4-19-17

[prattvan]

Originally Posted by tgsx750f2000

May I ask why?



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Some 4 stroke engines run with a computer very similar to a automobile. You can cause a terrible amount of problems to the computer if trying to start the outboard on a low battery.
I'll give you Suzuki, for example. If you try to start a Suzuki 4 stroke with less than 9.4 v, you'll fry the ECM. When I say "fry", the outboard may still run but give problems like over heat alarm or many other alarms which may lead you to think it's something else, but it's actually a bad ECM.
I had a Suzuki once, that 3 different outboard mechanics could not correctly diagnose. It kept giving alarms, would go into safe-mode(won't run past 2200 rpm). When the Suzuki technician would hook it up to diagnostic software, it would say problems with the fuel injectors. We changed part after part. I started doing research on Google. After 3 months of research, talking to experts from Maine to Australia, I self diagnosed it to be a bad ECM. Changed the ECM and all problems solved.
Suzuki actually put a service bulletin out many years ago that talked about trying to crank a Suzuki outboard with less than 10.7 v. They also state that if you have a WING-NUT to secure your battery cables to your battery........you VOID THE WARRANTY !! You must use nylon locking nuts.

P.S. A new ECM is $1200-$1600. A good used one is $500