2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

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FISHNFF
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2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby FISHNFF » Thu Nov 02, 2017 3:43 pm

After a WOT run of 10-minutes, I slowed to see oil in the water and shut down the 2015 Yamaha F115B engine. Turns out [the source of the oil in the water is from] the 2015 Yamaha F115B engine . I pulled offthe 2015 Yamaha F115B engine cover and there was oil all over. I checked oil fill, dip stick and filter. All were tight.

I again fired up the 2015 Yamaha F115B engine and saw oil running down from under the flywheel. I shut down and got a tow.

I called a dealer and was told [the cause of the oil leak is] probably [the failure of] a main seal. I was thinking that or a camshaft seal.

[Give me] any thoughts [you have on the source of the oil leak] while I wait to bring [the 2015 Yamaha F115B engine to a dealer for service] next week.--FISHNFF

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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby jimh » Thu Nov 02, 2017 8:57 pm

I can give you the following thought that came to me after reading your narrative:

--get the engine into a heated environment so that the flow of oil is made easier;

--remove the cowling and any other internal engine covers that hide the engine block from view;

--clean up all the existing oil that you have found under the flywheel;

--start the engine with a hose adaptor to provide cooling water;

--with strong lighting and a good portable flashlight, make a close visual inspection of the suspected flywheel area and the main bearing seal area to assess those places as sources of the leak.

FISHNFF
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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby FISHNFF » Fri Nov 03, 2017 2:13 am

Thanks Jim.

I hope the dealer will tell all.

Q: has this situation been seen on any similar four-stroke outboard engine?

[The oil leak from the 2015 Yamaha F115B engine] has bothered me.

I know and hope this is a one-of-a-kind anomaly.

I take this boat and most of my boats all over, including way offshore and often alone. I always tell my wife that I'll be ok as long as I stay in the boat and the engine is running. This catastrophic failure has me thinking. --FISHNFF

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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby jimh » Fri Nov 03, 2017 12:44 pm

I agree--losing a lot of lubricating oil from a four-stroke-power-cycle engine is really a worry.

Which end of the engine is considered the main seal?

The upper seal at the flywheel?

Or the lower seal that connects to the drive shaft?

You'd think just based on gravity load that the lower seal would be the most likely to have added stress.

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Dutchman
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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby Dutchman » Fri Nov 03, 2017 1:51 pm

jimh wrote:You'd think just based on gravity load that the lower seal would be the most likely to have added stress.
Unless [the engine has] some kind of blow by and pressurizing the sump area then all seals will be under stress.

Cylinder compression testing which might rule out the above.
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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby Don SSDD » Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:43 pm

Are the plugs clean? If yes, likely a seal of some kind.
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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby jimh » Fri Nov 03, 2017 5:35 pm

The pressure that I see being greater on the lower seal is a result of gravity. Gravity is more or less a universal thing, so i don't see how you can ignore gravity's influence.

For the oil to be leaking out from the crankshaft seal at the engine top, there must be some positive pressure on the oil, as it would not tend to rise skyward and come out the top seal; gravity would intervene.

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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby FISHNFF » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:58 am

Got the word from the dealer that the main seal blew out and became unseated. Yamaha is replacing it under warranty with a new seal.

Q: Why did [the main seal of the 2015 Yamaha F115B engine] go out in the first place?

Q: Will it happen again?

I hope to run the 2015 Yamaha F115B engine after getting it fixed next week.

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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby flymo » Mon Nov 20, 2017 7:02 am

I am sure Yamaha will be very interested in why the seal went out as well. It has to be a defective seal, improper installation, or a defect in the casting and machining of the sealing surface. Speaking of the latter, you should make sure the dealer is inspecting those surfaces carefully.

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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby Phil T » Mon Nov 20, 2017 8:36 am

Given your engine is practically brand new, I would proffer that the failure was a defect in the seal itself or the installation at the factory.

How many hours has it been run to date?

While I would shake my confidence (I am typically solo), I would try to not go too deep down the rabbit hole of doubt.
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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby FISHNFF » Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:41 pm

Update--Yamaha is replacing the entire block with, of course, new main seal installed. I feel much better, as this would rule out something wrong with the block and not just the seal. I believe this was an anomaly, as I had not seen this failure after a lot of internet searching. [The failure occurred with the engine having a run time of] around 200 hours. I hope to get the boat and motor back next week, and I get to do the break-in again. Will keep you informed. --FISHNFF

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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby jimh » Fri Dec 01, 2017 9:43 am

Thanks for the update. It is always interesting to hear the ultimate resolution of a problem like this.

Are Yamaha going to replace the whole powerhead with a new, completely-dressed powerhead? Or just replace the block and reuse all other components from your original engine?

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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby FISHNFF » Thu Dec 07, 2017 9:34 am

I'm not sure if it's just a block or entire complete powerhead.
I'm thinking entire new powerhead. Giving the price of labor, it may be cheaper.

I hope to know very soon. I've been running my 15 Striper in the Bay in the meantime. I missed crabbing in my 18, but luckily had friends and ran with them before the take dried up.

I'll report back when I get her back and start the break-in again.
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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby AkFish4Dinner » Mon May 17, 2021 2:07 am

I read your post with interest as I have just had the same problem: my 2015 Yamaha F115XB with 282 hours, running at around 5.700-RPM and the low oil alarm went off. The main crankshaft seal under the flywheel had come out followed by about two quarts of oil.

Was the cause of your seal failure in your 2015 Yamaha F115B engine ever determined?

Pondbuilder2
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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby Pondbuilder2 » Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:53 pm

Wow! Looking this up with interest too. Just got home from a major day on the water where this similar event happened to me. We were a good 45 minutes from Port, just about to hit the fishing zone when low oil alarm went off and oil everywhere under the cap. Had my wife and one of my sons out with me. About 250 hours on the motor. 2017 yamaha115. Luckily Erie was very calm today. Could have been a very stressful situation.

Is there a recall?

My motor will not be under warranty.

[Said he would post additional information but did not.]

EnglewoodMike
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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby EnglewoodMike » Thu Aug 12, 2021 1:31 pm

I’m having the same defect with my 2017 Yamaha F115.

What repair is necessary?

What is the cost of repair when out of warranty?

elistwrt
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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby elistwrt » Wed Sep 01, 2021 8:38 am

I am on the third seal [i.e., two replacements of the main crankshaft seal] on my Yamaha F115B engine.

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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby jimh » Wed Sep 01, 2021 9:26 am

Moderator's note: the many questions remain unanswered in this discussion regarding the failure of the main crankshaft oil sea on the Yamaha F115B outboard engine. Readers who have information that may answer these questions are encouraged to provide that information:

Pondbuilder2 wrote:Is there a recall?


EnglewoodMike wrote:What repair is necessary?


EnglewoodMike wrote:What is the cost of repair when out of warranty?


AkFish4Dinner wrote:Was the cause of...seal failure in..Yamaha F115B engine[s] ever determined?


FISHNFF wrote:Why did [the main seal of the 2015 Yamaha F115B engine] go out in the first place?


FISHNFF wrote:Will it happen again?

Based on the recent comment about the seal being replaced twice, the failure of the oil seal on the crankshaft of the Yamaha F115B engine can apparently happen more than once.

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Re: 2015 Yamaha F115B major oil leak

Postby FISHNFF » Wed Jan 26, 2022 1:25 am

Sorry never got back to this thread.

Almost 1000 hours now.
No more problems.

New factory Yamaha block was installed under warranty.

Service lady states that it was fortunate that the owner of the shop covered the warranty repair because I did not use a Yamaha oil filter. I explained the Mercury filter has the same specs and could not cause a mainseal failure. She went I saying I must use a Yamaha filter.

Has she ever heard of the Magnuson-Moss Act?


FISHNFF