Big Suzuki's

[Dirk Diggler]

Found this, thought it might be of interest.

"QUOTE"
Media trials world's most powerful four-stroke outboards

By IBI Magazine / Bob Greenwood

Competition at the top end of the outboard power range became several degrees hotter last week when Suzuki gave the world's boating press a demonstration in Key Largo, Florida, of what it has achieved at the pinnacle of four-stroke marine engine technology. Members of the international boating press corps were given their first opportunity to try out pre-production units of the manufacturer's new 3.6-litre V6 model, first announced at the Miami boat show at the beginning of this year.

Capping the Japanese manufacturer's outboard range, the V6 four-stroke is the culmination of the Japanese manufacturer's seven-year programme to provide a range of full range of four-stroke outboards across the power spectrum. It goes into full production from October this year and will be available in 250hp, 225hp and 200hp versions from January next year. In its DF250 (250hp) guise it will be the most powerful four-stroke outboard on the market, usurping the title that until now has been shared by Yamaha and Honda, which both manufacture four-strokes of up to 225hp.

Through a combination of engineering improvements and advanced electronic engine management Suzuki was able to demonstrate that four-stroke outboards can now more than match, horsepower-for-horsepower, even the most advanced two-strokes in the areas of power-to-weight, compactness and acceleration. At just 55° degrees, the engine's bank angle is exceptionally narrow. This, along its offset driveshaft, means that its overall dimensions are smaller than the most powerful four-stroke outboards of its competitors.

The 24 valves of the DOHC engine are controlled by variable valve timing (VVT) that allows the engine's 32-bit onboard computer to achieve the 'holy grail' of optimum performance at every point in the engine's operating range. The outboard enough torque to handle a low 2.29:1 gear ratio and swing a large (16in) propeller to out-accelerate even direct-injected two-strokes, according to Suzuki, while also enabling them to outrun them at full throttle.

The DF250 falls within both EPA 2006 and CARB 2008 engine emissions limits. A full report on Suzuki's new V6 four-stroke outboards will be published in the August/September issue of IBI.

[Charles]

Sounds bloody expensive!

[DJL]

Sounds impressive..

Why do people generally think Suzukis are rubbish? My old Flatacraft had a 50HP 2/ Suzuki. Nobody wanted to touch it when I was trying to sell it, and that’s before they knew how old or what condition it was in. Everybody I talked to at the LBS had a rather negative view about them too.

I think they are brilliant, my old 50HP 2/ was 20years old. It had 2 professional services during its life. It started first time every time, never once let us down while at sea and was incredibly easy to look after. As far as I know it’s still being used by the family I sold it to for water sports. I would have no reservations about buying one of their 4 strokes.

Does anybody know where these general reservations against the company have come from?

[Alex Brown]

Probably from 1 person saying one bad thing, which has replicated somewhat....

The new engines really do look good, but I think they'd be a bit ott for my current boat

Locally, they are pretty well liked - there are quite a lot of Suzuki 4-strokes on the water down here, 115, 90, 70, 60 etc... but so far I haven't seen another 140 though.
One of the local watersports companies only uses Suzuki engines, and with the amount they use them, apparently they don't get problems. The following link relates directly to that -> http://www.suzukimarine.co.uk/marine...p?news_id=0015

-Alex

[voovar]

had a suzuki 65 2stroke.. unreliablenitemare.

replaced it with a 90 Yam. nuf said.


oh hang on. jus remembered i know nothing about boats!

[Dirk Diggler]

Originally posted by voovar


oh hang on. jus remembered i know nothing about boats!

Probably the reason why your on a rib forum then!

[thewavehumper]

Dirkgood to see you back on form.

Check out my engineers joke!

[-<=[Tw18]=>-]

Originally posted by DJL
Why do people generally think Suzukis are rubbish?

well there motorbikes are second to none

but my experience with Suzi lumps comes in the form of my mates 1992 225 V6. Like any 2 stroke of that size it is a lovely machine, incrediable if i do say so. This one is sven nicer as it has a dual Spark plug configuation. So you whip the cover off to be confronted by a lovely 24 spark plugs then the joy wears off when you have to replace them.

He has owned this boat for just over a year, and has consequently spent more time fixing his engine than running it, which is good for the fuel bill, but seeing as fixing also costs money maybe not so good.

His list of problems is endless
- charging circuit not working, something to do with the coils, which are located underneath the flywheel which is a PITA to get off (read not coming off unless you have a suzuki specific part). It is nothing to do with the expensive main electronics box althought faulsly diagnosed by the service centre as such.
- intermitent starting, has replaced the soliniods that run the starter motor, but is not too keen to replace the starter motor at £700
- Sunday he said the engine was missing, which meant after 2 hours of running he was down to 30 kts at WOT, which should usually be 58 kts, a few hours later he was doing 11kts WOT. This one I have not had an update on.
- and just tonnes of niggly set back problems with the engine.

Also this is what I cam remember of the problems, they may or might not be technically correct, but I think most of it is.

[jwalker]

Well, I've run Mercs, OMC, Yamaha, Mariner and a Suzuki.The Suzi left them all behind in all counts. The Merc was week, poor choice of metals, brass nuts, failed stator, alloy corrosion, worn oil pump gears, even the crankshaft corroded below the flywheel and lifted the oil seal to let water in. Nice chromium bores though. Yamaha and Mariner both lost their engine paint and corroded in a short time. The OMC, which I admit to quite liking, corroded a bit and its alternator magnets came loose inside the flywheel. It was a good job they were magnets and stayed put. All of them were typical 2 stroke smokers.
The Sukuzi was none of this/did none of this and it had exceptional midrange power which is ideal for a RIB. For starting, just simply turn the key. No choke or throttle required, even on the coldest of winter days. Nothing failed and very easy to service. Lower unit oil, a squirt of grease and a set of plugs occasionally were all that was necessary.
So, there you go, horses for courses it seems.

JW.

[Cookee]

Have to admit my first power boat was a fletcher 140 with a Suzuki 70 on the back - bloody thing was a nightmare - gearbox blew up once but managed to get back ok - in reverse! - lucky it wasn't rough I suppose! Sold it to a mate and it blew up after a season of skiing - I think he gave up and scrapped it!

I suppose I should mention this was in the dim and distant past and may not reflect the state of the current models!

The experience has put me off - maybe unfairly but never mind - always had good things to say about Yamahas but I'm sure people have horror stories about any make.