Suzuki outboards are often the first choice of charter and commercial captains when they repower their boats. When properly maintained, Suzuki reliability equals or exceeds the competition and, due to the design of these outboards, most routine maintenance is easily accomplished by the owner. After having run a pair of DF200AP four-cylinder motors with digital controls on a center console off Cape Cod and another pair aboard a pontoon boat on Mellen Lake in Michigan, I saw other reasons to like Suzuki's latest offering in marine propulsion.
Fuel efficiency is strong thanks to lean-burn technology that balances the fuel and air mixture to meet the load. The motors are quiet thanks to a resonator system for exhaust noise and rubber mounting bushings that dampen noisy vibrations. The quiet operation of the motors at idle often leads bystanders to ask, "Is it running?" Variable valve timing provides the torque needed to get on plane quickly, as well as power and speed in the upper rpm ranges. An oil-bathed, offset crankshaft shifts the motors' center of gravity forward, improving performance on many boats. And Suzuki power comes from large displacement blocks, not turbos or blowers. There is no replacement for displacement, say Suzuki engineers.
While all this has been baked into Suzuki motors for a long time, the more recent AP series brings a level of digital control to boaters not seen before. Digital readouts communicate beautifully on Suzuki's multifunction displays (and third-party MFDs via NMEA 2000 networking), presenting even smallboat owners with a "glass cockpit" option not always accomplished easily. Full engine stats, fuel burn, temperature and oil pressure are just the beginning. Further, the Suzuki diagnostics mobile phone app monitors operating hours and conditions, cues the owner to needed fluid changes, and offers tips on more efficient running based on operating characteristics to date.
Suzuki's AP motors have various temperature sensors installed throughout the power head, each with a monitoring al...
Fuel efficiency is strong thanks to lean-burn technology that balances the fuel and air mixture to meet the load. The motors are quiet thanks to a resonator system for exhaust noise and rubber mounting bushings that dampen noisy vibrations. The quiet operation of the motors at idle often leads bystanders to ask, "Is it running?" Variable valve timing provides the torque needed to get on plane quickly, as well as power and speed in the upper rpm ranges. An oil-bathed, offset crankshaft shifts the motors' center of gravity forward, improving performance on many boats. And Suzuki power comes from large displacement blocks, not turbos or blowers. There is no replacement for displacement, say Suzuki engineers.
While all this has been baked into Suzuki motors for a long time, the more recent AP series brings a level of digital control to boaters not seen before. Digital readouts communicate beautifully on Suzuki's multifunction displays (and third-party MFDs via NMEA 2000 networking), presenting even smallboat owners with a "glass cockpit" option not always accomplished easily. Full engine stats, fuel burn, temperature and oil pressure are just the beginning. Further, the Suzuki diagnostics mobile phone app monitors operating hours and conditions, cues the owner to needed fluid changes, and offers tips on more efficient running based on operating characteristics to date.
Suzuki's AP motors have various temperature sensors installed throughout the power head, each with a monitoring al...
You're reading a preview of
Boating (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 2023