MacGregorSailors.com

Our 4 year old (about 150 hours in salt water) Suzuki 50 stopped running a couple of months ago. Took it into the shop and they told us that water was mixing with the oil. We apparently have a headgasket issue and a crankshaft issue. It will cost $4,000 in parts plus $2,000-$3,000 in labor to get her fixed. (Total is $6,000-$7,000). Or we can buy a new Suzuki for about $7k with a six year warranty. Or we can look for something better for our 2002x. Does any of this sound ridiculous? Any suggestions?

Bill Smith

Well, I can tell you there is no way I'd spend $6-7K on repairing a 50hp outboard...

You can buy a shop crane for ~$100. Your boat is already rigged. So, you gotta be able to get a brand new 50hp for less than that and mount it yourself... Of course being able to reuse the rigging almost certainly requires replacing it with the same motor... Of course, if you do, then you have spares in the form of your old motor, such as a good lower unit...

Actually, if it were me, I'd buy bigger than 50hp. A local dealer quoted me $7600 for a 90hp ETEC and $350 to remove my 40hp and mount the 90 in its place...

Bill,

Bummer about your problems. Which shop did you take it to? I have access to a good mobile mech but he is quite pricey but worth it. The prices you are quoting will get you a new Tohatsu 90.

Meanwhile, reference my own woes in this thread and do a search on other Suzuki problems. I heard they were very reliable but am beginning to have serious doubts. http://macgregorsailors.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=5045

Good luck and stay in touch. You should still have my number. Call me if you think it will help to get together for a good cry.

Theo

Bill - I would guess the shop does not know how to do the work and so has priced it so you would buy a new motor instead.

I would shop that around.

3000 in labor is something like 30 hours....way too much in my book.

$100 per hour for a mechanic and a cheap metal building and a work bench. Why did I waste all that time in college. Find an honest mechanic!!!!! or buy the 90HP and part out the motor on E-Bay

I thought the Suzi had this great warranty. Six years or something, what happened?

Bill, I have the same issue with my 02 (less than 50 hours on mine). But in 2002 Suzuki had a 6 year warranty. call Suzuki and try and get it checked! I just unloaded the boat out of the container (I had it shipped back from Curacao)and it is off to the shop. I will let you know what the guy at the shop says. Good luck and keep us posted!

DLT wrote:A local dealer quoted me $7600 for a 90hp ETEC and $350 to remove my 40hp and mount the 90 in its place...

wow!!! i'd jump all over that.
when i re-powered in 11/04 from a Suzuki 50 to a Tohatsu 90 TLDI, 90 Etec's were so new that the best quote was $9K installed.
my Tohatsu, at that time, was $7200 installed (that total price included the removal of the Suzi 50 & the tax) from Amber Marine in Costa Mesa (1 block from the Mac factory).
Amber has since installed quite a few 90's on X's & M's so he'll "git 'er dun" right.

Bob T.
"DaBob"
'02X w/ '04 90 TLDI

Sloop John B wrote:I thought the Suzi had this great warranty. Six years or something, what happened?

Suzuki's standard factory warranty is 3 years. Prior to 1999 when Suzuki began offering their standard 3 year warranty, the entire industry offered only one year.

During the winter season, Suzuki typically offers the 3-yr wty extension for free.
Suzuki's extended factory warranty for years4 thru 6 is usually about $500 extra.

Would have been a good buy ....

There seems to be few options here, and a new engine is obviously the best choice...unless a "reasonable" mechanic can be found. Surely there cant be that much of a cost in labor & materials to fix up a Suzuki 50HP.
Happy Sailing to all...

Seems I have the same woes too!

Mine will not start, have spark and fuel, have not checked compression, but can't find anyone willing to work on it either! PITA, actually, as I am trying to pinch pennies lately and have NO recource other than pulling the motor and hauling it 40 miles down the pike, as no one wants the entire boat in their yard!

Three Mac26's with the same problem with the same outboard. What do you suppose is the cause of this problem? Any good guess would be interesting? Also if you get the mechanic's cause analysis please post it, maybe the rest of the DF50's can be repaired preemptively.
..
I have not had any problems with 1999 DF50.

Tom:
I have had good luck dealing with Eric @ Pacific Marine Supply, he has done a good job tuning up my Suzuki 50. They are in San Diego by Mission Bay, Phone # 619-275-0508. On an appointment basis they can park my X there, and work on it.
I have owned my X since Oct of '04, and have 200 hrs on my motor, it had 70 hrs when I bought it. I had overheating problems with it, I changed the thermostat an the manifold heat sensor. It's been running great since. I hope it continues to do so

Ric K wrote:I had overheating problems with it, I changed the thermostat and the manifold heat sensor. It's been running great since. I hope it continues to do so

that's good info.
it may be a salt water corrosion issue if not maintained properly (flushed out thoroughly).
between those two components and the water pump, that's a primary reason for overheating/thus a blown head.

Bob T.
"DaBob"
'02X w/ '04 90 TLDI

Ric, thank you very much! I called and he penned me in for the 12th of next month. Two weeks is better than two months I have been quoted, at other establishments! I talked to Erik, and he sounds like he can do it anyway!

Diagnostics is a flat fee of $85.00, and they hook it up to their computer, and he said it can tell the exact date and time of failure, and what it failed for!

I truly appreciate the info, I don't think I've been there before, but they sure sound competent....we'll see!

It's a shame that you almost need the diagnostic computer these days to troubleshoot these motors!

BobbyT...I have used Salt-Away each and every time I flushed, and never noticed overheating, and changed the water pump also! I just hope it's not a head gasket, but I'll attempt that myself if that is it!

BTW, I get ALL my parts on-line from http://www.brownspoint.com/ as they are cheaper and faster at getting parts than my local Brick and Mortar store in Oceanside anyway! Even with shipping charges! I got that rescource from someone on here!