Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

[PJK]

At 350 hours check engine code and unusual "humming" sound led to warranty replacement of engine holder on 2001 model. (warranty saved me $2700 for the fix) After about 50 additional hours sounds like some exhaust is again leaking beneath engine cover at mid-high RPMs. Engine has been properly maintained but the extended warranty has expired. Anybody familiar with this problem?

 

[PJK]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

Pulled the cover off the engine suspecting another exhaust leak. Found a small hole in the Oil pan near the water plug. (This seems to be identical to the problem described in a May 23rd, 2005, 08:41 PM post at similar engine hours.) Looks like a trend to me. I'll be pleading my case to the Suzuki dealer who did the previous fix that they should have done a more throrough inspection when the engine holder was replaced in the fall due to a similar through-wall leak. This area of the oil pan would have been paper thin at the time of the last fix and should have been easy to spot when the engine parts were separated.

 

[JUSTINTIME]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

any word from SUZI?

 

[grid]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

Don't stop with the dealer, if you have a problem. Ask him to get the tech rep involved. I don't know where you are, but most of the reps use their heads instead of adhering to paper.

 

[PJK]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

So far the dealer made an unproductive request to Suzuki to stand behind their product. The dealer was appologetic and gave me a customer service contact in CA who turned out to be unsympathetic. The Suzuki rep declined to connect me with a higher authority to continue the discussion but eventually took my number and promised to have a supervisor call me back...which hasn't happened.

I'm dissapointed in this product since at 400 hours the exhaust has eaten through two major engine housings (engine holder and oil pan) that should have lasted the life of the engine. I've been careful to avoid fuel with ethanol blends and have thoroughly flushed and rinsed after each use. The boat is always garaged and the recommended maintenace schedule followed. I did my part and I expect more from a high performance engine manufacturer. I suspect this issue may have been corrected in later model years since the replacement engine holder design had been modified, however I don't know whether anything was done about the oil pan casting.

I will continue to pursue this and will now start writing letters. Its hard to believe the Suzuki safety and emmisions claims for this unit will hold up if they have chronic exhaust leaks that can lead to erroneous sensor peformance causing low-speed stalling (and loss of steerage), hard starting and increased emmissions along with unscrubbed exhaust leaks/fumes into the passenger compartment, etc.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

I'll have to check mine. What year? Hours? Salt water? Dealer? Hadn't heard of this problem until now. Good luck.

 

[JUSTINTIME]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

what year on your 01 did they replace first time?

 

[PJK]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

Based on my reciept for the warranty work, the replacement engine holder kit part number is 51110-90822-OEP. Based on info on the Browns Point part lookup website, that part was introduced beginning at some point during 2003 for SNs 373696 and beyond. FYI, the new engine holder was not compatible with some of the original shifting hardware which was also replaced along with the new engine holder last fall.

I don't have much info on the oil pan leak, but that problem could be linked to a run of poor castings which may have been addressed without design mods. The previous post I referenced was also an engine produced in 2001; like mine...at similar hours. Based on pictures in the Service Manual, there are some complicated casting features at the oil pan leak location since it leaks where the exhaust, oil and cooling water plenums come together. Probably just didn't have enough metal. I'm sure they were working hard to keep the weight down.

The engine is a 2001 with about 400 hours. It is normally used in Salt Water in the Southeast. I'll keep the dealer out of this because I think Suzuki is the source of all the pushback and the dealer seems to be helpful at this point.

 

[PJK]

Re: 2001 Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem-

Re: 2001 Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem-

After 2 rounds on the phone with Suzuki "support" people and their "management"; Suzuki declined to step up. Bottom line is that this engine has produced exhaust leaks in two major engine housings within the first 400 hours of operation. Suzuki won't pay an out of warranty claim for my current exhaust leak (through the oil pan) since I'm 3 months past the extended warranty. I will ink a complaint with CCs to people and regulators who should care, but I appear to be wll on my way to an expensive repair. I take exception to Suzuki's claim that this engine meets current exhaust emission standards with that kind of policy.

Don't waste your money on a Suzuki four stroke.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

Checked mine and no problem. I understand your frustration.

 

[UKFox]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

not sure of your ettiquette on here but i was searching the web for this very problem.

our club rhib in the UK has had this very problem and Suzuki have turned away from us depsite persistant calls and mail to them, its very frustrating and our engine is only 4 years old and is usually in constant use. we rely on the boat as part of our club activites and can't afford to have a season without it in use.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

I would be telling them that you are going to stand in front of their shop with a picket sign. If it was a pre-existing problem then you are entitled to repair just as if it was within the warranty. My dad had a problem with yamaha almost identical to what you are experianceing. Yamaha did not want to take responsibility. There was at the time a pretty big yamaha dealer that was handeling the claim to yamaha. They knew of the problem and that there was a problem that was causing the main problem. This kind of thing is like a "pre-existing" condition in healthcare. Well yamaha said that they were not going to cover the expence of the repair in any way. Dad made some phone calls and some were like yelling matches! Dad told the yamaha guys that he was going to stand in front of the place with a sign during his free time. The tech's at the shop thought it was kinda funny cause they knew that his complaint was warented. The owner of the shop however did not like it. Keep in mind that dad could afford the repair it was the point of the whole situation. So i didnt believe it but.... HE DID IT!!! He parked his truck so you could see him coming into the marina and had some flyers made up with a story of the problem and he sat there one saturday and talked to people. Well I dont know if yamaha called the house after the shop owner called yamaha, but yamaha called the house and talked to mom and told her that it would be covered and mom went and got dad from the parking lot he was in and yamaha paid the expence and gave him another 18 months warranty on the part that was getting replaced for the 4th time. NO COST FOR DAD!! it got fixed and when it was fixed the last time they replaced some other part that was related to the part that was breaking and he did not have a problem with the part in question. I was a kid so i dont know what was wrong i just know that these guys are like insurance people they will cover as least as possible! They knew what was up and had to take the long road. I would not stop with pursuing the issue. If you are really entitled then you will be taken care of!

 

[PJK]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

I made a temporary repair that has stopped the leak that you may want to consider. I removed the bolt just above the leak that anchors the oil pan to the engine holder. I then shaped a 1.5 inch length of 1 inch angle iron with a hack saw and file to cover the leak while fitting snugly into the casting features and covering the open bolt hole. You'll need to round the edges of the angle iron to allow it to lay flush with the mating engine surfaces. I then drilled a hole through the fitted piece of angle iron to enable it to be tightened into the engine using the bolt previously removed. After removing the paint around the leak location and cleaning with acetone I applied a liberal layer of my favorite adhesive (a product called JB WELD) and then torqued the bolt to anchor and hold the bonded assembly to the oil pan. I've logged about 50 hours with this fix and there's no sign of leakage. Has some potential to hold up for a while and defer the expensive repair. Good luck.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

Well if you are rigging things up like that dont expect anyone to cover anything. You might as well just wrap some duct tape on **** and what not. I would never admit to doing something like that.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

At first it sounded legitimate. Now i dont know. If you would do something like that i dont know if you will be compensated for anything. I, for sure would not do anything for you if i was a suzuki dealer. I would try to figure out the problem, not just african engineer something up like that. dunno, dont think suzi is going to do anything if you do something like that.

 

[billyjo113]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

2001 SUZUKI DF 115 has problems with exhaust eating up the engine. Mine is now 9 years old with 375 hours on it and the motor developed the hole described in this forum just above the flush port. I haven't contacted Suzuki but I don't think they will fix if for me. Guess I'll use the angle iron and JB Weld to get me thru this season and buy some Mercs next year. If someone out there has had success with Suzuki replacing the faulty casting please let me know. Thanks in advance and thanks PJK

 

[billyjo113]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

Did Suzuki ever fix your motor, PJK. and how long did the JB Weld last?

 

[Tullis]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

I have a 2001 Suzuki 115 4 stroke with the same hole as described above. The heat burned the wiring harness, rubber foam sealer, and burned a hole thru the fibreglass motor side cover. What will happen if continued to run? What is actually coming out water or exhaust air? Does this affect the idle or running speeds? Any help on repairs would be appreciated.

 

[JB]

Re: Suzuki DF115 Exhaust Problem

Ordinarily, I would close this thread and scold you for hijacking an old, dead thread, Tullis, but in this case it had already been hijacked last year and it would take a lot of words to explain your problem from scratch, so I am going to leave it alone.

In the future, please respect the SEARCH of the archives as a REFERENCE activity only and start a new thread for a new problem.

Good luck.