Mercruiser 3.0 unavailable in the US

DCMacGuy

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Messages
36
I've heard bits and pieces on here but thought this might be interesting for people to know. We're going back and forth over new and used boats, and this past weekend I was out looking at a Sea Ray, A couple of Stingrays, a Regal and a Chaparral. Every person I spoke with mentioned that the 3.0 is now unavailable - and what they have on their lot is what they are going to get. Both the MPI and the TKS are done for apparently.

In the case of the Stingray, they are discontinuing the 198RX as it is only available with the 3.0, and the Chaparral dealer said they thought the 18 H2O Sport was going to be dead as well.

It makes me wonder what they have in the roadmap to replace it. Currently the 4.5 and 4.3 are at the bottom of the HP barrel - certainly there will need to be a space for the 150HP output point. There's gotta be a market for a compact 4 cylinder - maybe even something with DI and VVT to get the torque throughout the rev range where needed.
 

muc

"Retired" Association of Marine Technicians...
Joined
Jul 7, 2004
Messages
2,064
It's kind of hard to compete with outboards in this size boat. The new outboards have gotten quiet, fuel efficient and don't smoke anymore. Now that the I/O needs a cataliytic converter and the outboard doesn't. Once catalytic converters come to outboards we will probably see this size I/O come back. I just hope it's something that runs smoother than the 3.0L did.
 

DCMacGuy

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Messages
36
It's just a shame. I have zero interest in ever owning an outboard - I don't care how smooth, quiet and how much less maintenance there is.
 
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