Engine S/N decoding for year???

thstorms

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Messages
508
Age
44
Location
49071 MI
I'm looking at a Redhead 700 the seller doesn't know if it is a '97 or '98.....

I've been searching for info on the PTO crank bearing issue these motors had in '97 trying to find out if its still an active recall, how to fix it, if its identifiable form the outside, Etc......Etc.....

soooooo...... I thought it might be easier if I could help the buyer decode the ESN to find out IF it's even an issue!!!

What numbers/letters in the Engine S/N are the year???
 

none. there is no rhyme or reason to yamahas vin coding, at least that i have ever figured out.

the engine numbers normally start with the same three digits as the vin. post those up and i will give you the year.

i am unaware of any crank bearing recalls for either of those model years.
 
ottawaair said:
Ring problems in '97, correct.

Was not ring problems, was the PTO crank bearing issue like stated above. With that said I have a 97 in my garage with the 97 style bearing. Ran perfectly fine for 7400 miles with the original bearing. Replaced the outer crank bearings when the motor was out a couple summers ago. Not because it was needed, but because it was apart. And guess what, we replaced it with the same style 97 bearing. I'm not saying there wasn't an issue, this is just what I've experienced. I would not be afraid one bit to buy another 97 700 redhead. We had two of them for almost 9 years.

To put the 98 style bearing in a 97 case you have to do some machine work if I remember correctly. It's been discussed on this forum a few different times and I cannot tell you what exactly is involved in this process. By just looking at parts breakdowns for the 97 700 vs the 98 700 you will see the differences in the PTO crank bearings.

In the thread found here http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/showthread.php?t=72699&highlight=pto+bearing they say that the 97 had a weak mag side bearing. It had two bearings on the mag side. In 98 they changed it to one large bearing.
 
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