WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

ozarkjeep

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 14, 2001
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got the boat back from the rigger/sales shop.<br /><br />I am VERY impressed by this little engine.<br /><br />got the first 3 hours of breakin done yesterday ( fighting rain and cold wind).<br /><br />the engine starts instantly, with just the turn of a key, nothign else required.<br /><br />and it is so quiet at idle, that the cooling bypass water ( pisser) is LOUDER than the engine.<br /><br />now the big question, there are 12 more hours of more normal driving break in before getting all of the fluids changed. is there anything else I need to do or watch out for?<br /><br />Im loving it so far, I want to keep it that way!
 

mattttt25

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Sep 29, 2002
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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

thanks for the report. i just posted another thread about a new 60. from what i can tell, almost the same engine.<br /><br />can you share what merc recommends for breakin of your engine? really have to change all fluids at 20 hrs? what does that consist of?
 

ozarkjeep

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

from memory, I dont have the manual in front of me today.<br /><br />the first 15 hours, you are NOT suposed to let it idle for long.<br /><br />the first hour, do not exceed 3500 rpm, and constantly vary the RPM. ( this made for a boring hour, the boat would just get onto plane at 3400 and climb quick, as soon as I would lower the rpm it would fall off of plane)<br /><br />the second hour, constantly varying rpm, 4500 max rpm. and goto 5500 rpm for no more than 1 minute, and not to 5500 rpm more than once in a 10 minute period.<br /><br />from the third hour on, drive how you want, trying to let it idle for long, and not hold it WOT throttle for more than 5 mniutes ( this seems silly, would you ever do that?)<br /><br />there are probably more details, please dont go on my memory alone! the dealer told me that this was crucial for the life of the outboard, and makes a huge difference.<br /><br />go for the 60 for sure, I could have gotten a 75 for the same $$$ if it would have fit my boat ( had to order my 50hp)<br /><br />its plenty of engine for a lightweight aluminum 16 foot wide V bottom.
 

mattttt25

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

thanks. what about the fluids you need to change? really have to change things at 20 hrs?
 

ozarkjeep

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

just the first 15 hours I think, to get rid of any particulate residuls from the break in period.<br /><br />I honestly dont know what the normal ( after break in) oil change interval is, Ill have to look it up. its simple enough though, a drain half way down the mid unit, and a fill in the back of the engine.<br /><br />ill do the oil changes myself.
 

tee-boy

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

the 60 is a fine engine. I happen to own one myself.
 

Dunaruna

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

I got the same engine 3 months ago ( also VERY impressed!). The manual doesn't mention changing the oils after the break in period, just normal 100 hr service. I rang the merc dealer to question this - he confirmed that the oils don't require changing. I've got 40 hrs up already - you got me worried :confused: <br /><br />Aldo
 

ozarkjeep

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

My dealer told me this, I didnt read it from teh manual.<br /><br />after 15 hours IM dragging it back to him to chancge all fluids.<br /><br />this is what he told me to do, maybe he is just really trying to avoid any later warrenty work? I hope it works!
 

Dunaruna

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

My bad, I've just got off the phone from my dealer (the owner, not the tech I talked to earlier), he's already changed the engine oil/filter. He did it after 15 hrs - free of charge. My boat is in a wet slip near his shop, he did it during the week when I wasn't there and left a note on my console which my wife 'filed' and then forgot to tell me. I'm surprised it's not mentioned in the manual but maybe it's in a bulletin that the dealers get - dunno.<br /><br />He wants to do the gearoil after 50 hrs although he said he checked it.<br /><br />Aldo
 

ozarkjeep

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

now you have me worried!<br /><br />I am going to make sure they change the gear oil at the 15 hour service.<br /><br />I have set up ring and pinion type of gears before, and they for sure will need fresh lube after the first few hours of break in.<br /><br />How is your engine holding up? I am concerned about the fuel economy? but following the break in plan it was hard to be effecient!
 

Dunaruna

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

It's hanging off a 40ft houseboat - about 12 ton. It's also a bigfoot, it's turning a big elephant ear prop. In my case it was easy to follow the break in routine.<br /><br />She's working hard at 3500rpm but I usually cruise around 1500 to 2000 rpm, in 40 hours I've used 160 litres (about 40 gallons). About a gallon an hour - not bad at all. The idle has definetely smoothed out with time but I do add fuel set conditioner to the gas tank. I noticed that the manual states that fuel injector cleaner additive is recommended and that ethenol is to be avoided wherever possible (not always possible!!).<br /><br />Like you said, turn key reliable and wisper quiet. I love it so much I still give it a coat of maquires after each outing!!<br /><br />I have only one concern, I'm not looking forward to replacing that bottom spark plug :eek: <br /><br />Aldo
 

winoandino

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Dec 19, 2004
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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

Sounds like a lot of trouble, should have went for the Evinrude E-Tec 50hp. No break-in or dealer maintance for 300hrs or 3yrs.<br /><br />Oh well, I'm sure there is some reason to buy a 4-Stroke???
 

Dunaruna

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

Originally posted by winoandino:<br /> Sounds like a lot of trouble, should have went for the Evinrude E-Tec 50hp. No break-in or dealer maintance for 300hrs or 3yrs.<br /><br />Oh well, I'm sure there is some reason to buy a 4-Stroke???
Because it's proven technology. Hopefully the same can be said for e-tec in ten years time.<br /><br />Aldo
 

marinemech1

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Mar 26, 2005
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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

he loves his motor theres little to no question mercury makes a good product.<br />some people absolutly love 4-strokes some don't.<br />if you like a product why change. and it sounds as though he has a dealer who is trying to keep a customer happy. i wish more dealers would try to keep people happy then try to sell them something they don't want. just to get there numbers up
 

BillP

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

How many hrs between valve adjustments on the new Merc? I have a 96 carbed 50hp x 4s Mariner (Merc) and valves are every 100 hrs.
 

butlp

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

I have a 2002 50HP Bigfoot on a 22' pontoon and have just over 150 hrs of trouble free use.<br />I followed the break in and changed all fluids/filter at 15 hrs and at the end of each season since.<br />Its really quiet and no 2 stroke smell with a trailing wind.<br /><br />If you don't have a workshop manual for your motor you can get a free copy here:<br /> http://www.biggerhammer.net/mercury/factory_manuals/ <br /><br />I am so impressed with the Mercury that I have ordered a 115HP Optimax on my new ski boat to be delivered in a couple of weeks. I did consider the e-tec but declined for the following reasons:<br />1. No good dealer support in my area, in fact my preferred dealer took on Bombardier last year and dropped them this year.<br />2. Still a relatively unproven product with a lot of BS hype flying around.<br />3. No guarantee that I could get a 115hp this season and I've already sold my old rig.
 

winoandino

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

Lost,<br /><br />1> BRP has a very strong dealer base. If your dealer dopped them I bet there is more to the story you don't know. <br />2>E-Tec has been on the market for 3 years now with NO problems. Trust me, if they had even the slightest problem Yamaha and Merc would blow it up on the internet. How long before it's "proven". If there is any Di 2-stroke engine having problems now it's the opti-pop. BTW, name one thing BRP has said about the engine that is "BS hype" and not the truth.<br />3> You are correct about this season. The 115 E-Tec will not be available until the 2006 model year which will probably be some time this fall.<br /><br />I wasn't trying to slam the Merc. If thats what makes you happy. It just seems to me that there is a lot of maintance involved vs. the 90hp E-Tec I have. No break-in and in the first 50hrs or so I've only used about a gallon of oil. BTW, mine is also very quiet and no 2-stroke smell with a trailing wind. Good thing you cannot smell the high CO coming from your engine in that trailing wind, I don't have to worry about that either.
 

ozarkjeep

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

OK, wino<br /><br />Not to argue here, But I dont understand how an engine burning the same fuel could produce different emision ( as regards to the Carbon Monoxide you refer to) ?<br /><br />unless of course they employ some type of cat converter or other exhaust filtering device.<br /><br />Can you explain How?<br /><br />I think I understand the whole crank bearing oil injected on the cold side of the piston ring thing.<br /><br />But past that I dont see how the actual burned fuel can contain anything different?<br /><br />I also wonder if these engines have the typical 2 stroke transfer and intake/exhuast ports, if so, isnt there still a piston ring wear issue?
 

winoandino

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

If I could explain how all that works I would be getting paid much more as an engineer. I'm sure there are some on here who can explain it. All I know is that the E-Tec is much, much cleaner than your 4-Stroke, like it or not. It's hard to argue with the facts. The E-Tec puts out about 600ppm of CO at idle while the closest 4-Stroke puts out something like 38,000ppm. Don't take my word for it, the EPA agrees: http://www.evinrude.com/en-US/Media.Center/Media.Praise/Awards.htm <br /><br />From what I understand 2-Stroke engines have always had better CO levels than 4-Strokes, the problem in the past with 2-Stroke emissions have always been the oil and gas wasted and expelled into the environment. That is no longer a problem for an E-Tec as all the oil and gas are completely burned in combustion and accounted for in their emissions rating. Unlike your 4-Stroke which does not account for the unused oil that has to be disposed of when you drain it.
 

ozarkjeep

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Re: WOW! new 4 stroke 50 merc

Im not an engineer either, but I rememebr from a 5th grade science class, you cant create nor destroy matter, so everything that goes into an engine is going to come out of that engine, or its stored in something , either crankcase, or some type of filter.<br /><br />Do you have any links that arent Evinrude advertisements, like some actual emission data?<br /><br />and again, im not trying to start a mine is better than yours type of deal, IM simply wanting to know more.
 
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