Maintenance schedule on Yanmar.

[mjohnh]

What do you do, Yanmar owners, as far as routine maintenance is concerned on fuel, oil and air filters; on oil changes. Do you do it on a regular schedule or is it done based on engine hours? Mine has a total of 488 hours and I only put on about 25 to 30 hours each year....have owned it 1 partial and one full season

Thanks, John Hefner

[catalina_mike]

Fuel I always use a Lubrication Engineers diesel additive.. I will pull oil samples on 50 hour intervals until I get a good baseline and respond to the results. I have changed my oil when I purchased the vessel and will pull a sample in the next month to see how its going. Cil changes once a year with non long drain products is a good idea.

[mjohnh]

Thank you, J. Hefner

[Chris & Dale]

Attached is a Periodic Maintenance Checklist (Word document) I put together based on engine and transmission owner's manuals, and other things I like to do to try and stay ahead of the game on routine periodic maintenance.

Periodic Maintenance Checklist.docx

The last few years we've not been that active in running the boat, so each spring when I haul out to check/paint the bottom, replace zincs, etc. I have my maintenance tech come change oil and filter, fuel filters, engine zincs, inspect all hoses and belts, etc. Too many operations so I can't get down anymore to do this, but this way I start off the season knowing the status of everything. Just did this last week and the technician said my Racor fuel filter was so clean we didn't need to change it. Use the additive each time I top off, plus we have the Algae X in the fuel line. I'm ready to go fishing!!!!

Hope this helps.

[mjohnh]

Chris and Dale: This is perfect....It is a large help to me and, I expect, others........

Regards, John Hefner
Serenity Now
Saugatuck, Mi

[whwells]

Well, think about the timing belts and tighteners. Yanmar says 1200 hours are 6 years whichever occurs first. I know of a couple situations were owner relied upon the 1200 hours and went way beyond the year recommendations. One of those blew up. Taking a chance of the engine flying apart can mean 40,000. On my former 35te with twin yanmar's I did both at under 400 hours but at 6 years. Yanmar has the belt rather than the chain so this can be important. My mechanic always does the tighter with the belt as well.
The safety margin pays.
whwells "Howard"

[Chris & Dale]

I'd read all the comments about 1200 hrs/6 years (200 hours per year use). I turns out that after getting our 1 owner boat home we got close to the 1200 hours which prompted me to research the boat records (fortunately I had them from the commissioning to date) and found it had never been changed (13 years). So of course I jumped all over it. When they pulled the timing belt I guess I was one of the fortunate ones....it was in such good shape I kept it as a spare!

[Carl]

"it was in such good shape I kept it as a spare!" No need for that, if that belt brakes, you will need far more parts than the "spare". I briefly thought the same thing, but then quickly tossed it in the trash.

[RobS]

"it was in such good shape I kept it as a spare!" No need for that, if that belt brakes, you will need far more parts than the "spare". I briefly thought the same thing, but then quickly tossed it in the trash.

LOL, I was thinking the exact same thing......my take on "spare" parts is they are kept aboard to get you home, V-belts for sure....but not that one!