Yamaha 225 4 stroke whine?

[JD Guy]

I have a new 225 and it has maybe 10-20 hrs on it, and just tonight before I loaded it, she started to whine like an alternator belt was loose on your car. I looked under the hood, and the timing belt seems tight but maybe the idler is bad, I am going to contact a dealer tomorrow but if anyone else has had this problem I'd like to hear about it Thanks!

[nebrwalleye]

JD Guy,

I've had the 115 fourstroke. It did something similar, but doesn't sound exactly like your saying. Mine has mroe of a "grind" than a "sqeal" like a belt. I called Yamaha and talked to an experienced Yamaha technician - both said same thing. It's their gearcase - they just wine a little. They're dependable and tough, but a bit noisy. I never did have any problems, but I only had it 3 years.

[RDJ]

JD Guy, does the sound remind you of maybe a chirping belt on an auto?? I have an '03 F200 that started doing it a couple of months after I had it broke in. My noise seems to be associated with when the motor is good and warmed up, like after a long run during the colder months or during mid day hours spring and summer months. It seems to come and go!! I have talked to several dealers and the best description I can give them is it sounds like a slipping/squealing alternator belt on an auto!! Quite similar to your description!! I even talked to Chad at the Yamaha trailer last fall at the RCL Champ and I have gotten feed back that ranges from one end of the motor to the other. I have not noticed any loss of performance or any other symptoms that have developed, the motor has been trouble free for me but it still eats at me when a motor makes a sound it shouldn't be and not one of the 5-6 dealers or techs I've talked to can diagnose it and most have never had other claims of it. The Yamaha tech said it was a bearing associated with the lower drive train and was meerly a slight lubrication shortage but it was of no risk to fail, one dealers service mgr.(who is pretty darn sharp)said that they had only had one 4 strk that they've rigged or sold do this and they thought it was comming from the water pump or circulation system. My local Yamaha dealer said "Well you have warranty for another 1 1/2 yrs, drive the H*ll out of it and they'll(Yamaha)have to fix it". By the way, that was and will be my last visit to him for anything. I wish I could be more help but I've been waiting about a year for someone else to show up on here with this strange noise if it is similar. Let me know if you find anything out. I have tried to reproduce the noise at shops but with muffs or indoor tanks I can't run the motor warm enough or long enough to seem to get it to start. It really seems to show up when out on the lake after runs or when its nice and warm out. The noise in my motor is very evident at idle rpms and up to about 1500-2000 r's when it's doing it and seems to go away as the throttle level is increased, much like being able to make a slipping belt on the car stop squealing by hitting the gas pedal. Feel free to email me if you have any ideas or have any luck comming up with a fix. I understand the service guys problem of it being hard to fix something they can't see or hear to isolate. I just hope some more units will show up and Yamaha will have to get involved. See ya, RJ in Montana..

[Unlogged T-Mac]

Rob... hopefully, we aren't your "local dealer"... ...
But anyway, we have seen a couple four strokes (F-115s as I recall, but am not sure) with owners complaining that their engines were doing this noise.

The problem is, we can never get their engine to do it when we run it. one of my techs spent hours at the lake after hours one day trying to get this engine to do it, but could not make it happen.

One of my techs is speculating it might be the belt tensioner making the belt squeal sound due to wear dust??? Can you ever get it to do it... when it would be possible to remove the cowling and sort of track it down?
Wish I knew an answer.
Terry

[Unlogged T-Mac]

If it is simply a whine... it is the lower unit gears. You hear them in I/Os too, especially when new.

[RDJ]

Hey Terry, not to worry!! Your not my local dealer(your the one with the sharp service guys). That dealer is about 15 minutes from me. It seems I can get good service and his full attention when he has windows on order with our company but his lead time and interest grow when he doesn't need you!! I wish you were my local dealer(nuff said)..I guess in relative Montana terms, we're not that far apart huh!! I spoke to Dave early this spring and he said you guys had had one you were working on or rigging or something that did it but could not get it to repeat enough to locate and isolate the problem. At that time he was thinking maybe the water pump or circulation system. As I said in my post, mines been doing it on and off now for a year or more and it never gets worse or changes its pattern or tone. Performance has never changed and no other problems or quirks have come up. I just hate things that can't be explained with expensive toys!! If you find anything definite let us all know. Is the belt tensioner easy to get to? I will have it on the Columbia this next week for a few days and it should be plenty warm to make it get to squealin'. Maybe I can check it out if its accessable while on the water. Let me know.. Thanks for the info, Rob J

[JD Guy]

Yep mine sounds exactly like you said, a slipping belt, and also the first time I heard it was after a 5-10 minute haul across the lake, unfortunately that was the last time I ran it and now it is at a dealer for him to listen too, hopefully it does it for him in the test tank. T-Mac did you replace that tensioner to fix the problem? I don't think it is from the gearcase being I can hear it at the top of the motor, and I can rev it in nuetral and get the pitch to change with engine rpm's.

[JD Guy]

RDJ if you find something let me know too, it sounds like we are in the same boat everything you describe is exactly the same!

[Unlogged T-Mac]

Ok... Dave is off, today...but I'll try to remember to ask him later in the week.

[Burr ND]

Don't know what it is, but you could do this to attempt identifying the source of the noise.

Carry a dowel, or long screw driver with you. When the noise begins, remove cowling, cover one end of dowel with your thumb, and place on your ear, and put the other end of the dowl at various parts of the motor. The sounds in the motor will resonate through the dowel. Makes it much easier to identify the source of the noise. Hope it helps.

[Unlogged T-mac]

No. we could never get one to make the noise so as to identify the source. My tech was speculating.

[REW]

Another thing to get is a "mechanic's stethescope".
Keep it in your boat.
When the noise comes up - pop the cowel and use the scope to track down the noise.

A mechanic's stethescope, likes exactly like a Dr's. stethescope, except where the chest mike is located, there is a long hollow pipe.
This pipe, when placed on noisy mechanical components really channel the noise very well to your ears through the tubes connected to the end of the pipe.

You can pick up a scope like this for under $10 at most auto supply stores.

Another thing that you can try, and it won't void your warrenty, is to carry a can of v-belt lube.
Although the typical timing bests do not require any lube - the addition of the lube won't hurt the belt. It is possible that under heat and high speed running, that the belt is reactins in such a way as to create a noise.
If you hear the noise - spray the belt and the noise goes away, you can be totally positive that the noise is being caused by something related directly to the belt.

If the tensioner is causing the noise; the scope will quickly tell you that as well.

Take care
REW

[JD Guy]

Thanks for all the help to everyone who posted, and suggestions, I think I'll get the scope and the belt dressing. Also does anyone know just how tight the timing belt should be? I do not think it can slip with the drive cogs on it, but could it be a slipping on the tensioner causing harmonics?

[phil disco]

The reason a dealer can not replicate the whine is because the problem is not occuring. No Yamaha has ever had a problem and every one ever built is still in use today. The only wine associated with Yamaha is sake.

[perchjerker]

Just for reference, if the timing belt slips on the "cogs" you will know it. Those teeth in the belt are there so the camshaft is timed to the crank. If it slips (jumps a tooth) your cam timing will be off and the motor wont run correctly.

[JD Guy]

I do not think RDJ and I are just making this up, there are at least two motors acting this way, and one in MT, I think every brand has its own problems now and then. Also I do realize the motor will not run if the belt jumps a cog. It is just a little let down one you expect a quiet idle and you get a squeal when the motor feels like it.

[Dusty]

JD,

Make it at least three motors. My 02 F200 has made the whine/squeak noise as well. It doesn't do it all the time, but sometimes when I make a long run and it gets warm, it will squeak for a few seconds after I bring it back idle. Most of the time it doesn't do it. It doesn't do it in the spring and fall, and if it does do it in the summer, it seems like abnormally hot days are the key. It puzzles me.

I have taken it to my local dealer twice for this issue, and each time they claimed to have a fix. I believe they replaced some bushing that Yamaha recommended. It has helped cut down on the noise, but hasn't removed it completely. They cannot replicate the noise in the shop because it doesn't get warm enough. Other than the occassional whine/squeak, it has been a great motor. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has experienced it. Keep us posted if you find a solution!

[beetle]

I have a 60 four stroke merc with the same noise. It was aggrivating at first but I got used to it. My dealer couldn't pinpoint it either. Acually there are 2 noises. One sounds like a timing belt squeal that dissapears as the rpms grow, and only happens in cold weather, and the other only shows up at a certain rpm range, then leaves. I thought it may be an exhaust problem.

[LyleK]

Same problem with a 2001 90 HP Merc. Only starts after a lengthy ride.... can't figure it out.

[Destry Foyte]

I have a 200 Yamaha 4stroke I sold that has a noise like that and from what we have come up with is a nylon bushing the drive shaft runs through in the lowerunit, one post stated this. Yamaha said we would get that noise. We replaced the nylon bushing and noise went a way for 6 months and came back again. We replaced the bushing again no noise, haven't heard from him, but I think this fall I will get a call again and have to replace that bushing once again. Hope that helps.

[JD Guy]

Thanks for the help I will mention it to the mechanic working on it. It does suck that there is no permanent fix for it, it must get old replacing a bushing all the time, by the way was there any wear on it, or could it be lubricated somehow? Thanks!

[eieio]

I imagine there will be a lot of Yamaha whining next week when they begin paying 22.5% tariffs for illegally dumping engines in the USA.

[Destry Foyte]

No the bushing didn't show any wear, its a tuff material but its in a spot there is no lubrication.

[JD Guy]

One last question, is this the bushing that just acts kind of like a guide going up to the motor? Thanks again for all the help, I finally think I have the noise figured out!

[Overtime]

I have a Yamaha 115 4 stroke with the same noise. Usually only does it after engine is warmed up by going across the lake. The noise is very consistent especially when putting a load on the boat i.e. tubing/skiing. Just latly it has started to burn oil when starting. We would take turns tubing/skiing when I was behind the boat I noticed a cloud of white/blue smoke from the exhaust when starting, only burns oil when starting. It's now at the shop again I haven't heard back from them yet. The first time I took it in they said they could hear the noise in there tank. They said there was sand in a bushing that was causing the noise which I find hard to believe since it has made this noise from break in/day one. One of the reasons I went with a four stroke was because there supposed to be so quite. Now almost whenever I am idleing it makes the squealing noise which gets old after a hour of trolling. I don't think I'm asking to much to have have yamaha deliver on there advertisements of being a quiet motor. Also a guy at work has the same exact motor an his has never been anything but quiet.

[Brad1]

I have not experienced that problem with my Yamaha F225. Mine is as quiet and as smooth as can be. I currently have close to 80 hours on my engine. Based on what you described, you should have it looked at.

Mine did have an intermittent vibration, only when in gear and at 600 rpms, but that went away at after about 20 to 30 hours.

[KTurner]

JD

My '04 F225 makes the exact noise you describe in the 1,000 - 1,400 RPM range after being warmed up. I plan to run it to the end of this year and then take Destry's advise and have the bushing looked at. Thanks for putting up this post. Kurt

[JD Guy]

Thanks for more people responding to my post, my motor still is squealing, but it is my own fault for not bringing it back yet this year. I hoped it would wear in and not do it anymore, but at the end of the season she will also be looking for a new bushing, or maybe Yamaha has a different fix for it now.

JD Guy

[leftee]

All of the Yamaha 225 whinning I hear is from their owners about what slow pigs they are.

[tjsker]

At very low RPMs it will emit a low pitched whine. I've never had a problem with it after two years on the water.

[zoe dog]

>Thanks for more people responding to my post, my motor still
>is squealing, but it is my own fault for not bringing it back
>yet this year. I hoped it would wear in and not do it
>anymore, but at the end of the season she will also be looking
>for a new bushing, or maybe Yamaha has a different fix for it
>now.
>
>JD Guy

I have a few issues with my F225. First is the whine. Same thing. Run her hard for a few miles then she whines at idle. Second I can't get more than 5800 rpm's out of her. Third -I have a clicking or a clunking noise sometimes when lowering motor all the way. Some have made comments that its the silinoed but I don't think it is . I have heard what a bad solenoid sounds like on a car. This is more pronounced.It also clunks once when coming out of the hole and I hit the trim.

If anyone can help please let me know. Sounds like we are all having this problem.

[Overtime]

I have my yamaha 115 at the dealer now they are supposed to have a really good tech there. They said that they are going to replace the bushing. I guess it's coverd under the warranty also. Won't be till next week that they replace it. However I plan on taking the boat out the same day I pick it up and will let you all know if that fixes my squeal at idle speed.

[Keith Miller]

The clunking sound could be from no grease on the tips of the hydraulic rams. Put a dab of grease on them and it should go away.

[REW]

The whine is likely caused by dry or slightly defective bushings in the lower unit. Yamaha had a series of engines of various propblems with a supplier problem.

They will take care of it under warrenty and put in new bushings.

The whine really doesn't hurt anything, and Yamaha claims that it will give good life. However, if they can replace the bushings and have the problem disappear, go for it, when you can have the boat down for a week.

Take care
REW

[Green Bay Angler]

This issue has been discussed in length a few times at thehulltruth. It is a bushing issue and can be fixed by spraying with silicone.
Look for the pic in post by Mud Runner.

http://thehulltruth.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=63715&posts=19&highlight=yamaha%20squeal&highlightmode=1#M640963

GBA

[Green Bay Angler]

This issue has been discussed in length a few times at thehulltruth. It is a bushing issue and can be fixed by spraying with silicone.
Look for the pic in post by Mud Runner.

http://thehulltruth.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=63715&posts=19&highlight=yamaha%20squeal&highlightmode=1#M640963

GBA

[Walleye Buster 2]

Have an F200 that just developed the problem with less than 100 hours on it. Sounds just like RDJ descibed in an earlier post - an automotive belt slipping. Does it at idle and when escalating low RPM's. Mine also does it in neutral as well as in gear - has anyone else noticed the same??? One thing I did learn was that I cannot get it to happen with the motor cover/housing off. Put it back on - problem comes back. Release the latches and loosen it a little - goes away. Clamp them - it comes back. Therefore, my issue almost seems to be an air flow whine, but it sounds just like a belt. Checked all air passages and everything is clear.

I don't know if this is the same issue the rest of you have experienced, but would love to hear your feedback. Sound's silly, but maybe that is why the shops can't duplicate it. I'm sure the first thing they do is pull the cowling to have access to the motor. That was my first step too. Will post if I find anything further.

[JD Guy]

This is the first I've heard of the silicone trick, will try it next weekend, I get around 6100 rpm's, maybe you need a less agressive prop? I know my buddy tried a different pitch on his 4-stroke and it killed his top end and rpm, but did give it a great holeshot. The other noises haven't happened yet, hopefully won't.

JD Guy