Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

ronaldj

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
655
I am starting this thread because I actually own the engine

The boat that I am using it with is a Zodiac Cadet Fastroller 325 (approx 11ft long)
The boat is rated for a 5-10HP engine
They match together perfectly
This boat is NOT on a trailer
Everything is broken down and carried in a car or a truck

The primary use of my boat is to fish in the creeks and rivers of the Chesapeake bay
The reason for the purchase of the engine is because the regular 87 octane pump gas in the mid-Atlantic area has 10% or more ethanol in it and the formular that they are using clogs small engines if not used all the time.

The Propane engine has so far been trouble free
I got 5hp over 9hp for a couple of reasons
1. The 5 hp can run on any size tank or a 1lb bottle.
The 9hp can only use the tanks.
2. The 5 hp is very light. It's about 10lbs lighter than a gas engine
3. Propane is a lot cheaper than gas

Did I mention that there is no gas smell and that my 20lb propane tank(4 1/2 gallons)
is much lighter than my 6 1/2 gallon gas tank.
It also takes up less room

What I have discovered so far is that
If running a 1lb bottle at full throttle it is good for about 30-45 minutes (depending on the conditions)
At half throttle it is good for about 120-150 minutes (2hrs- 2 1/2 hrs)(depending on conditions)

If running a 5lb tank at full throttle that would translate to 150-225 minutes (depending on the conditions)
At half throttle that would translate to 10hrs-12hrs (depending on conditions)
I have discovered that for the 5HP motor and my boat that a 20lb (4.5 gallon) tank is over kill


Yesterday I went looking for a 10lb/2 1/2 gallon composite tank

Based on my typical usage carrying 10 pounds (2 1/2 gallons) of propane and a 1lb bottle for an emergency should get me through anything

I also saw some people who were only using bottles and they told me that they were re-filling there bottles
I need to investigate that some more.

Time to go play with the boat

btw
Another side benefit of going propane is that you use your boat more due to the convenience factor :joyous:
 
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JB

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Messages
45,907
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

Thanks for some reality, Ronald. Sounds like a perfect application for the Lehr.
 

Bamaman1

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May 15, 2011
Messages
1,895
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

Thanks for the info. Those motors appear to be of very high quality, and they'd be great for a yacht tender.
 

ronaldj

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
655
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

Thanks for the info. Those motors appear to be of very high quality, and they'd be great for a yacht tender.

What i can tell you is they appear to be the perfect motor for that application.
I saw three sold on saturday while I was looking at the composite tanks. Here in the mid-atlantic area they are selling like hotcakes.
If you live near Maryland , there is a boat shows coming up. this weekend where they will be doing demo's.

The show is the Welcome to the Bay Bridge Boat Show! | United States Yacht Shows

Annapolis MD. is sailboat country. That is a major factor in why there are so many places selling the Lehr outboards
 

ronaldj

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
655
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

Question: Any problems with starting it when it's cold outside?

I dont know
I imagine by cold you mean anything under 50 degrees F.
I have not been out in the cold
I wont go on the water until the temp hits 65 or 70F
My window for use is April until the end of October.
Even stored , when you goto start it
It may take 5 pulls to prime it after storage and then it's fine
 

crabby captain john

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Messages
1,823
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

An 18' fiberglass boat would need to pull a 20' fuel barge for a days fishing. Fine for specialty uses but far from a replacement in many cases YET.
 

DirtyOldBoat

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 16, 2011
Messages
120
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

An 18' fiberglass boat would need to pull a 20' fuel barge for a days fishing. Fine for specialty uses but far from a replacement in many cases YET.

It's really not that different from gasoline. You just need a thicker tank rated for pressure. There is no reason you couldn't put a 25 gallon or larger "built in" propane tank in an 18 foot boat. That would last about as long as 17 gallons of gas...
 

ronaldj

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
655
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

An 18' fiberglass boat would need to pull a 20' fuel barge for a days fishing. Fine for specialty uses but far from a replacement in many cases YET.

Why would you need something that large
How much gas do you burn a day?
Currently the largest propane engine is 9.9 hp
20 pounds of propane is 4 1/2gallons
If your fiberglass boat is ok with 9.9hp then you wont see any difference in how the boat runs.
The difference will be in fuel cost and maintenance
If you want an engine larger than 9.9hp you are going to have to wait until the 15 and 25 hp outboards come out

Having used both pump gas and propane. I much prefer the propane
 

adamjr

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 23, 2009
Messages
272
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

The wife and I are considering buying a canoe or a 10-12 ft jon boat for fishing small lakes and streams. What would a Lehr set me back, either the 5 h.p. or the 9.9 h.p.?

Thanks in advance.
 

ronaldj

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
655
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

The wife and I are considering buying a canoe or a 10-12 ft jon boat for fishing small lakes and streams. What would a Lehr set me back, either the 5 h.p. or the 9.9 h.p.?

Thanks in advance.
The 5HP was around $1700
The 9.9hp is around $3000

I dont no what size canoe you have but, It would seem like a 2.5hp or 5 hp could handle the canoe.
As for the jon boat 5 or 10
If the jon boat is trailored it does not matter. If you have to carry the engine then you have the weight of the 9.9 to consider
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

The 5HP was around $1700
The 9.9hp is around $3000

I dont no what size canoe you have but, It would seem like a 2.5hp or 5 hp could handle the canoe.
As for the jon boat 5 or 10
If the jon boat is trailored it does not matter. If you have to carry the engine then you have the weight of the 9.9 to consider

Hey Ronald, I was considering lehr but I been reading a bunch of negative reviews??? I really want to get rid of gas engine due to the vapors in my apartment
 

ronaldj

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
655
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

The negative reviews must be old. I no a few people who have converted over and none of us have had any problems. The motors are favored by people who have to store the engine and by the sailboat community who use it to tender. I actually keep mine in a closet when its not in use.
Not only is there no odor but more importantly for me is the fact that I no longer have the gas clogging up the engine issue and having to deal with bad/old gas.
If you lived closer to me I would let you try it. Do yourself a favor and go try one yourself.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

The negative reviews must be old. I no a few people who have converted over and none of us have had any problems. The motors are favored by people who have to store the engine and by the sailboat community who use it to tender. I actually keep mine in a closet when its not in use.
Not only is there no odor but more importantly for me is the fact that I no longer have the gas clogging up the engine issue and having to deal with bad/old gas.
If you lived closer to me I would let you try it. Do yourself a favor and go try one yourself.

you have the 5hp correct? i will probably buy one next year. any idea how heavy a 9.9 is?
 

ronaldj

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
655
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

Im not sure. It wasnt in stock when I got my 5hp. In fact I bought the display model.
At a guess I would say twice the weight of the 5.
I would like to see a 15hp version.
What sold me on the 5hp was
1. Ability to store anyplace
2. Ability to remove fuel source when not in use
3. The ability to use 1lb tanks and any size larger tank you want
4. The fact that propane is easier to transport
5. Cost of propane vs gas
6. Ease of use

As a side note: You can actually store your propane and motor in the house
 
Last edited:

HT32BSX115

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
10,083
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

I am starting this thread because I actually own the engine

The boat that I am using it with is a Zodiac Cadet Fastroller 325 (approx 11ft long)
The boat is rated for a 5-10HP engine
They match together perfectly
This boat is NOT on a trailer
Everything is broken down and carried in a car or a truck

The primary use of my boat is to fish in the creeks and rivers of the Chesapeake bay
The reason for the purchase of the engine is because the regular 87 octane pump gas in the mid-Atlantic area has 10% or more ethanol in it and the formular that they are using clogs small engines if not used all the time.

The Propane engine has so far been trouble free
I got 5hp over 9hp for a couple of reasons
1. The 5 hp can run on any size tank or a 1lb bottle.
The 9hp can only use the tanks.
2. The 5 hp is very light. It's about 10lbs lighter than a gas engine
3. Propane is a lot cheaper than gas

Did I mention that there is no gas smell and that my 20lb propane tank(4 1/2 gallons)
is much lighter than my 6 1/2 gallon gas tank.
It also takes up less room

What I have discovered so far is that
If running a 1lb bottle at full throttle it is good for about 30-45 minutes (depending on the conditions)
At half throttle it is good for about 120-150 minutes (2hrs- 2 1/2 hrs)(depending on conditions)

If running a 5lb tank at full throttle that would translate to 150-225 minutes (depending on the conditions)
At half throttle that would translate to 10hrs-12hrs (depending on conditions)
I have discovered that for the 5HP motor and my boat that a 20lb (4.5 gallon) tank is over kill


Yesterday I went looking for a 10lb/2 1/2 gallon composite tank

Based on my typical usage carrying 10 pounds (2 1/2 gallons) of propane and a 1lb bottle for an emergency should get me through anything

I also saw some people who were only using bottles and they told me that they were re-filling there bottles
I need to investigate that some more.

Time to go play with the boat

btw
Another side benefit of going propane is that you use your boat more due to the convenience factor :joyous:

I just got back from Shasta lake in California.

I ran my Zodiac Zoom for several days at using a 5 gallon polyethylene bow tank and a 2003 9.8hp (81lb) Tohatsu (I bought new) on E10 gasoline.

When I bought the Tohatsu, I paid $1600 total (including tax/shipping)

After running it for about 4 hours , 1/2-3/4-full throttle, I only used about 2 gallons of gasoline. (approx 1/2 gal/hr)

I'm not trying to "rain on your parade" but I am not really sure that an engine that is nearly DOUBLE the price for limited "convenience" would be worth it.
 

ronaldj

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
655
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

I just got back from Shasta lake in California.

I ran my Zodiac Zoom for several days at using a 5 gallon polyethylene bow tank and a 2003 9.8hp (81lb) Tohatsu (I bought new) on E10 gasoline.

When I bought the Tohatsu, I paid $1600 total (including tax/shipping)

After running it for about 4 hours , 1/2-3/4-full throttle, I only used about 2 gallons of gasoline. (approx 1/2 gal/hr)

I'm not trying to "rain on your parade" but I am not really sure that an engine that is nearly DOUBLE the price for limited "convenience" would be worth it.

You are not raining on my parade. If it works for you great.
Now if you followed the entire thread you would no that the gas you use is not available on the east coast of the United States. As such the mixerture that we are forced to use damages small engines. Im not just talking about boats. Im also talking lawn equipment, generators etc .In fact due to the carbs always clogging I have gone to a battery powered lawn mower and I converted one of my generators to propane. So yes looking at total cost of ownership for me propane comes out cheaper. I also get to use my boat a lot more because I dont have the gas issue.

I started with gas converted to propane
 
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HT32BSX115

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
10,083
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

You are not raining on my parade. If it works for you great.
Now if you followed the entire thread you would no that the gas you use is not available on the east coast of the United States. As such the mixerture that we are forced to use damages small engines. Im not just talking about boats. Im also talking lawn equipment, generators etc .In fact due to the carbs always clogging I have gone to a battery powered lawn mower and I converted one of my generators to propane. So yes looking at total cost of ownership for me propane comes out cheaper. I also get to use my boat a lot more because I dont have the gas issue.

I started with gas converted to propane
That's a problem if the gasoline available exceeds the current 10%.

That basically shuts ALL the inboard and outboard boats down then. The only boats on the water are now propane powered or are only fueled with "off-water" gasoline?

Seems that would put the marinas out of the fuel supply business since ALL the boats can no longer use their fuel.
 

ronaldj

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
655
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

That's a problem if the gasoline available exceeds the current 10%.

That basically shuts ALL the inboard and outboard boats down then. The only boats on the water are now propane powered or are only fueled with "off-water" gasoline?

Seems that would put the marinas out of the fuel supply business since ALL the boats can no longer use their fuel.
Its keeping the repair people in business.
They also sell a ton of fuel stabl lizer.
It only becomes an issue if the engine is not constantly used or is stored with fuel in it.
It makes you a little angry when you finally figure out the issue is 87 octane gas. You could just use premium gas, but have you priced that lately. For the generators they tell you to run them with a load at least one every 30 days and flush it with sea foam
 

HT32BSX115

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
10,083
Re: Real World Results of a Lehr 5hp outboard

Its keeping the repair people in business.
They also sell a ton of fuel stabl lizer.
It only becomes an issue if the engine is not constantly used or is stored with fuel in it.
It makes you a little angry when you finally figure out the issue is 87 octane gas. You could just use premium gas, but have you priced that lately. For the generators they tell you to run them with a load at least one every 30 days and flush it with sea foam

I have always ran my Tohatsu out of fuel when I store it. Had it almost 10 years now. It still starts immediately after a few "squeezes" and a couple of pulls.

I don't leave much fuel in my(44 gallon) gas tank. 1/4 or so. It sits from about SEPT -- JUNE. (inside a garage) I don't use any snake oil at all (Stabil, Seafoam, Water-Snot etc). The gasoline on the west coast contains up to 10% ethanol. I've run BOTH E10 and NON-ethanol gasoline in my marine engines and couldn't tell the difference

I have run it in everything I own since it's been available. I don't do anything "special' except fill it up with reg 87 octane Arco in Summer and then run it.

YES. I have run premium gasoline. AND yes, I have priced it. ........AND If you're in Delmarva (like your location suggests) , according to GASBUDDY.com, premium gasoline is only $0.30 more than 87AKI gasoline. (and by the way, MOST premium gas ALSO may contain up to 10% ethanol)

So when you buy 10 gallons of (reg) gas, you're paying around $37 for it. 10 gallons of premium would be approx $40! You're telling me that $40 over $37 is a HUGE difference? $3? (it's less than 10%!!!) YES. I know...........another 6-pack!!

Don't get me wrong. I LIKE the idea of propane fueled engines. (I have a complete propane system for my truck) Propane engines run nearly FOREVER with seemingly little valve wear (sort of shoots down the valve-seat issues claimed when the lead came out!!!)

The oil stays clean, the exhaust is "safer" cleaner etc, plugs "never" wear out! I TOTALLY GET IT!

BUT, after looking pretty closely at the Lehr, paying nearly DOUBLE for a poorly constructed knock-off doesn't do it for me.

NOW,\......... When (not if), Mercury, BRP(Evinrude/Johnson), Tohatsu/Nissan, Yamaha, Suzuki, offer a small line of propane O/B's or conversion kits, AND there's decent light fuel tanks available, I'll get VERY interested!


Regards,



Rick
 
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