2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

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CurrentSea

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I now have about 45 hours on my '04 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke outboard. I've noticed that after running to a destination and then shutting the engine off for an hour or two or three, it will then produce a generous puff of blue smoke upon start up. (kind of a burnt oil smell).<br />The first service was done at 15 hours and then synthetic oil was used as instructed by the owner's manual. I am now wondering if this was too soon to go to synthetic oil. The dealer's mechanic has suggested that I go back to regular oil until the next oil change. Is Suzuki being unwise with their instruction to use synthetic at the 10-20 hr service?<br /><br />I would appreciate any & all input.
 
angus63

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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

Not familiar with these motors, but as a rule of thumb for 4 strokes, once you convert to synthetic oil it is not recommended to switch back to organic oils (automotive motors anyway). If you only get a puff at cold start, and not when warm or during acceleration, or during prolonged idling, I would not see it as any big issue. Check your dealer for any service bulletins on your motor.<br />Good luck<br />PS your motor should be under warranty. I would opt for a second opinion from another dealer, or at the very least contact BRP tech service and pick their brain.
 
CATransplant

CATransplant

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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

Bombardier Recreational Products --- now the source for Johnson and Evinrude products. OMC is no more.<br /><br />Their website is www.brp.com
 
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CurrentSea

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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

As is often the case these days, there is no way of actually contacting anyone through the site.<br /><br />I was aware of OMC / Bombardier, I just didn't know what "BRP" meant.
 
Silvertip

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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

Switching back and forth between synthetic and petroleum based lubricants is ok and has been for years. In fact they can even be mixed. As for break-in, I wonder why the four-stroke makers don't use it out of the box as many high performance cars (BMW and Corvette to name two) come from the factory with synthetic oil. For oil puffs to be noticed at start up, the oil is likely going down the valve guides which may be an indication that one or more valve stem seals is not doing its job. This, by the way, may not be a bad thing as a little more lub on the stems may actually prolong engine life. You might want to make sure you have the right dip stick for the engine and that the engine is not overfilled. If the engine is actually consuming an above normal amount of oil, you may want to try one change of petroleum oil to see if that helps. If an engine leaks oil, it will leak more using synthetic. If it consumes petroleum based oil it will generally consume more synthetic.
 
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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

Thanks for that. I did an oil change last night and used regular Pennzoil 10W-40, which is what the manual says is acceptable if synthetic is not available. The engine was brand new so I'll assume the dipstick is the correct one. It was not overfull, nor did it consume oil.<br />I'm now wondering if the guy who put the engine on my boat actually used synthetic right from the get-go. ??<br /><br />The owner's manual reads as follows:<br /><br />4-stroke outboards are shipped without oil in the crankcase. You must add oil to the crankcase before starting the engine for the first time. It is recommended you add Evinrude/Johnson ultra 4-Stroke synthetic blend oil. After the first 10 hours of operation, replace the break-in lubricant with Evinrude/Johnson ultra 4-Stroke synthetic blend oil.<br /><br />I'm amazed at how many differing opinions I'm getting from various DEALERS. You'd think that it would be a standard procedure. The dealer told me that a regular oil is generally used for the first 10-20 hours. Hmmmm.<br /><br />Here's another question: Given that this engine is basically derived from the Suzuki automotive engine, can I not purchase an oil filter from the automotive Suzuki dealer - for probably HALF the price or less?<br /><br />Cheers!
 
angus63

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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

Dealers may choose to use organic oil because it's 1/4 the price of synthetic for the breakin since they're dumpin it in 10 hrs. The factory recommends the synthetic blend for breakin and from that point on. The organic is a substitute when synthetic not available. If it were my brand new motor, I would insist on synthetic from day 1 and not stray. Just my opinion......
 
angus63

angus63

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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

Call (262) 884-5001 and ask for Tech service for BRP outboard products.<br />Good luck
 
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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

Isn't traditional thinking that a synthetic oil is to be introduced well after an engine is "broken in", after all rings, valves etc have seated? I've been told that a synthetic oil is so darn slipery that it actually prevents proper break-in. Maybe that's just old school thinking, I don't know. I also wonder how much this engine would have been run at the factory before being shipped?<br /><br />It's just concerning to me that such a new hi-tech engine is producing a puff of blue smoke upon some starts. (I can't be as cocky around the 2-stroke guys) lol<br /><br />I'd love to hear more viewpoints on this........
 
angus63

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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

"The owner's manual reads as follows:<br /><br />4-stroke outboards are shipped without oil in the crankcase. You must add oil to the crankcase before starting the engine for the first time. It is recommended you add Evinrude/Johnson ultra 4-Stroke synthetic blend oil. After the first 10 hours of operation, replace the break-in lubricant with Evinrude/Johnson ultra 4-Stroke synthetic blend oil"<br /><br /><br />Says it all.........
 
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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

Update: Since changing the oil to regular non-synthetic Pennzoil 10W-40, there is no longer that occasional puff of blue smoke upon semi-warm start-up. I've got 5 or 6 hours on it since the oil change.<br />I imagine that even though the manufacterer recommends synthetic oil from new, these engines should be run on a good regular oil for the first 20 hours.<br />Any other fresh insight on this?
 
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Dhadley

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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

Interesting point about the parts costs. I was at the local E/J dealer a while back and they were out of some part they needed to finish a job on a 4 stroke Johnson (Suzuki). They went to the Suzuki dealer and got one. Same part -- different box. We couldnt believe it. It was cheaper from Johnson.<br /><br />Go figure.......
 
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DJ

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Re: 2004 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 4 stroke - OIL?

Dhadley wrote:<br /><br />
We couldnt believe it. It was cheaper from Johnson.<br />
Click to expand...
DH,<br /><br />That is almost ALWAYS the rule when you have dual badged products. The domestic badge will carry lower parts prices. It's a matter of distribution efficiency. The "domestics" have a larger and more established parts distribution system. That issue has plagued Suzuki for years. That's why, IMHO, they even considered partnering up with J & E.
 
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