A disturbing issue with my Yamaha F200i4

[trapper]

After singing the praises of my Yamaha F 200i4 and yes over time sipping the yam cool aid from the chalice, I have discovered what appears to be an expensive problem. After a long run on the water this week and then a half hour trailered ride home leaving the motor tilted up overnight. Found engine oil from the base gasket area leaking onto the inside front of the motor cowling. On leaving motor down for a while, noticed oil had dripped down in side the cover of the bottom end onto the cavitation plate. Not much, but a leak is a leak and has no place on this outboard. There is not apparent loss shown on the dip stick. It is engine oil no doubt, and from my home work it can it only be the oil pump seal, or is there other access to the block that could leak engine oil at he base gasket. There is no sight of oil coming from the split block (head) gasket area. This a trailered boat and spends a lot of time in a insulated garage after being flushed with Salt Away after each use.Could use help with the diagnosis before heading to the repair shop ,where no doubt I will be asked to put my first born into slavery to cover the cost. Appreciate any and all info you guys would care to share. With thanks, trapper (suffering from a small depression)

 

[Halfhitch]

Well trapper old friend let me give you a little glimmer of hope that may pull your mood up just enough that you may be able to see over the rim of that depression. On my old Striper I had the 4 cylinder 150 Yamaha. I usually trailered it and it was a day boat only. I never noticed anything odd as far as oil leakage. Then I took it up in your neighborhood actually. I trailered it out to Winter Harbour on Vancouver Island and spent a week salmon fishing . The boat stayed in the water and the motor was never tilted up. We fished every day and put quite a number of hours on the boat. When the time was up, I put the boat on the trailer, tilted the motor way up to make sure it didn't drag getting on and off the ferry and drove back home to Western Washington. In a day or so after we got back and everything put away, I went out to clean up the boat and found just what you described. The splashwell had lots of really dark oil in it. I immediately checked the oil level and it looked OK, and it wasn't as black. I talked to a mechanic at my local dealer and he said that the plastic airbox/silencer on the front of the throttle body was shaped such that when in the running position it would accumulate an oily substance from the gasoline fog evaporating and leaving behind that dark oily residue. He said he had had several concerned owners bring it up and had deduced that it was just the nature of the beast and he admitted he didn't know just what the stuff was. He recommended before going into teardown mode to watch my oil level and run the boat. I did just that and after a good number of hours, I removed the cowl and tilted the motor far up and put a nice white rag under the silencer. Next morning sure enough....more oil.....and sure enough, the crankcase oil level still OK. I never worried about it anymore other than once in awhile I would purposely tilt the motor way up with the cowl off and a rag under the silencer so it wouldn't run back down the leg. I hope that's what you have going on. Oh....and say "Hi" to Frayed knot.

 

[SkunkBoat]

i can only hope it came from the dip stick or the filter.
I have experienced that panic twice on my old boat. Back from the first run of the 2nd season after picking it up from the dealer service. Oil slick from drips off the lower unit.
Ended up being the oil fill cap was off and sitting on top of the motor. A tiny bit of motor oil was splashed out of the fill and dripped its way down the motor.
Another time they overfilled just a bit too much and the dip stick dripped if the motor was up and turned toward the dip stick.
A single drop of oil on water looks like the Exxon Valdez!

Started doing all my own maintenance after that.

 

[PrinceofThieves]

I will give you one more glimmer of hope! On some models (not sure on exact models, though i had it on my F225), the dipstick assembly itself is starts to leak over time when tilted up. I had the same symptoms as you and the assembly was the culprit. If this is the case, you will know right away - look for oil around the assembly, wipe it clean if any, tilt motor ALL THE WAY up and watch for the leak. If it is this, it's a quick and cheap DIY fix.

 

[Fishtales]

http://www.boatus.com/magazine/trailering/2012/march/transom-saver.asp

prob just coming from the dipstick.

 

[seasick]

It is important to not overfill the oil on those motors. I am not saying that is what happened in this case but overfilling will lead to foaming of the oil. That can overflow but more importantly can lead to oil starvation. For a more accurate oil level reading, warm up the motor, turn off, let it sit for 15 minutes or so and then read wipe, dip and read the dipstick.

 

[trapper]

Thank you all for your diagnosis and encouragement , I will tuck my anti depression meds away for now, and check the outboard over carefully for a possible leak that does not involve gaskets and seals. Thanks Halfhitch for your detailed explanation, and the others for taking the time to share their experiences. Seasick, thanks for that. I have been doing all my own maintenance for years so am very familiar oil levels etc., but appreciate the reminder. I will report back after a detailed examination of the outboards source of the leak. I will not return to the depths of depression that could have potentially found me trading my precious Adventure for a sailing vessel. Believe Grady has yet to produce one with sails. Fortunately "Frayed Not" mumbled something about a divorce if that was considered. Again what a Great Grady Group!!! trapper

 

[trapper]

Disturbing now confusing! After a 2 hr. run....No leaks from the dip stick. No leaks from the air box/ silencer. No leaks from the base gasket, or anywhere after cleaning up after the initial leak.???? The oil seems to show up only after extended running time 4 hours cruising (approx. 4000 rpm). I never trailer with the engine right up, enough to get the wedge in and then motor down to just rest on it. No appearance of low oil on the dip stick. So for the moment will live with it and monitor the situation. Not happy when things like this go unresolved, but for now I will find happiness in loading up with spotted prawns. What a year for bring up the little sugar lumps from the deep!!

 

[Fishtales]

Could there be a gasket on the dipstick that isn't seating correctly? Just a thought. No oil is better than lots of oil!

 

[Halfhitch]

Now, trapper you know the rule. Pictures or it didn't happen. I used to love going out for those little tasties in Hood canal.

 

[trapper]

I will wait patiently until the oil reappears, hopefully never! Then will be standing by with camera to document proof of my oil leaking Yamaha i4, that I paid big bucks for and was suppose to see me through, until I troll through the "Pearl Gates" being asked "did you limit out on those big chinook"? I believe in another "younger" life I would have gone with a Susuki but would have required all instrumentation change, so stayed with the Yam. Yes I have had four or five Yams over the years, yes with a few problems, mostly covered with under warranty.. In doing my homework recently I certainly do like what Zuzuki is doing with their line of outboards. Doing my best not to snivel!!!