Re: Evinrude vs. Honda
Re: Evinrude vs. Honda
As I understand the ETEC motor, there are only two dealer adjustable parameters for the EMM (cpu) - one is idle speed adjustment and the other is oil type adjustment. Attempts to adjust any other parameter will fail because the computer requires a code that only BRP has, for the EMM to accept the change. There are currently three acceptable oil types for use in an ETEC engine. They are:
Evinrude XD30 (TC-3RW equivalent, so competative brands meeting the standard are allowed too)
Evinrude XD50
Evinrude XD100
The are only two oil related EMM settings and they are:
XD30/XD50
XD100
ETEC engines are shipped from the factory with the EMM set for XD30/XD50, but have XD100 in the oil tank/oil system. The XD30/XD50 setting delivers oil at twice the rate that the XD100 setting does. Since XD100 is a superior oil, there is no problem with running it at a full consumption rate.
During the dealer setup of the motor, the EMM can either be left at the XD30/XD50 setting, and the oil type can be changed at the first owner reservior fill, or it can be changed to the XD100 setting, if the owner prefers to continue using XD100. There is no requirement to keep the engine at the higher oil delivery rate during a break-in period and there is, in fact, no break-in period.
According to a number of articles that I have read (Trailer Boats, etc.), the reason why there is no break-in period is because of two key factors. One is that the material used for the pistons is a NASA developed alloy that is 2-1/2 times more durable than standard aluminum pistons. The other is that the cylinder bores are Boron-Nitrate honed, resulting in a much smoother bore than standard techniques provide. These things, along with very close tolerances, prevent the usual break-in issues.
Once again, while there seems to be some "outboard urban legend" floating about in regard to the oil issue, the only evidence I have ever found to support this "grand conspiracy theory," is anecdotal in nature. Since research indicates that dealers could not being doing anything other than changing the oil input rate, I choose not to accept the stories to the contrary.