Suzuki DF6A outboard oil filter change and service

 

Disappointingly the suzuki manual and there website will not enlighten me on how to change the engines oil filter! Stating that only suzuki dealer can do it to keep a service record and warrantee and 5 year guarantee. All very good but the quoted price to carry out the services and there parts charges would rights of 2/3 of the original value! Humm, peace of mind i suppose but given some consideration and i am quite familier in servicing small engines i have decided to it myself and teach my kids how to as well. The supplied service kit included the oil filter and it was all straight forward and added to the process we now know our way round the unit and much more familier with its working and operation, and so do my kids!

 

Here are some snaps of the oil filter change, to enlighten anyone else in same the same boat. I made one small boo boo i forgot to change the filter before i put new engine oil in, but i got round that by propping up the engine stand at an angle to drain oil to one side and the filter lifted out easily with help of two small screw drivers.

Special kind of satisfaction servicing engines, as i understand it in Japanese culture its not unusual to feel empathy to objects, i guess i feel more empathy for our wee 'zuki' now and i hope she pushes us about some lovely places when we need her this season and the years to come.

Oh and the fuel line moves out the way easily to aid getting filter out.

 

Dingy bag!

Short visit for two days and a night for the final (almost) effort of winter maintenance. It was a great pleasure to be join by an enthusiastic family crew rolling up there sleeves and getting stuck. Cleaning and dressing dragonfly with main sail, cover and spray hood. The dingy was to be put back on deck stowage ready for use but the bag it came in has not lasted the year without falling to bits and was actually never big enough or fit for purpose. So theres another job to add to the fun list of jobs to do. We should have enough odds and ends of webbing and strong fabric to cobble anything together that will be far better than the original token effort. Planning to sail more on my own this coming season to do more art afloat, planning to buy a electric dingy pump, hope i dont have to resort to making one myself!