Yamaha lower unit trouble?

[Hroonk]

Here's the story. I have a pair of 2005 F225s. They were both running near flawlessly when we brought them in for their routine 300 hr service (including lower unit oil change)last week. The Yamaha dealer performed the routine service, we dropped the boat in the water and ran it back to the lift.

While getting everything squared away on the lift, my father noticed oil on the water behind boat. He checked the engine and one was leaking from the lower unit. He cracked the lower plug to check the oil and sure enough, the oil was milky! Turns out the ceritified yamaha technician had reversed the two lower unit plugs - the lower plug was in the upper threads and the upper plug was in the lower threads. B/c the plugs are different (lower plug has a magnet at the end of the threads) the upper plug was not seated correctly and allowed water to infilitrate the lower unit.

The dealer sent someone out right away. The new technician realized the problem immediately and changed the milky oil with fresh stuff after properly replacing the plugs. The total amount of time between running the engines and replacing the oil was about 3 hours (ie, water was in the lower unit for 3 hours.)

My question is, will this have cause any long term damage to the lower unit? Is 3 hours worth of salt water enough to begin corroding any bearings or shafts? I'm not sure what to do at this point or how it will effect any warrenty on the engines. (The warrenties are extended through 2010, but I'll have to re-read it to see if it includes the entire engine or just the power head.)

Thanks

[Sea Draggin]

Lower units are not normally covered by warranty, but fall under your boat insurance instead. I think you will be OK, but you want some good documentation here. Also I would change the oil again after the next time I ran it, that way if there is any residual in there, you will get it out.

[LuckyLady]

If you have warranty till 2010 your covered. 3 Hours of run time is not really enough to do severe damage, and as long as you have good oil on the units you will be fine. Not that putting the wrong plugs is a super common thing takes a rocket sceintist to that one, but I have seen salt water sit in lowers over the winter months and not a problem ever.

Make sure you receive documentation from your dealer stating what happened.

Also DO NOT call Yamaha and tell them what happened or you will screw yourself in the future, because everytime you call in the document every word you say. If a problem is to arise they will know what happened, and I am 99.9% sure you will be fine.

ps Lowers are covered for internal failures gears, etc. Except for re-seal due to fishing line and water pumps. Any direct failure will be covered under your warranty

[ADDfishing]

UH OHHHHHH....

I saw the exact same thing last weekend on one of our 05 F225's and we came to the conclusion that it was to some residual spillage from an oil change. I had a bag over the filter with the motor tilted up when I was removing it, and some of the oil got by the bag. I was thinking it was dripping down from the inside of the housing or something since I had never seen it before that service (I noticed it right away!). I think I need to investigate further. Thanks for the heads up. Has anyone else experienced what I just described?

[johnebquick]

I know when I cracked my lower unit and had water in it. I got home and drained it right away. Less then 24 hours later it was almost corroded together. Now thats after sitting at home, draining the lower unit and not refilling it. I respect LuckyLadies experence and am only telling you what I know. Like she said, get plenty of doctumention of the problem from the dealer.

[LuckyLady]

I know when I cracked my lower unit and had water in it. I got home and drained it right away. Less then 24 hours later it was almost corroded together. Now thats after sitting at home, draining the lower unit and not refilling it. I respect LuckyLadies experence and am only telling you what I know. Like she said, get plenty of doctumention of the problem from the dealer.

As soon as the air hits it, it will corroded. As long as oil was put back in immediatley it will be fine.

Even if there is slight corrosion once oil is in there and the gears and everthing rotate it will be fine.

Remember when your changing the gear oil under normal circumstances it is considered normal to see slight metal shavings, a little corrosion dust will not effect or be detected.

Just make sure that you change it at the end of your season. If you wanted to be super safe, have the dealer pop it back out and change it again at like 20 hours or at the end of your season

[LuckyLady]

UH OHHHHHH....

I saw the exact same thing last weekend on one of our 05 F225's and we came to the conclusion that it was to some residual spillage from an oil change. I had a bag over the filter with the motor tilted up when I was removing it, and some of the oil got by the bag. I was thinking it was dripping down from the inside of the housing or something since I had never seen it before that service (I noticed it right away!). I think I need to investigate further. Thanks for the heads up. Has anyone else experienced what I just described?

Its a pain in the rear to change the block oil and there is always some residual oil left in the lower splash pan and when you trim it up it leaks out. Make sure the block filter is tight.

No matter how careful they are when changing it there is always some in the lower splash pan when they change the filter

[ADDfishing]

Its a pain in the rear to change the block oil and there is always some residual oil left in the lower splash pan and when you trim it up it leaks out.

I actually notice the slight oil sheen just after I shut it down while the lower unit is still in the water. I can't tell if it's floating up from the lower unit or comming out the seam of the housing. I don't need to lock up a lower unit with 400 hrs on it.

HROONK... Is what I'm describing along the lines of what you saw?

Thanks for the help.

[LuckyLady]

I actually notice the slight oil sheen just after I shut it down while the lower unit is still in the water. I can't tell if it's floating up from the lower unit or comming out the seam of the housing. I don't need to lock up a lower unit with 400 hrs on it.

HROONK... Is what I'm describing along the lines of what you saw?

Thanks for the help.

Its always a good idea to check, no doubt! What happened to HROONK is crazy!

Hope it all works out for you all!

[Hroonk]

Thanks for all the advice guys......Actually to clear things up, we drained and re-filled twice while running the engine for a few hours in between. Keeping my fingers crossed it'll do the trick.

ADD, that sounds similiar, but to be sure, all you have to do is raise you engine out of the water and crack the lower drain plug open a few turn....if the oil that starts trickling out is white, you have water in your lower unit.