Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

[pootnic]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

I'm not real sure what the new DFI or etec use for a ratio.Wouldn't be surprized if it was around 100:1,seeing as there computerized and all.
I can tell you at 50:1,a liter of oil will do 50 liters gas...pretty obvious I know.Again,were not sure how far you have to motor to get to your spots but if your going through that much gas in a days fishing,your line isn't getting that wet.
I wouldn't make this into a oil issue,I think etec claims their motors use less oil then 4 stokes,if maintainance is done to the 4 strokes.They also claim that most recreational users will only have to fill the oil resorvoir,once in 50 hours use.(based on some study,FAQ)
I think your lucky to picking up a new outboard wheither it's a 4 or 2 stroke...can't go wrong,enjoy.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

I really am likeing the ideal of not haveing to buy the oil to mix with the gas.

You're going to have to buy oil to put in the oil sump on a 4 stroke! If the 4 stroke engine burns NO OIL at all, you will probably still be buying at least as much or MORE oil per year with a 4 stroke as you will with an ETEC.

You just won't ever have to dispose of used oil and a filter!!!

 

[aerobat]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

I am not sure how much 2 cycle oil is used to a tanks of gas.
Or how much 2 cycle oil I would have to buy over the corse of a summer.
I plan on useing my boat at least once a week for a good days worth of running around.
Can you tell me how much 2 cycle oil is used on an average day of running around or how much do you use over the summer?

when i top off my oil tank in the spring i ride the whole season with it . the tank capacity is about 1.5 gallons on my engine. but i must say that i use the boat not more than lets say 50 hours a year currently . oil usage depends on the load . when you troll, it uses oil close to nothing , on higher speeds more oil is provided. its surely far away from the conventional carbed mixture ratio since like metioned no oil is mixed to the gas and enters with the fuel the crankcase to lubricate and then to be burnded with fuel but is provided exactly to critical places like bearings and cylinders and is not wasted being mixed to the fuel .

depending on hours you make with the boat oil usage may be similar - or even less ! than the amount of an oil change in a 4 stroke once a year. and you do not have an oil and filter change, simply top off.

on the other hand you will have to use high tech and expensive oil in a modern DFI.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

I agree, let's drop the oil issue, it's not the same as it was when we pre-mixed in the tank. FYI- 50:1 is 2.6 oz to a gal of fuel. You're really Hi-Performance motors are gonna be two strokes at this point in development. Two strokes still have far fewer moving parts and produce power on every stroke so that's a given and we can drop that too.

The supercharged Verado's are pretty fast but they are still working the bugs out. Honda threw a car engine on top of their big outboards and of course there are those Seven Marine motors with the big block GM marine motors sitting on top of them. Check these 6.2l/557hp babies out - http://www.seven-marine.com

When I decided to go four stroke on my fishing boat I made my decision to do so because I was tired of playing Russian Roulette with the EPA and CARB. Weight is not a big deal anymore, the new fours are very close to a two. HP is HP and RPM is RPM so that claim is just not valid anymore either. The two stroke does produce more torque and is definitely the higher performing motor but I didn't high performance in this boat. 35mph is good enough to get me to the fishing holes and when I get there I'm either trolling or drifting.

I do enjoy the thrill of flying the hull and the FrankenMerc project got me doing that quite nicely. I've built several other HO two strokes since and they are a blast to say the least but for not for fishing like the original poster wants to do.

 

[Crappiekiller10]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

Man you are thinking way too much. It's all about what YOU want and are willing to spend. Boat is an acronym B-O-A-T, that stands for Bring On Another Thousand! I believe everyone should cut their teeth on a 2stroke. And with your background you should know the 2stroke engine very well. Happy boating!

 

[Borgey401]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

I agree, let's drop the oil issue, it's not the same as it was when we pre-mixed in the tank. FYI- 50:1 is 2.6 oz to a gal of fuel. You're really Hi-Performance motors are gonna be two strokes at this point in development. Two strokes still have far fewer moving parts and produce power on every stroke so that's a given and we can drop that too.

The supercharged Verado's are pretty fast but they are still working the bugs out. Honda threw a car engine on top of their big outboards and of course there are those Seven Marine motors with the big block GM marine motors sitting on top of them. Check these 6.2l/557hp babies out - http://www.seven-marine.com

When I decided to go four stroke on my fishing boat I made my decision to do so because I was tired of playing Russian Roulette with the EPA and CARB. Weight is not a big deal anymore, the new fours are very close to a two. HP is HP and RPM is RPM so that claim is just not valid anymore either. The two stroke does produce more torque and is definitely the higher performing motor but I didn't high performance in this boat. 35mph is good enough to get me to the fishing holes and when I get there I'm either trolling or drifting.

I do enjoy the thrill of flying the hull and the FrankenMerc project got me doing that quite nicely. I've built several other HO two strokes since and they are a blast to say the least but for not for fishing like the original poster wants to do.

Wow that Seven Marine 557 is some outboard huh? That thing is absolutely insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

I was tired of playing Russian Roulette with the EPA and CARB.

The ETEC (and all the DFI 2 strokes I think) is a CARB "3-Star" engine just like all the 4-strokes.......and is considered actually cleaner (emissions-wise) than a 4 stroke.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

Whoever said there isn't a weight difference is way off!

And Mercury makes both 2 and 4 stroke motor, the 2's are direct injection just like an etec.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

Whoever said there isn't a weight difference is way off!

And Mercury makes both 2 and 4 stroke motor, the 2's are direct injection just like an etec.

No body said there wasn't a difference just that the difference was getting smaller all the time. Yamaha's got a whole new light weight block (new cylinders) now and their 250-4's are kicking butt.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

The ETEC (and all the DFI 2 strokes I think) is a CARB "3-Star" engine just like all the 4-strokes.......and is considered actually cleaner (emissions-wise) than a 4 stroke.

You are correct but as I mentioned earlier, EPA and CARB are the problem. They have left the restrictions up to the local municipalities and it's more cost effective to ban all two strokes than it is to constantly monitor the lakes for violators.

2012 is when there becomes a distinction between two and four stroke engines. Right now the classification is just large and small engines. Many of the manufacturers have stopped making smaller 2 stroke outboards and if my gut is correct, it won't be long before only the two stroke HiPo motors will be made and designated for racing only.

The bottom line is that people not interested in racing are not at all concerned whether the motor is a two or four stroke. Recreational boaters that buy boats off a show room floor usually accept whatevers on the boat at the time of the sale. If a 4 stroke is easier to sell, (and it is), then that's what dealers will put on them when they're ordered.

 

[The Man 5150]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

Well I think I have pretty much decided that I will go with a four stroke. As for the extra maintance according to the Mercury web site the valve train is comptley maintance free. That means it should have hydraulic lifters they never need adjustment, just look at your car for an example. How many time have you had the valves adjusted on your car or truck that has a couple hundred thousand miles on it? Well it is never. I dont mind changeing the oil in the crankcase and to me that would give it all the more lubrication protection. The last thing I guess that presuaided me to go four stroke is not haveing to buy the oil for mixing with the gas. I really like the ideal of just being able to pull up to the pump and fill'er up and go.

I know that I wont get the high end preformance from the four stroke that you get with two stokes but I am more into fishing that raceing around the lake.
Thank you for all of your imput and advice.

 

[aerobat]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

it seems you are doing it right- YOU have to have the feeling that you did the right choice and the engine fits your needing. there are several options for an outboard, 2 stroke dfi , 4 stroke efi, every claims his technology s the best- and in the end the customer decides for what technology he spent his bucks .

have fun in boating !

 

[bassman284]

Re: Cant decide 4 Stroke vs 2 stroke help

IMO, maintenance requirements and poor performance of 4 strokes is vastly overstated around here. I have a 2001 60 hp Merc 4 stroke I bought new and the only maintenance has been annual oil changes. Gets my 17' Lund on plane in about 4 seconds so the holeshot is good enough for me.