Purchased a Yamaha 3 cylinder and would like to know some of its weak points and solutions. Have read about the water pump shearing the impeller shaft. Any proven fixes?

There was a member who cast a bunch of aluminum impellers.
Kevin Richey might know who it was.

I have one.....I have had a water pump failure..I have stayed in the loop with lots of other 3 cyl owners, and have helped gather info. Here is what is known.
The yamaha 3 cyl likes to run cool, adding a separate oil cooler helps, add an oil and water temp gauge. keep the water temp at 170 or below. This stock engine has been turbo charged and is capable of making 200 hp on a sled, but the sleds use heat exchangers in the tunnel where cold snow powder from the track keeps the coolant cool, they can make 200 hp all day but they are running at 160*.

So the general consensus is to have plenty of radiator, an oil cooler, good pressure cap, a radiator/coolant cap failure will cause cavitation.
The high temps will cause cavitation, the cavitation is what causes the shafts to break.

There is also an oil heater delete available.

Mine runs at 170* water temp no mater what the temp outside is, the oil temp runs around 190*-210* depending on outside temp, and how hard I am running it.

Thank You Henry and Scott!

Teal Jenkins has done more testing than anyone else on this subject, He has run the Yamaha's on test stands, dynos etc Teal also makes an awesome gearbox line for the yamaha conversions.

Yamaha 3 cyl https://www.skytraxusa.com/yamaha3cylinder

Take a look at the whole website, very impressive.

exciting !

Many of the 3 cyl guys have been quiet about issues because of so much negative feedback on the forums by the do nothing couch potato know it alls...you know the ones. any new engine on the market will have issues.
The 3 cyl did have some teething issues, the four cyl did not, BUT the 3 cyl is lighter, smaller, has a better torque curve than the 4 cyl. it is 130 hp.
I have rebuilt two engines so far, they are awesome state of the art engines. ( Parts are way cheaper than rotax even using OEM Yamaha parts)
In my Tango I am turning 8200 rpm on takeoff and can climb out at 1500fpm. uses about 5 gal hour.
With passenger as you would expect performance drops, still climb at 700-1000 fpm and have never used more than 6 gal per hour, of course depends on passenger weight.

The 2 cyl phazer engine will make a good replacement for the rotax 582.

Yamaha is even testing the market to get into aviation engines.
https://cdnbkr.ca/fly-high-yamaha-airpl ... nitiatives.

Yamaha Phaser 2 cyl.

Teal Jenkins 3 cyl in RV-9

Bought the engine package off of RWF, so it is all Tango related parts. My RX1 as Teals adapter with C box.

Hopefully the C box will last, I replaced the bearings in a c box on a tango, seems the HP is right at the limit of the rotax box.
Plus Rotax does not make or sell any gearboxes besides the E box now.
The newer Tango gearbox is much more stout.

Scott are running the SPG 3 gearbox now with Tangos clutch? Holding up well?

I am VERY interested in the phazer to replace my 582 some day.
But alas I am not a tinkerer. I am a flyer.
If they don't come out with a drop in replaceme t I will have to add an airline ticket and hotel room for someone to come out and help me.
But my 582 only has like 35 hours on it...so Yamaha has time...

Yes I have the spg3 with clutch and it is holding up very well, I did have to replace the prop shaft seal, it was a pain, but I am the only one that had the seal come out. Paul from tango was very good to work with when I had to find a replacement, since the original seal was Russian, If I remember right it was the same as a Ford mustang transmission seal.

Benry, I might be easily coerced to spend a week in Guam turning wrenches...just saying.

Scott, as I hold the repairman cert on my aircraft I can bring anyone onboard and oversee the work for my sign off.
Not opposed to the help if I start to have trouble with my 582!
Does the yamaha 80hp put out more power or does it need to be detuned?
Is the thrust to weight ratio better?
Guess what I am asking is is it the right choice?

Awesome info Scott!!! Wish there was a better Yamaha Group then Facebook.

benry ... you will never have issues with your 582 it you properly jet it .. EGT's displays are the best friends of the pilot flying with a 582

the most important thing is to tune your propeller pitch so that your engine still have an effort to spin the propeller and pump enough fuel in the air/fuel mix .

apart from this if you service yout engine properly .. you will never have problems with it ...

there are tons of 582 on trikes here and they have areally good reputation

fuck'in hell mine works like a swiss watch !

as for the yamaha , it seems to be a really good engine ... but it is really difficult to mount such an engine without having an engine test bench .. (dyno) ..

I think that with no dyno, and no background in engine tuning the only solution is to use the engine in the exact factory configuration ... with the exception of cooling as it was said before ...

I am happy with my 582, I am pitched for 1050 on the egt's and jetting is for sea level (which I think I qualify for)
I am 230 lbs (so sad) and would rather lose weight then change engines, but the reality is I don't see that happening any time soon.
As for proper care and scheduled maintenance, I have always been a big believer in conditional inspection. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Now tell me how confident are you in the 582? Would you fly over open ocean with one?

yep I would do it .. not to far off shore hahahahahah
there plenty of those engines flying in france .. they size onmy when using old fuel and when not propoerly jetted

I need to independant ignition to fly .... it is mandatory for me ... old fashion