2008 DF90 start problem

[JohTus]

Hello, I resently purchased a boat with a Suzuki DF90 outboard on it. Shortly after I purchased the boat i was out fishing. I stopped the engine, and tried to start it shortly after, but it wouldnt start. I thought it was a battery problem so i charged the battery and it started again. But last time i went to the boat it wouldnt start at all. When i turn the key to the on position, the warning lights turn on and makes a beeping noise for a few seconds like normal. But when i turn the key to the start position the engine does not turn. I hear the high pressure fuel pump starting when i turn the key over, but the starter solenoid/relay doesnt klick and the motor does not start. Any ideas what the problem could be? The battery is brand new this season and I measured the battery voltage to 12,8V when i tried starting.
Sorry if my English is bad, It's my second language.

[noelm007]

Probably the neutral safety switch, I think there is two on your motor, one in the control box, and one on the motor, try it again, and while holding the key in the start position, just "jiggle" the gear lever back and forth a hit to make sure it's not just out of adjustment. Make absolutely sure the battery is OK, and the connections are clean, not "look" clean, remove them, clean and refit them both.

[JohTus]

Probably the neutral safety switch, I think there is two on your motor, one in the control box, and one on the motor, try it again, and while holding the key in the start position, just "jiggle" the gear lever back and forth a hit to make sure it's not just out of adjustment. Make absolutely sure the battery is OK, and the connections are clean, not "look" clean, remove them, clean and refit them both.

Thank you, I tested jiggling the gear lever and now it started. Do you know if this is usually caused by a failing switch or if it is possible to adjust it?

[2014DF25ARS]

When I first put my engine on my boat, I rigged the boat with 13-ft control cables. Everything worked fine, but when I was done, I wished I had used 12-ft cables; there was too much slack cable in front of the engine. About 18 months later, a friend of mine bought a similar boat (about a foot longer than my boat!) and bought the same DF25A engine as mine. I talked him into buying my 13-ft control cables, and I bought a pair of 12-ft cables and swapped mine out. The length of the cables is not the point here, it's just that I re-rigged the cables. Apparently, when I installed the second pair of cables, I got the shift linkage adjustment slightly wrong. Since putting the new cables in, I find about half the time that my engine won't crank when I first try to start it. I have to pull the control lever into reverse, and then back to neutral from the reverse direction. Then it starts every time. I haven't done anything about it yet, because it's not much of a problem. But at some point I'm going to remove the side cover to access the cable linkage, and will adjust the nuts that lock the threaded cable end into the shift arm. There's about an inch of adjustment there, and I think I probably got it wrong by about 2-3 threads on the cable end.

You can adjust the cable on either end, i.e. at the engine, or at the remote control. In my case, I think it's easier to adjust at the motor because of the way my remote is installed.

[JohTus]

When I first put my engine on my boat, I rigged the boat with 13-ft control cables. Everything worked fine, but when I was done, I wished I had used 12-ft cables; there was too much slack cable in front of the engine. About 18 months later, a friend of mine bought a similar boat (about a foot longer than my boat!) and bought the same DF25A engine as mine. I talked him into buying my 13-ft control cables, and I bought a pair of 12-ft cables and swapped mine out. The length of the cables is not the point here, it's just that I re-rigged the cables. Apparently, when I installed the second pair of cables, I got the shift linkage adjustment slightly wrong. Since putting the new cables in, I find about half the time that my engine won't crank when I first try to start it. I have to pull the control lever into reverse, and then back to neutral from the reverse direction. Then it starts every time. I haven't done anything about it yet, because it's not much of a problem. But at some point I'm going to remove the side cover to access the cable linkage, and will adjust the nuts that lock the threaded cable end into the shift arm. There's about an inch of adjustment there, and I think I probably got it wrong by about 2-3 threads on the cable end.

You can adjust the cable on either end, i.e. at the engine, or at the remote control. In my case, I think it's easier to adjust at the motor because of the way my remote is installed.

Thank you, the motor and cables is factory installed, but I guess that it could have been a little bit out of adjustment from the factory, or maybe tha cables have stretched a little bit over the years. It is probably easier to adjust it on the motor in my case as well, since the controll box is the "hidden" kind where only the lever and a small panel is visible.

[Murray]

I have a 2009 DF70A-90A set up manual that I found on the Internet. I can email you the set up manual. I found numerous differences from the manual to my recently purchased DF90A. Fuel hose protecter sleeve sitting on the primer bulb, drag link bolt loose, power wires rubbing on the throttle control arm, cables not routed as per manual. My boat was set up at a "reputable" shop but obviously not checked before it left the shop floor.
In the subject heading mention Suzuki or it might bet ignored.

dicksonk@telusplanet.net

[Quiknet]

I have the same motor. same year as op, and got stuck the other day after fishing for about an hour. Prior to that the motor had been running and starting flawlessly. Go to start it, get the beep, no fault codes and my starter wouldn't engage at all. Tried jiggling the throttle, shifting in and out of neutral, resetting the kill switch, turning off the battery and going to combine on the switch, nothing worked. Got towed to the ramp, brought the boat home, and of course, she cranked right up in the driveway.

How do I check the neutral safety switch in the control box to see if it requires adjustment?

TIA...

[Moonlighter]

The neutral throttle switch you should check is not in the throttle box, its on the linkages in the engine.

If you go to the "purchase suzuki parts" on this forum and select your engine year and hp, it will take you to a page where you can look for and find a parts diagram that shows the switch involved and where its located. Big chance that it is broken and replacing it (not an expensive part) will sort the problem.

[redlowrey]

What moonlighter is saying is right, but your problem could be any where in the start system.
It could be battery or terminals, key switch, neutral switch in control box, wiring or plug, neutral switch on motor, starter relay, internal starter relay ground inside ecm, starter motor solenoid, worn brushes in starter not supplying a ground for the pull in windings in solenoid, so your problem could be anywhere in the system.

The most common is the neutral switch on the motor, not because it failed or adjustment, because grease stops the micro switch leever from making contact.

[Lee Petersen]

I have a DF90 won't start but turns over and no codes come up

[Murray]

I have a DF90 won't start but turns over and no codes come up

I would suggest you start your own post. On the page with the yellow stickies at the top right you will find a light blue box “+New Topic”. Start there. Please provide as much information as you can, year, hours, last maintenance done, any and everything you can tell us. With the information you have provided I’d suggest you ran out of gas. Not trying to be an ahole, forum members need as much information as possible. We don’t mind reading long winded stories.