2018 DF30A Remote Model Bogging Down - 100 Hours

[Ieconner]

I run a CraigCat tour business in SWFL. Bought a new CraigCat about a month ago with a new DF30A (1st CraigCat with a Suzuki, typically comes with an ETEC). Was really excited after all the troubles I have had with Evinrudes to get in to a more reliable engine...until now.

Engine went through break-in period as specified in the manual. After the break in period I changed the oil and lower gear oil with Suzuki products. Ran perfect, better than perfect even, until I hit 100 hours on the dot.

Start up’s up immediately, begins spitting a strong stream of water from the tell tale immediately. At neutral idle and going at idle speed there does not seem to be an issue. After warming up and traveling at idle speed for roughly 15 minutes until we hit the go fast sign, I put the throttle down and the boat launches off for about 10 seconds and then bogs down to just over idle speed. It will continue to erratically change in RPMs while the throttle is down. It will bog down then increase then bog down again...over and over until the engine stalls or until I bring the throttle back to neutral. No warning buzzer, no indicator lights...nothing. The issue can be recreated while trailered and using muffs.

What makes this this very interesting is my tour guide had ran for about an hour and a half without an issue...stopped at an island for about 15 minutes then continued back on the water...about 30 minutes after leaving the island is when this began.

Being our first Suzuki, we haven’t set anything up with a dealer to where they will expedite getting our boat in as we have with our Evinrudes so the waiting period is about a week before they can look at it. Wanted to see if there was any insight on here in case it may be something I can do.

Link has had video of what it is doing while on the hose. It’s much more dramatic in the water. I’d imagine due to the bigger load put on the engine.

[2014DF25ARS]

I have a DF25A = basically the same engine. Around 150 hrs, mine started to bog down whenever I tried to accelerate. I had taken it out one afternoon and rode around normally for about 15-20 mins, then stopped to wait for some friends to show up on the river. When I started it again, it accelerated normally for about 5-10 seconds, then bogged down to an idle. For two weeks after, I couldn't get it to run above idle for more than maybe 5-10 seconds. I tried several things with the fuel system that didn't work, including changing my Racor water separator cartridge. I left it my boat at a dealer who said they would look at it in a couple weeks.

After I dropped it off at the dealer, I had found a couple of stories on the internet from people who had similar experience between 125-200 hrs.

Three weeks later the dealer still hadn't looked at it, so I took it back and replaced the in-line fuel filter that sits between the Vapor Separator and the high-pressure fuel pump. Haven't had another problem since.

I attach a schematic showing the location of the fuel filter. It's not the obvious low-pressure canister filter, but another one hidden behind some other stuff on the starboard side of the engine. The filter isn't expensive - maybe $10-$20 and took me about 20-30 minutes to replace with common tools. I was curious enough to cut my old filter open, and I must admit I didn't see anything wrong with it, or any sign it was clogged. But replacing it seemed to have worked in my case (and in the other cases I found on the internet.) At 100 hrs, it seems a little too soon for you to run into the same problem, but what do I know? My theory (unsubstantiated) is that perhaps the ECU shuts down the high-pressure pump, or simply puts the engine in limp mode, when there is insufficient inlet fuel pressure at the high-pressure pump. Several people have pointed out to me that YOU SHOULD NOT RUN A FUEL-INJECTED ENGINE OUT OF FUEL WHEN YOU SHUT IT OFF, a popular habit that people have had for decades with carburated engines. The high-pressure pump relies on a flow of fuel to cool the pump, and if you run it dry you can quickly destroy the pump.

Good luck!


FuelSystemDiagram.PNG

[Ieconner]

The schematic doesn’t really come out very clear. Is it #32 on this one?

[2014DF25ARS]

Sorry, I tried to upload it several times, hoping one might as clear as the file I uploaded... I can't get it to display clearly, though the file is actually quite small. The filter I replaced is #8 in the diagram, labeled "In-line fuel filter". The OTHER filter (which is the more obvious one when looking at the engine) is #3 labeled "Low pressure fuel filter". The Low Pressure Fuel Filter is the blue plastic cylinder at the rear of the engine. If you haven't already emptied that low-pressure filter, I would suggest you do that, as it can fill with water if you have water in your fuel. I added a Racor-style water-separating filter between my fuel tank and the engine - which has been strongly recommended several times on this site.

[Ieconner]

I did empty the low pressure filter into a glass, no water. I also have a Racor filter between the tank and engine and it’s crystal clear. Also checked the fuel straight from the tank before the filters and also no water or debris.

This picture is what you replaced? Just wanted to clarify because #8 on the diagram I attached isn’t a fuel filter. This is a picture of #3 and the low pressure canister is #32.

406FA680-F717-4816-A311-306E2CDF9EC4.jpeg
63CFA018-D490-4509-880B-D22308746681.png

[2014DF25ARS]

Yes, that's the filter I replaced. Good luck!

[Moonlighter]

Also check the tank vent is clear. Mud wasps like to make nests in there, sometimes well inside where hard to see.

[Ieconner]

Installed the new filter and ran it on the hose in my driveway for about 45 minutes and not a single hiccup. Will drop it in the water probably tomorrow and see how it does! I appreciate all the help and information!

[2014DF25ARS]

Please do let us know if it runs OK in the water. Given what I saw when I cut mine open, I have a hard time understanding or believing that the filter is clogged. I wonder if maybe there's just some air in the filter or the fuel line, and it might work as well just to disconnect and reconnect the same filter. Inside the filter housing, there's just a sheet of filter material stretched across the circumference of the filter, and mine appeared clean as new to me (although I did NOT compare it with a new filter!). A friend told me I should try just blowing through the filter, and if you blow through it, the filter is clean. I was able to blow through mine without a problem...

[rcamanini@icloud.com]

Any update here I am running into a very similar problem