Sleds won't start. Now the engine is down on compression!

[danq]

Sorry ahead of time for the tone of this post but I'm very disappointed with Yamaha 4 stroke engines.

Background. We just put about 1500 miles on our sleds in the UP and wisconsin over a period of 11 days. Engines ran fine, started great, 15 mpg, used no oil. Parked them on the trailer. Last week, after sitting for 12 days, neither one of our 06 Apexs would start!

Batterys are fine, fuel pump relay is fine, they spin over like there is no compression. this is happening to both sleds! ~3800 miles.

Take them to the dealer. They say the valves were stuck open. Must be bad gas or something. $490 later they are running again but on 150 compression instead of the expected 180. Carbon build up? No other sleds in the group had any problem with gas and neither did we when we parked them on the trailer.

We're about a week out of warranty. The dealer said this wouldn't be covered even if we still had warranty or if we had YES warranty!!

Since when is a 4 stroke affected by "bad gas"? I don't think it is OK to have a sled with 150 compression and not be a warranty issue? The oil was fine. what else is and owner supposed to do?

I'm pissed.
Beware this can happen to you too. SO MUCH FOR 4 STROKE RELIABILITY! less than 4000 miles and they are junk!

 

[welterracer]

150 PSI is still excellent compression.. (was this test done with a tea spoon full of oil in the cylinder) IF NOT, it could have been higher..

You situation is STRANGE.. ive never heard of two sleds having the same problem at the same time.. yamaha cannot control the fuel you are using, only the gas stations can..

Just because you and your buddy had a problem doesnt mean the whole world is...

Ive got 4323 trouble free miles on my engine and still runs like new.. Others have as much as 20,000+ miles on theirs..

 

[danq]

150 compression is down 17% from where it should be. When in the world of four stroke engines has "bad gas" EVER caused a valve to stick open? it a one in a million thing yet it happened on both sleds on the same day! This doesn't make any sense. you better think about fogging your 4 stroke if it is going to sit more than a week.

 

[snowbeast]

Sorry to hear this,but my dealer stated to me less than two weeks ago,that he was getting down in the dumps lately,just because of this same problem,i asked what that was,and he stated that this year he has had way to many 4-stroke motors fail,i asked which ones,and he said both 3 cy. and 4 cyl. i was shocked by his comment,and now i am not feeling so great about my foolproof 4-stroke,now he did not go into details about the motors failure,but it sounded like they were all catastrofic failures,and that is not good news for yammi.

 

[hlmrx1]

Have you had these sleds since new or did you and your buddy buy them used?

 

[danq]

Things can happen, but I'm most disappointed that the dealer says this isn't something that would be covered by warranty. So much for standing behind the product. We're going to contact yamaha and get it directly from them, so I guess I can still have my mind changed. But right now, my next sled WON'T BE A YAMAHA.

 

[danq]

We bought them new. It's my sled and my wifes.

 

[danq]

The dealers theory is water in the gas rusted the valves.

 

[**sj**]

incidentally....if the throw on the compression tester isnt the same length you will get a lower reading....

if you are mad..call customer service and complain...tell them of the many people you know and how you will inform them of the lack of 4 stroke reliability if you arent satisfied..

 

[SledFreak]

F&*() Your dealer and Call Yamaha Customer service NOW! Someone on here can post the number for the California Customer Service Center. Tell them everything you just told us.

 

[SledFreak]

incidentally....if the throw on the compression tester isnt the same length you will get a lower reading....

if you are mad..call customer service and complain...tell them of the many people you know and how you will inform them of the lack of 4 stroke reliability if you arent satisfied..

Exactly, Yamaha sells that they are dependable and relaible and that you do not have to adjust the valves for 20,000 miles. CALL THEM.

 

[SledFreak]

In 2005, when I was at the dealer show looking at the 06 Apex, the rep told me that since the evolution of the RX-1, they could count on one hand how many motors blew up.

 

[danq]

thanks I'll do that when I get back in the country..

 

[**sj**]

I had a fully modded sled with about 800 miles with the crank out 6 thou....they tried not covering this...it took me a month but in the end I got a new crank..

 

[danq]

I was just trying to look up what the valves are made of. steel, stainess, titanium? couldn't find the answer. if they are stainless or titanium then the dealers theory wouldn't wash..