Anyone with the new Suzuki DF15A or DF20A Outboard?

[colemj]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Mark,
How do you know hours? Does the oil change LED continue to function, or is that just for the first oil change for break-in?

Yes, the LED lights at 20hrs (first run break in time), then every 100hrs after that. Strangely, ours lights every 100hrs, but only stays lit for a day or two then turns itself off. It is supposed to stay lit until I specifically cancel it with the cancel sequence.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You know, believe it or not but the newer two stroke's sold in the US anyway are exceedingly complex trying to pass emissions, they have to be.

Are 2-strokes even sold in the US anymore?

Originally Posted by Hoosiersailor

One of the biggest problems is ethanol and the way it attracts moisture. My engine would run great then stumble and lose power. It would immediately restart, run a while and then do the same thing. Ended up being some corrosion in the pump. Something to check anyway...

Install an external fuel filter/water separator and watch all your OB problems disappear. Water/dirt in fuel is probably 99.9% of all OB problems. People worrying about service and parts for OB's around the world are conditioned to this worry because they haven't installed a good filter/separator and keep having problems.

Mark

[JayH]

Originally Posted by colemj

Are 2-strokes even sold in the US anymore?

Not the kind that mix the oil in the gas. They can't pass the emissions requirements. But there are still 2-strokes being sold in the US. The Evinrude E-Tec and the Mercury OptiMax are two that I know of. Both are oil-injected 2-strokes.

[a64pilot]

I changed the pump in the Husky as they are an issue. I almost exclusively run 100 LL in it though so ethanol isn't an issue


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[GRIT]

Bought the 20, here in PEI, Canada on Friday. It's more pricey here, than in the States ($4175 Canadian, plus taxes,pdi...). They took my 2009, (bought new, in the crate, in 2013) 20hp 2 stroke Yamaha on trade, so I didn't complain too much. It only had 8 hours on it, but never started right. (Yes, that's Eight hours. We're stuck on land, building a boat and don't have much time for playing in the dink these days.) We brought it in for a tune-up, and an oil change, and walked out with a Suzuki. Expensive tune-up!

Put 2 hours on the engine today. I'm happy with it so far. My wife loves the push button start, and the quiet idle.

Thanks Mark, this thread certainly helped us make our decision. I'm ordering the diagnostic kit from ebay for $120, and will certainly get hold of a repair manual too.

Cheers.
Paul.

PS. Ours whistles too, from just above idle to about 1/4 throttle.

[GRIT]

Those looking for Service Manuals in PDF format. I've ordered, but not yet received, a manual for the df20a, through ioffer.com .

If you're interested, let me know and I'll update you on the results of my order.

Cheers.
Paul.

[GRIT]

I received the repair manual, from ioffer.com. It cost me $16 Canadian, and appears to be a factory cd from Suzuki.

No, to answer the person who sent me a PM, I won't make copies, try ioffer for a pdf copy on cd, or try a dealer for the paper copy.

Cheers.
Paul.

[Boatguy30]

Would one of you proud df20 owners measure the width of the cowling and also fore and aft length. Easiest to do with the cowling flipped over. No Suzuki dealers want to be bothered to help and can't find it on the Suzuki site. An approx diagonal dimension from lower front to upper back outside would also be helpful.

Looking to replace my trusty but oil leaking Yamaha t8. (Main auxiliary on my 34' cruising cat) I think I can get by with the 20" shaft is specially when fully loaded.

Could also use info on power tilt stern bracket dimensions. Can find Hondas online but not Suzuki's. The honda 15 is available in 25" but almost $1000 more than the df20.

One other question, does the tiller have a solid linkage into the powerhead or does the tiller how control 2 cables like the Yamaha motor. For $300 more you can get no tiller and the Suzuki control box, but I have a Yamaha box and would prefer to have a tiller for eventual resale or using the motor on another boat sometimes.

[VBsail]

I put about 150hrs on a df20a before selling it. Overall I was pleased with it, especially for the size and price. Always started instantly and sipped fuel. It felt no larger than a tohatsu or yamaha 9.9, but I did not measure. I would not hesitate to buy another for a small boat that I wanted to zip around on.

I have a 30' cat that came with a Tohatsu 9.8HT (8.7" dia prop) and ended up selling it and the suzuki 20 to buy another Yamaha T9.9. I found the extra 10HP did very little since the small fast prop slips so much as an aux. To my ear the suzuki had a vibration tone to it at higher rpms which I did not like. The 20hp only gave me a slightly higher top speed flatwater when combined with a low pitch 3 blade that let the motor get up to max rpms. That prop was no good for cruising or docking. I really wanted the DF20A to work out and tried multiple props on it, even a 10" HT with an adapter (same prop the honda HT's use) The 10" HT 4 blades just don't have near the grip of the 12" yamaha from my experience.



These are 4 of the ones I tried, I still have the HT 4 blade and suzuki adapter if someone is interested in it.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

Would one of you proud df20 owners measure the width of the cowling and also fore and aft length. Easiest to do with the cowling flipped over. No Suzuki dealers want to be bothered to help and can't find it on the Suzuki site. An approx diagonal dimension from lower front to upper back outside would also be helpful.

My DF15A -- same platform as DF20A -- measures 13-1/4" wide (at widest point, i.e. center) by 21-3/8 long (including the lock tab).

Not sure I understand your diagonal description, but I get about 20" just eyeballing the tape, stretched across the top.

-Chris

[Boatguy30]

That was a very useful post on the props and thanks for the dimensions also.

I think my boat is capable of a bit more speed under power than the Iroquois but with more windage in any kind of headwind probably knocks that down.

I am currently swapping powerhead on my t8 and giving a used 9.9 carb and prop a try. Will be interesting to see the actual difference between T8 and the 212cc 9.9.

[hapuka]

I have owned a DF20A Suzuki for 3 yrs after running for about 5 minutes it starts to miss the outboard mechanic has replaced a censer twice completely rewired the motor plus other parts. It got to the point he wouldn't answer the phone because he was sick of trying to fix the problem. I live in the top of Australia in Weipa. The mechanic comes from Cairns which is about 10hrs drive away, he only comes to Weipa about every 6 wks last time he came to Weipa he took the outboard back to Cairns. He replaced a white plastic switch and thought he had fixed the problem until he took it for a spin and had to row home. They are now going to replace the wiring AGAIN??He has had the out board for 6 wks and it will be another 6 weeks until he comes back to Weipa So it will be 3 mths In the wet session From December till the end of March the roads wash out between Weipa and Cairns and are shut. I suggested to the dealer I bought the outboard from that they should replace the outboard, but they said they will get on top of the problem and fix it. IT Has been 3 yrs and they haven't solved it yet. Has anybody had the same problem and how did you fix it?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, hapuka.

[a64pilot]

Can you take it to someone else?
Mine so far has been flawless, it ran a little odd after I submerged it for 5 min or so, but has healed itself.
I thought sure when it fell into salt water it would be toast, but I cleaned everything up and it has run fine since. I have had it about three years.


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[hapuka]

Was the motor running when you submerged it? When I get the outboard back if it plays up again I will lose the plot. The mechanic has spoken to the experts at Suzuki and sent them computer print outs from the outboard Which is supposed to help them trouble shot the fault. Between all of them you would think they find the problem.

[Moonos]

Originally Posted by hapuka

I have owned a DF20A Suzuki for 3 yrs ...

What is the warranty?

Time to go to dept fair trading?