Makes me glad I don't have a YAMAHA.
 

Helping a friend out with his F225 YAMAHA. His trim would go down, but not up. Get in there and find a couple of the nuts on the trim relay were loose, tightened em up, but the trim relay was still dead(clicking, but not keeping the circuit grounded to go up). So it needs a trim relay, normally no big deal. Price the friggen thing out, and it's $274 from SIM YAMAHA for it:nut:. HOLY CRAP BATMAN! What happened to using a pair of 30 amp relays like we did for years that cost about $8 for a good quality replacement one. Just reminds me as to why I have a skiff now, can't afford to work on, let alone feed one of these big outboards anymore.

We have this discussion often around the marina. New high tech vs old carb 2 stroke. Is the fuel savings/reliability worth the extra cost of up keep and cost of parts and the need for special tools or software/computers.

Around here in the northeast it might not worth the extra cost for the recreational boater. Our season is so short and many people (working full time) only use the boat once a week.

It can be argued from either side.

Would people agree that the smaller the boat the more you use it?

We have a 15' RIB that we use at least 4 times a week in season.
Glad it's got an old 2 stroke. However I replaced the trim motor on it last spring and it wasn't cheap (aftermarket not Yamaha). Yamaha part was 3x the price if I remember correctly. Hopefully you get what you pay for doesn't bite me in the a$$.

Theu have been using those high doller relays on two strokes for quite a while. Nothing about boats is cheap. For myself, I use CDI's universal relay harness and use two cheap box type relays. BTW, those Yamaha combo relays raeky give trouble. I've probably obly replaced 10 or so in my carreer

They didn't tighten all the nuts down on it from the factory, they laid over, let moisture in, and burned the points clean off inside(took it apart to see if I could fix it, found th s t was a no go with how they potted in the actual solenoid wires). It is an 11 year old outboard, so he can't complain to much.

Same with cars,lawn mowers, just about anything mechanical.
I used to carry parts to repair irrigation timers & heads, now just remove and replace.
Points & condenser for a Briggs was about $5 bucks and u had to put a set in just about once a year. Now the ignition module is about $60, but I have had the same mower for 12 years, tires and frame is shot, but never had to put points in it.

It's all good till it breaks.

I might have mentioned to Ferman and a few others that I had a friend twith a 200 Yamaha 4-stroke that flushed his motor religiously. Literally after every outing it is lift kept and the hose would go on it for 10 minutes while we cleaned up, it was the ritual. That motor developed a leak thru the block due to corrosion. He never did the thermostats and he had a significant buildup of corrosion in and around the t-stats.. Someone else mentioned that there are more sacrificial anodes in the block somewhere that need to be changed. I know that adds up $$$ and even worse to discover a four year old motor that has major corrosion issues, despite flushing.. He patched the holes, drilled one and tapped it to put in a pipe plug and he epoxied the other leak. I would like to think that it is not a common occurrence? BS I looked it up. My Mercs have never corroded like that, Johnrudes either. Just saying... Last couple outings I witnessed multiple Yamaha powered boats on the rope of shame. They all breakdown. My Mercs weakness is in the compressor setup. Lower units too, maybe self-inflicted there. I am hard on the Merc, so if there is going to be a stress related failure I intend to find it.. :fam: :zip:I'll behave now.

The words Yamaha and corrosion go hand and hand. The Japanese must use some poor quality aluminum. Recycled beer cans or something. I have replaced dozens of those f225 midsections. It's such a problem Yamaha made a "kit" with all the necessary parts to do the job. I'm with you Vic. My Opti has never been flushed. Except once or twice after churning through some shallow muddy bottom and clogging up the powerhead. And still after changing t-stats the inside of the heads are as good as new.

We did the anodes in this thing earlier this year, and YIKES at the corrosion. He also religousky flushes, washes, sprays down with corrosion block, all of it. And it was all we could do to get those 4 zincs out of the heads. Then had to glass bead and clean up everything to put the new zincs in. Yamaha seems to be alot better than Suzuki. I always loved our zuke outboards, but the corrosion was bad. Even my Honda has quite a bit considering it was mostly a freshwater used engine.

Honda is the worst, then zuke, then Yamaha. I can't say on the newer bombs, aint enough of them around here to know. Late 90's Johnrudes were pretty bad. Mercury had the best aluminum(XK360) till they closed the Stillwater plant. The newer stuff corodes pretty bad. Lots of offshore stuff(Merc, Yamaha, etc,,,) being used now. Like my FIL says, 'theres nothing in the world saltwater or a Marine can't F%#& up", he was in the Navy

I agree salt water will rust a sheet rock bucket, but it's pretty ridiculous the amount the new out boards go for and some of the problems some are having after being religious about maintainence.