It took a while, but my 2018 SHO 250 stopped making oil

[brianf.]

After battling oil-making since purchasing the motor last year, my oil change this weekend at 166 hours proved that, for the first time, I’m no longer making oil. Yippee!! I’m only running at 5700 to 5800 RPMs at WOT, which showed that seating can be accomplished below 6000. I’m happy about that since I didn’t want to re-prop or raise the motor again since my current performance is good.

Two things probably helped cure the problem. First, I returned to using conventional oil after making a switch to synthetic per the owners manual. Think I’ll stick with conventional for the foreseeable future since everything is now working well. If it ain’t broke...?? Second, I went on several hellacious WOT 25 mile runs, trying to get the motor as hot as possible. One or both of those things worked...and life in the Ranger is good.

Thought I’d share my happiness and potentially help others who might be struggling with the same problem.

[vmax]

[Bahala]

I can't believe it took 166 hours to seat the rings!

[brianf.]

I can’t believe it took 166 hours either. The rings actually seated sometime in the last 50 hours, which was my last oil change. The motor was still making tons of oil then. Multiple calls to Yamaha, multiple off-cycle oil changes at Yamaha’s instruction, lots of on line research and finally seem to have the problem licked. Wished it never happened, but I’m happy now.

[Bahala]

Awesome!

[tharris811]

Mine is a 2019 sho 250 it's making oil I am going to conventional oil hoping it works. Changed oil at 20 hours left it a little low now at 28 hours a little over full

[McQuaig]

After worrying about "making oil" on my new motor, and reading lots of threads here about SHO break-ins, I did my first 3 hours "by the book" and it made about 1 qt of oil. Then the next day I ran WIDE OPEN (about 5900rpm) for 3 HOURS, about 15 minutes at a time, then cooled off for 15 minutes between runs. Sometime in that stretch it quit making oil and has not made any since (about 40 hours now).

[hillbill]

I recently purchased a 2010 FX-21 that was one of the TSB engines, Yamaha stepped up and replaced the shortblock even though it had only 48 hours on the clock. in the first 2 hours it made about half a quart, i changed the oil and continued the break in by the book, at 8 hours it was above the full mark again, I filled to 6 1/2 qts or about half way between the dots, the oil smelled like fuel, I got nervous and changed again. the mechanic told me to stick with the program but at 11 hours and still making oil I decided to do the WOT method I had read about so much here. I ran it at 6000 for 15 minutes until I reached the dam, shut it down , let it cool, cranked it back up and ran the 15 minutes back down the river.

I can't tell it has made a drop since, it's now at 21 hours since the block change and all is well.

I will likely not go the synthetic route, just keep it changed regularly? If I do it will be down the road several hours so I know for sure break in is complete. I really like this engine but they will give you gray hair getting them broken in.

I have a friend that had a early model, it puked at about 600 hours or so, yamaha replaced it, he ran the replacement about 550 ,puked again, they did a short block and it went about 250 before blowing, he told me they all made oil til the day they died, he said he is done with the SHO. how long they would have lasted if the rings were seated ?
I would bet they would still be going?

[lamoon78]

The trick is and it may be costly to some is keep an eye on the oil level it hits the full mark change it. If you think yours stopped making oil just go idle around graphing or run a stump filled lake that you have to idle a lot it will start making it again.

[skennedy]

I idle around a lot on Kentucky lake graphing . Idle for miles off the Ohio River back into creek systems . For the last 3 years and 176 hrs on my Yamaha Sho motor and the oil level never moves from where I put in the spring with oil changes once a year . If it’s still making oil the rings were never set in the beginning to begin with . I don’t run mine wide open all the time either in less I have a lot of water to cover and conditions are right . The first 10- 20 hrs are the most important and guys just don’t dedicate there time to the motor . I’m lucky I have a 40 mile section of river 5 minutes from my house . I can get 10 hrs done in 2 or 3 evening after work when breaking in motors . Regular Yamaha oil not synthetic oil intill you know for sure its done then make the switch .

[Wglambert]

7/27/19 picked up my boat with 2019 vmax sho 200hp...was shocked to hear the sales me talk about keeping check on oil level.for making oil problem.had no clue this was happening to some new sho yamaha engines.only ran break in speeds for 2 hrs so far.have not checked oil level yet.hoping for no problems.

[lamoon78]

7/27/19 picked up my boat with 2019 vmax sho 200hp...was shocked to hear the sales me talk about keeping check on oil level.for making oil problem.had no clue this was happening to some new sho yamaha engines.only ran break in speeds for 2 hrs so far.have not checked oil level yet.hoping for no problems.

It’s not a problem if you do your part and do maintenance like you should mainly check the oil on a regular basis. Do not do like some will tell you if your oil level rises and that is suck some out and run it wrong thing to do change it completely. Drain with plug not those dam suction machines.

[520runner]

After battling oil-making since purchasing the motor last year, my oil change this weekend at 166 hours proved that, for the first time, I’m no longer making oil. Yippee!! I’m only running at 5700 to 5800 RPMs at WOT, which showed that seating can be accomplished below 6000. I’m happy about that since I didn’t want to re-prop or raise the motor again since my current performance is good.

Two things probably helped cure the problem. First, I returned to using conventional oil after making a switch to synthetic per the owners manual. Think I’ll stick with conventional for the foreseeable future since everything is now working well. If it ain’t broke...?? Second, I went on several hellacious WOT 25 mile runs, trying to get the motor as hot as possible. One or both of those things worked...and life in the Ranger is good.

Thought I’d share my happiness and potentially help others who might be struggling with the same problem.

What conventional oil make and number did you change to?

[TOUCH OF CLASS]

Break in was told to us run it hard with nose down and weight as the motor has to have a high heat load on it to get the rings to seat .Yes change the oil more frequently till it stops making oil.Its just the opposite of a 2 stroke don’t baby it.

[skennedy]

Plowing around with nose down just loads it up with un burned fuel . Rpms over 5k to 6k you hit max eng temps at around 142 dg . Plowing around with the nose down 128 to 130dg .