My new Suzuiki DF70 is indicating it is time for the first (20 hour) oil change. My owners manual says I should do this with a warm motor (as I would expect). Do you do this then immediately following a cruise, in the water or in the boat ramp parking lot?
Either option sounds less than desireable to me, even possibly inviting a fine of some sort. I would prefer to do this at home, but how could I get the oil warm? How do they do it in the professional shops? It seems like this is something I should be able to do myself, like with my car, as an expression of tender man/machine love. You understand...
Brunosafari wrote:Thanks Russ! I actually already have the ear muffs but was just chicken to idle it for more than a minute.
Bruce
Great.
Well, you are right to be chicken. If you don't see water coming out the hole on the top, it's not sealed tight or something and shut it down. I've never been good at getting those muff attached well.
As long as it's getting water to cool (by seeing it come out the top), you should be fine.
Are you also changing the gear oil. I seem to remember seeing that is also up for change during the break in period.
The other possibility is, get a large barrel and fill it with water (a thrash can would work) Lower the engine into the barrel and start it up--again, make sure the water is coming through the hole in a steady jet. Ten minutes and you would be ready to go.
You can wash your hands in the barrel afterwards--but it's doubtful it would get war enough to make it a pleasant experience
No problems on the oil change. My manual just says the gear oil change just needs to be done "periodically," but I'll go over it more carefully and will mention it on this thread if I discover it needs to be done during the break in period. Thanks so much Russ.
March, the baptism by immersion idea sounds like fun and I bet I end up givin' it a try one of these days if I end up misplacing my "ear muffs" or commandeer them as headphones for my ipod.
Your manual tells you to change BOTH oils at 20hrs for the first change; every hundred after that.
For me, that meant pulling it out onto hard early in the first season. I also changed both again at the end of the season. Certainly not required by the # of hours, but mechanically it makes more sense to put new, clean fluids into it before winter lay up. Now as the seasons beginning for us here, that's one less chore to do prior to going out.
Regards,
Shane
Brunosafari wrote:No problems on the oil change. My manual just says the gear oil change just needs to be done "periodically," but I'll go over it more carefully and will mention it on this thread if I discover it needs to be done during the break in period. Thanks so much Russ.
March, the baptism by immersion idea sounds like fun and I bet I end up givin' it a try one of these days if I end up misplacing my "ear muffs" or commandeer them as headphones for my ipod.
Probably the only reason they want the oil warm is for speed of flow, so if you are patient you could just change it cold.
The first oil change is to usually about trying to get any larger particles out of the motor from first running, but nowadays any good filter will catch those.
Changing oil cold rubs my mettle the wrong way but Im sure its a perfectly fine approach.
Remember the old adage of 90% of engine wear happens when the engine is cold? When you really think about this, its one of the statements that everyone knows, but probably just isnt true - a pre-Google legend if you will.
Remember the old adage of 90% of engine wear happens when the engine is cold? When you really think about this, its one of the statements that everyone knows, but probably just isnt true - a pre-Google legend if you will.
Lucas have an oil stabilizer out there, that addreses dry start wear.
i've been using it for about 2 yrs. As a result all of my little cam lobes, piston rings and seals all report how much happier they all are.
I was told by a Mobil rep that the reason was to help clear the sump of sludge and particles that can be trapped in corners, or other places. The higher rate of flow of the warm oil facilitates this.
Not sure if this applies to the DF 70 but on the DF 50 there is a vent plate underneath the cavitation plate that needs to be duct taped in order to get enough water flow into the pump for cooling properly. Mine won't PEE without it.
Carl Noble wrote:Not sure if this applies to the DF 70 but on the DF 50 there is a vent plate underneath the cavitation plate that needs to be duct taped in order to get enough water flow into the pump for cooling properly. Mine won't PEE without it.
Looks like this has been a Suzuki feature for years. My 10-year old DT55 is the same.
I think that the importance of duct taping the 3rd intake depends on the water pressure in the hose feeding the muffs though. The hoses at my mooring have a lot of pressure - I use these to quickly flush the engine when I come in. I don't bother with the tape because it's only a few seconds, but even so I seem to get a full flow of water because the hose is really pumping it in.
When running the engine at home on the driveway I needed the tape; my water pressure seems to be a lot lower.
