The process of breaking in your Suzuki outboard motor is outlined in the Suzuki owner’s manual. However, here are some quick pointers to get on the water and get boating. Breaking in an outboard takes 10 hours. This is where you will get to know your Suzuki, you will never have to look back, because you will know that she is behind you all the way.
Why Is The Break-In Period Important?
- Breaking in your outboard ensures that you get the maximum lifespan and performance out of your outboard motor.
- Breaking in the outboard allows engine components to settle in during this process without overstressing.
- You need to break your outboard in to maintain the warranty
Your owner’s manual contains full break-in procedures. This article offers a practical summary to get you started confidently.
10-Hour Break-In Procedure: What You Need to Know
- Hours 1–2: Start Slow
The first two hours are very important, let your outboard warm up for 5 minutes then idle it at the lowest gear speed for 15 minutes. From here you can operate it, staying at 3000rpm or less, for the remaining time. You may occasionally exceed 3000rpm when getting on the plane but ensure that this is not exceeded too much and that the outboard is warm before attempting to increase the rpms.
- Hour 3: Increase RPM
Now in the third hour of operation, you can operate your outboard motor at 4000rpms. At this stage you should still avoid running the outboard at full throttle.
- Hours 4–10: Gentle Progression
At this stage, you can operate your outboard at the desired speed. You can occasionally proceed to full throttle if the outboard is warm, but this should not be exceeded by 5 minutes at a time.
During this time, you will also get a good feel of how your boat handles in general and at the different speeds.
To get a more accurate indication, it is advised to have your boat loaded as it will be during normal operation. For example: If the boat will be used for fishing, load your tackle and gear as this will add more weight to the vessel. This may include filling your live well to see what the impact of the extra weight will be.
Use premium fuel when running in your outboard to ensure a more efficient and consistent operational engine temperature.
