and lower unit fluid. His labor rate was $95/hr. Next time I will go to the other dealer in town whose labor rate is $75/hr. Shame on me for not asking the rate before I went. My boat is on a trailer and I took it to them.

 

[ocnslr]

. 550 seems steep for 1 - F150. Pete

He has twins.... I don't think $550 is that unreasonable for two engines, IF they do everything specified for the IMPORTANT 20-hr service.

The original poster did not do all those things. Sounds like an oil and lower unit change, and nothing else. So really no comparison to the maintenance specified by Yamaha.

I don't like paying $$$/hr, and I do what I can, but I do make sure that ALL the specified checks are done when they are supposed to be done, using the specified procedures.

My grandmother used to say, "Penny wise and pound foolish"..

Brian

 

[dduflo]

Capt Chris
Next time you should change the oil, filter and lower unit lub. Look what it costs for parts and your time to clean up the mess changing the filters creates. I've done it and it is not a fun afternoon. We want quality marinas that "take care of us first cause we bought something" but expect everything at wholesale.
If you would go somewhere else for a small change in the hourley rate I'm really glad you are not my client!!

 

[capt chris]

Capt Chris
Next time you should change the oil, filter and lower unit lub. Look what it costs for parts and your time to clean up the mess changing the filters creates. I've done it and it is not a fun afternoon. We want quality marinas that "take care of us first cause we bought something" but expect everything at wholesale.
If you would go somewhere else for a small change in the hourley rate I'm really glad you are not my client!!

I don't disagree with your premise, I just don't think a $25/hr difference in the labor rate is a small difference. It's a 21% difference in labor rate and they are both Yamaha factory autorized dealers. We have no Grady dealer within 365 miles so I have to use other Yamaha dealers for engine service. They are both supposed to be competent to work on Yamaha outboards so why pay $20/hr more for the same service?

 

[CJBROWN]

Congrats to you for the DIY effort. I'm all for that. $550 for that work is absolutely ridiculous, at least to me. I do ALL my own work, from outboards, to BMW's to Allison transmissions, to, well you name it, nothing scares me. Been doing it for 35 years. The only way something goes to the dealer is if it requires a computer, or highly specialized tools, like rebuilding a trans, or grinding valves, or turning a crank. Disassembly and assembly is pretty easy stuff if you have the tools.

ocnslr has given you the best advice. The crush washer is absolutely necessary, it lets the plug snug up against soft metal so it doesn't get jammed, or worse, leak because it's too loose, or worse yet,comes loose and falls out. It won't do that, you'll see it leaking before it falls out :shock:

Don't throw your oil away - who said that??? WTF, I pay $6 a quart for my oil so I wouldn't throw it away. If you tilt the motor all the way up you can take the plug out, plug it with your finger and put the washer on the plug, reinsert. You might lose a cup.

Fuel Filters?? What? At 20 hours? If you're talking the jumbo 10 micron, I think that's a waste of money. But whatever. I do mine once a year, guess it depends on whether you get bad gas or something. The one under the cowl you can see if it has anything in it, dirt or water. Mine is spotless after 150 hours. I thought the ring was floating so I pulled it off. Nope, it sits on it's little plastic carrier.

And change the filter, use an OEM, no substitutes. The Sierra's are crap. And don't over fill the oil, leave about a quarter to a half inch below the high mark. You need expansion space for when it warms up. The fill specs will put it about a quarter of a quart low, that's where you want it.

I don't torgue the lower unit plug either, but it does take a BFH screwdriver to get it loose. A torgue value is highly recommended.

The whole thing is maybe an hour job. For me, the hassle of taking it somewhere, and paying someone to do something I have no trouble with, is not worth it to me. For some guys, having the work done is the only way to go. Or get a friend to do it that's good with that stuff.

It sounds like you have no trouble getting the job done, just pay attention to the details (like you've done) and you'll be fine.

When I work on my 3-series BMW, it's easy to get nervous with that too. But they are not hard to work on as long as you know what needs to come off first before you can get to what you're after. They, like the yamaha outboard, are pretty highly engineered as well. It is probably the most technical machine I've ever worked on, most things are pretty simply put together.

Let's see, when I was about 7 it was an 'erector set'. Just loved those little nuts and bolts!

 

[CaptKennyW]

I dont need to change the oil in my gas-guzzleing blue smokey 2-strokes!!! :lol: :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Yes.

 

[GulfGrady]

I dont need to change the oil in my gas-guzzleing blue smokey 2-strokes!!! :lol: :lol:

Don't you mean oil guzzling also? :lol: :lol:

 

[BobP]

Get the torgue wrench.

I bet you don't use a screw driver on the car pan plug, you would be surprised just how much leverage you get with some distance even a little.
And your car plug is much larger in diameter which is an advantage.

I had my twins in for gas filter changout at the dealer, and they said the lower unit plugs were not tight. I used a screwdriver with a huge handle and leaned on it, and still.

 

[Grog]

The early fuel filter change is mostly for a new boat where you're going to catch some extra junk. On a repower, I don't see the filter geting dirty that fast. Whatever you do don't screw yourself and void the warranty.

Definitley put the crush washer in the drainplug. Grab your son and one plugs the hole while the other puts the washer on the drain plug then installs it. Engines have dip sticks for a reason, add oil until it reads full.