Blown SHO Update

[Meleagris1]

There is no brand out there that is immune from this kind of thing. All the mechanics that i've talked to have generally told me that Merc, Yamaha and Evinrude are all good to deal with and take very similar steps in repairing their motors under warranty. I have no doubt that Yamaha will get you straightened out. I don't blame you for being ticked, but like I said, give them a chance to fix it. Aside from your 4-5 threads on BBC, I haven't seen any much talk about problems with the blown SHO motors. Most people seem to be thrilled with theirs, myself included (previously a Merc guy also).

Also before leaping back to Merc, you may want to talk to this guy and see how they handled his blown ProXS . . . .

http://www.bbcboards.net/zerot...22417

[toledo freak]

can you please tell me how you think sending a complete short block assy is not a acceptable fix??? and why do ya'll keep referring to this as a re-build? what makes you think that there is not something different about this shortblock? there could be slight differences inside or even just different assembly techniques being used to provide better reliability of these motors? i have been in the marine industry for 20yrs and have the pleasure of dealing with yamaha on a daily basis as well as other manufacturers and let me tell you no one comes close to handling things and covering things as well as yamaha does, beings you already have your mind made up on a repeat failure i suggest you go ahead and pull that SHO off and go back to merc cause you will never be happy and if you know so much about outboards, the manufacturing, engineering and warranty procedures, you my friend are in the wrong profession? i suggest you let the professionals at yamaha and their engineers decide what's right! " they are truly first class", and by the way their is not a company out there in this situation that would send a fully dressed powerhead something else to chew on" mercury has been making the opti for basically 12yrs and it is far from being bullet proof

[ChampioNman]

I think in Chuck's mind that a short block is a re-built power head because his technician has to move the parts over to the new shorty. That is what is leaving a bad taste in his mouth over the deal and he wants a full dresser. Knowing Chuck, he feels entitled to a full dresser and he hopes that there have been some engineering changes to the internals. I can't speak for Chuck and won't. I've been in the marine business for a few summers myself and deal mostly with OMC/BRP products. When a E-tec pops a majority of time you will get a full dresser to install unless the engine report shows something else.

[toledo freak]

trust me i feel his pain, i really do but one week the world is great and yamaha rules then you have a failure and now this. I meen dont condemn the repair before it ever happens? If repeat failure happens then cross that bridge then, the last thing you want to do is bite the hand that feeds you!!! If your that worried and dont have confidence then by all meens sell it and cross over to the dark side where there are no failures and things are handled wonderfull all the time

[toledo freak]

wow some people are beyond help!!! gunna make this short,please sell your motor as all i want from you is to be happy and thats obviously not gunna happen with the yamaha, and like i said before i have been for 20yrs dealing with this from multiple outboard manufacturers and i am saying from EXPERIENCE,which i get more of in a week then most of you in a lifetime!!! and without a shadow of a doubt yamaha is far superoir in every aspect than all the rest, " perfect" no. That my friend is stating the facts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! have a good day

[Rmax]

Well my 2010 250 SHO just blew @ 62 hours and another is at the same dealer for the Yamaha tech to check out on Tuesday. I'm really unhappy reading this thread and hearing of a lot of SHO Blows in the Lake Fork area. I wish I had some stats to throw at the rep because I know they’re going to blow smoke up by @$$. Mine is on a Legend Alpha 211 but my dealer sells mostly Skeeter so you know they’ll back up Yamaha 100%. Too much business would be lost because Skeeter is owned by Yamaha and they sell a lot of them. 6 year warranty is nice but I never expected to use it this quickly and exposed more based on the standard fix. They better get this fixed or this will ruin Skeeter and Yamaha sales.

[Chuck D]

Dang, I'm sorry Randy. I wish you were not in the same boat as me on this. This is one time that I don't want company as no one should be as frustrated as this is making me and the other guys who are dealing with this but maybe if Yamaha sees this and pays attention to it properly things will look up.

Right now, they have to come up with a strategy. They do not have anything else to fall back on since they discontinued the HPDI 2 strokes and the F series 4 strokes have not really made an impact in the bass boat world the way they have in the salt water world.

Stay in touch with us here and post updates. It's how we all learn about what's going on and if things are improving. I'm sorry you are dealing with this also and oddly enough at the exact same hour mark that mine blew... Unreal..

[teamskeetersteve]

Short Blocks contain Block, Crankshaft, Rod Bearings, Main Bearings, Connecting Rods, Pistons, and Main Bearing Seals.

[clm6741]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Rmax &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Well my 2010 250 SHO just blew @ 62 hours and another is at the same dealer for the Yamaha tech to check out on Tuesday. I'm really unhappy reading this thread and hearing of a lot of SHO Blows in the Lake Fork area. I wish I had some stats to throw at the rep because I know they’re going to blow smoke up by @$$. Mine is on a Legend Alpha 211 but my dealer sells mostly Skeeter so you know they’ll back up Yamaha 100%. Too much business would be lost because Skeeter is owned by Yamaha and they sell a lot of them. 6 year warranty is nice but I never expected to use it this quickly and exposed more based on the standard fix. They better get this fixed or this will ruin Skeeter and Yamaha sales.</td></tr></table>

Wow, according some on here there are no documented failures.

[The Arch]

Didnt you post that this is a demo boat ? If so was it bought under your name or a company name ?

[Rangerman]

Holy Oil Wells Batman a motor that makes oil and drain off excess I feel your pain Damn sure Al Gore and the Oil Czar does not find about this cause we Ding Dong sure won't be allowed to drill Man Chuck hope this gets worked out ASAP and ya can borrow my ole wore out Ranger and Merc two stroke Pro XS

[Chuck D]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by The Arch &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Didnt you post that this is a demo boat ? If so was it bought under your name or a company name ?</td></tr></table>

No, I had a demo boat for my evaluation that had a ProXS on it. This boat was purchased new and I am the original owner and also performed the break in on the motor from hour 0. It's in my name and it's paid for.

[The Arch]

&lt;&lt;1) It takes 2 full days to do that job vs. "bolting on" a new power head and getting me back on the road doing Phoenix/SHO demos and representing the brands as I've loyally done.&gt;&gt;

I was just asking cuz of original post . Did yamaha/phoenix cut you a deal on the boat/motor etc. ?

[NCFatBoy]

I really don't think it matters if it gets fixed the way you want it or not... even if it does, the whole experience just changes things... I hope you find some satisfaction somewhere...... I noticed your thread in the Phoenix Forum was axed, or at least I can't see it anymore....

[Chuck D]

I bought the boat out of dealer inventory and got what I think was a good deal on it. I offered to do customer testimonial/demo rides and help grow the Phoenix brand. It's no secret, I love bass boats and the technology that's growing in the sport now as I am a technology industry person.

Since I actually live on Lake Norman and my boat is right here this was really easy to do and just required coordination, etc to make happen which was fun and I've made new friends as part of doing that which I really enjoy doing which is educating and sharing information.

I was never part of any "pro staff" or formal program type of thing like that that you hear about now and then.


John, you are right, the post is not up any more in the Phoenix forum. Al felt it best to be discussed here and that's perfectly understandable since it's a Yamaha discussion not a Phoenix one. Have lots of friends in that forum that also have SHO's so I was redundant in posting there in my trying to save them a step since so many of us just hang around the Phoenix forums. Al was simply being efficient with the site content which makes sense. And yes, that's all that matters now. Getting it back and getting back on the water as Fall fishing is almost here.

[Flyswatter]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by clm6741 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

Wow, according some on here there are no documented failures. </td></tr></table>

The insecure few continue to do more of the same. Are you so insecure you troll four stroke sites to spew your negative vibe. You only discredit yourself with your mojo.

The only positive is your represent less then one percent of the rest of the two stroke owners who accept the four stroke alternative. Move on. You don't have a SHO in this fight or thread.

[offduty]

Well I got a SHO 250 and this makes me very nervous. I bought a little to soon to get the longer warranty. When my SHO sounded different at 9 hrs I took it in to find the oil was way too high and the dealer changed it and charged me well over $200.00 for it. I said that Yamaha should pay the bill under warranty since the motor is not designed to have the first oil change done till 20 hrs. I have 31 hrs on this motor and it has had the oil changed 3 times. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that oil is for lubricating and fuel in the oil degrades that lubrication and shortens the life of the worlds most expensive stock outboard bass boat motor. Im talking degradation of cylinder walls, rings, bearings, lifters, valves, rods, cam and crank, in short the heart of this motor. These are all the vital outboard parts where longevity is concerned and I believe 4 stroke longevity with 2 stroke performance was the selling point of the 4 stroke SHO.

When the SHO came out I took notice and thought after it has been out a few years I will upgrade when my Yamaha 2 stroke goes down. Unfortunately my old motor went down in 2010 and I bought a SHO soon after. I have always worked hard to buy things with cash as I dont like to be in debt and against my better judgement I financed a new SHO. I am nervous as hell and run it as hard as I can so hopefully if it does break it will be under warranty.

I have had problems other than the oil / gas dilution issue such as the thing acting like it does not get enough fuel after re starting and trying to get up on plane after fishing a while. There have been others posting about this issue so obviously I am not the only one. The Yamaha tech came out and put a 25P 3 blade with large vent holes on it and said it was fixed and I still have the problem. I thought this motor was designed and said to work well with a ventless prop. I have to throw it in neutral and shoot a rev when it does this and now sometimes it stutters coming off plane. I run Ringfree and Stabil and the correct octane and have had the fuel system looked at professionally twice and once myself, the tank inside looks great and I have checked and tightened every connection as well as replacing the primer bulb and fuel water separator and housing, looking through fittings and blowing through them and hoses which were all replaced with the re power due to ethanol concerns.

When I picked the boat up after engine install I went to the lake and it acted like it was getting no fuel and would not start. I had to take it back twice before I could break it in. I have 30 hrs on this motor and the only thing that has changed on this boat is the motor, the old 91 225 was more reliable till I lost compression in # 6. I have had the Yamaha tech out twice and it still wont run right. I really dont care to hear how I have a fuel system problem as that is BS. If this motor lasts longer than the warranty I will be surprised. I could have gotten the old 2 stroke rebuilt for a hell of a lot less than the more than $20.000.00 I spent on the SHO to go 6 miles faster. I wish I had that 2 stroke rebuilt while waiting for the SHO technology to be more refined. For those of you that are having very positive experiences with your SHO's I am happy for you. Some of us are having different experiences / nightmares that make us pretty nervous. If you could drink a tall cool glass of shut the f##k up and let us discuss our very potentially expensive problems that would be great. You know you can start your own post on your positive experiences and get ya some pom poms and sell bumper stickers if you want to push the SHO and you will probably reach a way larger target audience. Then we can stay focused on trying to maximize and save our very expensive investments in the SHO. Yeah I just came off the lake with the stuttering SHO motor and made a big cocktail to try and relax so this post is probably more bold than usual, but you know who you are.

Rich

[microsalmo]

what are your plans going forward?

... reference the poor launch and sputtering. might you request a compression check? that 250 should roast a 25 ventless - my 225 does (so far).

[clm6741]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Flyswatter &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

The insecure few continue to do more of the same. Are you so insecure you troll four stroke sites to spew your negative vibe. You only discredit yourself with your mojo.

The only positive is your represent less then one percent of the rest of the two stroke owners who accept the four stroke alternative. Move on. You don't have a SHO in this fight or thread. </td></tr></table>

Fly there are failures all over man. It is the truth just face it. And I personally feel it is normal for a new machine, even the mighty SHO. Its ok to not be perfect fly. No one is man. You should relax and accept that.

I am not trolling, I read all pages on bbc when I get the time. I was and still am interested in the SHO. Also Chuck is a fellow phoenix owner who has taken a lot of negative comments from SHO Kool-Aid Drinkers. So I will post when and where I feel like it with the rhetoric of my choosing.

[NCFatBoy]

My 200 SHO would stutter out of the hole sometimes. At times bad enough that I would let it back down and try again. It would usually jump right up on plane after that. Other times, just enough to make you think you had a bilge full of water.

I'm not sure why, but it has quit doing that altogether. I can't remember the last time it did it. Pops right up half throttle now.

By the way, I'm at 66hrs, have had it for 5 months... no problems to date, did have it exhaust a puff of smoke on startup once... enveloped the whole boat... I was like... WTF???? Never has done it again...

My dipstick as of two trips ago was about 1/4" above the top mark. Told my dealer, tech said it was ok, just keep an eye on it... Hmmmmm