DT60 engine dies suddenly at full speed

[ongalo]

Hi,<br />I'm new to boating but just bought an 85' bass boat with a DT60 Suzuki(84' I think) I took it out Sunday for the first time and it ran great for about a half hour then at full throttle it just all of a sudden died, when I squeezed the primer bulb I could restart it but I noticed the primer bulb never gets firm, like an air leak somewhere, the bulb and fuel line look newer. I'm a bodyman/painter not a mechanic so need all the advice I can get. The fish are in thick right now in our area (Redfish, flounder, Speckled trout,) I want to go get some! but hate paddling out to do it! Any suggestions!<br />Thanks,<br />Scott

 

[manitoba1]

Re: DT60 engine dies suddenly at full speed

Have you checked whether or not the vent on the tank is open or working? You may be experiencing an air lock. My tank has on occasion has had the vent stick and the tank actually began to buckle inward due to vacuum. This condition caused the engine to die. If you open the tank and you here that sound like opening a soft drink you've found the problem. You might try to inspect the o-rings on the gas lines. Check the o-ring in the gas filter in the engine for cracking. If the primer bulb is flat my guess is it is one of the first two suggestions.

 

[ongalo]

Re: DT60 engine dies suddenly at full speed

Thanks Manitoba1,<br />I will check the O rings and make sure the vent is open and not sticking next time out. I'm originally from northern minnesota, ya you betcha! Got plenty of walleyes as a boy up there.

 

[atmunshi]

Re: DT60 engine dies suddenly at full speed

This is a question for your (manitoba1) response to ongalo. My fuel primer bulb went flat on the water yesterday. When I shut it down, the bulb regain shape and we could flat out fly across the lake until it went flat about 2-3 minutes later. What can cause that?

 

[Elmer Fudge]

Re: DT60 engine dies suddenly at full speed

Atmunshi, the answer to your problem lies in Manitoba1's post

 

[manitoba1]

Re: DT60 engine dies suddenly at full speed

atmunshi:<br /><br />If the bulb is going flat then it's obviously the vent at the top of the tank that is sticking. I bet if you were to unscrew the filler cap on the gas tank that you would hear the tank suck in air. The tank that I use on my 4 stroke is from my old DT55 1985). Sometimes with extreme temperature changes (cool nights/ warm days) the vent doesn't release due to vacuum even when I unscrew the nut. Turn the filler cap loose a bit first, so the tank can breathe a bit and then tighten it (but not all the way. Follow this by loosening the vent nut and it should cure the problem (but only if you remember to do it). Must be some type of defect in those older 80's type caps. Probably a new cap on the tank wouldn't hurt either.

 

[ongalo]

Re: DT60 engine dies suddenly at full speed

Motor is running ok now, I think the check valve sticks, once in a while I'll open the cap and hear air escaping, I'm going to replace tanks to plastic ones.<br />Thanks for the advice.