2 stroke vs 4 stroke

[mattttt25]

boating mag ran a great article on the subject. applied some real science and some real life sense. suggest everyone get the mag and read the article, you may be surprised.<br /><br />in summary, they ran two 20' center consoles, one with a yamaha f150 and one with a yamaha hpdi z150. lots of details in the article, but big picture results were as follows:<br /><br />- initial purchase price same for both.<br />- cost of ownership over 5 years the same for both.<br />- most other test results the same.<br />- 4 stroke a little quieter at iddle.<br />- 2 stroke a little faster acceleration.<br /><br />it really came down to noise and acceleration. everything else was the same. what i really got from it was that you simply can't make 2 stroke/4 stroke generalizations any more, especially with the new technology. any thoughts?

 

[Guest]

Re: 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

All the new motor types are great these days. <br /><br />I have an e-tec, my brother has a Yammi 4 stroke, good friend has DI Evinrude. All excellent motors. <br /><br />Just comes down to weight, price and what's available on the boat you want.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

A couple of things nobody wants to talk about -- one is the cost of periodic maintenance on 2 vs 4. <br /><br />And all these tests and comparisons are on new engines. It'd be real interesting to put 1000 hours on those 2 150's and test again. Including emissions.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

dhadley- that's why i think their test and article was so impressive. they did explore the costs of ownership over a 5 year period. granted, they assumed a 50 hr/yr run time, but that's avg for most people. they needed to assume something to properly calculate the results. i'm sure things change a little if you run more. i won't quote the article, but this 5 year cost was within a few dollars of each other. check it out.<br /><br />bill- you mention cost, but these two engines cost the same.

 

[BillP]

Re: 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

After 9 yrs I avg approx 80-100 hrs yr on my carbed 4 stroke and 200-300 hrs yr on carbed two strokes. I still give the hassle free award to two strokes. I'd rather pour 2 stroke oil and deal with smoke than change crankcase oil, filter and adjust valves. Fuel burn isn't enough on either to be a factor. At this point, my 4 stroke will eventually be replaced with an etec.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

Theres no way the 100 hr service on a 4 stroke is the same as the 2. Even if the only difference is checking the valves (just checking -- not doing anything else) and changing the oil & filter. That takes time and parts that isnt involved with the 2 stroke.

 

[creekster]

Re: 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

recently, on tv fishing show guide complained that both he and his customers were getting headaches, fatigue, etc. when he switched to four-stroke o.b. He switched back to two-stroke (an etec) and problems vanished. Anyone out there who concurs with this?

 

[Terry H]

Re: 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

creekster, that sounds like some sort of "marketing technique". May be true, but if that be the case what about them folks that live in a city where there are thousands of auto's on the hiways all the time...hmm, maybe that is the reason, or that could explain alot of things...hmm. Chief

 

[walleyehed]

Re: 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

So...he fished with wind at the back with 4-stroke...and, just maybe....he fished up-wind with the e-tec..????<br />Seriously, I find it hard to believe that would be the case...the 4-stroke, no doubt, is much cleaner than what we have been used to trolling with...headaches haven't been a problem there..

 

[BillP]

Re: 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

I know who the guide (BW) is and have corresponded with him. Long time boater and fisherman. Etecs are, by the way, advertised in his sponsor section. No sign of merc 2 strokes there anymore.<br /><br />I'm actually more bothered with my carbed 2 stroke exhaust than my 4 stroke, but neither give headaches.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

Hummmm......all this time I thought the headaches came from the silver bullets...<br /><br />Go figure.....