Engine Questions and Suggestions

[NFA Fun]

Hello to all my fellow bass fishers!

Have a question regarding which engine to choose for a new boat. I have been looking into a new Ranger and want to stick a 300hp on the rear. Been looking long and hard at the Yamaha HPDI 300 V-Max. The dealer mentioned someting about the 2 strokes being phased out in a few years...due to EPA regulations.

Now if this happens, what will happen to all the two strokes on the water?

The other motor I was told about was a 300hp Honda 4 stroke! Now this really cought my attention. For those of you running the bigger 4 stokes, how do you like them?

What I would really like to know, if you had two identical boats, both with 300hp powerplants, but one was a 2 stroke and the other a 4 stroke, what would be the difference in the following:

Top end speed?
Acceleration?
Fuel Economy?
Maintanance?
Longevity?

This would be a purchase I would keep for a very VERY long time.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

TIA!

[Christopherkeene9]

The already manufactured 2's can't be phased out. All of the usual 2's you see today aren't made, except the Evenrude E-Tec. The 4's are probably not what your going to want on a bass boat.

4's +
Fuel Effcient
No nasty exhaust fumes
Less noise
We've got 900 hours on ours and their still purring

4's -
HEAVY
Lot less torque
No I need power now (takes twice as long to make the same amount of power compared to a 2stroke).
Lots more in maitnance


I like the Yamaha 4's were running right now but we don't need power now for a hole shot.


Hope this helps, if not just fire some more questions away!


Christopher

[zooker]

honda is the heaviest of the four strokes..your talking roughly 800 pounds for a 250 comparied to 580+ for a yamaha 2 stroke 250.

i see really no gain with a 4 stroke in bass fishing. bass fishing is a sport where you stand on the gas run 2-3 miles and shut it off.. 4 strokes don't get better milage doing this.. only time a 4 stroke easliy supasses a 2 stroke is while trolling..

4 strokes are heavier. have no hole shot. twice costly to fix.. nah thanks i will pass..
give me my smoke belchin 2 stroker any day...

zooker

[Christopherkeene9]

Definently zook on the gas milage, y'all aren't going to get that advantage running a few miles but us running a minimum of 100 miles for a regular day, 150 to 200 miles for a sword trip and a 100 miles minimum out just for tuna and with tuna your trolling at 13knots when your not running and gunning the birds!


Christopher

[NFA Fun]

The salesman made it sound like they were going to force you into the two strokes in the future.

So it sounds like for the best speed, acceleration, and all around performance the 2's are the way to go.

That being said, what are your thoughts on the yamaha V-Max 300?

Thanks for the info!

[zooker]

not a 300 but 272 cubic inches..it will push even a ranger into the 70's on lighter boats such as stratos into the low 80's.. if you are worried about gas milage why want a 300??

zooker

[weaverml34]

The reason everybody is going to 4 strokes is because the Federal Emissions regulations are going up on all new engines. Most manufacturers couldn't meet the new regs with a 2 stroke so they started pushing the 4 strokes. Evinrude's E-Tec 2 stroke is supposed to meet the new Emissions regulations that are coming out. It's supposed to be about as bullet proof as you can get. I'm not going to pretend that I know everything about all of the different engines out there. From what I have seen I think if I was in your shoes I would lean towards an Evinrude E-Tec.

[Christopherkeene9]

Weaverml34 one thing with the E-tec is you have to buy their $30 a gallon 2-cycle oil your going to burn to keep your warranty.

[zooker]

figure a day with your foot on it burning 2-3 gallons of oil..

zooker

[weaverml34]

Originally Posted by Christopherkeene9

Weaverml34 one thing with the E-tec is you have to buy their $30 a gallon 2-cycle oil your going to burn to keep your warranty.

They don't tell you that on those infomercials that I've seen a hundred times. No wonder they aren't more popular. I think I'd be looking at a four stroke in that case.

[Jackl]

WEAVERML34,
I have a 200 hp Merc Optimax behind my Ranger 518 and it has all the hole shot and go I need. It will bump the rev limiter at 5850 which gets me about 65 mph with a 26 pitch Merc 4 blade prop.(worked over by DAH Custom Props) Low noise and smoke and I can fish 2 or 3 days pre fishing and a 2 day tournament using about a gallon of oil. The dealer orders Merc premium oil in 55 gal drums and sells it for $10.00 a gallon if you bring your own container. The rev limiter on the later Merc's is up around 6000 RPM's, so you should be able to get better top end with those motors. With a 250 or 300 you could probably pull a 27 or 28 pitch prop for even more top end.
E-tec is also a good motor, as well as the Yamaha 2 strokes. Check with your dealer to see if he carries bulk oil which he can sell at a lower price. Many of them do!

JackL

[weaverml34]

Originally Posted by Jackl

WEAVERML34,
I have a 200 hp Merc Optimax behind my Ranger 518 and it has all the hole shot and go I need. It will bump the rev limiter at 5850 which gets me about 65 mph with a 26 pitch Merc 4 blade prop.(worked over by DAH Custom Props) Low noise and smoke and I can fish 2 or 3 days pre fishing and a 2 day tournament using about a gallon of oil. The dealer orders Merc premium oil in 55 gal drums and sells it for $10.00 a gallon if you bring your own container. The rev limiter on the later Merc's is up around 6000 RPM's, so you should be able to get better top end with those motors. With a 250 or 300 you could probably pull a 27 or 28 pitch prop for even more top end.
E-tec is also a good motor, as well as the Yamaha 2 strokes. Check with your dealer to see if he carries bulk oil which he can sell at a lower price. Many of them do!

JackL

JackL,

It's good to hear from you. I miss some of the vets that don't post very much on here anymore when I was a newbie.

[NFA Fun]

zooker, fuel economy is not a major concern...just something I want to be aware of. Does that make any sense?? I mean I drive a lifted F350 diesel and suck down more diesel in a day than most do in a week.

I knwo when you have you "foot in it" those are some thirsty motors!

[1FASTLASER]

First off welcome to the forums. Seconnd off the 2 strokes are alive and still being manufactured. They want to sell the 4 strokes because of the money issue. Yes they did do alot to the motors to get them green. It will be still awhile before they are fased out. 2 stroke versus 4 is like night and day. 2's are faster lighter and require somewhat less maintenance. The 4's need some special care get better fuel mileage but are slower and HEAVIER. They really arent the ticket ifn u want a fast boat and fast holeshot. Ifn ya want fuel mileage and quiet operation and a slower boat the 4 fits the ticket. Its all in what a person wants and how well they do maintenance or want to pay for it. Personally I will run the 2 strokes till they start putting me in jail cause of it. There is NOTHING like 2 STROKE POWER

[1FASTLASER]

I shoulda pointed out that all the marinas are telling folks that 2's are not being sold because they wanna sell ya the 4 because some of the people cant do the maintenenace they require. To give you a example look at the Optimax or the 225 Pro XS,the Rude E-Tec. 2 strokes and you can buy brand new boats with them

[Wishing2BFishing]

Very interesting . . . I never realized that the 4 strokes had so many drawbacks. Given the advantages on the 2 strokes, you would think the boat vendors would offer more of them.

How bout outboard jet engines? Anyone use one of those propless things? Why don't they offer more boat packages with the outboard jets? Not trying to hi-jack, but I just thought I would throw that into the mix . . .

[1FASTLASER]

Well as I said and others have stated the 2 stroke is on its way out. Not yet by no means but California was the first in 1999 banning the use of 2 stroke oil therefore 2 stroke outboards get the ax. The 4 strokes are good engines dont get me wrong and the advancements they have made since there introduction have been great. Personally Mercury's Verado is the biggest flop ever into'd. Weighing over 600lbs you have already maxed out some of the boats weight carrying abilities. Thats just one thing. Then you have the problem of 4 strokes being slower on holeshot. Not a bad thing if you got a ski boat but in a bass boat you need to get on plane as quickly as possible. Yes they have the torque once they get up and running but then again they turn less rpm's therefore are slower on topend.again not a bad thing but someting we dont want. So the prop guys had to build props for the 4's and here we go again ....more money. Then comes the maintenance part which is absolutley needed to keep them running. Oil changes etc..etc.. and 4 stroke oil for outboards aint cheap. I could go on and on but I am sure u get the picture.

[1FASTLASER]

Originally Posted by weaverml34

They don't tell you that on those infomercials that I've seen a hundred times. No wonder they aren't more popular. I think I'd be looking at a four stroke in that case.

One more thing I want to point out. On the E-Tec commercial did anyone notice that all they run against the E-Tec was 4 strokes.Hmmmmmm....very interesting my dear watson......I'll tell ya why cause they SCARED. Put that same boat together with a 225 Pro XS and I gurantee you the end result is TOTALLY different.