Suzuki Repower

[Loosechips]

I’m just about to repower my Gulfstream and have it boiled down to the Suzuki D300 or D350A. It seems the dealer wants to sell me the D300 over the D350. Does anyone have this set up? If so can you tell me your thoughts?

 

[Loosechips]

Went with the DF350 Suzuki. Doing the 5-10 hr break in now. Fits the boat nicely.

 

[blindmullet]

Looks good! What year is your GS? Where did you get your motor? I'm looking at getting a 300 for my 24 once I derig and sell the old motor. Worried about the bracket being rated for such a bump in weight as well.

 

[bill erhardt]

Loosechips.....A friend has ordered a new DF350 to replace the f250 on his Gulfstream. What pitch propeller did you find to be the right one for this application? Also, any other words of wisdom you may have about this repower.
Thanks.
Bill Erhardt

 

[outdoor_duck]

Hi there -

I own a 1999 GW which the previous owner put a V8 350 on without any research.... I came to find out from GW yesterday that this engine is too torquey for the 1999 transom!

I'm looking at a repower. What year is the boat in the picture that you repowered with the Suzuki 350? Seems like you're happy with it

What kind of performance are you getting? I haven't seen any formal testing #s

 

[Loosechips]

Hi Bill,

You were correct I haven’t been active on the site and was not notified of the message. I hope your buddy is loving his 350, I sure do. I did change up the prop from a 21 pitch to a 19.5 for a little more top end. Going from a 225 to the 350 sure made a difference.

Hope he is loving the engine !

Mine is a 2003

 

[Bennie (Ben) Braswell]

I’m just about to repower my Gulfstream and have it boiled down to the Suzuki D300 or D350A. It seems the dealer wants to sell me the D300 over the D350. Does anyone have this set up? If so can you tell me your thoughts?

Hi,
To answer your question about a D300. I purchased a 2001 Gulfstream early last year and used it for a while with a single 225 2 stroke Yahama of the same vintage. I don't believe it had a lot of hours but just wanted piece of mind since I did not know the history.
I purchased a 2019 Suzuki D300 from a re-power center in Md. I've been very pleased with the performance and the economy of the engine. I do run only non-ethanol fuel and did notice a difference when I could find 89 octane vs 87. I cruse a little over 30 mph at about 10-11 gph. The engine does not seem to mind how much load is on the boat. It performs much the same loaded or unloaded. I've read the 350 is too much torque but I'm not sure it would be.

Good luck!

 

[deepdesire]

Welcome Ben. What prop are you running. Your fuel use is fabulous. My Islander has a 2018 DF300AP with a Suzuki 3X16x17 tuned to a 14 pitch with a long cup. I cruise at 26 knots @ 13 gph.

 

[Bennie (Ben) Braswell]

My Prop is what the installer recommended for my 232. It's a Suzuki brand, 3 x 16 x 17R. I did insist the engine be mounted as high as possible, and it is. The 232 really does well when the engine is mounted high. The installer agreed with this, saying the Suzuki performs best mounted this way. When I had the Yamaha 225, 2 cycle it preformed better after raising it as well. The Yamaha did not have interface with the Lowrance so no specifics on that engine.

 

[Bennie (Ben) Braswell]

Welcome Ben. What prop are you running. Your fuel use is fabulous. My Islander has a 2018 DF300AP with a Suzuki 3X16x17 tuned to a 14 pitch with a long cup. I cruise at 26 knots @ 13 gph.

Thanks for the welcome.

Looking up the Islander, your boat is quite a bit longer that mine, is it as wide? I did have a old 25 1986 Hydrasports WA with a singe 250 e-tec that got similar fuel burn your getting. It was a old deep v Kevlar hull, 8' 9" beam, and was very heavy! Had to use a 16 pitch prop on that to get to optimum revs at WOT.

 

[deepdesire]

With the 250 yammi we ran a 3x15 x15. Cruised at 23 mph 15 to 16 gph.The first Suzuki prop was the 3 x 16 x 17. Hole shot was terrible wot rpm only 5600 top end just under 40. Powertech 3 x 16 x 17 has much less blade surface than suzuki prop she would spin up over red line and averaged 1.8 to 2.2 mpg. My Islander is HEAVY. Would love to try a four blade and see how it performs. The Islander has an 8' 6" beam

 

[Bennie (Ben) Braswell]

Haven't tried a 4 blade on a Suzuki, on my old boat the 2 strokes gave better grunt at the low end and put the boat on plane quicker with 4 blade. I was also able keep on plane longer at lower rpms. The trade off was a little less top speed.

 

[njfatboy]

Hello: I am having a Suzuki DF350A installed on a ‘02 GW Gulfstream 232. The installer has a concern that the cowling is taller/larger than the existing F225 Yamaha and won’t tilt all the way up. Has anyone done this install and know if this will be an issue? Thank you! Randy

 

[West Coast]

I have a 2001 Gulfstream, it came powered with a 2014 Suzuki 300. Stock Suzuki propeller on the boat. I don't have anything to compare to, but I find it a little sluggish out of the hole to get onto a plane. It won't seem to hold a plane on anything less than 20mph.

The sweet spot for running my boat seems to be 4400 rpm which has the boat going 24-26 mph and burning 12-14 gph (depending on load).

I typically day fish with 4 people and gear on the boat. Overall I'm very happy with boat engine combo, always puts a smile on my face! However, I wouldn't mind the extra 50hp and the duo prop if money wasn't an issue. Though my wife might kill me if I did .

300 Suzuki is a solid choice, but I'm always of the opinion on boats, put the most HP you can, you'll never wish you had less HP! It's the only true thing I know about boats.

 

[PrimeMA]

I have a 2001 Gulfstream, it came powered with a 2014 Suzuki 300. Stock Suzuki propeller on the boat. I don't have anything to compare to, but I find it a little sluggish out of the hole to get onto a plane. It won't seem to hold a plane on anything less than 20mph.

The sweet spot for running my boat seems to be 4400 rpm which has the boat going 24-26 mph and burning 12-14 gph (depending on load).

I typically day fish with 4 people and gear on the boat. Overall I'm very happy with boat engine combo, always puts a smile on my face! However, I wouldn't mind the extra 50hp and the duo prop if money wasn't an issue. Though my wife might kill me if I did .

300 Suzuki is a solid choice, but I'm always of the opinion on boats, put the most HP you can, you'll never wish you had less HP! It's the only true thing I know about boats.

That's interesting. I have a 250 Yamaha and get 27-28 mph at 4400 rpm.. I thought you'd get more out of a 300

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

Hello: I am having a Suzuki DF350A installed on a ‘02 GW Gulfstream 232. The installer has a concern that the cowling is taller/larger than the existing F225 Yamaha and won’t tilt all the way up. Has anyone done this install and know if this will be an issue? Thank you! Randy

I am with the same problem, but with the Honda BF350 what is much higher.
Not sure if it will be a problem on your transom, but afaik the cowling of the DF350 is higher as the F250/F300.
Ask your installer to search the technical design of the dimensions, there is shown how much the DF350 tilt up.
Consider also that the DF350 is about 100 lbs heavier what will lower the transom making the tilted up lower units sitting lower, and maybe too low.
I had this problem on my Venture 34 and marine growth clogged the water inlets and grilles of the partially submerged lower units. I could solve that only with installing hydraulic jack plates what would solve in your case most likely also the higher cowling as the hydraulic jack plate has a minimum setback of 4". If a hydraulic jack plate is not a option you may use a bag/sock when boat is in a slipp/moored.
If boat lives on a trailer it won't be a problem and you can program the tilt to stop before cowling hit something.

Chris

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

That's interesting. I have a 250 Yamaha and get 27-28 mph at 4400 rpm.. I thought you'd get more out of a 300

The difference between the F250 and the F300 is not very high,
better would be a DF300AP as this outboard can turn a 2-4" more pitch and 16" wide propeller due it's different gear reduction.
Chris