Getting raw deal from Suzuki?

[scharebear]

I was wondering if anyone thinks this is reasonable:
I have brand new Suzuki 300 since August 2014. All good til about 80+ hours when it has started “making oil”-fuel is getting into oil. Mobile mechanic comes out says he thinks he heard misfire and changed plugs and oil to see if that would fix it. Only few more hours and oil level is way up. Now at dealer but same mechanic, does leakdown test and tells me cylinder 6 was “a little high” but regional Suzuki tech responsible for deciding if something is warranty issue tells mechanic there is no defect, wants him to decarbonize engine and for me to “run it hard” (there has been hinting that I don't run it hard enough, which I think is total BS). This work is being done as I write. So both attempts to fix so far out of my pocket. I am furious and think I am being shafted and getting very poor customer service from Suzuki and maybe my mechanic too. He says he tried to convince regional Suzuki guy but that he does not feel there is defect (mind you never laid eyes on motor).

Is this reasonable to folks with motor knowledge and the warranty business?

Thanks for you help and advice.

[Moonlighter]

My understanding is that the problem where engines "make oil", which is really better described as fuel getting past the rings and into the oil, is most often associated with engines that have not been run in properly (ie as per the procedure recommended by the manufacturer) and is more prevalent with engines that are frequently run at low (ie trolling) speeds. (This assumes of course that there is no other problem with fuel getting into the oil another way)

In short, if the rings have not bed in properly, which they will only do if the engine is run in properly, then you may end up with this problem.

And in that case, it may well not be a warranty issue, because you can appreciate that it is not likely to be considered to be a defect of the manufacturer's making.

I don't say for a moment whether or not that applies your case. Only you will know how you broke the motor in.

But I don't see this problem being reported with any regularity with these engines, so it seems unlikely, though not impossible, to be a design/manufacturing issue. If there were lots of reports like this, maybe.....

Once my motor was run in properly, my dealer recommended to me that each trip, a burst of >5500rpm for 10 to 15 minutes is good to do to help bed the rings in during the first 100 hrs, and in addition, apart from anything else, it will burn off any fuel that does get into the oil during long periods of idling or slow trolling. So that's what I do. Never seen any issue with making oil.

Don't forget, the engine's ECU records how much time the engine is run at each rpm band (1000-2000, 2000-3000 and so on) so they will KNOW exactly how much time you have had the engine at low speed. I just had my engine serviced and as usual, received a printout from the SDS diagnostic system that shows this for my engine. So if you've predominantly been running it at trolling speeds, they will know!

So I can kind of understand why they are saying that they want you to "run it hard" once it's been decarbonised, it could be an attempt to get the rings bedded in better.

[scharebear]

Thanks for your reply.
I did the break in procedure according to the manual, although I have read many discussions that argue whether that is truly the best way to really break in motor. They have looked at the ECU data and the commented that a lot of time at low rpm, however I know plenty of people that almost exclusively troll when fishing and have no issue whatsoever. Also, I do try to get a high speed run in during my days on the water, it's fun and I have heard that the motor needs it as you said.

[nelbur]

It took a couple hundred hours for my 140 to stop making oil. I understand how you feel, but you likely should spend your money on frequent oil changes until it stops making oil, and run it hard now and then to warm op the oil enough for some of the fuel to evaporate out of the oil. Suzuki recently came out with a warmer thermostat for the 140. There could be a warmer thermostat for your engine which might help raise the oil temperature and evaporate more of the fuel.

I think you are likely seeing normal "making oil" but it is possible for the needle and seat in the vapor elimination chamber to fail and dump fuel into the crankcase, so this could be checked. Not sure why they are fooling with the cylinders.

[redlowrey]

Its got nothing to do with fuel getting past the rings it will be the vst over filling and fuel being sucked up the vapour line. I cant believe so called mechanics could think an engine could run with raw fuel getting past the rings.

[Seaduck]

My 2007 df115 was making oil. And it was from fuel coming from vst up vapor line. I pulled the line off and started motor and sure enough fuel started coming out. Tough job getting manifold off to get to vst but the new needle/seat and float fixed my issue. Good Luck

[Solarman]

I say hogwash! You have a set of 3 rings on each piston to prevent blow-by. If after 80 hrs run time (a considerable number of hrs on a boat) they say the rings haven't seated well enough and it then starts ”making oil” (after 80hrs)? Did it ”make oil” in the beginning, when rings were newer? Granted carbon might play a part, but I think there is a problem with vst ”making fuel” in crank case after 80hrs, instead of carbon build up and blow-by.

Besides, seems that much carbon, would affect valve seats and compression as well.

Sharebear, I believe they're looking at the wrong end of ths mule. And my opinion, yes, you're getting the shaft at the other end.

Good luck, I think ill stick to the old 2 strokes.

[Harper]

As others have said in the last few posts, if the fuel was being dumped into the combustion chambers at such a volume as to cause raw liquid fuel to get past the rings into the crankcase, the motor would probably not even run, it would be flooded so bad. If the break-in of the rings was poorly done, it would cause poor compression and loss ( not "making") of oil due to burning oil that was getting past the rings.

You have a different problem. Pull the VST.

[Bamahemi]

I have a new 300 apxx as well just did 20 hour oil and now have 30+ hours, manual calls for certain running for first 2 hours under 3k, then next 15 min idle, then next 1 hr 45 min under 4k, remaining 7 hours at desired speed with burst occasionally at full not to exceed 5 min, now in make believe world this is possible to a strict adherence but in real life with speed zones etc not happening, I broke mine as close as possible to this manual and the other day I checked and noticed oil level was a little high, could this be due to excess oil in motor at change or a little fuel added, don't know, sure I think motor is still breaking in, I run out usually 5-7 miles troll then run back 7-10 miles so I do troll and I do run it! Not worried at this point!

[Bamahemi]

Just pulled at qt out to get it back to top hole, def don't run it hard, only at 4400, this will change, majority of people say it needs this to set rings and burn off fuel, not dismissing VST, but this can also be it as well, on average a pint can be made over 2-4 hours, my runs awesome, no smoke no hesitation, gonna bump oil change hours to half and monitor while running it harder!

[Bamahemi]

Got this from the Head Tech at International Marine, they did my re-power:

Another thing that you mentioned may play a role. Changing the oil hot. Believe it or not. The head tech. at Suzuki when we were in Atlanta in the factory training said you will get more of the oil out of it when it's cold than hot. He said there is up to one quart the engine has spread out over all the lubricated parts when it's shut down. We always prefer to change oil cold for this reason. We also tilt the motors up slightly and turn to port. This makes sense after looking at the cut away motor on display at the school. This would position the oil pan to get the most out of it.