Cheap Yanmars

Dirk Diggler · 24 March 2004, 21:41

Heard an interesting story today, can't vouch for the authenticity of it but it sounds plausible, perhaps "diesel" could confirm.

It seems that Sealine, builders of "luxury" motoryachts have been having problems with their Yanmar installations. So much so that they are removing them and replacing them with Volvo's.

The Yanmar packages are being returned to Barrus due to them "not being fit for the purpose intended". It seems that they keep breaking drives, and they don't attain the expected speed

Now I don't know how true this is, but as usual I spoke to a guy who knows someone who knows the guy who's doing the swap's!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyhow, these packages are now starting to turn up on the s/h market, at a very low price.

jwalker · 24 March 2004, 22:06

Why would a right minded person want one?

Dirk Diggler · 24 March 2004, 23:10

coz they are the dogs danglers, you northern nobber!

jwalker · 24 March 2004, 23:16

Yeh, but it's no use if it turns the drive into a bag of melted bits you southern wuss.

Dirk Diggler · 24 March 2004, 23:22

Oh yeah, ok, you win. 1:0 to Scootland!

As it's rumoured to be 17 boats, it probably rules out "driver error"

Redbay Rover · 25 March 2004, 02:20

perhaps it the drive thats' the problem, not the yanmars? cheap american rubbish.

nik · 25 March 2004, 15:01

I presume it is the 300hp yanmars. As I understand it, the bravo 3 leg is borderline for the torque of this engine leading to the leg overheating and failing. And this is on a rib. I can easily see that the problem could be worse on a heavier boat. The bravo 1 is meant to be better.
I would be very interested to see how much these engines go for.
Nick.

jwalker · 25 March 2004, 20:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Redbay Rover
perhaps it the drive thats' the problem, not the yanmars? cheap american rubbish.

Yep, but there's also the cracked block issue.

hairybear · 25 March 2004, 20:46

I have just had my leg serviced new anodes etc at Dave Crawford, speaking to Dave I raised my concerns about the 3X leg and his advice was simple fit a Shower Cap and Change the Oil every 50 Hours. This is not in line with Yanmars Service but if it saves the problems then I am for changing the Oil every 50 Hours.

I can speak with some knowledge about Volvos, they are more expensive to Purchase than Yanmars, the Servicing Costs are much much more. Since 1988 we have had 5 boats with twin Volvos, four with Stern Drives, apart from one boat we have had more than our far share of problems with Volvos.

Also Volvos are heavier than Yanmars, not good in a RIB.

seafariskye · 25 March 2004, 22:54

Quote:

Also Volvos are heavier than Yanmars, not good in a RIB.

If thats the whole argument -- then its a crap one -- volvo's must be all of 60KG heavier than the yanmar - if that amount of weight effects the size of boat these are in then your boat is full of water...
and i do not think it is the engine, its the leg - i know of people that have been through 9 legs in a season with the Bravo 3, and a few that have had probs with the yam legs too -- (all commercial right enough)

Not good in a RIB -- mine go great, with allot more lard aboard than most --
Servicing is high with all these beasts, its something you will have to live with if you can afford to buy the whole thing.

My volvo's have been fine -- only wear and tear - on one i have 4000 hours on -- and was still going fine - but have just replaced it with a new one on the basis that reliabilty, is a huge factor for me, and i knew i would have to around these hours - -name me a yanmar with these hours on.

Pete

Redbay Rover · 25 March 2004, 23:47

there's a simple solution to all of this. It's called the Bravo 2

DGR · 26 March 2004, 09:27

What's the difference in price between Bravo 1,2 and 3? Roughly?

Andy Gee · 26 March 2004, 10:58

Quote:

Originally posted by jwalker
Yep, but there's also the cracked block issue.

Yes but that was just in 1 boat or am i wrong again?

jwalker · 26 March 2004, 12:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Redbay Rover
there's a simple solution to all of this. It's called the Bravo 2

But you'll loose the benefit of contra-rotating props.

Redbay Rover · 26 March 2004, 15:10

Countered (slightly) by the fact that the bravo 2 can swing a larger prop. I'd rather have better reliabilty than fancy props.

Dirk Diggler · 26 March 2004, 17:56

Quote:

Originally posted by DGR
What's the difference in price between Bravo 1,2 and 3? Roughly?

To a boat builder, hardly anything, just a few hundred pounds.

As for Bravo's being "cheap american crap", they may be crap, they're certainly american but if you think they're cheap then your in for a big suprise.

As for the reliability of a "2" compared to a "3". I wouldn't be too sure about that. The part that tends to fail in a Bravo tends to be the top end, hence the reccommendation of Dave Crawford for fitting a shower, but guess what, all the Bravo X's use the same top end, both casing, gears and all are identical, all having the same part numbers.

Now B1X's are imho bulletproof, but those big props on a 2, or pair on a 3 are possibly the cause of the problems. Again IMHO..

Oh, and I know of at least 7 broken blocks......

Neville · 27 March 2004, 03:24

seafariskye: I think you may be correct. Last year my work tried to buy two Yanmars for a big rib doing diving charter and sight seeing tours. The yanmar agent wouldnt sell them with a warranty for a commercial application - even a fairly light duty rating like this one. Kind of put me off buying them.

nik · 30 March 2004, 11:10

Quote:

Oh, and I know of at least 7 broken blocks......

Duff legs is one thing, but brokens blocks is pretty fundamental.
I have always been led to believe that Yanmar engines were good and reliable. I also thought that the yamaha diesel engine was the same as yanmar, but with yanmars modifications. Also that this engine was sourced from the toyota land cruiser.
Are yanmar doing something to their blocks that weakens them?
There are a few yanmar powered ribs on the secondhand market, if I thought the engine was possibly going to need replacing as well as a very likely drive leg replacement, I would not want to touch it with a barge pole.
Nick.

Dirk Diggler · 30 March 2004, 11:32

Yes, the Yanmar and Yamaha are both Toyota Landcruiser motors, and both have suffered breakages in the past. I'm not familiar with the way Yamaha mount there motors, but Yanmar for some reason don't use all the available bolt holes for the mounts.

There are several rib racers who are using a "custom" mount from a rib builder in Southampton, and that seems to have cured the problem.

Turbodiesel · 01 April 2004, 20:35

At last i have finally logged back on under a different name!!.

Right then, Yanmars are very very good, (but i would say that!!)
As far as cheap ones go, im not sure as i dont deal with the sales side of things but i will endeavour to find out tomorrow.

I have seen hundreds of yanmars doing 10k+ hours. Almost every MoD diesel powered rib fitted with Yanmars. All new Pacific 22s, and 24s have them. All combat support boats have twin yanmars. All the new Small landing craft have them. The Pacific 22 MK2 has had them for a long time now with no major problems, and they get abused more than most boats!.
Lots of them use Hamilton jets rather than props, so they dont go through so many props and gearboxes!.