Suzuki 2.5 issues

[JeffM]

Cross-posting here after no replies in Main Forum after 3 days:

 

First trip last week with my shiny new Suzuki 2.5 motor (and only the second with my new  CS20 rig).  Motor performed well -- and saved my bacon when my mizzen sheet mysteriously came loose.   The morning after returning, I ran it a bit in freshwater then shut it down briefly to change the setting on my tachometer (which had my idle rpm at twice what it should be).  Then, only a few minutes after shutting it down, I tried to restart it to see my new rpm reading.  Starter didn't disengage, but yanked the cord our of my hand leaving a gash and serious bruise.  This continued (sans injury) for several more tries.  Then I walked away and came back a few hours later and it started normally.

 

I had the same problem repeatedly the first time I tried to start the the new motor in late winter.  I took the recoil starter off looking for a problem, but found none.  Then a couple days later it started without incident, and today (after a couple dozen starts) is the first recurrence.

 

I can't find anything about this online.  Anyone seen it before?  Know what to do about?  It would have been pretty catastrophic if it had occurred when I really needed it!

 

Unrelated motor question: the 2.5 moves the boat way better than I expected, and the boat moves at near hull speed in calm conditions at less than half throttle.  So now a propeller pitch question: the manual says a properly-pitched propeller should allow the engine to run at full throttle at the given rpm under a light load.  Suzi really likes full throttle and is meant to run at full bore most of the time, it says.  I'm guessing I need a propeller with less pitch so the motor can run at higher rpm without the boat going crazy.  Opinions?

[Captain Tim]

When figuring out the right pitch and diameter of a prop it should allow the motor to reach its rated RPMs for rated HP with a load on (pushing your boat with a normal load on it).

If the motor is freewheeling because the prop is not biting the water enough (too small of a prop) you could do damage to the motor.

You would be better off running at a slower RPM most of the time for the speed you like and run it up to high RPMs once in a while to 

"blow it out". Most small outboards come with the right size prop.

[JeffM]

Thanks, Tim.  So even though I'll seldom go past half-throttle, going briefly wide-open occasionally will take care of it?

[Captain Tim]

I think there will be a time you are happy with the extra push. Storm coming or strong head wind for example.

Something else I highly recommend is use only nonethanol fuel. You will not burn enough fuel in a season to worry about the added cost 

and you will actually save money because you won't have to clean the carburetor when fuel sits in the tank for a while.

[JeffM]

Thanks!

[Don Silsbe]

If I understand your first problem correctly, then we have experienced the same thing with our Suzuki 2.5.  I was teaching my wife how to use the motor, including starting it. As she pulled the starting cord, there was sudden, intense compression.  This yanked the cord out of her hand so violently that it broke her wrist!  (Ever so slightly, but still…) I’ve had it yank out of my hand on occasion, too.  When I pull it, I pull with more authority than my bride.  I also prepare for the sudden resistance by allowing it to slip out of my hand when it happens.  In other words, I’m coping with the condition because this motor is otherwise awesome.

[Steve W]

I've got a 2.5 that I've never had anything like that happen. I keep it attached to the boat while towing and on a stand when the boat comes home. I wonder if there is an issue with the motor due to oil or gas lock form storing on it's side. 

[Paul356]

I don't recall the starter rachet failing to let go, but I do think I've had a bit of something like backfire when the motor had what I felt later was hydrolock because of too much oil in the sump.  I found that the dealer had filled the oil very high.  I now make sure the oil is never higher than halfway up the visual guage when the motor is upright.  The dealer had put it clear up beyond the top of the guage.  I also never store it on its side that says "this side up", because that seems to trigger oil into the cylinder, i.e., hydro lock.  Go figure.  I always try to store it either upright on a stand or "upright" lying down, by which I mean having the front of the engine facing down such as in the back of the car while traveling.  They hydro lock from too much oil getting into the cylinder can be a nasty thing.  When I took it to the dealer, he put it on the stand,  diagnosed the problem, took the spark plug out, pulled the starter cable, and a slug of oil jumped 8 feet across the shop.  (He then overfilled it again.  Geez.)