Re: Carbed 2 strokes future.... grandfathered status?
The owner of one of the local Johnson dealerships here in California, is on the committee that is debating the future emmision control laws with the State and Federal commissions.<br />From what he knows from all of the meetings he has attended, this is the way they are going to deal with the future of banning 2-strokes from certain lakes, and the manufacture of new 2-strokes.<br /><br />They are using the "Lake Tahoe" emmision requirements as the standard for other lakes in the state that are drinking water sources. I think there are a total of only 3 including Lake Tahoe. They allow 2-strokes but they must be of the "direct injection" design, and 4-strokes must be "fuel injected". No carburators on outboards or personal water craft at all. Inboards I'm not sure about.<br /><br />They are pressuring the manufacturers of outboards to elliminate all carburators by the year 2006, and are pushing for the direct injection as being the only design for 2-strokes after 2006. A lot of the engines made now meet the 2006 standards, but not required. By 2007, they may change the emmission requirements even furthur.<br /><br />They will not ban previously built and sold carburated 2-strokes, except for the lakes that are drinking water sources such as Lake Tahoe.<br /><br />They figure by natural attrition, the old 2-strokes will wear out and die, and your replacement engine will be a clean burning injected 4-stroke, or a direct injected 2-stroke.<br /><br />If a dealer is buying carbed 2-strokes now to put on his sales floor, he better be sure he is going to unload it before January 2006.<br /><br />Bottom line: You just can't say for sure that every lake may become a "drinking water source", and if you own a carbed 2-stroke, you can use it in your bath tub.<br /><br />If I were going to buy a new engine, I would play it safe, and buy a 2006 emmission certified fuel injected 4-stroke. Spend the money now, and never worry about what Uncle Sam is going to do.
