2 or 4 stroke Evinrude Mercury Yamaha or Johnson

[jr7roo]

I just purchase a brand new WD-14 Lund Max hp is 25hp...A private sale from someone who won it in a tournament.

This is my First boat ever owned and would like to hear some feedback before I go and make the big purchase.

 

My questions to the forum is

Would you purchase a 2 stroke or 4 stroke and why?

Would you purchase Mercury/Evinrude/Yamaha/Johnson ETC why?

Would you max out the hp and purchase a 25hp or go smaller to 15hp or 20hp?

 

Thanks

jr7roo

Edited July 11, 2009 by jr7roo

[Fish4Eyes]

All the above mentioned are good brands. If your buying new something to consider would be which brand offers the best warranty. 4 stroke costs more, but is much quieter, better on gas, and doesn't smoke as much.

[SBCregal]

4 strokes are also quite a bit heavier, the 4 stroke merc 25 comes in somewhere around 170lbs or so. i believe the more current 2 strokes use much less oil in the mixture so they'll be considerably cleaner than the old 2 stroke motors.

[danbouck]

You're going to get every different answer possible on this one.

 

IMO If you can afford to max out the HP do it. All the big brands are good, I have a 4 stroke merc and it's fantastic. I also have a 70's Johnson that's great. I would go for the 4-stroke just because it's cleaner, quieter and better on gas. Again it depends on your budget.

[glen]

Would you purchase a 2 stroke or 4 stroke and why?

Would you purchase Mercury/Evinrude/Yamaha/Johnson ETC why?

Would you max out the hp and purchase a 25hp or go smaller to 15hp or 20hp?

 

Four stroke burns way less gas. The plugs last a long time. No gas/oil fumes.

 

Any brand is ok i guess.

 

Max the hp because then you can run the motor at 3/4 throttle and save on gas.

[Billy Bob]

If you're concerned with all out speed the 2 stroke engine is the way to go and that would be the Evinrude ETEC engine. http://www.evinrude.com/en-US/Flash/index.html

 

For quietness I would look at a 4 stroke Honda or Yammy outboard. But 4 strokers are more money and more maintenance and more weight and that could be a safety factor in a small boat.

 

If it was me purchasing a brand new motor right now it would be the Evinrude ETEC series.

 

Good Luck with the New Rig,

 

Bob

[Bigfisherman]

If you're concerned with all out speed the 2 stroke engine is the way to go and that would be the Evinrude ETEC engine. http://www.evinrude.com/en-US/Flash/index.html

 

For quietness I would look at a 4 stroke Honda or Yammy outboard. But 4 strokers are more money and more maintenance and more weight and that could be a safety factor in a small boat.

 

If it was me purchasing a brand new motor right now it would be the Evinrude ETEC series.

 

Good Luck with the New Rig,

 

Bob

 

I second that! A 25hp Etec would be sweet! I love my 75Hp Etec, awesome motor.

Edited July 11, 2009 by Bigfisherman

[Muskieman]

25 or 30 E-Tec till s/s electric.. would be fantastic on that rig...

 

If you can find one ... I'm on a waiting list .. looks like that by the end of august I'll be able to get one.

[NAW]

You also have to consider what you are going to be using the boat for.

 

A 25Hp 4 stroke, as previously mentioned, is a heavy motor. If you’re going to be taking the motor on and off the boat a lot, then you'd better have a strong back!!

 

I park my boat in front of my house all the time, and for that reason, I remove my motor almost every time I use it (15 Hp merc 2 stroke). It's light, and easy to move around. Not the case with a 4 stroke of similar or greater Hp.

 

However, the 4 strokes are far better for the environment. It's a bit of a toss up.

 

If I had the cash, I’d get a 4-stroke, 25 Hp for that specific boat. But I’d also get a real nice locking device so I could sleep at night, and not worry about my motor getting swiped.

Edited July 11, 2009 by F to the Is-H

[Fisherman]

But 4 strokers are more money and more maintenance and more weight and that could be a safety factor in a small boat.

Bob

Would you kindly show us where and how much more a 4 stroke is in maintenance please.

 

And for the great weight debate which is borderline Bull, my Honda 25 tiller electric long shaft weighs 152 pounds, the only E-tec 25 that weighs less at 149lbs is the 25 short shaft.

Edited July 11, 2009 by Fisherman

[Dara]

This will give you a good idea of prices and weights.

 

http://www.yamaha-motor.ca/products/index.php?group=O

 

I'm a Yamaha guy and would buy nothing else...but thats just me.

 

 

It was kinda funny. 2 weeks ago I was in Newfoundland.

There were Yamahas and Salt water Mercs and thats it.

I asked one of our boat tour guys about it. He said nobody has any money and Mercs are cheap, but he does hear a lot of swearing around them.

 

I guess this is where I duck and run

Edited July 11, 2009 by Dara

[Billy Bob]

Would you kindly show us where and how much more a 4 stroke is in maintenance please.

 

And for the great weight debate which is borderline Bull, my Honda 25 tiller electric long shaft weighs 152 pounds, the only E-tec 25 that weighs less at 149lbs is the 25 short shaft.

 

The Evidrude ETEC outboards are maintenance free for 3 years. Not so with 4 stroke engines with periodic oil changes plus many are required to return to the dealer so the heads can be re torqued, etc..........None of this is required on the ETEC motor. The two stroke ETEC will produce more HP faster than your 4 stroke Honda. It just the way it is.... Now don't get me wrong, I think the Honda is a great motor and the quietest of the bunch but it's just not the best at everything. I even bought my wife a Honda Civic for herself. Honda is world wide know for producing great motors......

[Fisherman]

Periodic oil chanes, after the first 20 hours it goes to 200 hours or one year, oil filter every 2 years or 400 hours, retorque the heads, ha ha ha ha, that's a good one. Lower unit oil, once a year. So I am assuming then that the Etec takes less than 1.7qt(1.6l) of oil per year to inject with the gas ,cause that's all it takes for an engine oil change for the Honda. Soooo, I think you might be paddling a bit after your 1.7qt of oil run out in the oil reservoir in the Etec while the 4 strokes are still merrily motoring along. Go back to the dealer for periodic maintenance, jeez, mine must be coming soon I hope,,,13 years and not back yet, seems like a pretty good track record.

[Greencoachdog]

You'll be happier with a 4 stroke... I'll never go back to a 2 stroke!!!

 

All the major brands are good... but I keep seeing 'Rudes and Johnsons painted black, it makes them go faster yanno!!!

[craigdritchie]

Assuming you're looking at a new motor, your choices are pretty simple. Johnson went out of business a couple of years ago (for the second time), so they're out of the picture. The only two-stroke left on the market in the size range you're looking at is the Evinrude. Pretty much every other engine manufacturer out there - Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, Mercury, Nissan and Tohatsu - scrapped their small two-strokes years ago, and have been building four-strokes ever since. On that basis alone, guess which type of engine is more popular?

 

Four strokes don't require you to burn oil with your gas, so they're way cleaner. They don't pollute, they don't smoke, they are amazing on fuel and they're far more reliable. True, they are also a bit larger and heavier than a two-stroke, but whoopee do - the benefits more than make up for that. First time you troll on a windy day and don't have to inhale all that engine exhaust stench, you'll realize how much better they are. Or when you fish all day and catch yourself tapping the fuel gauge because it still hasn't moved. It's not broke - small four strokes are just really good on gas.

 

Some people like the Evinrude E-Tecs, but I confess I'm not one of them. The fact Evinrude doesn't have many dealers around here any more is a real concern. I think there might be more Yamaha dealers in the GTA than there are Evinrude dealers in all of Ontario. That's something to think about if you ever need parts (even something as simple as a new prop).

 

Everyone has their own opinions, preferences and biases. Take them all with a grain of salt - mine included. Go talk to a couple of different dealers and see what they have to say. Ask about warranty coverage, about service plans, and about the availability of parts, props, and such. If you stick with a major brand (Yamaha, Suzuki, Merc or Honda) and buy from an established dealership, it's hard to go wrong.

 

Oh - be sure to ask about non-current engines. Some dealers still have (or can get) brand new 2008 engines. Sales have been slow this year, and there are still a lot of '08s in the pipeline. You can likely get a better deal on one of these.

[2 tone z71]

no maintaince on the Etecs for 3 yrs is crap,the heads dont need retorqueing cause the dealer might have to change the powerhead in under 100 hrs,as for those new 25-30 hp Etecs time will tell

[Jonny]

Once your motor weight goes above about 100 lbs. you'll have a hard time handling it by yourself, even to get it onto and off the transom, if that's a consideration.

 

For that boat, I'd seriously look at something like this...

 

http://www.yamaha-motor.ca/products/produc...up=O#contentTop

 

or this...

 

http://www.yamaha-motor.ca/products/produc...up=O#contentTop

 

I'm not so sure any boat should be powered by a motor that hits the max rating.

 

Two stroke/four stroke, I think it's a toss-up.

 

If money is a consideration, I'd look around for a well-cared-for used motor, even 15 to 20 yrs. old. They're out there.

 

---

 

"Exhaust stench"? Man that's perfume! I've loved that smell ever since I was a kid. But you don't get much of it, if any, with thru-the-prop exhaust.

Edited July 12, 2009 by Jocko

[DRIFTER_016]

FYI

Mercury has a standard 3 year warranty on thier motors and if you buy before the end of July they'll add 2 more years.

We have been running Merc 30hp 4 strokes at our lodge for about 7 or 8 years and they extremely well.

You don't really have to worry about theft as they are bolted on (they don't use the clamps).

[pikehunter]

When I first read your question I thought you would have to go for a 4 stroke because they didn't make an Etec in a 25hp. Then I looked it up, they now do make a 25hp Etec engine! Finally I thought, wish they had it out in 2005 when I bought my new 2 stroke 25hp Johnson.

 

Either way you will have a motor which is heavier than an old style 2 stroke. I think I like the Etec more than the 4 stroke because of the maintenance and the slight weight advantage. The Etec is a very quiet motor just like the 4 stroke.

 

How do they compare in price?

[Roy]

I think that most guys will boast about what they currently own. I'm no different. I have a 4 stroke Mercury and I find it very reliable, quiet and economic. I think that Yamaha is a good brand to buy as well but I don't own one. I just Googled Etec recalls and that just doesn't impress me at all.

 

Keep in mind that this is just my opinion as a satisfied Merc owner.

[hawg_hauler]

First and foremost Mercury is my brand of choice, however with a two stroke direct injected outboard available in a 25hp model, I would have a hard time buying black. Two stroke direct injected engines run as clean if not cleaner than a slobbering four stroke carburetor engine (which the majority in this hp range would be). They use very little oil and are extremely good on fuel and you don't have to stand at the dock for five minutes while your engine warms up! In this case don't worry about the brand, go for the technology.

[Billy Bob]

I just Googled Etec recalls and that just doesn't impress me at all.

 

Keep in mind that this is just my opinion as a satisfied Merc owner.

 

I took your advice and did both (merc and ETEC) and they are about the same when googled.....the results is something that can be researched and found on just about ANY product out there. There is always someone have problems with something they buy......I don't put too much faith in that kind of thing...

 

BTW I don't own either but if I was in the market I would be comparing Honda, Yammy and ETEC engines......I had a Merc years ago and the bad taste is still there but doesn't mean they make a bad motor....

[musky_man]

Personally I'd go E-tec

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just purchase a brand new WD-14 Lund Max hp is 25hp...A private sale from someone who won it in a tournament.

This is my First boat ever owned and would like to hear some feedback before I go and make the big purchase.

 

My questions to the forum is

Would you purchase a 2 stroke or 4 stroke and why?

Would you purchase Mercury/Evinrude/Yamaha/Johnson ETC why?

Would you max out the hp and purchase a 25hp or go smaller to 15hp or 20hp?

 

Thanks

jr7roo

[solopaddler]

I happen to have a 25hp Yamaha 2 stroke for sale, would be perfect for your boat.

Check the classifieds....

[Dara]

Evinrude Etec is Bombardier.

They just refuse to make a 4 stroke.

Even in their snowmobiles.

They are doing everything they can to stick with a 2 stroke while every other manufacturer is developing 4 stroke technology.