What Outboard to Pick?

[boatgrunt]

I have owned two I/Os. Using this forum, I've researched the pros/cons of an I/O and a outboard. Since I fish in the ocean, I am going to make my next boat a walk around with an outboard. From what I've read, I would like to buy a used 4 stroke that gets good gas mileage. What year did they start making the 4 strokes with good gas mileage? Any suggestions on manufacturers?

Thanks

 

[steelespike]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

First of all the difference between a carbed 2 stroke mpg ans a carbed 4 stroke is hardly noticeable.Usually the 4 stroke will have a slightly better
GPH(gallons per hour) but it balances out with the slightly better 2 stroke performance helping its MPG.Basically the same with fuel injected motors and the Evinrude etec direct fuel injection makes it a wash.add to that their 3 year no maintenance schedule and their warranty.The etec need a close look.
Check the net for the various outboard performance reports.BRP has an excellent site with very easy to read reports.Other outboards also have
performance sites but a little more difficult to follow.Don't bother with
any challenge/comparison reports just the performance reports of the various builders.
You can be sure they have all set up their boats to do their best.

 

[rndn]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

Totally agree with Steelspike. E-Tec is hard to beat right now.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

Honda has been making 4 stroke outboards for around 35 years. Very reliable motors that were based on their automobile engines. The rest of the crowd starting in the late 90's making 4 strokes. Since the advent of fuel injection in almost all of them now (Including Honda), they are also very reliable. The etecs are also coming around as being strong, reliable runners, but they are not without their problems, especially the larger HP models. Hard to find any real bad outboards now days...

 

[boatgrunt]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

Thanks for the responses.

Some of the engine characteristics of the modern 4 stroke that appealed to me was better gas mileage, no mixing requirement, better reliability and less noise/smoke. What year did outboards start having these characteristics?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

Your question was answered already. Fuel economy is a very elusive and often debated topic but I will provide some real-world information for you to chew on. First, at wide open throttle, it doesn't make a bit of difference whether you have a carbed two stroke, carbed four stroke, EFI/DFI two stroke or EFI four stroke. It takes so much fuel to make so much horsepower. A basic rule of thumb on outboards is the engine will burn roughly 10% of its rated HP at wide open throttle. 150 HP = 15 gallons of fuel per hour. 50 HP = 5 gallons per hour. Depending on the hull, load, water conditions, those numbers vary a little but generally hold very true. Now then, here is a link to a fuel economy study I did some time back. Take the time to read through all forty some responses. You will see that if fuel economy is a make or break deal for you, you better forget buying a boat because technology is not saving as much as you think or as much as the manufacturers would like you believe.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=219751&highlight=fuel+economy+study

 

[seabasser]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

i personally know four people who have owned etecs...they suck, all have failed at 1300 hrs, 610 hrs, 246 hrs, and the best yet 66 hrs. they were all the 90 hp model, sure they are great on gas but they just don't last. i would saty away from them for a little while longer, they will fix them, just like they fixed the fitch, but let someone else be the guinea pig. same goes for mercs verado...

 

[DJ]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

Buy an outboard from a dealer you like and trust. Service is the number one decision maker-for me.

People tend to not take the time to brag on their outstanding service from one brand or another but they will bash one in a heartbeat.

 

[steelespike]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

Most modern injected motors are very close on fuel consumption.The Etec is right there with other motors on fuel use.Generally speaking motor to motor the 4 stroke will produce slightly better GPH.However performance balances out with actual MPG very close and to me the 2 stroke has a slight edge hardly enough to bother to measure.

 

[j442w30]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

Take a look at a Mercury Optimax, you get the best of both worlds. Low fuel consumption and emissions like a four stroke, and high performance and power to weight ratio like a 2 stroke. They are very reliable engines, the e-tecs are also a good choice.

 

[Bigjohn1]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

First of all the difference between a carbed 2 stroke mpg ans a carbed 4 stroke is hardly noticeable.Usually the 4 stroke will have a slightly better
GPH(gallons per hour) but it balances out with the slightly better 2 stroke performance helping its MPG.Basically the same with fuel injected motors and the Evinrude etec direct fuel injection makes it a wash.add to that their 3 year no maintenance schedule and their warranty.The etec need a close look.
Check the net for the various outboard performance reports.BRP has an excellent site with very easy to read reports.Other outboards also have
performance sites but a little more difficult to follow.Don't bother with
any challenge/comparison reports just the performance reports of the various builders.
You can be sure they have all set up their boats to do their best.

This is not a one-size-fits-all answer by any means. In some applications, I agree wholeheartedly with the above. In other applications (such as ocean trolling) a 4-strokes saves you a great deal on fuel.

 

[boatgrunt]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

My decision was based on more than just fuel economy. In addition to better gas mileage, no mixing requirement, better reliability and less noise/smoke, I also like the option of tilting the drive out of the water and less work to winterize (compared to my I/O). Sounds like most outdrives from the mid-90's should have these characteristics, especially the ETec and Optimax.

Thanks for the help, and Merry Christmas to everyone.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

Nearly every outboard 50 HP and above for decades has had power tilt and trim. Makes no difference whether 2- or 4-stroke. Makes no difference whether you have a 2- or 4-stroke, mixiing oil and gas it not required on either since 2-strokes are oil injected. You simply need to keep the oil resevoir full of recommended oil. Smoke and noise are a push on newer engines. They are all relatively quiet. With a four stroke you still have oil and filter changes, timing belts to change, valves to adjust. E-tecs have none of those. Two strokes are also going to have generally better hole shot than a four stroke and top end will likely be a bit better as well.

 

[BillP]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

Which to buy? I don't know if I'd consider 30yrs making motors as a benchmark for Honda. They made small 4 strokes in the mid 1970s and had good fuel burn just like the motors today. They were reliable but not popular and didn't stay on the market long. The EPA wasn't around to push them into the limelite back then and buyers voted with their money and continued to buy 2 strokes. There was about a 20 yr gap after that where Honda 4 stroke OBs weren't around...no others were either. Then the EPA started their emission stuff and 4 strokes came back into the limelite in the mid 1990s. They became politically correct overnight due to lower emissions. So by modern standards an "old" 4 stroke is only 10-12 yrs old and the later ones better than the early ones. My 1996 4 stroke has way more scheduled maintenace (oil changes & valve adjustments) than a 2007 4 stroke so newer is better in the maintenance respect. But, its still way more maintenance than an Etec...which for 2008 has a 5 year warranty.

I've changed oil, filters and adjusted valves since 1996. If the scheduled maintenance of new 4 strokes was half as much (but it isn't) it would still be too much. Pouring oil for my 2 strokes throughout the yrs was and still is WAY easier.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

I don't think changing the oil in a four stroke once a year is too overwhelming. Took me about 30 minutes on my 07' Merc and 90% of that was letting it drain thoroughly. And no valve adjustments required either. Many of the newer ones, like you said, require much less maintenance than the older ones...

 

[JRJ]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

I have owned two I/Os. Using this forum, I've researched the pros/cons of an I/O and a outboard. Since I fish in the ocean, I am going to make my next boat a walk around with an outboard. From what I've read, I would like to buy a used 4 stroke that gets good gas mileage. What year did they start making the 4 strokes with good gas mileage? Any suggestions on manufacturers?

Thanks

You are definitely on the right track. Suzuki, Yamaha, or Honda would be my choices. I don't know what years to recommend, but I wouldn't buy any of them with carbs, as FI is the way to go. Good luck, have fun, and Merry Christmas.

 

[BillP]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

I don't think changing the oil in a four stroke once a year is too overwhelming. Took me about 30 minutes on my 07' Merc and 90% of that was letting it drain thoroughly. And no valve adjustments required either. Many of the newer ones, like you said, require much less maintenance than the older ones...

It takes me a lot longer than 30 minutes to change oil, filter and dispose of the oil at the local car shop. Mine (96 Merc/Mariner - Yamaha) is speced to change oil and adjust valves every 100 hrs. I do 600-800 hrs a yr but luckly it's not just on the 4 stroke. If it was I'd have sold it yrs ago. That boat hangs in a boat lift and adjusting valves while it's hanging is a bixch. It takes basically a half day each time I do it and I have to pull the boat out, trailer it home and do the work...then back to the ramp, car pickup, etc. I'd much rather be fishing. No matter how I cut it the 4 stroke is more hassle than my 2 strokes.

 

[JRJ]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

It takes me a lot longer than 30 minutes to change oil, filter and dispose of the oil at the local car shop. Mine (96 Merc/Mariner - Yamaha) is speced to change oil and adjust valves every 100 hrs. I do 600-800 hrs a yr but luckly it's not just on the 4 stroke. If it was I'd have sold it yrs ago. That boat hangs in a boat lift and adjusting valves while it's hanging is a bixch. It takes basically a half day each time I do it and I have to pull the boat out, trailer it home and do the work...then back to the ramp, car pickup, etc. I'd much rather be fishing. No matter how I cut it the 4 stroke is more hassle than my 2 strokes.

Well, there is a year and brands to stay away from. I never did like those 96 Merc/Mariner-Yamahas. That 100 hour valve adjust is really old tech.

 

[Bigjohn1]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

It takes me a lot longer than 30 minutes to change oil, filter and dispose of the oil at the local car shop. Mine (96 Merc/Mariner - Yamaha) is speced to change oil and adjust valves every 100 hrs. I do 600-800 hrs a yr but luckly it's not just on the 4 stroke. If it was I'd have sold it yrs ago. That boat hangs in a boat lift and adjusting valves while it's hanging is a bixch. It takes basically a half day each time I do it and I have to pull the boat out, trailer it home and do the work...then back to the ramp, car pickup, etc. I'd much rather be fishing. No matter how I cut it the 4 stroke is more hassle than my 2 strokes.

I'm stumped, and did not realize the joint venture Mercury/Yamaha 4-stroke outboards went back as far as 1996. I have a 2004 Mercury 115efi and understand this joint venture engine line was produced from 1999-2005. In any case, my oil changes take about 30 minutes twice per year. Valves need checked at 300 hours but I have talked to nobody with these engines who actually had to adjust the valves - checked yes, adjusted no. I have 600 hours on mine now and the valves are within specs.

 

[BillP]

Re: What Outboard to Pick?

Well, there is a year and brands to stay away from. I never did like those 96 Merc/Mariner-Yamahas. That 100 hour valve adjust is really old tech.

Yep, I knew better than to buy merc but did it anyway...I got caught up in the 4 stroke hype and it jaded my senses. Back then nobody else had them long enough to know anything so I did it anyway. It seems they were very conservative with the scheduled maintenance back then because they didn't have long term history to look back on. It took about 300 hrs for mine to actually need adjusting but I did the checks per the 100hr spec anyway. But hey, 4 stroke dealers and mechanics $love$ to $see$ us $4$ stroke $owners$ pull up to their shop for $scheduled$ maintenance and $repair$. If buying a 4s today I'd look for hydraulic lifters and a timing chain instead of mechanicals and belt. But old tech to me is a 4 stroke...even 2008s (or is that a new 2006 Yamaha sold as a "new" 2008?). Modern 2 strokes have taking the lead in technology and Etecs with no scheduled maintenance for 300hrs or 3yrs and a 5 yr factory warranty is tops. That's how I see it and where my cash will be spent.