Rusted Trim Motor housing

[Ken Mason]

I have a 40hp F40la with rusted trim motor housing. Is this normal?

[exeter27]

I had a Johnson 50 that was like that for a few years - and eventually it failed. Corrosion finally had it's way.

So, normal on a saltwater unit - but eventually leads to failure...

[Ken Mason]

Rusted Trim Motor housing

The trim motor now needs replacement for $500.00 plus. This is a failure from Yamaha in their design. Yamaha should pay for this.

[exeter27]

I bought one off ebay and installed myself - for a Johnson 50. I've got to believe the process is the same for the Yamaha - and likely very similar cost. Your quote must include labor.

While my trim bolt was a pain to remove -corrosion had cemented it into place - it's ultimately not a really tough job for a DIYer.

Not sure how old your engine is - if it were less than 3 years, then I'd agree there's a design/flaw failure involved. Beyond that, salt is really tough on our gear.

[ausnoelm]

The trim motor now needs replacement for $500.00 plus. This is a failure from Yamaha in their design. Yamaha should pay for this.

Can't see any way shape or form this is Yamahas design "fault" salt water rusts "stuff" deal with it, maintenance will slow it down, but in the end, everything not made of plastic, or maintained in some way will slowly but surely rust/corrode to bits.

[99yam40]

The trim motor now needs replacement for $500.00 plus. This is a failure from Yamaha in their design. Yamaha should pay for this.

Should have taken better care of it.
Did you ever look at it before it failed and try to control the rust?
It does not do any good to complain to the forum about what you think Yamaha should be designing.
I think they should be made of stainless steel, but I would not want them to increase the price even higher than it is already

[robert graham]

A good little trick to help prevent corrosion on trim motor, pump, rams, etc. is to spray the entire unit with white lithium grease...sets up and stays on a long time...just check and re-spray maybe once a year....works great, especially for the non-stainless steel parts like that motor housing....good luck!

[Ken Mason]

Nothing else on the motor has rust. My point is a design flaw. Should have been made from stainless steel. Looks like Yamaha planned this part to fail. No other reason / Or the design team was sleeping. Very sad.

[rodbolt17]

they could have made it out of Monel.
however the housing alone would be over 500 dollars.
but it would last 10,000 years.
plastic housings crack eventually,aluminium heads corrode away eventually.
nothing lasts forever.
maint will prolong the life.

[boscoe99]

In salt water it is normal. The housing is actually the stator for the electric motor. If it were mine I would remove it, clean it up and then prime and paint.

And then monitor it more often as it is being used. Catch corrosion early, no big deal. Wait too long and it can get expensive.

If Yam or any engine maker built a product that would not corrode in saltwater, no way no how, then we would never be able to afford the product.

[boscoe99]

Nothing else on the motor has rust. My point is a design flaw. Should have been made from stainless steel. Looks like Yamaha planned this part to fail. No other reason / Or the design team was sleeping. Very sad.

The warranty does not cover design.

Only covers defects due to material or workmanship issues.

There is no warrantable defect. Just a lack of maintenance.

Your motor is being operated in saltwater I would imagine. Look around and see how corrosive saltwater can be.

Now, consider a brand new jet airliner. It operates mostly at high altitudes in real dry air. However, from the day it arrives it is made part of a corrosion control program. It is inspected frequently so as to catch any corrosion at is starts. Catch it early and rectification is cheap. Don't catch it and things can get expensive. Or ugly. The airlines don't go back to Boeing and Air Bus looking for them to replace parts because the airline fail to do its job.

There is a responsibility for owning stuff. Which is one reason I don't own as much stuff as I used to.

[wlewis11]

I had the same thing happen on a Merc 90.

[grouper sandwich]

Same thing happened on my Yamaha 70 after about 17 years. I bought a replacement off of eBay for $89, hung my motor from a tree to change it and kept right on going. It's given me 3 good years thus far. It's in saltwater, it has current going through it, eventually it will rust through and fail. My $89 replacement is getting pretty rusty now. It's going to fail in a year or two. When it does I'll find another $89 replacement, find another tree and kept on fishing.

[Ken Mason]

I'll do it right. Make one from stainless. Mount the magnets and be done with it. That's what Yamaha should do for its customers. Went by a local Yamaha dealer. They know all about the problem for many, many years. Personally looked at 7 others in the shop. All with rust in different stages. It's recall time. Lets see if Yamaha is listening. Kmason1111@gmail.com. I promise this is my last post.

[ausnoelm]

There will never be a recall, because there is nothing to recall for, the unit operates as it was intended, I have seen lots of cars with rust too, should they be stainless, or be recalled?? there is no need to stop posting, everyone has their right to opinion, just because everyone does not share your opinion does not make it wrong, that's how we all learn and internet sites continue to give free advice.