Suzuki DF200AP maintenance tips

[SkunkBoat]

I have been doing my own maintenance for 700 hours. Here are some tips.

I get OEM zuke parts from Boats.net They have exploded view diagrams and "reasonable" prices.
Order all your stuff at the same time for free shipping. I usually sit at the computer in February with my box of parts and figure out what I need for the spring.

I took some picks of gear oil & grease when I put it away for the season.
I always replace the gaskets on the gear oil plugs. They compress when you tighten them and you should not reuse them.
I have a spare plug and magnetic drain plug in case the slot gets chewed up. Use the proper BIG ASS screwdriver that fits the slot tightly.
Zukes have an "extra" gear oil "vent" hole above the Oil Level hole. This actually allows you to fill from the Oil Level hole. We are all used to pumping up from the Drain hole.
This year I learned that I can, in fact, ditch the pump and just squeeze the bottle into the Oil Level hole. I never used to try squeezing from the drain hole. I used a pump. But then its a mess trying to remove the pump and plug the drain hole.

There are some out of the way zerk fittings that I have pictured.
These zerks only require a little pump of grease.

In the swivel bracket its important to pump enough grease to cause old grease to come out of the TOP. Don't stop just because its coming out the bottom.

On my setup, it is not possible to get the grease gun on the fittings that are behind the steering cylinder. I have to remove the cylinder from the tiller arm and rotate it out of the way. PIA!
While the cylinder is disconnected, its a good idea to test the free movement of the motor swivel (left/right ). After many years, dry grease can bind up at the top.

Always give the cowling clamps some grease and the roller bushings on the cowling. If they go dry you risk snapping the handle off trying to get the cowling off.

I made the mistake of trying to reach up and remove a cowling while standing in the driveway. My hand was gripping the rubber gasket of the cowling and the gasket came off in my hand. The cowling got a road rash in the driveway. Best to do it on a ladder or from inside the boat...

I had a hard time removing the Propellor Stopper Bushing. It should just slide off. I was surprised because I always grease the prop shaft thoroughly. I tried a lot of things including a big ass pipe wrench. It is in a difficult location. You can't get behind it. Finally I found that a VERY LIGHT tap of a tapered sledge hammer loosened it like it was never stuck. The shape of the wedge was perfect to tap the backside of the bushing without hitting the lower unit. It wasn't rusted. IDK why it was stuck.

When I drain the Motor Oil I usually remove the lower clamshell. It gives better access to the filter and makes it easier to get a bucket below the drain.(You absolutely MUST replace the metal drain plug gasket. They give you a bunch of them in your Zuke tool kit.) more to follow on oil changes...
There is a rubber bushing hidden on the port clamshell at the lower screw. If you lose that bushing the clamshell will not stay tight together along the rear seam.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Engine anodes should be inspected and change when necessary. I have spare o-ring for inspecting one. If one needs changing, they all do...don't waste time inspecting them all.
I had a problem with one that the screw holding the anode to the anode cover stripped the hex head. Have a spare screw and a spare cover and a spare o-ring
( I like to have a spare of certain screws like the clamshell screws and gear oil screws in case I chew one uo or lose one in the driveway...)

There are six per motor. 3 in the head, 1 in the block and 1 in the exhaust cover and there is one of the same anode on the swivel bracket.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Low pressure fuel filter (filter itself not pictured) is simple task. You need an o-ring as well as a filter.
I have not had to tackle the small filter internal to the Fuel Vapor Seperator/High pressure pump. That will require a gasket too.
I have had a Yamaha VST apart. It was not that complicated just a bit awkward.

Oil & Filter Change
Removing the side clamshell lets you easily turn the filter and set up a bucket for draining.
I prefer a 5 gallon bucket because 2 motors hold 4 gallons.
OEM suzuki oil filter from Boats.net
Always change the metal drain gasket.PN 09168-12012 See in the picture, next to the fuel filter, how the old one is compressed and has a ridge.

I have mostly used West Marine 4 stroke 10W40 until they really hiked their price, Valvoline marine 10w30 (did not like it it "lost" oil) Now have Castrol GTX 10w40 in this last change. I think it was $20 a gallon at Wally world. Its getting hard to find 10w40. Cars don't use it anymore.
Service Manual spec is 10w40 or 10w30, needs to be API/SN...which they all are...
Suzuki has a brand. The dealer wants $45 a gallon.

Since I run close to 200 hours a season, I have to do an in-water oil change mid-season. That works out pretty easy thru the dipstick with the Jabsco oil change pump.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Water Pump. I thought I posted about this once before but it must have been in someone else's thread.


I replaced water pumps after the third season. I did this because you replace water pumps BEFORE they go bad. You throw away perfectly good one's. Thats why they call it MAINTENANCE.
Also, you should never go more than three seasons without dropping the lower unit or you might crack a bolt or never get it loose.

On one of the motors the LU did not want to drop. The spline of the shaft was stuck at the top. I lot of wiggling and some wooden wedges and it let loose.
It looked like they did not get grease on the top 1/4" of the spline.
All of our wiggling must have cracked the plastic water pump housing, so we replaced it.
DROPPING THE LU IS A TWO MAN JOB! ALWAYS!

Seating the cup into the housing after the gasket is a little tricky. There is a little tab that has to line up just right for the cup to fully seat. And you have to do that without the gasket moving.
Make sure you twist the impellor in the right direction.

I bought the kit that includes the gasket,plate,cup, key and impellor. The plastic housing normally doesn't need replacement.

Make sure you get the gear shift reconnected as you put the LU back on the motor.

TEST THE GEAR SHIFT before you launch! Once I helped someone launch their boat. The owner had just had their Yamaha serviced. I was in the boat, they were backing down the ramp. I started the engine and rolled back into the water and had no gears! After wrangling the boat back onto the trailer, we fixed it in the parking lot....

 

[SkunkBoat]

T-stats. there is one per motor.
The Thermostat is not easy to get to. You have to loosen/remove the Silencer (big black plastic air pipe).
Once thats done you have access to the Throttle body, so clean the flame arrestor screen and spray the throttle body.
Keep the area covered so nothing falls in there!

I would suggest replacing Tstat after third season because you can get buildup of salt goo and....MAINTENANCE....

can't find the pix. Must have deleted them from phone?

 

[dogdoc]

Wow, excellent! I was told I must use Suzuki brand products and document all work or void the warranty. Was I hoodwinked? Parts Vu down here in Fla is the best place to get the Suzuki stuff.

 

[Bread]

Thanks for sharing

 

[Diad]

Great post Skunk!

 

[SkunkBoat]

Wow, excellent! I was told I must use Suzuki brand products and document all work or void the warranty. Was I hoodwinked? Parts Vu down here in Fla is the best place to get the Suzuki stuff.

I save all receipts and as you can see I have pictures as well as a service log.
There is a maintenance schedule in the manual.

The manual does not specify Suzuki oils. They are not allowed to require their branded oils for warranty. If they could, every car company in the world would brand their own oil.
You can use API/SN motor oil and GL5 gear oil "Hypoid" 80W90 or SAE90. Don't take my word...Its in the manual.

As for parts. I mostly use Suzuki parts. You know you have the right thing. There might be a FRAM oil filter that fits but it ain't any cheaper. Some of the anodes are available aftermarket and ther is no reason you can't use them other than it can simplify the ordering just getting everything at once from one place.

Wherever you get them is fine. Find someone you like. You might even buy them from the Suzuki dealer. Mine usually has filters and anodes on a shelf but you have to order orings and screws and such. I try to get everything at once to save shipping. Most online parts give free shipping over $100 or $150.

 

[dogdoc]

Gotta ask, manual states you can use a NMMA FC-W rated oil, does not say API/SN. Reading shows FC-W starts at API rate then adds additional additives for marine environment. I mean if you are still under warranty ??? just curious

 

[Saltyone]

As you can see from the manual, there is a box that list the other oils if FC-W is not available.

 

[SkunkBoat]

You almost had me second guessing....

West Marine and Valvoline Marine had FC-W rating if that is important to you.
You can even use Yamalube koolaid if you like. I think they just recently started labeling it with FC-W

 

[dogdoc]

missed that last yellow circle, good i only ordered the filters and gaskets, no oil or gear lube
thanks

 

[SkunkBoat]

Shout out to Suzuki for the tool kit included with each motor. You can, in fact, do the maintenance using the tool kit.
I keep one in the boat and one in the garage. I keep them complete. I added a better pliers and screwdriver and a small 10mm socket/ratchet to the one in the boat.
The pliers and screwdriver are a bit lame but they fit in the bag.
It does not have a .032 (.9mm) feeler gauge for the spark plugs. i seem to remember that my old DF140 came with one in the bag.

Obviously, a metric socket set helps 10mm, 12mm are used mostly.. Spark plug socket useful too.
You need a really big flat blade screwdriver. It needs to fit the slot width and thickness. If you use the wrong screwdriver you will destroy the Gear oil screw and slip off and scratch the LU.
You need a prop wrench.


I have a full tool box in the boat and it is way too heavy and full of things that will never be used..I need to take a new look at that...

 

[SkunkBoat]

Anodes- zinc or aluminum ****magnesium if you are purely freshwater

There are three typs of anodes in the DF200APs.
94900 the large anode bar on the bottom Clamp Bracket (1)- I could probably just wire brush them and get 2 seasons but I replace them. The OEM comes as a kit with 2 new bolts.

87J01 in the engine(5) and on bottom of the swivel bracket (1)- I replaced them all once in 4 seasons. Engine anodes need 0-rings 09280-22019.

95310 small block (2) in the Lower Unit. - I usually sand them clean and reuse them. I have chewed some up trying to get them out. They are a PIA to remove sometimes. They get stuck in place. The trick is to remove the bolt and use an oversize bolt to 'thread" into the anode so you can get leverage to pop it out. I have a new set I will put on this spring.


I was getting them all on Boats.net but last year I got them on BoatZincs.com.
Very good prices even after paying shipping
I got the Aluminum versions. The bar doesn't come with new bolts.

I'm not sure what metal the OEM packaged ones from Boats.net are. I always assumed they were zinc but they seem to be about the same weight as these aluminum ones.

West Marine had the Bar and the small block in aluminum. I did not see the engine anodes.

I like to have some spare screws and o-rings

 

[dogdoc]

As for the big tool box I will keep mine. I would rather be looking at it than looking for it!

 

[Sdfish]

Best post on basic maintenance I have seen! Well done and thank you!

 

[family affair]

Great write up Skunk.
Another tip. The oil filter boxes are the perfect thickness to use as a channel to get oil away from the power head when removing the filter. There is actually a groove in the power head that you can slide the cardboard into.
It can also be used around the drain plug if you don't remove the lower chap.
I'm able to access my zerks behind the steering ram by tilting the engines.
I'm running high performance wix filters. They aren't cheap, but the quality looks excellent and they have a great reputation.
As for my oil choice, it is full synthetic and meets all the specs.

 

[SkunkBoat]

OH! Another thing that pops up ....

The Engine Oil Change procedure begins on page 85 of the manual. Nowhere in that procedure is a step to reset the oil change reminder alarm.

Oil Change Reminder System is on Page 49. It tells you how to silence the alarm and reactivate the system to the next oil change

It uses "preprogrammed hours". There is a Flowchart of the Oil Change Reminder on page103

Theoretically, it is possible to "perform cancellation before system activation" ...which I think means reset the count because you changed the oil early.
Theoretically this means the count or "lapse in hours" restarts from there. It is not hard coded at 20, 80, 100, 200, 300 hours on the Engine Total Hours.
(after the break-in 20 and next 80, the "lapse since last cancellation" is always 100 hours each time going forward)

So, I say all this because there are times when I have changed oil BEFORE the alarm. So, to be clear, there is no alarm to silence or screen (Oil Change) to clear because I am early. I swear I reset it using the procedure. I swear I heard a beep indicating it reset (cancellation is successful). Then a week later while running I get an Oil Change Alarm (which always freaks you out because your first thought is Alarm BAD!) Then I reset set it again. You know it worked because the alarm is gone. Then 20 minutes or 2 hours later it goes off again...BECAUSE YOU HAVE TWO MOTORS that don't always match hours because you troll on one or the other sometimes.

So just warning that it will happen to you too. BOOKMARK page 49 and have your manual handy because you will not remember the procedure

EDIT: Page numbers are from manual printed June 2019. Things have changed. The menus in the SMG gauges(They addded AutoTrim) and the Control panel- Start/Stop,trim, station select,throttle only, and Sync have been changed. I belive they moved Select/Throttle only/Sync to the binnacle? I think the changed the White color in 2021 also?

 

[family affair]

I'll likely end up changing my oil due to the calendar rather than the hours. Hopefully I can get that alarm to work for my needs.
I am surprised how inconvenient they made it to cancel the oil change notification. I can't help but think a lot of mechanically uninclined Suzuki owners end up heading back home the 1st time that alarm goes off.