2005 F150 balancer

[pstephens46]

There is a current Merc 4 stroke 150. Not a Verado. 3 liter 4 cylinder.
Based on the parts diagram I could pull, the balancer assembly looks to be "self contained". I assume the unit is full of oil and perhaps that keeps the noise dampened. Would like to see it in person.
Motor has a single camshaft. Weighs about 35 lbs less than the F150. Interesting design.

[Kirk Gibson]

Weight

Yeah I wasn't meaning the weight of the whole unit...just what you see in green in the photo...that couldn't add that much to the overall weight if it were steel. As long as it was kept in an oil bath would it really be that much louder?

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Yeah I wasn't meaning the weight of the whole unit...just what you see in green in the photo...that couldn't add that much to the overall weight if it were steel. As long as it was kept in an oil bath would it really be that much louder?

I understand, but the main shafts are very heavy alone. I'd rather have some weight with steel gears and perhaps a little more noise for reliability.

The balancer does have a oil pressure port so everything IS oiled with oil pressure, besides being splashed (as it's adjacent to the crankshaft-flinging oil)

If you "bath" it in oil as you'd foam up the oil, not good...

[99yam40]

I was thinking about a automotive manual transmission or rear end being in a bath, but the balancer will be spinning a lot faster

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I was thinking about a automotive manual transmission or rear end being in a bath, but the balancer will be spinning a lot faster

Yep.

Even your lawn mower, snow blower, etc (larger 4 stroke-un-pressurized system) will have some sort of "device" to sling the oil about. And they run at 3600 RPM max.

Say a horizontal shaft engine, (Honda, Tecumseh, Briggs, etc), they usually have a part connected to the lower connecting rod that JUST splashes the oil about (as it splashes thru the crankcase oil). The crank NEVER comes near it.

Vertical crankshaft engines usually have a plastic gear attached to the base that's both a governor and ALSO slings oil about inside the crankcase.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Put yourself in Yamaha's position. If they told a customer to change it, the first thing out of the customer's mouth would be "you Yamaha must pay for it'.

Yamaha never told a -00-00 owner to install the -01-00, a -01-00 owner to install the -02-00, a -02-00 owner to install the -03-00 or a -03-00 owner to install the -04-00.

If the motor is in warranty and if a mechanic can convince Yamaha that the balancer is failing, based on sound, then Yamaha might say to replace it under warranty. I don't think Yamaha has ever said to replace a balancer just because a later configuration has been issued.

Yamaha has to be very very careful about what they say, because customers will take words and twist them around to suit the customer's beliefs.

UPDATE: If you look at balancer part # here (for my engine), it shows a type 3 for my engine. The "other site", shows the type 4 as the replacement (superseded).

Anyway, popped for a TYPE 4 balancer and installed it this am.


My "squeaky" belt sound is GONE! All FIXED, NICE AND QUIET. Back to normal. The old, replaced type 3 WAS clocked / timed properly.


No visible damage on the old one (only had 50 hours on it)

BTW, found a Yamaha tech at headquarters who knew what he was talking about. The difference between the 3 and the 4 is an extra oiling hole.

ANY whining, like a supercharger is a sign of failure, which when listening closely and slightly revving at the engine, could be heard on mine (before today!)


.

[boscoe99]

Where is the extra hole? Did you take a picture?

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Where is the extra hole? Did you take a picture?

Pictured is the new balancer and I did NOT see any new oiling holes. I didn't spend an hour either comparing both (with the engine crankcase wide open to the elements either.)

I did notice the shaft with the ONE gear, (type 3 unit) had a tad bit of play between the teeth "gear" and the steel shaft.

The type 4 did not.

New unit:

[boscoe99]

Methinketh the Yamaha guy at the Yamaha distributorship was blowing smoke. They have been known to do that. And get crap thrown back into their face when they try and blow it rodnuts way.

[pstephens46]

He would have had to remove the shafts in both units to scrutinize. There was one fellow on here that claimed if you reused those 8 evil looking black bolts, bad things will happen. They will fail and cause catastrophic failure. Possible I guess....

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Methinketh the Yamaha guy at the Yamaha distributorship was blowing smoke. They have been known to do that. And get crap thrown back into their face when they try and blow it rodnuts way.

The type 3 may may lasted, just noisier, BUT I wasn't chancing a $12,000 engine to save on a $400 part... I know NOW, there is NO issue with this part.

It definitely was my noise that the type 3 didn't do in the first 45 hours (or so when initially installed while under warranty).

I would think, Yamaha would push getting the latest part (upgraded somehow), just for the sale. And no one ever did...

And I did ask for a "deal", I was told that's why Yamaha lowered the price on this part .

BTW, just reading that thread where the F150 ate the gears and the member had to break the engine completely down to remove "teeth" was enough for me to head it off before any major issues.