2 stroke or 4 stroke?

[David Reynolds]

I have a 21ft skeeter that I am about to purchase a new motor for. I have a few questions that I can't decide on.

2 stroke or 4 stroke?
Yamaha or Merc?
225 or 250?

Any pro's/con's would be appreciated.

 

[OptsyEagle]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

2 strokes work better on the water in my opinion. They have more thrust right out of the gate which really helps you if your pulling up water skiers or just want the feeling you get when you put that throttle down.

If you go with the new "fuel injector" technology, you probably will acquire all the benefits a 4 stroke offers as well.

Just my opinion. I am sure there are many opposing views, since they do sell a lot of 4 strokes these days.

 

[67Johnson6HP]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

I belive a lot of 4 strokes are sold these days 'cause that's what comes with the boat mfg package, not 'cause they're better! Get an E-TEC.

 

[JB]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

Hmmmm. Skeeter 21 sounds like a bassrocket to me.

I really like 4 strokes, but 4 stroke advantages aren't going to mean much on a bassrocket.

You need an Evinrude ETEC 250.

 

[jayjensen]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

I am in the same boat (no pun intended) David as I want to repower my 18.5 Wahoo. It has a twenty year old Johnson 120 now, which pushes the boat just fine, but I am sick of fooling with it. I swore I would never, ever consider another two stroke but the ETEC sounds almost too good to be true - great power to weight, minimal maintenance, etc. I am looking at the 115 ETEC versus the 140 Suzuki 4s. My boat can take up to 150hp but 4s weight is an issue. The Suzuki is light for a 4s of that hp. Are there any tables that compare low end torque and other performance characteristics among horsepowers and between brands for us trying to choose a new motor?

I am guessing that the increased cost of having to buy the expensive ETEC oil will be offset by the savings in not doing oil changes, etc.?

 

[Dhadley]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

JB, you do mean the new 250HO E-Tec, right? 3.4 liters of pure power.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

I am in the same boat (no pun intended) David as I want to repower my 18.5 Wahoo. It has a twenty year old Johnson 120 now, which pushes the boat just fine, but I am sick of fooling with it. I swore I would never, ever consider another two stroke but the ETEC sounds almost too good to be true - great power to weight, minimal maintenance, etc. I am looking at the 115 ETEC versus the 140 Suzuki 4s. My boat can take up to 150hp but 4s weight is an issue. The Suzuki is light for a 4s of that hp. Are there any tables that compare low end torque and other performance characteristics among horsepowers and between brands for us trying to choose a new motor?

I am guessing that the increased cost of having to buy the expensive ETEC oil will be offset by the savings in not doing oil changes, etc.?

No need to buy Etec oil just be sure oil is the same rating and it is programed for the oil you select.These motors are very miserly with oil.I don't think the oil cost would be even close to costing as much as 4 stroke maintenance.oil and filter changes,valve adjustments,timing belt replacement.As I understand it Etec is 3 years no maintenance.Etecs are actually cleaner than 4 strokes.
They are also the only 2 stroke allowed on Lake Tahoe.

 

[jayjensen]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

So would it be fair to assume that, if comparing the 115 ETEC to the Suzuki 140, that the ETEC would have better low end pull, but the Suzuki more top end speed? The Suzuki weighs 50 lbs more ( but would not need the oil tank). I am considering the Suzuki because the dealer is a mile down the road. Evinrude is 20 miles away. If the ETECs are that good maybe it doesn't matter. The motors cost about the same.

I think the ETEC has a fogging procedure if use is only occasional, which my use is. Does anyone have reliability experience with either of these? The merits of the ETEC are all in the Bombardier brochure. Anyone out there have personal experience with one?

 

[jayjensen]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

David...Another thought...I am finding, on web sites like Grady, that the larger 250 motor typically gives a bit better maximum fuel economy on the same boat as the smaller 225, probably because it does not have to work as hard...if that is a consideration for you.

 

[JB]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

DHadley: Yup the HO.

Jay: Please don't hijack David's thread. Start one of your own.

 

[JRJ]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

With a re-power, it is rare to recover the expense if you decide to sell or trade. As long as you love your hull, no problem. I went from 2 to 4 stroke, and really enjoy it. I'd get a Suzuki, then Yamaha. I haven't run an etec.

 

[jayjensen]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

David...Try gradywhite.com. Each boat has Performance Data. Since Grady uses Yamaha, you can compare the performance of the diffferent Yamaha motors available from the factory for that boat. That info may help you decide upon 225 or 250.

 

[dingbat]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

I'm repowering in the next year or two and looking at an E-Tec 225 or 250 real hard but the guys I know running 4 strokes have some pretty good reports on longevity that I need to consider. Lots of guys with 2-3K hours on their 4 strokes with still no signs of giving up anytime soon.

Not sure how many hours? people are getting with the DFI 2 strokes but in the past the life expectancy of a 2 stroke wasn't much past 1.5K hours if that. You can buy a lot of valve adjustments, timing belts and oil changes for the cost of a new motor every 3 years instead of every 5-6 years.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

Hard for me to believe a 4 stroke with over 4 times the moving parts running
about 200 to 500 more rpm at WOT last longer than a 2 stroke.And the 2 stroke will generally push faster at a lower rpm.Less piston feet per mile shorter run time over the same distance.

 

[JB]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

Believe it spike. It is happening.

 

[AguaSki]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

I am considering the Suzuki because the dealer is a mile down the road. Evinrude is 20 miles away.

With service being 1 mile away, I would go with the Suzuki. I do like the E-tec's , but the difference is minimal, and the service convenience would put the Suzuki over the top for me.

 

[05GlastronSX]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

3 words...mercury 250 XS.. Will, blow every other motor out of the water when it comes to sheer speed/performance and has a great gear case, solid mounts, and other benifits of a racing-built merc. Etecs are great but I have always been a merc man and the XS series motors aren't on almost every performance bass boat for no reason IMO.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

I'm repowering in the next year or two and looking at an E-Tec 225 or 250 real hard but the guys I know running 4 strokes have some pretty good reports on longevity that I need to consider. Lots of guys with 2-3K hours on their 4 strokes with still no signs of giving up anytime soon.

Not sure how many hours? people are getting with the DFI 2 strokes but in the past the life expectancy of a 2 stroke wasn't much past 1.5K hours if that. You can buy a lot of valve adjustments, timing belts and oil changes for the cost of a new motor every 3 years instead of every 5-6 years.

Dingbat, not sure where you got the idea that your gonna need to re-power anything in 3 years, or even 5-6 for that matter. A person with a 2 stroke that needed to be replaced after 1,500 hrs, didn't do a very good job of taking care of it. They can go well beyond that if taken care of and run right, I have seen plenty go into the 5 or 6,000 hour range.

My newest 2 stroke is 10 years old and shows not a single sign of being tired, with well over 3,000 hrs on it.



My opinion on this, and any other of these 2 stroke VS 4 stroke posts will always be 2 stroke. I've seen way too many burnt valves and timing chains break to ever feel comfortable running a 4 stroke at a constant 5,000 RPM or higher, the way any of my 2 strokes will do without a struggle.

 

[domains]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

4strokes get out of the hole faster. Thats all i have to say

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

Hi everyone..Had to through my 2 pennys in.

I have a Wellcraft 180 Sportsman 2007 with a 115 E-Tec. When I ordered my boat I had a choice between the Yamaha 150 4 stroker or the E-Tec 115. Doing my research I called Well Craft and asked about getting 150E-Tec and was told, "We wont put a 150 E-Tec on it because it is a different power to weight ratio and we feel that in the E-Tec line of motors the 115 is the most we feel comfortable going with."

I got off the phone thinking that was a pretty bold statement to make. Doing more research I decided on the E-Tec because ; less moveing parts, less maintenance, limp home mode if something goes wrong, less weight, and alot of good reviews out there.

A friend of mine has a WellCraft 18' center console and a Yamaha 150. We are the same out of the hole and he has me just by a tiny bit top end. He does have a Hydrofoil on his cavitayion plate. In addition I am not sure of his prop and if we are same size and degree. At WOT I am at 43mph garman GPS and he is between 44 and 45 GPS. Not sure if it is a help or hiderance. If I had a 150 E-Tec we bolt agree it would take his Yamaha 150.

Someone mentioned oil tank weight. Mine full with 2 gallons of oil is about 20 lbs. and 2 gallons will last you 200 gallons of fuel, so you can do the math as to how much you need for the season.

When you boil the entire thing down, Its personal preference and take a hard look at the dealer that will do the service. If they are a E-Tec dealer but they have a lousy service reputation, go with the other dealer with Yamaha. Or visa versa.

Good luck and happy safe sailing.