Owner's Manual DF4, DF6 Motor Installation

Overpowering your boat can be hazardous. Excessive horsepower will have an adverse effect on hull safety and may cause operating/handling difficulties. The boat may also sustain stress and hull damage. Never install an outboard motor with horsepower exceeding the manufacturer’s recommended maximum horsepower listed on the boat’s “Certification Plate”. Contact your authorized Suzuki marine dealer if you are unable to locate the hull “Certificate Plate”.

It is against federal regulations for any marine dealer to service a motor that exceeds the recommended maximum horsepower for your boat.

Proper transom height is important for good performance. A motor mounted on a transom that is too high causes the propeller to slip resulting in wasted power or overheating.
A motor mounted on a transom that is too low will increase drag, causing reduced speed.
Make sure that when the motor is lowered all the way down, the anti-cavitation plate is located 0 – 25 mm (0 – 1.0 in.) below the bot tom of the boat (See illustration below).

Operating your outboard motor with the anti-cavitation plate above water can cause overheating and severe damage to your outboard motor. Do not operate your outboard motor with the anti-cavitation plate above water.

Center the motor on the transom and secure it by alternately tightening the clamp bracket screws by hand. Make sure you accurately center the motor, or the boat will pull to one side during operation.

Install 8 mm bolts, washers, lock washers and nuts, as illustrated and tighten the bolts sequentially. Be sure to seal the holes to prevent water leakage.

After installing the motor, check to make sure that steering and tilt movement are not obstructed by any part of the boat. Also make sure that the battery cable (if provided) doesn’t interfere with movement of the motor.

If the motor is not properly secured to the transom, it can come off. Be sure to bolt the motor to the transom. The motor may come off if it is held only by the clamp screws. Occasionally check the clamp screws for tightness.

If you attempt to mount the outboard to the transom without having mechanical experience or without being certain where to drill holes, you can seriously damage the boat. If you do not have mechanical experience or are not sure of where to drill holes in the boat’s transom, you should have your motor mounted by your authorized Suzuki marine dealer.

PROPELLER SELECTION

It is essential to use a propeller on your out board motor that is properly matched to your boat’s operating characteristics. The speed of the engine when you operate your boat at full throttle depends on the propeller you use. Excessive engine speed can seriously damage the motor, while low engine speed at full throttle will adversely affect the performance. Your operating load will also affect propeller selec tion. Smaller loads generally require larger pitch propellers; larger loads generally require smaller-pitch propellers. Your authorized Suzuki Marine Dealer will assist you in selecting a suit able propeller for your boat.

Installing a propeller with either too much or too little pitch will cause incorrect maximum engine speed, which may result in severe damage to the motor. Ask your authorized Suzuki marine dealer to assist you in selecting a suitable propeller for your boat.

You can determine if your propeller is appropriate for use with your boat by using a tachometer to measure engine speed when operating your boat at full throttle, under minimum load conditions. If you are using an appropriate propeller, the engine speed will be within the fol lowing range:

If the engine speed is not within this range, consult your authorized Suzuki Marine Dealer to determine which propeller size is best for you.