S28 with Yamahas

R

RichieB

New Member
Joined
13 Dec 2011
Messages
7
Location
chichester
Visit site
Hi all,
Am looking for a Sealine S28 and have seen a couple with the Yamaha 165 diesels and hydradrive legs. Wondered if anyone had experience of these, or views on performance, reliability, spares etc? versus the more common AD31's\KAD 32's?
Thanks
 
I had a rib with Yamaha ME420sti which was awesome. Loads of torque and never gave me any trouble. I think the 185hp are ME370sti 4 cylinders.

I had a good experience but worth noting the following points.

Parts are expensive. They are not very common and very few after market bits out there.

The hydradrive leg is very smooth. It is basically an automatic gearbox and when you shift into gear, it opens a valve to put into gear. They are very very sensitive to the correct lube. Any water in there and you lose drive....end off!!!

The engine mounts are a weak point and have been know to snap away from the block in the rough stuff resulting in many litres of oil everywhere!!! Many people, including me put a brace joining the mounts together to take some of the stress off.

There is a good inboard yamaha specialist on the South Coast that I got bits and advice from but I cant remember their name. Will have a look.

On the ME420 the oil cooler return line from the turbo always corrode and leak oil. Worth a look.

This was an interesting read to.
http://www.diveworks-charters.com/mycustompage0023.htm

I would defo have yamaha again but would want to see complete service history for legs as they are uber expensive to repair.

Good luck with your purchase.:)
 
RichieB said:
Hi all,
Am looking for a Sealine S28 and have seen a couple with the Yamaha 165 diesels and hydradrive legs. Wondered if anyone had experience of these, or views on performance, reliability, spares etc? versus the more common AD31's\KAD 32's?
Thanks
Click to expand...

This post has amde em smile as I have just been talking to a chap I know who services yamahas and what he doesn't know about them ain't worth knowing. I had the 370 sti 4 cylinder in my Fairline Sprint and loved it. The hydradrive leg is great although not made any more. Saying that the new Yanmar drive ues the same technology I believe.

I am currently working with a client who has twin 420's in his Sunseeker Portofino and I fell in love all over again!

The 370 sti was a Toyota bus engine and the 420 is from the landcruiser. Both very reliable engines. like anything marine, age will get to them in the end - corrosion etc but if looked after they are great.
 
Hi
Thanks for that - I've heard the drive legs are very smooth but pretty maintenance-dependent (like most things!) and gather the engines are robust and reliable but parts etc might be an issue. Will keep looking!
Happy Xmas to all
 
RichieB said:
Hi
Thanks for that - I've heard the drive legs are very smooth but pretty maintenance-dependent (like most things!) and gather the engines are robust and reliable but parts etc might be an issue. Will keep looking!
Happy Xmas to all
Click to expand...

I know someone who has had one of these engines for 10 years, and done over 1000 hours. Never so much as missed a beat. Regular maintenance and no doubt will be good for another 1000.

However it is very noisy and rattles like an old tractor, this may be down to the installation, of course, but I suspect not. Transmission also whines terribly, a characteristic, been like it from new. Can hear it coming a long way away, but can't hear whine in the boat, above the engine.

To summarise, supremely reliable, but nowhere near as smooth as my D4, but will probably live a lot longer.
 
volvopaul said:
I have worked on both engines and drives but the prices are eye watering! Buy a Volvo engines boat unless it's really cheap!
Click to expand...

All I can say is that I bought my engine and drive unit 2nd hand off a commercial fishing boat with 640 hours. When I sold the boat I had put on another 600 hours - never had a problem. The units were regularly serviced and the air and oil filters etc were bought from a motor factors. What made me laugh was that I paid some £32 for the Yamaha fuel filter but £8 for the Toyota filter - the packing and wording on both filters was the same.

A mate of mine had a Windy for must be nigh on 10 years with the 420s in it. Only sold it early this year to buy a yacht.

Moral of the story frankly is look after them and they will look after you. BUT, I can't vouch for the engine the OP has. Only my experiences with the 370 and 420. The guy who fitted my unit, Bill Brown, actually devised a water cooling system for the drives that cools the upper end which can be subject to overheat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top