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Suzuki Sports Fans,
The principal reason for writing this thread is that I feel that Suzuki Outboards have a major engineering design problem that causes extreme downtime and monetary implications. After finally completing the work on my own, and seeing the problem up close I’m pretty mad and concerned that Suzuki has not mentioned this in a bulletin.
During a fishing trip in January 2015, while launching my boat, putting the engines in gear I lost all power to the starboard lower unit assembly. Upon returning home I removed the lower unit and discovered that the lower unit was fine and discovered that the problem originated up in the power unit of the DF225 outboard. When the power unit was removed I discovered a major corroded mount oil cover and corroded and pitted drive shaft due to water intrusion. Then upon further investigation realized that the driven gear was void of all gearing (smooth) thus the reason for no power to the lower unit assembly. What really upset me and cause of concern was that due to this issue the quote I got from the dealer to just replace the driven gear - $770! And since the dealer had not seen the other extensive water leak damage it would have been another $550 at a minimum. Now with the pitted drive shaft damaged due to the water intrusion this was going to cost me $1250, without the dealer inspecting any other damage.
I know this is an engineering design problem because all the parts supporting the subassembly that I received from a Suzuki parts dealer to replace the damaged parts have all changed part numbers and re-designed parts in an attempt to cure this water intrusion issue coming up the drive shaft. I can’t believe that Suzuki has not sent out a bulletin outlining this major design problem.
While attending the 2015 Miami Boat Show I talked to great lengths to Suzuki representatives which failed to even recognize this major problem and offered no solution to the problem, this really upset me. The other design problem is that since the drive shaft comes up thru the hot oil bath the end of the drive shaft cannot keep lubrication and thus can rust to the driven gear making a repair a nightmare. There are many reports of drive shaft rusting to the driven gear due to these design flaws on the various web sites and the Suzuki outboard forums.
The call goes out to know if other folks have seen or experienced this problem. I would really like to know if it is an isolated problem? Why then are there part changes?
Thanks!
Mike Oyler
moyler43@gmail.com
The principal reason for writing this thread is that I feel that Suzuki Outboards have a major engineering design problem that causes extreme downtime and monetary implications. After finally completing the work on my own, and seeing the problem up close I’m pretty mad and concerned that Suzuki has not mentioned this in a bulletin.
During a fishing trip in January 2015, while launching my boat, putting the engines in gear I lost all power to the starboard lower unit assembly. Upon returning home I removed the lower unit and discovered that the lower unit was fine and discovered that the problem originated up in the power unit of the DF225 outboard. When the power unit was removed I discovered a major corroded mount oil cover and corroded and pitted drive shaft due to water intrusion. Then upon further investigation realized that the driven gear was void of all gearing (smooth) thus the reason for no power to the lower unit assembly. What really upset me and cause of concern was that due to this issue the quote I got from the dealer to just replace the driven gear - $770! And since the dealer had not seen the other extensive water leak damage it would have been another $550 at a minimum. Now with the pitted drive shaft damaged due to the water intrusion this was going to cost me $1250, without the dealer inspecting any other damage.
I know this is an engineering design problem because all the parts supporting the subassembly that I received from a Suzuki parts dealer to replace the damaged parts have all changed part numbers and re-designed parts in an attempt to cure this water intrusion issue coming up the drive shaft. I can’t believe that Suzuki has not sent out a bulletin outlining this major design problem.
While attending the 2015 Miami Boat Show I talked to great lengths to Suzuki representatives which failed to even recognize this major problem and offered no solution to the problem, this really upset me. The other design problem is that since the drive shaft comes up thru the hot oil bath the end of the drive shaft cannot keep lubrication and thus can rust to the driven gear making a repair a nightmare. There are many reports of drive shaft rusting to the driven gear due to these design flaws on the various web sites and the Suzuki outboard forums.
The call goes out to know if other folks have seen or experienced this problem. I would really like to know if it is an isolated problem? Why then are there part changes?
Thanks!
Mike Oyler
moyler43@gmail.com
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