Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone...p

MarshVR4

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Jan 9, 2007
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Hey all, I'm new to this forum, but I'm hoping to get some helpful mechanical feedback on my 1998 Yamaha 225 OX66 2-strokes. I'll post the info I posted on THT about what my problem is, please let me know if you have any ideas:

The boat is a 98 Grady White Marlin. I have owned the boat for 6 months. When I bought it, it was suppose to have just been serviced by the grady white/yamaha dealer and found in good running order. 2 trips (maybe 100 miles of transit) on the boat, and I had lower unit problems. It started when we were trying to position over a wreck, shifted the stbd engine to neutral, and it wouldn't shift back out of neutral. I couldn't even pull or push the shift mechanism under the cowling. Ended up limping in on one engine, and 100 yards from the dock, when I shifted the other into neutral, the same thing happened! I ended up being towed the last 100 yards. Welcome to my new boat I took it straight to the dealership that serviced it last (Mariner Marine in Riviera beach, FL). They took apart the lower units and found them filled with water and metal shaving, both of them. It's amazing how this happened to both of them. End of the story, I bought two rebuilt lower units for $3k to replace them.

Towed the boat home to Houston, TX (I live in Missouri City, tx). a couple months later, after maybe 30-50 hours of use (no hours meter), both motors started running rough. Started with the stbd I believe. It got to the point where I came to a stop and they wouldnt' continue running...and after they died, I couldn't get them to restart. It was getting dark, and again I had to get towed in. This time, I found water...looked like fine droplets on most of the spark plugs on BOTH engines. I dont' know why this happened, but I assumed I had somehow blown the head gasket. That's when I realized there was gasket sealer caked all over the head gasket, which the service manual does not say to use. Anyway, replaced both head gaskets and it ran pretty good, except the stbd engine still would only do about 4800 rpms and when I'd open it up all the way, the rpms would actually drop down. I used it for a while like this, and the last trip we took out, at first they were idling rough, would cough and die every once in a while (both engines). At first they were ok at cruise, but by the end of the day, the stbd engine was surging and then slacking off to like 2800 rpms, then surging again. Decided to take it to the shop at this point. BTW, I did look at the plugs this time. Didn't see what I'd call visible water on them, but it was hard to tell. Not like when I changed the head gaskets before. I did check compression before taking it in and all cylinders were within specs.

Then the dealer called today and told me he thinks water is getting into both engines. They took the heads off the port engine and that's when he said he thinks the water is coming from the exhaust side and leaking back through the ports. We haven't taken the the stbd heads off yet, but he says the symptoms are the same, so it may have the same issue.

Like I said, I'm in the Houston, TX area. The boat is currently at Laser Marine in the Galveston Yacht Basin. I went to the boat show tonight and talked to some people. I think I'm going to take it to Boats, etc in Seabrook tomorrow. They have a master yamaha technician there and I'm hoping they can give me a better opinion. Of course, any opinions on what is going on here, or on which mechanic to take it to would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.
 

Ray Neudecker

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May 25, 2004
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Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

I will always vote for the master tech. Sounds like you have a case of neglected maintence especially as regards the fuel system.
 

imported_brett

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Jan 8, 2007
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Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Sir,
I too live in the Houston area and have had 1 problem with my yamaha in 6 years. I don't have a wealth of knowledge about mechanics but I do have experience with Laser marine. I think your plans about taking your engine to another mechanic is an fantastic idea. Also, a word of caution. The problem I did have I took to laser first and then Dawson marine in Beaumont second. Both charged me money and neither fixed my problem. Now what I did do was call a machanic by the name of Bob Campbell. Mr Campbell did work for Witt marine in Baytown but he told me that he was going to retire from their and go into business himself.
Mr Campbell came out to Bolivar Yacht Basin and fixed my engine in about 1 hour where the other mechanics couldn't even tell what was wrong with it. I am looking for mr Campbell to possibly have check something out on my engine before I sell my boat, Cape Horn 24 w/ 250 Yamama. I have called Witt marine to see if he still works there or if they know where I can reach him and with the boat show going on I can't reach them. Also I originally got his number from the Bolivar bait camp and I appempted to call them the other day but there phone number has changed. I feel he is a very good mechanic as he had worked for them for over 20 something years if I recall correctly. If you find his number put it on a post please.

Brett
 

rodbolt

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Sep 1, 2003
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20,066
Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

I am with Ray on this one.
seems EFI and DFI whup arse on many a good tech for some odd reason.
unless you wish to purchase some test equipment there isnt a lot you can do.
best thing is to detail the isues in as much detail as possible,print it and attach it to the work order for the tech to see.
my bet is a restricted fuel system and bad low pressure pumps.
the 3.1 motors eat them for some reason.
as far as sealant I use perfect seal on the headgaskets especially on salt water motors.
I do see the occasional copper coat or silicone seal, both are bad bad bad for outboad applications.
 

Ray Neudecker

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Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Wow rodbolt is back with us. Bet those fingers went into spasms when you got to a computor. You are hearing from a Master Tech now. Only the people who understand the systems can properly troubleshoot those problems. If not cured you will be out at least one and maybe two powerheads. He will need to start at the tank and go forward. I am not sure of the present servicer's ability to properly cure your problems. The engine is old enough for a corroded head to leak into the cylinder. There is a stong possibility that water from the tank has corrupted the system and is reaching the cylinder.
 

rodbolt

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Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

twitching?
just a bit.
I got an 18 pound pavon and lost one that would have gone over 20.
but 9 days in the jungle is about all I can stand. today I am in caracas,tomorrow I head back to rio chico and the tacharigua lagoon and on the 16th back home.
boating is ok and it pays for my fishing trips I just wish more techs actually had a clue or at least had the sense to realize when they are in over their heads and make some calls.
 

MarshVR4

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Joined
Jan 9, 2007
Messages
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Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Thanks for the replies. I took the boat to a different mechanic, one of two master yamaha techs here in the area I'm told. Anyway, he doesn't think I have a cracked block issue but agrees that it is probably a fuel issue. The unfortunate thing is that since the first mech tore down the port engine, I'm going to have to pay to put it back together before he can even run it to diagnose it.

I'm on the fence on what to do. I'm looking at repower options now, but even if I go that route, I still would probably want to get these EFIs fixed so that I can sell them and get at least some money back.
 

Ray Neudecker

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Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

With shop labor rates what they are today, you expect highly trained experienced techs to be performing the work. Unfortunately, it is often not the case.
Why they would go the route they did with a problem that screams fuel problems even over the internet is hard to understand.
Good luck.
 

imported_brett

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Jan 8, 2007
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Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Re: Grady White Marlin 300 - 98 225 yamaha EFI OX66 problems - Rodbolt or anyone

Sir,
Could you post me with the name and business name of the master yamaha mechanic that you have located in the event that I can not fix my engine. I would be interested to take it to him. Thanks
 
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