Ding Engine

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I would have thought that there would be some type of water separator/filter on those EFI engines, or have a fuel tank(s) with some sort of water separating capability. At least Chris and Cherie were honest and forthcoming with the diagnoses.
 
I try to mitigate the issues by always using non ethanol fuel and not keeping old fuel in the tank (I pour it into my truck after each trip). But there is not much you can do about the fuel that is in the injectors and the lines. My dealer told me NOT to run my motor dry, but to stabilize the fuel, so that's what I do.


Non-ethanol gasoline isn't really available here... and I've not had much luck in the past with stabilizers in gas intended for a 2-stroke carb'd outboard. So we used to recycle gas after 3 weeks. With this Suzuki, I've been pushing the envelope a bit; left the tank closed for about 8-10 weeks of non-use, and it started right up, ran fine,when we off-loaded the other day for winter.

I've seen recommendations for an external fuel/water separator, intend to install one... but haven't gotten a round tuit yet...

-Chris
 
I'm not at all surprised that the people in the youtube video had fuel related issues with their Suzuki as I have seen the same thing.


I have a 20hp 'zuki on our dinghy, I think it is a 2013, so it's not new but still pretty young. I've owned and run many, many outboards, so I'm pretty used to their little ways. We tend to use the 'zuki very hard for the month we spend each year on the boat in the Bahamas, then one or two other weekends a year. Other than that it just sits. I know that's tough on an outboard, but it's an unavoidable result of our life schedule, at least for now.



I try to mitigate the issues by always using non ethanol fuel and not keeping old fuel in the tank (I pour it into my truck after each trip). But there is not much you can do about the fuel that is in the injectors and the lines. My dealer told me NOT to run my motor dry, but to stabilize the fuel, so that's what I do. I have had three failures due to "bad" fuel. Two times the fuel came from the Bahamas, and likely had ethanol/water in it. The last incident wrecked the high pressure injector pump, which is a $500 part.



I hoped that the EFI motors would be more tolerant of fuel issues than the carburetor motors, but my 'zuki seems about the same as the other motors I've owned. Last year I installed a big racor spin off fuel filter with a clear bowl on the dinghy, the same filter I have in my flats boat for my 115 e-tec. It seems to have helped a lot but time will tell, I guess.



Oh crap. I have a new EFI 15 Suzuki and have had it for about a year but not much use, and it sits up for a month or more at times. I have also been using fuel I have added stabilized to, but I don’t think it was non-ethanol fuel.

Can you point me to a good fuel/water separator?
 
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Here is the one I settled on for my 20hp Yamaha. Small in size but large enough to handle my outboard fuel flow. Just what I needed as we, at this point, don't use the dinghy that often.

Racor filter
 
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...wondering if anyone has any experience with the newer Honda 30?

I used to have a pair of carbureted Honda 50's on my power cat. Great motors, but very sensitive to ethanol. The idle jets are apparently very, very small and just about anything that can will clog them. From what I see on Honda's website the current 30 has the same 3 carburetor setup as my 50s had. I re-powered with Honda EFI 60s and haven't had any clog issues (2 years using ethanol fuel, then I was able to switch to non-ethanol). I do appreciate Honda outboards, but my 2 cents is to recommend you go with fuel injected options.
 
EFI is tolerant of the hygroscopic nature of e-gas. The system is mostly sealed from atmospheric humidity. Unlike a carburetor. But a dink fuel tank is not so protected, open vent. It can suck in atmospheric humidity and that will cause phase separation. A mix of ethanol and water will sit on the bottom of the tank. Engine eats that mix and...poop.

A fuel water separator/filter and non-e gas are both good ideas.
 
Non-ethanol gasoline isn't really available here... and I've not had much luck in the past with stabilizers in gas intended for a 2-stroke carb'd outboard. So we used to recycle gas after 3 weeks. With this Suzuki, I've been pushing the envelope a bit; left the tank closed for about 8-10 weeks of non-use, and it started right up, ran fine,when we off-loaded the other day for winter.

I've seen recommendations for an external fuel/water separator, intend to install one... but haven't gotten a round tuit yet...

-Chris
That's one of the very strange quirks of Maryland, essentially prohibited on the western shore of Chesapeake bay, readily available on the eastern shore both in marinas and gas stations.

Ted
 
Oh crap. I have a new EFI 15 Suzuki and have had it for about a year but not much use, and it sits up for a month or more at times. I have also been using fuel I have added stabilized to, but I don’t think it was non-ethanol fuel.

Can you point me to a good fuel/water separator?


I think this is the one I've decided on... but haven't actually tried yet:

http://ph.parker.com/us/17583/en/snapp-disposable-fuel-filter-water-separator-racor

FWIW, a problem I discovered recently with our DF-15A was that I was only flushing through the extra flush-port, and only with fresh water. Had a build-up of hard salt encasing the cylinder hear, no raw water flow.

Apparently it's better to flush using muffs with the engine running -- and at least hot enough for the thermostat to open. And then with something like Salt Away.

-Chris
 
I’ve been using a muff, but doubt if I’ve run it long enough for the thermostat to open. How do you introduce the salt away to the cooling circuit?
 
Yeah, via the little gizmo in that link, or you can run the outboard with the drive in a bucket... latter being slightly better if you have to recirculate the Salt Away versus just letting it spit overboard out the telltale stream.

I don't think there's any over-riding reason to do the re-circulate approach unless you're short of product. Takes a "square" bucket (we used on that we once bought dog chow in), or else something much larger, and it wouldn't be easy to do with the dinghy on davits. We just did our's with a bucket while it's on the trailer for winter, sort of an experiment (since I inadvertently left the gizmo on the big boat),easy.

-Chris
 
Yeah, via the little gizmo in that link, or you can run the outboard with the drive in a bucket... latter being slightly better if you have to recirculate the Salt Away versus just letting it spit overboard out the telltale stream.

I don't think there's any over-riding reason to do the re-circulate approach unless you're short of product. Takes a "square" bucket (we used on that we once bought dog chow in), or else something much larger, and it wouldn't be easy to do with the dinghy on davits. We just did our's with a bucket while it's on the trailer for winter, sort of an experiment (since I inadvertently left the gizmo on the big boat),easy.

-Chris


hes-right-you-know.jpg
 
Well at least I didn't post an Ad and leave out the price or enough pictures. Owe Vey.
You can call it a dink, ding or dork - no matter to me. But if you are going Yiddish on is, I must insist on "Oy Vey", as in "Oy Vey, someone ran into my dink at the dock and put a ding in it. What a dork!"

Let's get it right, people.
 
Actually there are very few if any dinghies mentioned on this thread. I’d be more likely to call them launches or tenders. A dinghy is about 8’ long (give or take 2’) and powered w oars or a small OB about 2-5hp.
 
I call mine the "donut".
 
Refer to mine as "rubber ducky ".

Ted
 
I had a dinghy but now just a Rubber Duckie.
Only good as a lifeboat.
But have a 1 to 2hp OB mount. Never tried it.
 
My dinghy lives with me. Don't tell'er I said that.




I love it when threads go off a tangent.




I may use Pond Scum as my tender, dink, or duck. PS is a 10' (actually 9'6") Gamefisher Jon boat. I believe it's a Ted Williams model from the late '60s or early '70s. Freeboard on it sucks. I used to get swamped by jack@$$ when I used it on local lakes.
 
Ben,
I remember those boats.
Actually rather good looking. Compared to the tinnies that were often seen in the same places.
How would you rate the hull design Ben?
 
Ben,
I remember those boats.
Actually rather good looking. Compared to the tinnies that were often seen in the same places.
How would you rate the hull design Ben?
I wouldn't rate it high. mine is a first rendetion. It's pop riveted aluminum and weighs about 35-40lbs. It has about 8 to 10 inches of freeboard and a low low load rating of 300lbs. It looks like it was made out of roofing tin. I wish I would have bought the V hull model. I was a high school kid with limited means when I bought the boat.
 

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