Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

[boatkpny]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

I beg to differ with you but the low profile 9.9 Johnson is a 1969. Not sure when OMC started the line but this is definitely a 1969 Johnson seahorse 9.9 white cover, Johnson markings with olive green housing. Picked it up in 1976 used

 

[tomhath]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

I beg to differ with you but the low profile 9.9 Johnson is a 1969. Not sure when OMC started the line but this is definitely a 1969 Johnson seahorse 9.9 white cover, Johnson markings with olive green housing. Picked it up in 1976 used

Hmmm, interesting. If you don't mind me asking, what does the model number tag say? The only model I'm aware of would be a 9R69, but that's the older 9.5 design. Still a good motor either way.

Johnson

 

[boatkpny]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

I stand corrected sir - it is a 9.5 and it is a 9R69

Runs great!

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

If it is any consolation, I just repaired a Suzuki DF30. It blew out a compression ring and the oil control ring. Suzuki dealer sent the correct piston but it was wrong. The piston sent me was plain flat topped while the pistons in the engine had eyebrows cut for exhaust valve clearance. I confirmed with the dealer that the piston was the correct part number. Of course, the engine clattered the first time I started it. Long story short, after multiple calls to service and techs, Suzuki is recalling the whole batch of pistons. Seems they really should have had the eyebrows cut into them.

I had the poor owners engine for a month, maybe more, so instead of ordering a new piston which would have taken multiple weeks, I cut an eyebrow into the installed one. Engine ran well and quiet.

The timing gear is pressed on the crankshaft. This engine was stopped dead when it hit something and the timing gear slipped. There is no repair other than buying a new crankshaft--what a crappy design. I needed to reset the valve timing by making my own timing marks and I hope the crankshaft gear stays in its current position. All in all, this engine left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[V153]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

I member the bigger Suzuki "D" series motors claimed to embody all sorts of 'new innovations'. Evidently reliability and/or corrosion resistence wasn't one of them ...

Those motors were crap to begin with, as time told. Try to find somebody to work on one that, by the grace of god, is still running. Good luck!

I'd rather waste my time tryin' to keep an ole Chrysler alive ...

 

[peterhubble]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

I member the bigger Suzuki "D" series motors claimed to embody all sorts of 'new innovations'. Evidently reliability and/or corrosion resistence wasn't one of them ...

Those motors were crap to begin with, as time told. Try to find somebody to work on one that, by the grace of god, is still running. Good luck!

I'd rather waste my time tryin' to keep an ole Chrysler alive ...

Suzuki corroded more than any motor I have ever seen , 3 years from new and ruined

 

[kahuna123]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

I don't know much about up North. Down here what kills motors is not running them and electrolysis. We have lots of Zuks 4 strokes running around with many more hours than any 30 year old merc from up North. You'll see lots of Sea Tow boats using them.

I was in the business for years in the hot salt we have down here. I have seen a bad ground eat up a two inch thick stainless shaft in days. Brass props with holes in them. Outdrives fall apart.

But I am sure your boat wiring is perfect.

 

[limitout]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

I'm not sure where Suzuki is failing here. While the car analogy was dumb on his part (many 20+ year old cars still go strong) the fact remains you have been using the motor for 14 years. 14 years. Why in the world are you surprised and why would you expect Suzuki to do something about it?

have to agree, the expectations are a bit extreme and corrosion issues are maint. related item not covered by warranty anyways

your lack of use is actually worse for the engine since corrosion continues even outside water and by sitting up it speeds the process.

corrosion is like rust and the more things sit up unused the more it grows.

instead of being upset you should instead be happy it lasted trouble free for this long.

barely used does NOT mean it should not show signs of age and fresh water flush helps but doesn't remove the salt that is left on into the metal (metal is not as smooth as you think) so if you want to neutralize that saltwater use you should run the motor at least twice as long in fresh water as you did in salt water and even then its not going to be 100% effective.

and for long term storage I would fill the water cavities with used but filtered motor oil so it coats the metal and neutralizes and corrosion going on.

 

[limitout]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

One of the issues that other boaters have brought up is the fact that 30-40 year old engines continue to run without these corrosion issues. I have a 1969 Johnson 9.9 that still runs to the day and has never experienced the kind of corrosion that I saw with my SUZUKI.

As manufacturers continue to find ways to reduce costs, they have internalize a lot of the savings by reducing specifications. This shows up in reduction of wall thicknesses that in the past could withstand salt water corrosion but now has the bear minimum to confront it.

It is my contention that SUZUKI, like most outboard manufacturers have taken this approach to improve their EBITDA while sacrificing quality.

........

I think it comes down to the quality of metal we use today, because the costs of things are so high most metals all contain a lot more impurities then they did years ago and these impurities are what speeds up steel rusting and aluminum corrosion and you add to that the reduced thickness of everything and you see the reduced life expectancy of outboard motors today while car engines are actually going longer so I think its possible to do the same with outboards but the manufacturers (all of them) don't care and have no incentive to make motors last longer.

just like appliances they want your repeat business every 5 years or so and making products last longer is contrary to that goal.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

I think it comes down to the quality of metal we use today, because the costs of things are so high most metals all contain a lot more impurities then they did years ago

Impurities?

Metal making has evolved into a science. Your manipulating elements at the atom level to produce the desired characteristics and nothing is left to chance. Gas compositions are routinely checked and adjusted to absolute accuracies up to 0.0002%. Carbon and alloying elements are routinely manipulated to 0.001% or better. With the controls and processes in use to day, suggesting that today's metals have more impurities than the past is laughable.:lol::lol::lol:

I've worked in the metals industry for over 35 years. The strength and corrosion resistance of the today's steel and aluminum is light years a head of where they where 5-10 years ago.

 

[peterhubble]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

All zincs changed every year

My Suzuki was a DF 60 four stroke , 2007 new , within 3 years the head dissolved through and cracked , no warranty they said , thery said because I had it serviced 2 times out of 5 by a private guy that was the cause wrong anodes , just last week I sent an email to Haines group who own Suzuki in Australia , they said they never saw a warrantly claim on that motor ever , but they would investigate it , a few days ago after talking to all concerned they imformed me that they stand by there original rejection of saying no based on there investigation they said I never had the head anodes ever been changed in services , Suzuki did 3 out of 5 mind you , they also said in there opinion I never flushed the motor with fresh water , I live in a boat access area and the boat never leaves the water and I use it daily most times , I do flush it if it is being left for a week no used , the Suzuki mechanic when I asked him at the time what could I have done differant to stop this happening again , he said nothing he has had to repair quite a lot of this model , he suggested I sell it and buy a new motor , he also said that model has a car engine head with to many metal parts and loves corroding , but he also said it was off the record other wise he might lose his dealership , now if you read the first part of this story haines said they had never heard of my motor problem , no warranty claim, was ever brought to there attention , then they said they stand by there original decision to reject it , what more can I say other than my boat is the only Suzuki at the marina , all the others are Yamaha , never flushed , 4 anodes in the head , mine has 1 , and the Yamahas are 10 years old and still going strong .

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

" they also said in there opinion I never flushed the motor with fresh water "

well that's proof they are blowing smoke up your butt and a good reason never to buy that brand. Flushing, like keeping a car in a garage, is a nice thing to do but certainly not required, and if it is, then that motor is the first truly "fresh water motor." To corrode out ion three years is a worthless design, clearly substandard materials, regardless of annodes, unless you are running in the Great Salt Lake (or in your case, Nullabor well water!).

if I were Zuk I'd give you a new motor and fire the warranty rep who told you all that BS. Wonder if he was with an aftermarket warranty (service contract) rather than factory.

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

My Suzuki was a DF 60 four stroke , 2007 new , within 3 years the head dissolved through and cracked , no warranty they said , thery said because I had it serviced 2 times out of 5 by a private guy that was the cause wrong anodes , just last week I sent an email to Haines group who own Suzuki in Australia , they said they never saw a warrantly claim on that motor ever , but they would investigate it , a few days ago after talking to all concerned they imformed me that they stand by there original rejection of saying no based on there investigation they said I never had the head anodes ever been changed in services , Suzuki did 3 out of 5 mind you , they also said in there opinion I never flushed the motor with fresh water , I live in a boat access area and the boat never leaves the water and I use it daily most times , I do flush it if it is being left for a week no used , the Suzuki mechanic when I asked him at the time what could I have done differant to stop this happening again , he said nothing he has had to repair quite a lot of this model , he suggested I sell it and buy a new motor , he also said that model has a car engine head with to many metal parts and loves corroding , but he also said it was off the record other wise he might lose his dealership , now if you read the first part of this story haines said they had never heard of my motor problem , no warranty claim, was ever brought to there attention , then they said they stand by there original decision to reject it , what more can I say other than my boat is the only Suzuki at the marina , all the others are Yamaha , never flushed , 4 anodes in the head , mine has 1 , and the Yamahas are 10 years old and still going strong .

14yrs I could understand, 3yrs I would be flipping out. I love my Suzuki snowmobile engines and their motorcycle engines but would never even consider a O/B now and I wont ever be near saltwater with my boats.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

Keep in mind that Suzuki was not part of denial process on this. An independent company imports the engine into Australia and buys the engine without any warranty. That company has to eat any warranty out of their own pocket...It sounds like their pocket isn't very deep though.

 

[peterhubble]

Re: Suzuki thinks that a hole in the block caused by salt water is just normal wear

Keep in mind that Suzuki was not part of denial process on this. An independent company imports the engine into Australia and buys the engine without any warranty. That company has to eat any warranty out of their own pocket...It sounds like their pocket isn't very deep though.

Good point , i didnt realise it worked that way , So The Haines group are the culprets and Suzuki built a crap motor , I have talked quite a lot of people out of buying a Suzuki Outboard and will just keep doing it for a long as I can , it was a expensive head to replace but not as expensive for the Haines Grooup with loss of at least 7 motor they now didnt sell