Yamaha or Evinrude Etec

[12guns]

I've done a bit of searching and reading, but wanted some specific opinions from you guys.
I have a good friend looking to replace his 25 Johnson 2 stroke w/ a brand new 40 four stroke. We both like the idea of the Etec being lighter and more efficient, however he's been known to be rough on things from time to time. How is the Etec holding up? Is it really that much faster HP for HP? To add fuel to the fire, I read elsewhere that the Mercury EFI four strokes are quite a good buy to...Thoughts?
Oh, it'll be going on a 1648 War Eagle duck boat, and I'm sure it'll be re propped w/ SS.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Yamaha or Evinrude Etec

This will sound crazy...... etec's are great motor's.......... Yamaha's are great........ all newer outboards are great

IF......... they are properly maintained.

I would base my decision on which motor has the BEST local support and mechanic's. If you have to travel or do not have faith in a mechanic then stay away from (whatever) that brand.

If it was my boat I would go with the etec and there are no dealer's close to me.

 

[12guns]

Re: Yamaha or Evinrude Etec

Thanks for the reply.
So IF the motor was not maintained, then which one? Are Yamaha's pretty much top of the pack for reliability? Not saying it will be abused, but he won't want a motor that has to be worked on constantly to keep it running right. Brings to mind CanAm ATV's, they are top performers and AWESOME when running...the key is, when running. Honda ATV's can be sunk and rolled down a hill and they will still get you home. How do these outboards compare? Thanks!

 

[coolguy147]

Re: Yamaha or Evinrude Etec

etec is preferable by me. price tag can change my mind though

closest dealer and good mechanics are for sure though. rather go to a 300 mile yamy dealer or maybe 20mile etec dealer?

go on their websites and look at what they have to offer

etec has a 3 year warrenty 300 hour?

 

[The Famous Grouse]

Re: Yamaha or Evinrude Etec

I'd go with the Etec hands down. Personally, knowing 2 people who have Yamaha 4 strokes on fishing boats, I think they are great engines but they seem to be very "sensitive".

One guy backed onto a sand bar and bent his shift linkage. He did it at low speed, so slowly that it didn't even take the paint off the prop! $800 to fix.

The other guy does a lot of river fishing where silt is suspended in the water. The water pumps seem to wear incredibly quickly, he used to replace his old Johnson 2 stroke's pump every 5 years. Yamaha's are dangerously worn after 1 year and it was lucky that the dealer inspected it. He normally wouldn't have even had it looked at, but he was worried about keeping up with the warranty and good thing too.

Obviously this is a limited sample size and YMMV.

It cannot be disputed, however, that 2 stroke outboards are simpler and have fewer moving parts which reduced the opportunity for failure. They don't require oil or filter changes and they can limp home in the event of certain system failures.

As long as your buddy is smart enough to keep the oil res full, then it's just down to avoiding hitting things. I'd go ETEC if I were buying an new outboard today. I wouldn't even think about anything else.

Grouse

 

[jevery]

Re: Yamaha or Evinrude Etec

It's obvious that iboat forums is, for the most part, pro E-TEC, though you'll find somewhat less enthusiasm for the E-TEC on most other boating forums. In my opinion no manufacturer can currently claim a better record of durability and reliability than Yamaha. That said, E-TEC has carved a loyal following, particularly in the bass boat/bay boat market. Pay attention to what others in your area are running and seek their feedback. Decide the fundamental question of if you want a 4-stroke or a 2-stroke as they are quite different animals, and determine what good service centers are in your area before making your final decision.

You might also take a look at the articles and charts in the sticky up at the top of this sub fourm comparing the 50 HP outboards. While not a comparison of the size your friend is considering. You might derive some generalizations of how the manufacturer's outboards compare in terms of performance and economy. BTW, in the 40 HP category, I think the Yamaha is lighter than the E-TEC.