2014 Yamaha 115 Outboard bent valves

rolwil2004

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Joined
Jul 13, 2017
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2
I purchased a Bennington Pontoon boat in May 2014 with a Yamaha 115 outboard. It has run like a champ and serviced by my dealer each Spring. This year, I had it serviced in the Fall and stored. I pulled it from storage (professionally wrapped outside in Maine) and fired it up at my home. Only took two turns of the key and we were chugging as expected. However, three days later, I launched it in its home lake and it it wouldn't start. I tried all the normal stuff and I could hear the starter engaging, but the engine just wouldn't turn over. I eventually killed the battery trying to get it to run. I swapped batteries and couldn't get it to run. I trailered it and returned home, defeated and annoyed.

At home I tried several time to get the engine to start and just nothing. I did notice that I didn't hear the fuel injection kick in but every 25 or so key flicks. After pondering a trip to the shop for a couple weeks and looking at some different message boards, I finally decided to have the shop look at it. Turns out I have two bent valves causing loss of compression in two cylinders. Blows my mind how an outboard with sub 75 hours of use and professionally maintained can have this issue. Of course, the warranty had expired by about 9 days at time that it wouldn't run.

Repair bill is about $1,700. I have called my insurance to see if they will cover a non-damage issue. I am a water/engine novice at best and have paid 10s of thousands of dollar to buy and have a shop fix old boats for over a decade before buying this brand new boat in 2014. I finally bought this one thinking my woes were gone for at least a little while. But, I am now I very disappointed in this Yamaha engine. I wish I had reached out to Yamaha as soon as I had the not running issue. However, with it being a month after warranty expiry before I knew the issue, I didn't figure it was worth it.

Anyone else have a similar issue or offer any advice? I am cashing out on boating at this point. Making a monthly boat payment for a lawn ornament is not my idea of fun.
 
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99yam40

Fleet Admiral
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Sep 7, 2008
Messages
9,212
seems to me the cams would have to get out of time with the crankshaft for pistons to hit and bend valves.
did they say what caused this to happen?
cam gear or belt break?
 

rolwil2004

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Jul 13, 2017
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Belt is good. They assume it must have been the cams out of time. The only time this could have happened was when I took the flywheel off (and cam gears) to check for an damage or critter nesting under the flywheel. However, this was a week after the original not starting issue on launch. the cam gears are also slotted at only one point making it impossible to misalign them without drilling a new hole :) Seems screw up proof, even to me.

The tech has shown me the valve and how it (they) don't seat right. I never would have noticed.
 

boscoe99

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Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
2,193
Call Yamaha Customer Support immediately (or have the dealer call) and ask if goodwill support can be provided.
 
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