Suzuki DF20A DIY yearly service.

[Musling430]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Are you sure it’s showing an oil pressure alarm & not asking for an oil service/change?

Yes, this was my first thought too. So I've tried that a numerous times just to be sure. However, the alarm is the "5-3" typ, and the reset procedure doesn't work..


But thank you for the suggestion. :-)


Is there perhaps a way to "reset" the ECM? Or does that require the diagnostics tool?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Musling430

Yes, this was my first thought too. So I've tried that a numerous times just to be sure. However, the alarm is the "5-3" typ, and the reset procedure doesn't work..


But thank you for the suggestion. :-)


Is there perhaps a way to "reset" the ECM? Or does that require the diagnostics tool?

Plugging in the diagnostics would be my first move. I have the cable & software. You can get this off eBay for around £60.

Have you performed the reset procedure shown at the bottom of the attached PDF?

[Musling430]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Plugging in the diagnostics would be my first move. I have the cable & software. You can get this off eBay for around £60.

Have you performed the reset procedure shown at the bottom of the attached PDF?

Thanks for the tip. I have now just placed the order on Ebay now.! Delivery: 26th of July...... :-)


Regarding the reset procedure: The DF20A with tiller only has a start button, no ignition switch. The service manual states that the alarm will disappear as soon as the oil pressure is restored..


"NOTE
The low oil pressure caution system will reset when the oil pressure is restored to over 15 kPa (0.15
kg/cm2, 2 psi.) at approx. 2 000 r/min. or less engine speed operation.
The engine must be stopped and checked immediately once the system is activated."

But the rev limiter is never activated...


Anyways, guess I just have to wait until end of July. Thanks for all the input. Will updated as soon as I've got the diagnostics ready.

[Musling430]

Right, so I finally received the diagnostics tool.


Here are a couple og screen shoots.


As you can see:

No of oil pressure sw failures: 4 ( must be wrong because the alarm has been there for 2-3 years)
No of low oil pressure: 0




And then:

Check harness - well I've tried running with the sensor disconnected which should indicate that the pressure is fine (inifity). Still the alarm is there.




Any suggestions?

[Fenlander]

I can't quite get my head round the overheat failures but with the amount of data logged in that respect I'd investigate that.

Re the oil pressure two things left to consider... is the new switch also faulty... and have you checked right through the wiring?

[Musling430]

Thanks for replying.!
Yes, regarding overheat, I bought the engine with 100h on it, so theoretically it might be from that time.
IDK, but could the relative cold climate in Norway combined with WOT in less than a minute from start cause this?

The switch seems to work fine. Inifitiy with engine on, and continuity with engine off.
I can measure between the switch and ground.
Also, i've got 5v on the lead, which is correct.
So with the lead disconnected should be the same at inifinity from the switch. However, the alarm is still there...

Leads me to think something is wrong in the ECM?

[Fenlander]

Without the outboard, repair manual, wiring diagram, diagnostics and a test meter in front of me there's not anything else I can think of. ECUs are mostly reliable and it is so likely to be something external to the ECU.

I wonder if in this case it is worth an hour of dealer time and experience?

[Pikey Dave]

Silly question, you’re not confusing an over heat alarm with a low oil pressure alarm by any chance?

[mishendr]

Hi all, this is (still) a very useful thread! After 3 dealer services on my 2018 DF20ARL, the completion of our new garage was the start for DIY maintenance!

I have the original maintenance manual (print), SDS, and an original Suzuki maintenance kit. I already changed oils, new waterpump kit, new anodes. All looks still very good, no issues.

BUT…: I messed up when disconnecting the lower unit. I did turn the bolt from the gear linkage, and now I don’t know anymore where it was set (neutral).

What is the best way to approach this? So I know the gearlinkage is in the right position? Trail and error, just run it and see if it selects gear allright? Or could that be damaging?

Thanks for helping this Dutchie in Holland!

[goldeneye243]

I am getting all the parts together to give the service a go.

Having been in contact with seamark Nunn, the gasket cylinder cover has a slightly different part number now.

11162-89L01-000

Any thoughts on how long the service is likely to take the first time I do it?

It is the first service on the outboard, around a year old and less than 20 hours.

Thanks

[Trello]

Fenlander,

If there were a ratio of usefulness to length of posts (call it a "usefulness quotient", UQ), your posts would be amongst the highest in the forum. In the last few days, reading some of your posts, I feel as if I have swallowed a textbook of boating. Thank you very much for sharing your considerable knowledge.

I recently bought a 2 year old Suzuki DF20A, and, until coming across this thread, I would never have dreamt of servicing it myself. Now, however, I have decided to attempt it, thanks to your clear, lucid, painstaking explanations.

Thanks again,

Trello.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Trello

Fenlander,

If there were a ratio of usefulness to length of posts (call it a "usefulness quotient", UQ), your posts would be amongst the highest in the forum. In the last few days, reading some of your posts, I feel as if I have swallowed a textbook of boating. Thank you very much for sharing your considerable knowledge.

I recently bought a 2 year old Suzuki DF20A, and, until coming across this thread, I would never have dreamt of servicing it myself. Now, however, I have decided to attempt it, thanks to your clear, lucid, painstaking explanations.

Thanks again,

Trello.

Big thing it’s free very rare in this day and age

[Fenlander]

Thank you for your comments Trello. Bit slow to see this as overwhelming family stuff this year has pushed thoughts of boating aside. I am just one of many folks on here that offer useful information and for me this site has been a huge resource for things I didn’t know so it works both ways. There is always help and an answer here.

[StingrayLover]

The garden hose flush port is for flush not cooling so its cold. DF20a can't suck water good in bucket mine doesn't suck at all from brand new. In lake it's fine.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by StingrayLover

The garden hose flush port is for flush not cooling so its cold. DF20a can't suck water good in bucket mine doesn't suck at all from brand new. In lake it's fine.

Suzuki’s need a good head of water in a tub or they don’t pull water

[intrepid_rib]

Originally Posted by StingrayLover

The garden hose flush port is for flush not cooling so its cold. DF20a can't suck water good in bucket mine doesn't suck at all from brand new. In lake it's fine.

They have a third pickup on the bottom of the cavitation plate, so the cavitation plate must be well submerged for them to pull. If using muffs, you need a bit of duck tape over the intake on the underside of the cavitation (leaving just the two side intakes exposed). This would also help in a bucket if you’re having trouble getting it to suck.

[Siberman]

Great thread! I recently bought the exact same engine and will soon be doing the first 20hr service.

Lot’s of helpful stuff here.

Heaps of thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences!

[Trello]

Mr F,

I have slowly been acquiring the bits of kit I need to perform a service on my Suzuki DF20A. I have bought the service kit and the engine oil.
The things I still need are:

1 Gear oil.
I'm sure I'll be able to source this.

2 The feeler gauge to check the valve clearances.
Is this something I need to get from Suzuki? I've gone onto their website but been unable to find one.

3 A torque wrench.
It looks as if the various torques on the engine range from 6 Nm (water pump case nut) to 90 Nm (flywheel nut). But looking around at what is on the market, a single torque wrench isn't going to reliably cover such a range. Do I need to buy two wrenches? [Torque wrenches seem to cost from £30 to £300. I'm intending to buy at the lower end of the cost scale, but check the calibration with a bit of school physics before I use it].

Thanks,

Trello.

[Fenlander]

Gear oil just get exactly the correct spec of Suzuki or Motul brand (Motul make Suzuki’s oil).

Feeler gauges are generic to car/bike etc so Halfords or online whichever is easier.

I do a lot of work on cars so invested in a couple of reasonable torque wrenches. Both Teng brand and a 1/2 inch drive for the larger figures and a 3/8 drive for the lower figures. About £140 the pair.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Trello

Mr F,



I have slowly been acquiring the bits of kit I need to perform a service on my Suzuki DF20A. I have bought the service kit and the engine oil.

The things I still need are:



1 Gear oil.

I'm sure I'll be able to source this.



2 The feeler gauge to check the valve clearances.

Is this something I need to get from Suzuki? I've gone onto their website but been unable to find one.



3 A torque wrench.

It looks as if the various torques on the engine range from 6 Nm (water pump case nut) to 90 Nm (flywheel nut). But looking around at what is on the market, a single torque wrench isn't going to reliably cover such a range. Do I need to buy two wrenches? [Torque wrenches seem to cost from £30 to £300. I'm intending to buy at the lower end of the cost scale, but check the calibration with a bit of school physics before I use it].



Thanks,



Trello.

How old is the engine/hours?