Suzuki 70 4-stroke will not power up
 

Hi - I have a 2000 Suzuki 4-stroke outboard w/ about 450 hours that will not power up correctly. It will get up to 3000rpm in spite of the throttle being pushed all the way forward while underway. It should get up to about 5500rpm. Set in neutral, it is also limited to 3000rpm.

My question: is this likely to be an overheat protection feature and it's likely that the water pump impeller needs to be replaced or could it be something else?

Carb or Fuel injected?
 

If it s carb'd, i'd look to a clogged hi-speed jet.

Fact that it's limited in RPM both loaded and unloaded points to igninion issues. Sounds like the ignition is cutting in and out at 3k plus or minus. I'd get a manual and see what makes up the ignition system. It may be some sort of "limp home" mode as you described.

Does it overheat or was that just speculation?

Less,

I thought you liked to go slow anyway, what's the problem? ;)

It is fuel injected and probably it is fuel starved because the primer bulb goes empty after a couple minutes of running. So, will try bypassing the large water-fuel separator filter and replacing the fuel line & primer bulb. Hopefully, it is the primer bulb and one way flapper inside that is not cooperating. Wal-Mart and an el cheapo Atwood fuel line & primer bulb, there I go...Also, ordered a Clymer manual from Amazon.2nd hand which will probably convince me to take it to the local Suzuki dealer a week from now....

I once had a 115 hp Mercury that had the same symptoms. After replacing the primer bulb/flexible fuel line assembly, a water pump impeller and an ignition pak, the root of the problem turned out to be a copper fuel line from the tank to the flexible line that had a pin hole in it. I'll admit this was an older set-up so I don't know if todays boats are rigged the same way. Whatever the set-up, it sounds like fuel starvation to me.

FLL,Does it sound like the engine is running rough?If not maybe the throttle cable is not pulling the throttle all the way full.Maybe you could check by disconnecting the linkage and moving the throttle lever on the motor by hand to see if it revs higher.If that's the case,maybe just a simple adjustment of the linkage.

Sounds like a screen or filter in the tank is clogged or the vent in the fuel tank may be clogged, try loosening the gas cap and running it.

Two 93 cent bottles of Carburetor & fuel injector cleaner added to two gallons of gas in an old OMC six gal tank is what fixed it. No more surging at all, and it gets up to 5500 rpm tops. Unbelievable, that an easy-fix would do it. I wonder what the gas in the 25 gal tank is like that gummed up the injectors?. Now that gas is almost 2.50/gal, it costs more than a gallon of milk, so I'm gonna start keeping the gasoline in the fridge just to keep it fresh....ho-ho!

$2.50 a gallon, and
 

buy some more additives to make it work!

" Folks,.... We ARE IN THE THE WRONG BUISNESS !!"... digGetty!

Around the world, Nations under God, are controlled by Big Oil, Not the respective people and elected Governments!

My 2 cents worth.

fatlazyless,
it's funny that you mentioned the price of gas being higher than the price of milk. Up until very recently I found myself saying to those around me that as long as gas was cheaper than milk things couldn't be too bad. We have been very fortunate in this country with respect to fuel costs compared to the rest of the world. Well, that has all changed now. For the first time I am truly concerned. There are people in my wifes office that are actually trading their vehicles in for more fuel efficient models. I saw on WMUR tonight that 2/3 of those polled said that fuel prices would be causing some sort of financial hardship. What does all of this mean? I don't know for sure, but it has certainly made me think pretty hard about the future :(

Here's my two cents on the high gasolie price, ahem. Saudi Aramco, the crude oil producing private company owned by the Saudi Arabian Royal Family, that is eight times bigger than Exxon-Mobil, and the world leader in selling crude oil used to have a big worry. Their great big BIG worry was their northern neighbor, Saddam Hussein & Iraq. They were worried that Saddam would attack Saudi Arabia.

Now that Saddam is in jail, and Iraq is at war, the Iraqi threat of invasion is gonzo, so they can slowly raise oil prices. The dynamics of the Arab oil producing world changed with Iraq at war. It's like a chess game.

A phoney-baloney conversation inside the Saudi oil ministery.

"Oh my, why do those infidel Americans get our oil at the same old price. Yes, we can raise our prices. After all, that no-good Saddam is in jail. What can he do? And what can the Americans do?


Just my two cents but it sure makes me wonder why gasoline prices have gone up so much since we invaded Iraq on March 14, 2003.

Maybe next year's Winnipesaukee motor boats will be built with an auxiliary sail just like 100+ years ago when they had both sail & steam?

FLL:

I sold an outboard that would only run on carburetor cleaner! (A pretty expensive way to demonstrate its capabilities).

The new owner seemed content to solve the fuel supply himself, though.

Gasoline:

With prices adjusted, gasoline peaked in 1980. http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniont...s_1b28oil.html

What's happened since 1980, is that gasoline is being put into 8-MPG SUVs purchased to tow 1-GPM (gallon-per-minute) boats.

Add that to world demand, and it can be seen that "Demand has outpaced Supply."

Greed
 

US. Oil Companies could outproduce any in the world. It was costing them more because of cheaper labor in third wold Countrys. They were loving the higher per gallon prices that Oil dependant Countrys had to, and were paying for oil.... This is when they played dumb, sat on there thumbs and let Third World be the scape goat for the higher prices we pay today in the USA!

Keep it up, " Jerks "

My 4 cents worth!