DF20 Do I have a problem or not?

[deadctr]

Just picked up a new DF20 tiller last week. Put it on a 1560 semi V Jon (duck hunting/fishing boat). Got it wet for the first time yesterday. Freshwater lake, easy motoring, following break-in guidelines.

Was putting along at about 1/4 throttle, and it seems like it popped out of gear. Backed off throttle, and it went back to normal. This happened twice more through the day, each time was during an fairly long run (small lake, long run equals maybe 10 or 15 minutes).

When I got to the ramp and loaded the boat, I noticed that I hadn't opened the vent for the portable gas tank. The tank was just about full.

Question, could the issue be that with the longer runs, with the closed vent, the motor might have starved for fuel, or do I really have an issue with the motor?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.

[Murray]

Suggest you take it out again with the vent open and see what happens. Low fuel supply shouldn’t kick the motor into neutral. The engine should sputter and die in forward,

[artdf175]

sounds like a small adjustment in the shift rod
but it's under warranty let the dealer make it right
art

[deadctr]

Will definitely take it for a try with the vent open next time. To be clear it didn't go out of gear. It was almost as if the prop came out of the water, lost forward propulsion, and revs went up. When I backed off throttle, and throttled back up and all was good.

Water wasn't rough. Motor height is good. Wasn't turning.

Stay tuned. And thanks for the replies and input.

[Hoosmatroos]

If it stayed in gear then it could be starvation of fuel indeed.

[deadctr]

OK following up and closing this out. Finally got the boat back in the water yesterday, in the same lake, deep water, making sure the tank vent was open. Same issue, coming up to speed, seemed to pop out of gear/prop out of water.

So I got to thinking........One thing I hadn't thought of before.... I'm in central PA, Susquehanna river, low and rocky. So as most who run props in the Susky, I have a homemade prop guard, a pitch fork protector. (attached pic shows it on a yamaha)

It's made with a piece of inch and a half pipe nipple, with a groove and slots cut in it to swallow the leading edge of the lower unit. Got to wondering if that might be diverting water enough to "starve the prop for water".

Removed the pitchfork protector, and BINGO. Functions as it should. I guess that pipe on the leading edge split the water just enough to cause the issue at the just the right speed.

I'll be running the river much much slower, so the contraption will work then.

Anyhow, thanks for the suggestions, and just thought I'd share the findings.

[Moonlighter]

Thanks for the update. Seems that the turbulence created by that protector caused cavitation.

Have you looked at something like this as an alternative?

http://propguard.net/

[deadctr]

It might work, but I'd be looking for something to also protect the skeg, and I'd REALLY not like to have to drill into either the skeg or the anti-ventilation plate.

The Susquehanna is famous for being a mile wide and a foot deep. Hitting rocks is not a "possibility" it is a certainty. Probably why the Rock Proof Boats are built literally on the banks of the river

I'm going to try trim down the sides of the pipe nipple to allow water to pass freer, before I go to a manufactured product. Something about me won't quit tweaking my homemade stuff until it works.....