Small 2-cycle vs. 4-cycle outboard reliability

[R.K.Pihlaja]

We are thinking about replacing the 2-cycle Evinrude 6hp outboard on our sailboat with a similar sized 4-cycle outboard. However, we've heard a lot of horror stories about poor reliability in just about all of the current generation of small 4-cycle outboards from all of the manufacturers - things like poor starting, overheating, oil leaks, unreliable automatic chokes, etc. Are small 4-cycle outboards ready for prime time yet? What is the opinion of the forum & is there a specific brand we should avoid?

 

[Capn Mike]

Re: Small 2-cycle vs. 4-cycle outboard reliability

My brother runs two identical 16' tin boats, one with a Nissan 2S 15 hp, the other a Tohatsu 4S 18 hp. They both run fine, and have been reliable (I believe Nissan & Tohatsu are the same company). The 4S is quieter, and uses less gas, but reduces his payload significantly....he claims it's twice as heavy, but he's always been prone to hyperbole. The 2S is smaller, uses more gas, and because it's lighter, seems much more zippy.<br />If you do a search in these forums, you'll see that the 2S vs 4S has been hashed about for years. But I've never seen anything that suggests 4S are less reliable than 2S.

 

[bobingardner]

Re: Small 2-cycle vs. 4-cycle outboard reliability

I have a 4 stroke Nissan 9.9 and am very happy with it. It's quiet and starts on the first or second pull.