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

[nbsledder]

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.

Snobeast where is your dealer?

 

[craze1cars]

Theories are worthless here.

Once you get past this initial shock, you'll come to the realization that something ain't right (you already have), and NOBODY knows what's wrong with these motors if they haven't at a minimum pulled a head off to inspect these valves and piston tops to see why the compression is off. The fact that they're simply guessing and turning you away from warranty immediately is very strange and unacceptable if they haven't opened up these engines. Here's what I would do...in order...in your situation.

1. I recommend you go to a different dealer. Ask their help, and cooperate with what they recommend if you feel good about what they say. You live in Lake Zurich...there are MANY Yami dealers in the Chicago area for you to choose from if you don't like the first one (and you shouldn't).

2. Contact Yamaha customer service. See how they respond. If their response is satisfactory, go with their program and cooperate with their procedures.

3. If their response is NOT satisfactory, then you go to the next step. YOU authorize the dealer to tear-down of the motors at your expense, just far enough to determine the EXACT cause of the problem. You NEED this info before you can do anything. You guessing at the problem, and your dealer guessing at the problem is solving absolutely nothing.

4. Armed with FACTUAL knowledge post-teardown you will now know what you need to do:

a.) If it looks like it should be a warranty-covered situation, then go back to Yamaha customer service with your new FACTS, instead off just theories, and again see how they respond. If they agree to cover it, your tear-down fee will be 100% coverd by the engine rebuild/repairs they authorize and you will not be out any money.

b.) If however it looks like simple wear and tear/poor maintenance issue that would never be covered anyway, you can officially chalk it up as a financial loss, lose your faith in Yamaha's motors, and switch brands.

 

[welterracer]

Every year there is more and more 4 strokes out there on the trials.. So naturally you will see and hear about more and more of them breaking down.. They are not bulletproof.. they are engines under extreme temps and conditions.. BUT.. they are still the most reliable engines compared to 2 strokes..

 

[**sj**]

re: cust serv... if their response is not satisfactory...dont become discouraged...stay the course...calm and firm....let a day go by...then call again...go up the ladder....you'll get somewhere this way for sure..

 

[SledFreak]

Re: Sleds won't start. Now the engine is down on compressio

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!

You know for sure it was not a relay problem? Also, did the dealer tear the top end off to determine it was the valves. The other thing, I don't undertstand why wouldn't he try to put it through warranty, they get paid great money to fix it under warranty. Something is defintely not right about this and that dealer defintely sounds like an idiot.

 

[ptt]

How was the compression test done? Was the motor cold or warm, was the throttle open or closed.
This will all make the gage read different. Start with the easy things and move from there.

 

[sledheadgeorge]

How was the compression test done? Was the motor cold or warm, was the throttle open or closed.
This will all make the gage read different. Start with the easy things and move from there.

THats right. Can make up to a 30lb difference.

 

[SumpBuster]

danq, how do they run? Forget the numbers, are they down on power? Idle? RPM?
Keep us posted....I'm on my 4th four stroke and they all have run great, but I never store them, I start them at least once a month with the belts off and run them all year, and pound the snot out of them in the winter and at our fall grass drags. I think they really like to be run. If I blow one, it's going in a cloud of smoke and fire, ala NASCAR style.....LOL.
Oh yeah, already did that!!!!!!!!
Don't call me sumpbuster for nothin...

 

[Skydog]

relay problem That is it!

 

[rxwhopper]

also, ifwere cranking it over and it never started, whats saying it wasnt washed with fuel? that would bring compression down

 

[LT1MCSS]

Water in the gas rusted the vales? If thats tru that sucks. How many of you guys run dry gas in your sleds. I know I run a little bit in each of my tanks of gas.

If water in the gas is indeed causing this problem, that solves the problem right there. It also keeps the gas from freezing too.

 

[LazyBastard]

If there was THAT much water in the gas, it never would have run before it was shut down. Also, if the valves get stuck open, the pistons will actually HIT them, which would do one of two things;

a) eventually work the valves loose,
b) cause damage to the valves and pistons - this would be a HUGE major rebuild and would cost thousands.

My money says it had nothing to do with the valves.

 

[RTX]

Sorry to say this but I think you got screwed.
I think you have a good sled and a bad dealer/service dept.
bet it was bad gas and the dealer wasn't smart enough to figure it out. also think he isn't smart enough to do a proper compression test.
2 NEW sleds with identical no start symptoms and now both have same compression issue?
I think you are being fed a line of crap and i would call yamaha and then the attorney generals / better business burea

 

[STORM-CHASER]

Sorry to say this but I think you got screwed.
I think you have a good sled and a bad dealer/service dept.
bet it was bad gas and the dealer wasn't smart enough to figure it out. also think he isn't smart enough to do a proper compression test.
2 NEW sleds with identical no start symptoms and now both have same compression issue?
I think you are being fed a line of crap and i would call yamaha and then the attorney generals / better business burea

I second that

 

[hondo]

Sorry to hear about your problems.

Just as others have stated, get on the phone and call Yamaha in Cypress, CA.

Tell them everything!

Yamaha better stand by their motors.

05 RS Venture with 20,441 miles.

On RS Motors, valves get adjusted at 25,000.

Hope this helps!

Good Luck, and don't give up!