Suzuki 2.5 hp four stroke; any good?

I've had one for 6 years now, on the whole it has been very reliable and easy to start.
It'll plane my Seago 270, with inflatable floor and just me in it, at 11 knots (measured with a handheld GPS), I'm about 70kg.
It'll just about plane with me plus the dog, she weighs in at 50kg, if we sit well forward.
I've had problems with water in the fuel, leading to crud in the carburetor, with symptoms and cure as above, but that's not the engines fault.
It's been submerged a few time, when the dinghy has flipped in strong winds, I've always managed to get it going again, stripping and cleaning the carb', changing the oil and giving everything a good spray with WD40 or similar.
The only mechanical problem I've had has been it slipping out of gear, after 5 years use. This turned out to be the dog clutch not engaging properly and was simple to fix with washers to shim the shaft forward a bit.
For a while it was hard to start, but that was cured by a new spark plug, the old one was the original and had lasted at least 3 years.
The engine gets used extensively, I spend at least 120 days on board each year, anchoring most nights and the dog gets taken for a walk at least 3 time a day.
I'll buy another one when the time comes to replace it.
 
Ian_Edwards said:
I've had one for 6 years now, on the whole it has been very reliable and easy to start.
It'll plane my Seago 270, with inflatable floor and just me in it, at 11 knots (measured with a handheld GPS), I'm about 70kg.
It'll just about plane with me plus the dog, she weighs in at 50kg, if we sit well forward.
I've had problems with water in the fuel, leading to crud in the carburetor, with symptoms and cure as above, but that's not the engines fault.
It's been submerged a few time, when the dinghy has flipped in strong winds, I've always managed to get it going again, stripping and cleaning the carb', changing the oil and giving everything a good spray with WD40 or similar.
The only mechanical problem I've had has been it slipping out of gear, after 5 years use. This turned out to be the dog clutch not engaging properly and was simple to fix with washers to shim the shaft forward a bit.
For a while it was hard to start, but that was cured by a new spark plug, the old one was the original and had lasted at least 3 years.
The engine gets used extensively, I spend at least 120 days on board each year, anchoring most nights and the dog gets taken for a walk at least 3 time a day.
I'll buy another one when the time comes to replace it.
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Thanks for the feedback. It appears that the Suzuki is a good engine overall, but a bit less robust than the much heavier Tohatsu; nothing is for nothing.
 
steve66 said:
It does have an inline fuel filter, fitting another filter will not cure the carb issues. Drain the carb if your going to leave it for longer than a couple of weeks
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I've had my DT2.5 apart and have not found any filter. From memory there might be a nylon mesh but it's very small surface area and therefore necessarily very coarse and virtually useless, although that might be my Honda I'm thinking of.

As grit in carb is the most common complaint with these small engines I don't understand your observation.

I've already mentioned draining the carb.

Richard
 
Last edited:
Its inside the fuel line
RichardS said:
I've had my DT2.5 apart and have not found any filter. From memory there might be a nylon mesh but it's very small surface area and therefore necessarily very coarse and virtually useless, although that might be my Honda I'm thinking of.

As grit in carb is the most common complaint with these small engines I don't understand your observation.

I've already mentioned draining the carb.

Richard
Click to expand...
 
In all my years of carb cleaning (I do on average 5 per week) I have never yet seen "grit" in a carb . You may be mistaken with fuel residue or aluminium oxide from electrolysis.
RichardS said:
I've had my DT2.5 apart and have not found any filter. From memory there might be a nylon mesh but it's very small surface area and therefore necessarily very coarse and virtually useless, although that might be my Honda I'm thinking of.

As grit in carb is the most common complaint with these small engines I don't understand your observation.

I've already mentioned draining the carb.

Richard
Click to expand...
 
That's amazing. Almost every carb I have stripped down with the traditional symptoms of "reluctant to start but when it does start tends to die after a few seconds" has revealed dirt particles in the bowl which block the idler. I don't know when the dirt comes from but a decent filter with a good surface area and a fine grade will certainly rule out the fuel supply or pre-filter corrosion as the source.

Richard
 
Have you ever thought about cleaning your tank out and fuel can??. Much easier than adding additional filters??
RichardS said:
That's amazing. Almost every carb I have stripped down with the traditional symptoms of "reluctant to start but when it does start tends to die after a few seconds" has revealed dirt particles in the bowl which block the idler. I don't know when the dirt comes from but a decent filter with a good surface area and a fine grade will certainly rule out the fuel supply or pre-filter corrosion as the source.

Richard
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My 1991 suzuki 2.2 is brilliant. never let me down and it is never serviced ! Fresh fuel, clean plug !
Keep your heavy four strokes................I pick mine up with one hand !
 
I have a 2.5 Johnson (rebadged Suzuki) and a 2.5 Yamaha
The Johnson is far lighter(13kg), runs rougher, has taken dogs abuse, idles well (carb clean now and then), heavier on petrol, revs faster, good power
The Yamaha is far heavier (17kg), runs smoothly and quieter, idles nicely, lighter on fuel, revs slower, slightly less power,
If I didnt have to lift it I would vote for the Yamaha on balance, otherwise the Johnson wins on points for ease of handling
 
EdWingfield said:
Please give the Utube page, I'd like to see it.
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No sign of the video now, hopefully here is a photo of the carb, the screw is in the middle of the pic. If you compare with your original carb you will see where to drill the casting. Go canny, its soft alloy! I would highlight the screw but on the nexus here and cannot seem to edit pics.
 

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Good photo Northup. A word of caution, some Suzuki 2.5 carbs have another Welch plug directly underneath the one shown in the photo. On the photo these are obscured by the carb mounting bolts. Make sure you drill the correct one out otherwise you will open access to the transition ports which you don't really want to do!
NorthUp said:
No sign of the video now, hopefully here is a photo of the carb, the screw is in the middle of the pic. If you compare with your original carb you will see where to drill the casting. Go canny, its soft alloy! I would highlight the screw but on the nexus here and cannot seem to edit pics.
Click to expand...
 
Put to work, new, in April 2013, my Suzuki DF2.5 began to idle badly to 'not at all' by July, this year. Contaminated petrol? No; it continued to run badly with fresh. And, I've always tried to keep the reservoir free of gum deposits by using up the dregs of fuel by switching off the fuel tap yards before my destination (relieves tedium). Things got worse. Late July, I took the unit to Reddish Marine, Salcombe. The owner did a good job cleaning out all the favourite spots but said that EU environment regs re fuel additives were providing him with more & more work as valve seats become pitted more & more frequently. All makes are being affected. He said that mine will now run & sound "rougher"; it does -- but it starts better than it has done all year. A valve reseating regrind would make it 'sing' again; I might have to open her up myself though not until I've tried what others, here, have said.
 
BarneysDad said:
Put to work, new, in April 2013, my Suzuki DF2.5 began to idle badly to 'not at all' by July, this year. Contaminated petrol? No; it continued to run badly with fresh. And, I've always tried to keep the reservoir free of gum deposits by using up the dregs of fuel by switching off the fuel tap yards before my destination (relieves tedium). Things got worse. Late July, I took the unit to Reddish Marine, Salcombe. The owner did a good job cleaning out all the favourite spots but said that EU environment regs re fuel additives were providing him with more & more work as valve seats become pitted more & more frequently. All makes are being affected. He said that mine will now run & sound "rougher"; it does -- but it starts better than it has done all year. A valve reseating regrind would make it 'sing' again; I might have to open her up myself though not until I've tried what others, here, have said.
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The most common problem, by far, appears to be problems with the carburetor. It would be good if the jets could be replaced with larger ones.
 
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC said:
The most common problem, by far, appears to be problems with the carburetor. It would be good if the jets could be replaced with larger ones.
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Hi the main jet can be replaced with larger ones, available from Suzuki, the pilot jet can be slightly opened up to improve tickover. As I have stated earlier in the thread weak clutch units are a greater problem than the carb
 
steve66 said:
Hi the main jet can be replaced with larger ones, available from Suzuki, the pilot jet can be slightly opened up to improve tickover. As I have stated earlier in the thread weak clutch units are a greater problem than the carb
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So, perhaps, i would be better off buying the very new Honda 2.3, (just come out) they had enough time to improve it by now.
 
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