# Suzuki Water Pressure Issues



## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

If you want to DIY take the powerhead apart and clean the cooling passages. 
How adamant are you about flushing your motor as soon after each trip as possible? Once you find the restriction and clean it start flushing with SaltAway or Salt Terminator and you won’t have any more issues. 
Once a cooling system has corrosion and salt buildup you really need to physically remove the crud, flushing with chemicals will only get some of it. 
Look up my thread about cleaning the cooling passages on my Yamaha from a couple of years ago.


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## g8rfly (Oct 9, 2011)

Make sure the sacrificial anodes under the cowling are inspected and replaced. When I had my Suzuki in for annual maintenance recently the tech told me they were shot and debris from their disintegration was impeding water flow and getting clogged up in the T output. To be honest I don't even know where they are located or how their disintegration could be making it's way into the water cooling system, but figured I'd provide the feedback if it could be helpful to you.


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## Ruddy Duck LA (Jun 23, 2017)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> If you want to DIY take the powerhead apart and clean the cooling passages.
> How adamant are you about flushing your motor as soon after each trip as possible? Once you find the restriction and clean it start flushing with SaltAway or Salt Terminator and you won’t have any more issues.
> Once a cooling system has corrosion and salt buildup you really need to physically remove the crud, flushing with chemicals will only get some of it.
> Look up my thread about cleaning the cooling passages on my Yamaha from a couple of years ago.


I'll check that out.

My mechanic mentioned taking the powerhead apart. He will do the work, but I will check out the thread you mentioned. I'm trying to get an idea of what I am up against as the mechanic is a bit unsure at the moment. He is trying to get his hands on the cooling schematic for my motor now.

I flush the motor after every use. 

Many thanks.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Before you dive too deep take the lower off and verify ALL of the water pump vanes are going the same direction and one or two did not get twisted the opposite direction from the pressure of the garden hose.

Happened to mine so I am speaking from experience.

The muffs will allow water to be forced past the impeller, through the block and get stopped by the thermostat. This will be 60-70 psi water. The you hit the key and the impeller immediately starts to turn but has a bunch of water it can't move. You can compress air, you cannot compress water.


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## Ruddy Duck LA (Jun 23, 2017)

Update: The first trip to the mechanic, he could not clear all of the clogs. The motor is barely over a year old and is flushed after each use. 

I took the boat back home, and ran 6 cycles of a product from West Marine through the engine. I believe it is called Salt Off. I ran the motor long enough for it to warm up, opened the valve on the product's applicator allowing the product to flush through the engine for about 30 seconds, and shut it down. After letting the engine sit for a day or two, I repeated the process.

After 6 cycles, I was still not getting the proper pressure readings; so I brought the boat back to the mechanic expecting him to pull off the power head.

He worked a little more on the clog before taking apart the motor, and something cleared. The clog dislodged and pressures were fully restored.

I can't say that the Salt Off cured the problem, and I will never know if it contributed to loosening up the debris in the system. However, I think I'll use it regularly going forward.

I felt it was unlikely that the motor was full of corrosion after a year's use and regular flushings. It appears I was unlucky and some sand or debris made its way into the cooling system through the water pump.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

In my experience, water pressure gauges are not reliable.The pisser tubes on small zukes clog easy w/ sand etc...I drilled out mine a little and never had a problem after that.
The old paper clip routine of cleaning out the pisser tube does not always completely clear the problem if it is larger shell/sand bits


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## MAK (Dec 15, 2017)

I have needed to cover the intake on the bottom of the plate on my DF60 when using muffs since I bought it new a year ago... Actually had to call the service department where I bought it after the first time I tried to flush and nothing was coming through. They told me I would have to tape the bottom intake or have it submerged. I’ve tried several times since then to flush without covering and have found that _sometimes_ it will start pumping water but it’s a weak stream...


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I was searching for a resolution to a customer’s DF60A water pressure issues and found a few articles about the water pressure valve getting stuck and or clogging. He has been fighting floating grass issues and came to me for a Bob’s nosecone pickup delete for my Zephyr Cove Customs pickup because the Bob’s nosecone was picking up grass in the five big intake holes. I figured I could offer some insight since there is not much about this out there! 

I popped the lower cowling off (remove 7 5/16” screws and remove top cowling to pull left and right halves off and set aside) and found the pressure valve cover and pryed it out with a screwdriver and the outer cover broke off due to corrosion. Others have had the same issue on many other Suzukis in different horsepowers with the same water pressure valve. It’s basically like a thermostat that opens with pressure instead of temperature. It’s a poppet valve. This one came out and had a wad of dead grass and a barnacle or shell stuck in it that was keeping it from opening completely…
I’m headed to the Suzuki shop to grab a new cover, o-ring and pressure valve now. I will update this afternoon with results but I know this is what was impeding water flow between the lower unit and powerhead.


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## Pope (6 mo ago)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I was searching for a resolution to a customer’s DF60A water pressure issues and found a few articles about the water pressure valve getting stuck and or clogging. He has been fighting floating grass issues and came to me for a Bob’s nosecone pickup delete for my Zephyr Cove Customs pickup because the Bob’s nosecone was picking up grass in the five big intake holes. I figured I could offer some insight since there is not much about this out there!
> 
> I popped the lower cowling off (remove 7 5/16” screws and remove top cowling to pull left and right halves off and set aside) and found the pressure valve cover and pryed it out with a screwdriver and the outer cover broke off due to corrosion. Others have had the same issue on many other Suzukis in different horsepowers with the same water pressure valve. It’s basically like a thermostat that opens with pressure instead of temperature. It’s a poppet valve. This one came out and had a wad of dead grass and a barnacle or shell stuck in it that was keeping it from opening completely…
> I’m headed to the Suzuki shop to grab a new cover, o-ring and pressure valve now. I will update this afternoon with results but I know this is what was impeding water flow between the lower unit and powerhead.
> ...


That is ridiculous. How fine is the screen for then water pick up? I can’t imagine picking up a barnacle or that much grass. I don’t have anything for scale, but that seems a bit large to me.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Pope said:


> That is ridiculous. How fine is the screen for then water pick up? I can’t imagine picking up a barnacle or that much grass. I don’t have anything for scale, but that seems a bit large to me.


I don’t want anyone getting the wrong impression here…this was with a Bob’s nosecone pickup that has five 1/4” diameter intake holes. This is NOT with my pickup system, I deleted the nosecone and installed my system for this very reason. The customer was tired of sucking grass and shell into his powerhead and overheating.

Before:









After:


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