Brand new MR1 engine?

[Navipro]

Hi guys, is there such a beast as a brand new. MR1 engine? I have 2008 ar 230. And kinda thinking about its future. I do not need engine now, but stuff happens and wanted to be morally ready.
So in case I will need an engine, can I buy a new one? Not a rebuilt as I heard lots of horror stores about rebuilt ones. I want to have same level of reliability as original engines. Is it possible? I have heard that it was possible to buy a "short block" from Yamaha, but do not 100 percent understand what that is. Thanks guys and Happy New Year

 

[Acard7]

If I were you I wouldn’t worry about it until it happens. As long as you take care of the MR1s they’ll take care of you. Idk of any brand new engines for the MR1; best you can do is buy a yamaha ski with the same MR1 with lower hours to have a backup plan!

 

[CaptRedbeard]

Agree with @Acard7, no need to buy an engine if you don't need it. If worse comes to worse, you're going to want to find a waverunner with the same engine in it and pull the engine out of that. Don't buy an SBT rebuilt engine.

 

[OCMD]

SBT = Garbage. Ask me how I know.

 

[kjr6306]

I learned the hard way. Found out I had a bad engine beginning of boating season last year. It cost me almost the whole season trying to get my engine back together. The OP is wise to have a backup plan in place.

 

[Beachbummer]

So, I'm in your situation now. My mechanic had had excellent luck with SBT new, installing 6 engines from them in the last 2 years (3 mr-1s) and all are still running.

I was still not convinced due to horror stories online, and looked for a used one with low hours. Found one from a freshwater state with 90 hours. He says the engine is very clean and leak down was perfect. I should get my boat back in a week or two.

The MR-1 engines are generally well known for being reliable and solid, but the salt water use prior to my ownership and/or other corrosion from not flushing longer/better caught up to me. I flush on the last day of the weekend with salt away for a few minutes, unsure how much of the issue was me alone vs the prior 8 years. If i could have done anything different, pulling the exhaust manifold preventively would have saved me, but it requires pulling the engine due to the design. I don't know yet if I will be pulling my engines in 5 years to check and replace/refinish if needed, but I'll think about it

I think SBT seems to be improving, which is one option. Lots of shops use them, check with your local mechanic what he would do and what their local experience is. I hear they have a set up where their new engines are actually fired on for testing before shipping. At least that should catch any early duds. The best known shop in Houston (not my mechanic, he was too full to take my work WFO) also uses SBT blindly and says they are just fine. Nobody I spoke to was willing to rebuild locally because it was not economical to do so and they have had good experience with SBT. WFO does performance work too and it's well known in town. If SBT released how many engines they sell and how many are returned for warranty work I would be more persuaded.

The other option as 1.8l is longer life and there are more salvaged, is to update both to 1.8 from used craft. More expensive, but when you look at the price of a new boat, it stops seeming uneconomical.

Don't worry about it now too much, your options might improve if your are keeping your body for many more years and you end up needing one. For now, if it was me (it was) the best freshwater used engine will get you out of a jam. And if I had pulled the engine at year 12 or 13 to check the exhaust manifold I would have saved both. As it is new head on one and used engine on the other. Exhaust rusted all over. wish me luck.

 

[84rzv500r]

I agree with the backup plan.. Ive currently got my eye on a 160 hour MR1 HO locally for $3K

Im not defending SBT however i have a pretty good sample size and I'm a great proponent of Yamaha quality from racing Yamaha hardware since 1973... WRT SBT I had 3 rebuilt 65U long blocks from them that lasted just as long as the OEM motors rebuilt with OEM parts (the 65U's would wear out the top rings in about 300 hours give or take depending on how hard you ran them, When things were good it was easier to just swap them and send them back to SBT for ~900 for a rebuild on them or top end them then have them drop an big end bearing halfway through the next 300 hour run) I bought 2 NEW MR-1 HO's CLONES from SBT for my repower. I put NEW Yamaha OIL pumps and screens and after break in I have proceeded to run it like I stole it for the last 60 hours or so... We'll see how they work out... I also have over 100 hours on a 155 4-TEC SBT long block and that has been flawless as well. That said I have had my share of SBT failures I went through three of their stainless Impeller shafts before going back to OEM noe will I use their pump bearings or seals any more... only yamaha OEM or Japanese/EU made equivalents. also I've had my share of Yamahas gotchas... soft rivets in flywheels, The perennial soft 2nd gear problem. FJ1100 and early FZR1000's they would send you new gearsets and shifter forks under warranty however there would not provide labor... numerous electronics failures in YPVS controllers mostly but ignitor boxes were problematic at times... and many more...

bottom line don't compare marine engines to automotive engines... Marine engines are more like aircraft engines due to the continuous power out put use...

 

[Navipro]

Thanks guys, I was afraid it was the case with the new ones. I will check out the waverunners. Not sure which models ha e these engines, as there seem to be quite a variety of hp ratings

 

[CaptRedbeard]

Thanks guys, I was afraid it was the case with the new ones. I will check out the waverunners. Not sure which models ha e these engines, as there seem to be quite a variety of hp ratings

Quick research shows that a 2004-2008 Waverunner FX 140 HO or FX Cruiser HO would be a direct swap.

 

[Beachbummer]

What out for the 2010+ MR-1s for VX, they have the a 1052cc block, but exhaust , intake and head are different, And they only go up to 8K rpm. SBT actually sells their new engines for cheaper if they are for the VX, so I suspect other internals might be less hardened.

 

[Navipro]

Quick research shows that a 2004-2008 Waverunner FX 140 HO or FX Cruiser HO would be a direct swap.

Thank you.
I forgot to mention that I am in Canada and market here is a bit different. Moreover waiting for sbt to ship here is a quest in its own. I will keep an eye on the waverunners and hope that original motors will last.
The boat today is worth about 40-45, so dilemma is to seel it now and buy a newer replacement(which may still have issues) or wait till the engines go and then either fix and sell or sell as is for whatever it will be worth.

 

[Beachbummer]

Well, any boat is a ticking time bomb that will go off eventually.

Does the boat suit your needs now, when would you sell due to other reasons? (Bigger boat or no boat?)

If you know what you want in the future it's easier to decide now for something that will support it.

For me it was easy, repair was still the cheapest option to stay in boating. Upgrade to 1.8l would have been too much at this time vs. the MR-1.

 

[Beachbummer]

You can always sell, but then you have no boat. Where's the fun in that?

 

[Navipro]

Of course Beachbummer, if we had a crystal ball......
We are not sure if we will need boat or maybe downsize to couple seadoos.
Kids will be in wakeboarding for the next 5 years, so I am hoping we can keep this boat for that much time, as apart from poor maneuverability it is a perfect boat for us.

 

[Beachbummer]

I have added steering and the thrusters. I can place the boat wherever I want. Manuverability will come to you hopefully.

5 years, if it was me, keep it, just flush it really well

 

[Navipro]

I have added steering and the thrusters. I can place the boat wherever I want. Manuverability will come to you hopefully.

5 years, if it was me, keep it, just flush it really well

I have cobrajet fins on it. Is that what you meant? It is much better now, but still not as good as i/o. It is used only for three month a year is a freshwater lake (stays in the water). I would guess it has 300 hours on it. I do oil change and plugs every year. But still, who knows lol.

 

[scokill]

I'm in the same boat but only have about 600 hrs on my engines. It would be a longshot for a new crate MR1 to be generally available. I've never heard of one going back years. I only heard of folks throwing around a figure of $12-15K for a new engine. If I had an issue I would go with a used engine vs. SBT for sure.

 

[fairpilot]

Hi guys, is there such a beast as a brand new. MR1 engine? I have 2008 ar 230. And kinda thinking about its future. I do not need engine now, but stuff happens and wanted to be morally ready.
So in case I will need an engine, can I buy a new one? Not a rebuilt as I heard lots of horror stores about rebuilt ones. I want to have same level of reliability as original engines. Is it possible? I have heard that it was possible to buy a "short block" from Yamaha, but do not 100 percent understand what that is. Thanks guys and Happy New Year

I don't think you can buy a brand new one. They don't make them anymore. I'm on my second rebuilt engine. 1st one has been great 7 yrs. 2nd one not so much. It has been replace under warranty 3 times. Of course labor not covered. 2006 SX230

 

[84rzv500r]

Well, any boat is a ticking time bomb that will go off eventually.

Does the boat suit your needs now, when would you sell due to other reasons? (Bigger boat or no boat?)

If you know what you want in the future it's easier to decide now for something that will support it.

For me it was easy, repair was still the cheapest option to stay in boating. Upgrade to 1.8l would have been too much at this time vs. the MR-1.

agreed you can buy 3 new clone 160 MR-1's from SBT for the price of one Low hour 180 SVO and the SVHO's that are out there are always a little suspect as you dont buy and SVHO for Grandma... (Unless its Blond Beach Barbie LOL) and there is a bit more power in the MR-1's if you do a good "production class prep" my engine builder says LOL