Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

[Kiwi Phil]

I have a 2002 Suzuki DF 50 4 stroke.
We can't get water to come out of the tell-tail....only a dribble.
Can't seem to get anything in the small hole at the tell-tale....wire, whipper-snipper cord, because of the angle.
Mechanic has dropped the lower leg.
Put hose on the copper pipe (think No 6 below) and water does go up and back down, but only dribbles out the tell-tale.
I can blow down the tell-tale, and when I stop, yes water does come out it better....for a second.
Tried gently putting a piece of wire up No6, but it dosn't go as far as the tell-tale, and I can't see an angle sharp enough in the diagram.
Mechanic is checking with Suzuki for opinion.....replacing impellar.
On the diagram, I can't see the tell-tale....can't find any other diagram with it either.
Seems strange
can't get a wire down the tell-tale (angle)
can blow in and suck out ok

Anyone experience this issue before
Cheers
Phillip

1-1 17410-95D11 Water Pump Case 1 $73.78

1-2 17411-94421 Water Pump Case 1 $56.34
S/N 423475 & Later
2 09282-17007 ▪ Oil Seal 1 $6.25
S/N 423474 & Earlier
3 17461-96312 Water Pump Impeller 1 $19.39

4 17471-94401 Water Pump Plate 1 $5.34

5 17472-96302 Water Pump Plate Gasket 1 $1.37

6-1 17560-87J11 Water Tube (S) 1 $23.21

6-2 17560-87J00 Replaced by 17560-87J01 1 $0.00
6-3 17560-87J01 Water Tube (L) 1 $25.23
2003-2008
7 17563-94400 Water Tube Grommet 1 $2.38

8 17565-94400 Water Tube Grommet 1 $2.75
Type:L
9 17566-94400 Water Tube Grommet 1 $2.04

10 17631-96320 Water Filter 2 $4.62

11-1 17635-87E00 Sub Water Filter 1 $3.07

11-2 17635-87E10 Sub Water Filter 1 $3.78
Optional
12 09108-06060 Stud Bolt 2 $1.00

13 09108-06061 Stud Bolt 2 $2.66

14 09125-05046 Screw 5x12 2 $1.03

15 29141-93J00 Nut 4 $1.06

16 29162-93J00 Washer 4 $0.82

17 09420-04006 Key 1 $2.38

18 03142-04303 Screw 2 $1.27

19 09116-06094 Bolt 6x15 1 $1.34

20-1 56130-94413-0EP Drive Shaft Housing 1 $115.61
1999-2004
20-2 56130-87J00-0EP Drive Shaft Housing 1 $111.87
S/N 510001 to 510465
20-3 56130-94413-0EP Drive Shaft Housing 1 $115.61
S/N 510466 & Later
21 09263-25025 ▪ RN 25x33x15 Bearing 1 $14.87
1999-2004
22 09282-17005 ▪ Oil Seal 2 $3.84

23 17400-96352 Water Pump Kit 1 $24.38
Optional

 

[gsyfishy]

Re: Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

You might be looking at pulling the head to see if there is something blocking the water passage, not that bad of a job if you have the tools and the patience.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

Tried clearing tell tale with the hose, plus compressed air.
You can blow down the tell tale freely, but water won't come back up and out it.

Mechanic came today and put in new impellar etc.
Started it up.....tell tale spat a little water out, then barely dribbled.
Motor ran perfectly.
He took off a hose on top of motor (few times) and water flowed well.
Ran it for probably 15min.....didn't heat up.....said everything was perfect...
except no tell-tale.

He's not sure about stripping the motor....reckons could find the problem straight up....or could be endless search....and cost.
Suggested, if it was his, he would just drive it and forget about the tell-tale not being there.

Inside the leg is a lot of corrosion....wonders if I put leg in a drum of water and add Truck Wash CT18....start her up and let her run for quite a while.....do it every couple of days....maybe it will clear any solid salt build up...just in case a small piece is blocking off the tell-tale...says its a bit of a wild chance.

My worker John is a mechanic and will pull it down...but he too wonders if it is a waste of time.....reckons they will proably break a few 'bits'.

It's a 2002 model and has never been serviced.

Anybody else experiened anything similar, or have any ideas.

Cheers
Phillip

 

[mustang10]

Re: Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

I also thought I had a problem with the tell-tale on my '02 DF 140 when running on a hose and the flushing muffs. Tried various methods to clean it out. It turned out that the muffs didn't fit tight enough on the engine so it wasn't getting enough water to make a good stream. When I pressed them tighter on the engine the tell-tale worked normally. Later it also worked normally when the boat was in the water.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

Can all the teck guys think about what I have done, and comment either 'good' or 'bad'...so I have some indication of what I am doing.

My worker John (mechanic) had a sleepless night, and this morning delared, we are going to fix this mongrel.

Filled the tell tale with WD40 and left for 30 mins.
Reckons ear-muffs are hopless.
Took the bung out of the bottom of the leg (not oil one).
Made up a tube from a plastic nozzel off a glue tube, rammed it in.... attached the hose...fired up the engine....bingo....got a 6-8" ng stream of water out the tell tale.
Stripped the covers off botom of motor/top of leg....no corrosion to be seen....everything is working properly.

Left motor with more WD40 in tell-tale....next week will fire it up and see if it improves. Then put a drum of water under leg, add Truck Wash CT14 and let run for 30 mins.

So how are we going?

Cheers
Phillip

 

[James R]

Re: Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

Often a problem using muffs. One they dont fit and two you may see the water flowing but it is the fawcet pressure not the pump that is doing the work. Some motors have intakes below the cavitation plate in addition to the side of the lower unit. Then you are sucking air with the pump.Putting the lower unit in a tub or similar ensuring that the pump is below the water line is the only way to be sure. If you still dont have flow from the telltale then you have a blockage. Running any motor without a tell tale is a risk.

 

[triumph190]

Re: Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

This may be a dumb question but, have you checked the thermostat? If its stuck closed then water can't flow through the engine, or will flow slow depending on the amount of water pressure that is applied. Having to apply alot of pressure with a water hose to get water to come out sounds like a bad stat.

Also the tell-tale on my 2002 suzuki DF140 4-stroke will pull off. When it's off the line/hose feeding into it looks to be about a 3/8" ID. Once its off it isn't hard to clean out with a peace of wire.

I had the same issue with my motor the first time I started it this year, no water coming out. I poped off the tell-tale and I had what looked to be a dirt dobber nest pushed up against it. Cleaned the line and tell-tale, then put it back together and have not had any more problems.

Running that engine without proper water flow will cause it to get hot and damage the engine!!!

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

Question.
I removed the plug-in fitting from the tell-tale......so where is the very small hole the pea-stream comes out of??
If I poke a piece of fine wire in, is that little tiny hole directly at the rear?
We have removed the plastic covers from the side of the motor. The tell-tale has a rubber pipe going directly upward to the motor. We have removed it...it is clean-as.
I would like to find the very small hole that creates the pea-stream, and see it is is partly blocked.
It must be a very small hole to create a small stream.

Triump: the thermostat works properly.

Cheers
Phillip

 

[clanton]

Re: Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

Some of these engines have a pressure relief valve under the powerhead, if the valve has trash holding the valve open, you loose water pressure. Look at a parts breakdown for the valve.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

If the engine is not overheating, the problem is not in the impeller or the engine itself. Remove the engine cover and lower starboard side cover. You will see a small hose that runs from the bottom of the block, along the side of the engine to tell tale fitting at the back of the engine. Disconnect that line at the "T" fitting just before the tell tale. Start the engine but run it only a short time to see if you have good flow. If you do, clean the tell tale. If not, connect the line and then disconnect it at the base of the engine. Repeat the test. If it now flows, the line is partially plugged. If the engine doesn't spit water then clean that port out.

 

[imported_Zoso]

Re: Suzuki DF 50 Tell-tale not working

I had the exact same problem with my DT85 when I bought it. As soon as i got it home, I fired it up. No stream. I called the guy i bought it from immediatly and told him what was up. Anyways, he said to mount the muffs from the rear (prop side) rather than from the leading edge of the motor because he learned that after having the same problem. I was skeptical but i did it and it worked. Couldn't get it to pee not one drop before that. Even then, I have to adjust them from time to time until it starts peeing.