Bionic Man
Cadet
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2007
- Messages
- 10
With great interest, I've been reading all the engine posts and am still trying to make up my mind on which 90hp engine I should get for my 20 foot pontoon boat. I've looked at all three and each has its pros and apparently no cons. One thing I definately want is reliability.
I know that both the Merc and Evinrude, being 2-stroke engines, will have more thrust out of the hole, but will they actually give significantly more speed? I do want to pull an occasional (6 times per season) lighter weight skiier, so that is an issue.
JD Power ranks the Merc Optimax as #1 in owner satisfaction in 2-stroke DFIs. I like the way that oil can be added to the Opti, without having to remove the cowling. I watched two Mercury representatives try to remove the cowling on the engine, and they had a tough time (with two guys doing it). That difficulty set me back. To add oil to the Etec, the cowling must be removed and the factory rep did this easily.
Right now, the Merc comes with a 5 year warranty, while Evinrude is giving a 6 year on the Etec. I think that the Evinrude is the lightest of the three.
The Yamaha 4-stroke EFI has a reputation as a very quiet and reliable engine and it too comes with an extended 6 year warranty. JD Power ranks it #2, just slightly behind Honda. Many posts I've read though refer to the great number of extra parts in a 4-stroke as a potential drawback.
As far as maintenance goes, the Etec seems to have the edge, with no recommended service for three years. The Opti apparently still needs an annual lower unit oil change, as does the Yamaha. I wonder about the Etec not requiring more frequent changes. The Yamaha also needs an annual engine oil change not required on the 2-strokes.
I'm on an inland lake and will likely run the engine less than 50 hours per season. I'd like to keep it for a long time, and I am a strong believer in preventive maintenance.
If you want to chime in on this, I would just love to hear your opinion. I hope to buy an engine in the next 3-5 days.
I know that both the Merc and Evinrude, being 2-stroke engines, will have more thrust out of the hole, but will they actually give significantly more speed? I do want to pull an occasional (6 times per season) lighter weight skiier, so that is an issue.
JD Power ranks the Merc Optimax as #1 in owner satisfaction in 2-stroke DFIs. I like the way that oil can be added to the Opti, without having to remove the cowling. I watched two Mercury representatives try to remove the cowling on the engine, and they had a tough time (with two guys doing it). That difficulty set me back. To add oil to the Etec, the cowling must be removed and the factory rep did this easily.
Right now, the Merc comes with a 5 year warranty, while Evinrude is giving a 6 year on the Etec. I think that the Evinrude is the lightest of the three.
The Yamaha 4-stroke EFI has a reputation as a very quiet and reliable engine and it too comes with an extended 6 year warranty. JD Power ranks it #2, just slightly behind Honda. Many posts I've read though refer to the great number of extra parts in a 4-stroke as a potential drawback.
As far as maintenance goes, the Etec seems to have the edge, with no recommended service for three years. The Opti apparently still needs an annual lower unit oil change, as does the Yamaha. I wonder about the Etec not requiring more frequent changes. The Yamaha also needs an annual engine oil change not required on the 2-strokes.
I'm on an inland lake and will likely run the engine less than 50 hours per season. I'd like to keep it for a long time, and I am a strong believer in preventive maintenance.
If you want to chime in on this, I would just love to hear your opinion. I hope to buy an engine in the next 3-5 days.
