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Sorry this isn't a Whaler related question but thought you all might have some input / guidance for me on this and I imagine it could happen to anyone. I was planning to take my Brothers Regulator out for the first trip of the season last weekend but when I called his marina to splash the boat (rack storage) they said one of the lower units was leaking oil so they'd inspect and get back to me. Mind you this is the same marina that winterized it last fall which included changing the lower unit oil and they have done 100% of the work/maintenance on this boat since about 2009.

So I got a call back from the marina and they told me the oil drain plug hole on one of the lower units is stripped so they'll need to replace the lower unit (2006 Yamaha F150). The dealer said it was due to "factory defect" and not covered by the warranty but he'd give us a break on the job and do it for only $1200....

It's not my boat and my brother is just going to pay the bill but I'm thinking this is the dealers responsibility, am I wrong? When I change the oil on my B90 I can crank that screw with all I've got and I'm pretty sure I'd strip the head long before I strip the lower unit housing. I imagine whoever did the work probably tried to install a plug from a different engine or cross threaded it and just didn't want to own up to it. If it really were a factory defect I'd think the issue would have presented itself years ago.

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Whalerbob just for the sake of it, I would drop on by that marina un-announced and inspect the lowerunit in question. I don't recall now but I think the drain plug (screw) and the upper vent/ overflow screw are different threads. The lower screw had the magnetic tip.

They may have mixed them during reassembly, you may need to varify this condition yourself if you can get access to the boat. These screws are quite hefty as far as the slotted head goes even on our small 90 Yamaha's, if the threads are stripped then who ever the mechanic or the shop helper that did the work is responsible. I have not heard of a factory defect regarding this condition and if it is a factory defect then why won't Yamaha honor the faulty product???

Something smells fishy Whalerbob, tell your brother to inquire more sternly as to the how and why this has happened.

Food for thought...
Angel M.

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There was just a thread on the Etec forum about a stripped plug and the repair involved. Last post had the same thing happen to them and the dealer charged them an hour's time to fix it.

http://www.etecownersgroup.com/post/s...ds-6864778

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I think the common fix for this is to drill out oversize and re-tap for a larger diameter plug.

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Whalerbob,
A simple call to Yamaha with the model number/year/etc... of the motor with the dealers explanation of the "factory defect" would be in order. Find out from the manufacturer the real story. Let them know a factory authorized repair shop is telling of casting defects in their product. I think we all would guess the answer. It probably happened during a previous maintenance from some one no longer there. Some unskilled person was told to change the oil and replace the plug and stripped it. Of course you would "feel" the x-thread and back off in the first couple of turns. Some floor sweeper just learning the trade would think of how wonderfully tight the fitting is and borrow a breaker bar to snug it up. Why didn't they inform you of the noticed defect a couple years ago saying ".... like you to know a problem with the unit but we managed anyway....keep an eye on it....". Find the owner of the shop after talking with Yamaha (some credible reference) and tell him to be realistic. Any credible shop would back their work. Good luck. Tell us when you are on Judge Judy and I will watch.
Garris