Suzuki 300

[flounder]

Does anyone have a 25, 254, or 251 running a 300 Suzuki?

I would like a get performance data on that combination for RPM / Speed.

If GPH / Speed is also available, great.

[mbsbrett]

I have a 253 WA with a suzuki 300. I see 43 MPH top end and get almost 3 mpg at 32 MPH cruise. A single 300 is a great fit for a 25 if you are not concerned about doing 50. Has strong out of the hole performance and maint on a single is a plus vs twins.

[flounder]

What are your RPM's at 32 MPH?

[Sailor]

Yes, Jack aka badfish has a new suzy 300 on his 254 and it runs incredible. WOT near 50, 3+ mpg loaded down across a wide range of rpm.

Here is the link to his re-build, but he won't be able to respond for a few weeks or longer.

http://www.classicmako.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=54558

After fishing on his rig, I will have eventually have the same setup as well, and I've run my boat with two sets of twins and two different singles and non compare to the performance of the single 300 suzy.

[mbsbrett]

quote:

---

Originally posted by mbsbrett


I have a 253 WA with a suzuki 300. I see 43 MPH top end and get almost 3 mpg at 32 MPH cruise. A single 300 is a great fit for a 25 if you are not concerned about doing 50. Has strong out of the hole performance and maint on a single is a plus vs twins.

---

I think around 4000 rpm

[flounder]

mbsbrett

Thank you

This is interesting. If I don't sell the 25 that I have listed on the forum, I am going to (need to) re-power. Several members have suggested the DF300. I keep seeing great numbers and reports on the 300. It is apparent the 300 will provide me with a faster cruise speed then I presently enjoy, and it sounds like my fuel economy will increase at those speeds. Very tempting but...

The boat is set up for twins. The DF140's have treated me better than any engines I have ever had. The new DF140A's have some new features the the old engines don't. I no longer make runs to the 30 fathom line or the edge...can't...back and legs won't take it.

So, how would the two engines compare if my usage consists of inshore lumps, close wrecks, and the back bays. Normal runs 15 to 30 minutes at 18 to 22 knots (3800 to 4200 RPM) followed by 700 RPM idle while fishing on the drift and 1200 to 1500 returns to drift origin. Because, that is what I do now. Just floundering around.

Now here is what is really interesting. Based on the fuel burns shown on this interactive web site, the twin 140's burn less than the 300 at any given RPM comparison.

http://www.boat-fuel-economy.com/suzuki-outboard-fuel-consumption-us-gallons

I assume the figures are based on no load, just consumption thru the system. So, it's not real life. But, it suggests that given a lot of idle time vs little run time, the twins might be more fuel efficient. I assume, if the idle time vs run time were reversed, the 300 might be more efficient. Hull, weights, and wheels, all come into play here, so the analysis is not real world.

But, it is interesting...

[mbsbrett]

A new df300 is around 20k rigged.

[flounder]

Yes $20,000 is a fair budget price.

My case might be a little more because of new controls & guages, as well as console & transom glass work to change from twins to single. I feel it will run a couple thousand more making the conversion.

I have a qoute for 20 even plus tax on new DF140As hung, rigged, and running, and out the door. It's gonna be hard to walk away from that.

A lot of owners feel top end is the most important factor in power decisions, especially the younger owners, at least I did. The very first thing I did after breaking in new power was WOT to see what I had.

Just don't feel that way any more...age does strange things to you.

Almost hoping she does not sell...

[Sailor]

Check out the Competition 25 which is a hull very similar to ours and they sell quite a few with a single 300. Based on your comments above, a single would work beautifully. As for rigging, it's really not that big of a deal. You can keep your morse controls if you want and use one side for shift and one for throttle which is how mine is setup, but the electronic controls are *very* nice and would certainly help with re-sale value in the future.

[flounder]

Sailor,

Thank you. Yes, I would keep the Morse controls either way. Elec is available on both the 140 and the 300, but I would rather not go there.

You have a point regarding resale. However, should I re-power, I plan to keep her. A perspective buyer had a marine survey done yesterday and the surveyor seemed pleased with his findings. She's not perfect, but I feel real comfortable with re-powering and keeping her.

Guess I should explain. The only reason I listed her was because I believe the motors are on their way out. Faced with the expense of re-powering I felt like, if I can get my price, I'll sell her. If I don't however, there is no good reason for selling and at that point will bite the bullet.

[muzzy1127]

Id keep it man, sounds like you'll regret selling it. I have a 1980 25. I wanted a single 300 but I opted for a 250. I found a great deal on used ones I couldnt pass up.

My 250 pushes it well, I have the nmea networked to my garmin and I am getting about 3.5-4mpg

To be clear, I would rather a 300, but I got 2 250s for under 5K with rigging so.

I cruise at just above 30. depending on wind and current I am at 30-34 mph at around 4200 RPM. WOT can kiss Mid to upper 40s when wind is right. I always go out with My wife and 3 kids too so we are pretty loaded.

A good shop should be able to plug the holes from twins, I have the transom Saver bars over mine just for added piece of mind.

I read your other post about hardly flushing your 140s. I use salt away on each of my watercrafts every time I run it in the water. My Client has a 2010 yamaha with over 4,000 hours, and my friend has a suzuki 225 with over 2000 hours. Maybe change your flushing habits and the motors will last you some time. All the motors have the quick flush port on them where you dont need muffs anymore either. Just run some salt away each time.

[flounder]

Muzzy,

Your spot on, I would miss her big time. I fished on the Chesapeake Bay today with a friend and came home convinced that I would be foolish to sell her...probably won't.

Thank you for the performance data. Being that our hulls are identical, it is exactly what I am looking for. Both your fuel burn numbers and your speed at cruise are way better than my data on the existing 140s. My 3800-4200 cruise gives me 19.6-22.0 knots with fuel burns at 1.8 -2.0 nm/gal. I believe the knots would convert to 23-25 MPH. WOT is 35.0 knots or 40 MPH.

I'm embarrassed with regard to the lack of flushing. The Suzukis are so easy to hook up and flush. I assure you there will be a change. I have the salt away system, but have only used it at the end of season previously. On another thread, Sailor mentioned his daily flushing. It prompted me to read the Salt Away promotional stuff and immediately realized my mistake.

[muzzy1127]

quote:

---

Originally posted by flounder


Muzzy,

Your spot on, I would miss her big time. I fished on the Chesapeake Bay today with a friend and came home convinced that I would be foolish to sell her...probably won't.

Thank you for the performance data. Being that our hulls are identical, it is exactly what I am looking for. Both your fuel burn numbers and your speed at cruise are way better than my data on the existing 140s. My 3800-4200 cruise gives me 19.6-22.0 knots with fuel burns at 1.8 -2.0 nm/gal. I believe the knots would convert to 23-25 MPH. WOT is 35.0 knots or 40 MPH.

I'm embarrassed with regard to the lack of flushing. The Suzukis are so easy to hook up and flush. I assure you there will be a change. I have the salt away system, but have only used it at the end of season previously. On another thread, Sailor mentioned his daily flushing. It prompted me to read the Salt Away promotional stuff and immediately realized my mistake.

---

keep it, but go with the 300. I wish I had a 300 although the 250 does suffice. If theres a big price difference you could probably make due. I think the 300s dropped a little bit since the 350 is around.

I would just like my cruising RPM a tad lower. I dont think I want the speed except when avoiding a storm it may be nice. I never hear people say their hull is over powered though.

One thing to look into when Repowering is to opt out of the gauges. I just have 2 garmin screens now hooked up. One displays all of my engine data and one displays my plotter. Whats nice is when im fishing they are networked to the same transucer, so I can have traditional sonar on one 9" screen and sideview on the other.

These New GPS units are about the same price as digital gauges and theyre so much more versatile. It even shows me DTC information, as well as different paramaters for the engine. The fuel sender hooks to the nmea, it shows fuel burn, distance to empty, distance to empty at what RPM and if you set way points it even shows me how much estimated fuel It thinks ill use. Kind of like the new cars. I dont have any gauges on my console anymore, I boxed in the Glovebox behnind the helm and put 2 9" garmins in the panels. In the third panel I have my VHF and Stereo Mounted.

I think the new motors are even more apt to the nmea than my 2009.

[Sailor]

Interestingly enough I read on a thread on THT just yesterday that if you opt out of the gauges you don't get the engine alarm, FWIW. On Jack's 251 with the new 300 you can cruise anywhere from 3400 on up and fuel mileage never drops below 3. I think the best cruise for ride comfort on our hulls is in the 22-26 knot range.

[muzzy1127]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sailor


Interestingly enough I read on a thread on THT just yesterday that if you opt out of the gauges you don't get the engine alarm, FWIW. On Jack's 251 with the new 300 you can cruise anywhere from 3400 on up and fuel mileage never drops below 3. I think the best cruise for ride comfort on our hulls is in the 22-26 knot range.

---

Thats interesting sailor. I do get the alarm still. I did have to mess with wiring. what sucks is you dont know what the alarm is for, The lights are on the tach for Temp,oil,etc..... but with paramaters, and DTCS showing im sure I could just switch over to that page on my garmin and see what the issue is. Fortunately My engine doesnt chirp that much.

I have had my alarm go off twice I knew it was temp after I ran aground. Suzukis are funny in the sense that the alarm for temp isnt that "im overheating" rather that "my heat is going up too fast" Ultimately, when i ran aground, I had sand pile over my thermostat changing the temp which it would open.