Re: 4Stoke V,s 2 Stroke
Call me old fashioned, but I still prefer carbureted 2-strokes. Got time for a short story?<br /><br />Once a year, I meet about 20 guys near the mouth of the Suwannee River for a three day weekend of fishing, etc. Most of the boys come from inland lakes, and aren't familiar with tides. Six years ago, George tied the front of his 14 footer firmly to the front of his slip on the first evening. That night, a 4-foot tide dropped from under the boat. The next morning, she was hanging from the bow, with that 70hp Evinrude barely visible beneath the brackish black water.<br /><br />We bailed her out and raised her. I sent George to buy a new battery and spark plugs, while I pulled his old plugs, and disconnected the fuel line. When I cranked her, the first couple of revolutions shot water out the plug holes half way across the channel. Sprayed WD-40 into carbs while cranking 'er, then installed the new plugs. Hooked up a 6-gallon tank of fresh pre-mix, and with the help of some starting ether, she fired up. After a little judicious use of the choke to clear the water out of the carbs, she was running like new the whole weekend. George kept that motor for three more years, then sold the rig to a friend who has been running it ever since, with no problems. A powerplant that'll take that kind of abuse gets my vote. Spent the night underwater, then was running the next morning, with a minimum of expense.<br /><br />Try that with a 4-stroke! Not really. It's not recommended. But I've seen guys dip a gunwale on a steep ramp with the same result, so it does happen with the best of intentions. The point is, miles from nowhere, you still have a chance of salvaging your weekend.<br /><br />When a 4-stroke starts smoking, you got expensive trouble. If a 2-stroke stops smoking, it can be damaged, but a lot of times they'll fix themselves to a degree, as long as you don't mind a little piston slap at low speeds.<br /><br />Bottom line? It's all a matter of preference, and someday I may even change mine. But, they've gotta prove themselves to me first.
<br /><br />As to your question, the overwhelming concensus on this board is to go with the EFI 4 strokes. They are the most advanced as far as technology, they run extremely smooth, get great fuel economy, dont require mixing oil, and you dont have to worry about carb problems. Down side is that they're expensive, compared to a similar sized 2 stroke. They seem to give more grunt in the lower end of the RPM range and dont have a problem running wide open for extended periods of time.<br /><br />As for the 2 strokes, they still are popular because of the simplicity of the engine. The newest ones, such as Yamaha's HPDI (High Pressure direct Injection) are just as frugal on fuel, and just as technical as the 4 strokes. 2 strokes also are a much lighter engine than the 4 stroke so typically they have a slightly higher top end due to the weight. The oil injection on most eliminates the need to mix the oil, but its still and added expense you have to consider.<br /><br />Bottom Line, I would recommend you "test driving" both 2 and 4 strokes. What does your local dealer service? Almost all engines are equally reliable as long as you take care of them, so finding a good service technician who you are comfortable with is very important. <br /><br />If you're interested in "tons" of info on both 2 vs 4 stroke engines, search this forum using the search button at the top.<br /><br />Nav 
