[ArgleBargle]

Hi.

Yanmar 29 3YM 2006. Engine control panel hour-meter stopped working (known problem with these). Otherwise control panel functioning. Replacement quoted at $1500 ($CDN). Considering selling boat to upsize in next 1-2 years.

Questions:

1. How important is knowing true number for engine hours when selling (it was somewhat important for me when buying)? engine in great condition, my best estimate of actual engine hours is around 6-800.

2. Do you think new engine control panel will show engine hours from beginning or will it restart at 0 hours? i.e., is the engine hour recording in the panel itself or on the engine? If its just going to restart at 0, no real point in replacing it.

3. Are there any other options?

as always, thanks much in advance!

 

[Maine Sail]

Unless the hour meter is built into the tach they are of zero value to me as a buyer...

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Unless the hour meter is built into the tach they are of zero value to me as a buyer...

Well, that takes every Yanmar out of the market for you.

 

[fryewe]

Spend about 90 bucks for a Tiny Tach and keep a good engine log.

 

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Unless the hour meter is built into the tach they are of zero value to me as a buyer...

makes sense.

I found out AFTER i bought my boat that the hour meter wasn't working. Still had the same hours from when the PO had his purchase survey on her. I was able to trace the wires and found out it wasn't hooked up at all. Tested it and meter worked.

I'd agree with fryewe, keep a good log on its use.

 

[Maine Sail]

Well, that takes every Yanmar out of the market for you.

Lots of Yanmars have hour meters in the tach. Still hours are pretty meaningless to me. If the hours are in a tach they are more likely not faked by the owner or dealer and then I might actually pay some attention to the hours...

 

[pdqaltair]

Why would anyone ever believe the meter? I've replaced them.

You either believe the seller or you do not... and not is the better choice.

 

[Bluto]

I recently purchased a used vessel with a Volvo-Penta diesal. Previous owner told me up front the hour tracking was not accurate. So I deducted the cost of an engine survey ($200) from my offer. Survey confirmed all was well with the engine so I was satisfied, and will keep an accurate log from now on.

 

[capecodda]

IMHO there's hours and hours. There's hours put on by a diligent owner who never let the engine overheat, changed the oil and filters, and took good care of things. Then there are hours put on by owners who ran it hard, overheated, never changed fluids, etc.

For me, yes, I'd rather have a working tach with a number I believe in, but characterizing the seller's diligence in maintenance is the most important factor when deciding to sign. If the seller is in the diligent category, chances are pretty good the tach hasn't been tampered with. And if there's no tach, unless the owner can show me a very complete log or some other system they are using, how did they know when it's time for an oil change?

Yea, so as a buyer, I have spend almost as much time surveying the previous owner as the boat Usually, the overall condition of things behind floor panels and other out of sight locations tells the story right away.

YMMV.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Geez... One shouldnt get too pedantic. Get an engine survey, oil analysis etc, whatever, but if you so far up your own butt what sort of cruising life will you have anyway?

Theres people in every anchorage who work 24 hours per day on their boats instead of enjoying them. Theres people who have spend zillions of dollars on the old tubs and could have just bought a new one, or newer, and enjoyed their friggin retirement.

If you hour meter isnt working Just buy a $30 replacement and shove it in.
If you are a lying bastard the prospective buyer will realise you are a scum filled cheat anyway.

Go and enjoy your cruising enjoy your retirement because you only get one and you're dead at the end of it.


Mark

 

[MarkSF]

Here's my fix for the broken hour meter in the tach. As a bonus, it covered up a hole left by removal of an old control for the autopilot.

They sell the hour meters on e-bay. The only snag is it counts all the time that the ignition is on.

 

[BarryL]

Hey,

I would must rather see an maintenance log than just engine hours.

On my O'day I recorded the date and hours for all engine work, fuel added, etc.

My C&C doesn't have an engine hour. I still record everything, but not the hours. Since I record the fuel added I can do a relatively accurate guestimate of hours run.

Barry

 

[Classic30]

A written (hand-written) engine maintenance log means more to me also and is something I'd be asking for.. since there's little reason for anyone to fudge the figures, unless they plan on faking the entire thing.

Other than ensuring the meter hours match the log, the meter reading doesn't mean much to me - especially on a boat that's had three engines already.

 

[wfish11]

It would be important if the things worked all of the time like a car speedometer. In reality they break and they are only useful for guessing at the next maintenance chore anyway as its easy to disconnect. A good log is much better. If you must replace it take a picture of the meter showing the hours and set your camera to include the date on the photo, so you have the old reading and the new. Best thing for a new buyer is to have it inspected and surveyed by a mechanic, small cost vs replacing an engine.

 

[arvicola-amphibius]

A Yanmar that has been properly operated and well maintained will last a very long time. Several thousand hours at least.
My 2GM is raw water cooled and has no hour meter. Hours are not as relevant as regular usage. I guesstimate that it does 400 to 500 hours a year. I keep no usage log but I do record oil and filter change dates and the date of anything else I do, like anodes and water pump impeller etc. which I tend to do when I think it's about time, maybe every 18 months.
If it is going to be idle more than a week or two, the engine gets a fresh water flush at the end of the day, so the anodes last well.
As to when I change the oil, it is about every six months which means maybe after 300 hours in summer or whatever I do in winter, which is somewhere between 100 and 200 hours. The engine never goes more than three weeks without a good run. Is 300 hours between oil changes too long? Not if it is being run regularly and the oil is good quality to start with. But if someone only ran the engine 20 hours a year and changed the oil every 50 hours, I would not buy that boat without budgeting for an early engine overhaul, because that owner has been neglectful. Maybe without realising it.
If I ever come to sell my boat, the buyer will need to satisfy himself that my strictly non anal approach to mechanical devices has not wrecked the engine.
I will cover myself by telling the buyer that the engine has at least twice as many hours as it probably has.

 

[stuartsw]

The issue of a working hours meter as a sales plus is well-covered above. I replaced my Yanmar hours meter with a (mechanical) one, in order to keep my own log accurate, and know where I was in the life of various parts of the system (e.g., impeller, mix elbow). In order to roll the hours meter up to the estimated engine use (the sailboat was purchased new), I hooked the meter up to a 12v power source and left it there for multiple weeks until I got to the figure I wanted. Then I installed it.