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Posts: 512
| my last two boats have been 4 strokes and i love(d) them, but looking to go to a glass boat, and eyeing one that has an etec on it..
pros and cons?
not familiar with the etecs, but they look interesting
thanks |
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Posts: 291
Location: Minneapolis | One of my good fishing friends runs an Etec. He had one blow up, but that seems to happen to any make of big outboard. The replacement runs nicely, but having to add expensive oil every few days when running around in Canada is a pain. It's really a pain when the "low oil" scream kicks in as you are trying to run from a storm. |
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Posts: 240
Location: Oconomowc, WI | I just repowered this year with an E Tec 115 and I love it so far...I barely use any oil so not sure how many gallons of gas the previous poster is going through, but I maybe went through 1 gallon of oil this season...tons of great features like I-command gauge for monitoring the motor and the winterizing is super easy. Go to etecownersgroup.com for a plethora on info on these motors. Crazy hole shot with the right prop and sips gas too! |
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Posts: 2753
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | I repowered Esox Maniac in 2014 w/ETEC 150HO - Its much faster hole shot and top end than my old 150HP Johnson w/same SS Raker prop. Actually scary fast! Its very easy on fuel and oil and I agree with greenhyena 100%. Fuel consumption reduction is huge when you're paying Canadian resort gas prices. Winterizing is super easy - ~ 3 minutes its done!
Have fun!
Al |
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Posts: 23
| I run a Etec 150 HO. Very pleased. Fairly queit, good fuel economy, great hole shot, torque and low maintenance. Oil isn't cheap but it doesn't burn much and no oil changes. I would defintiely buy another and I doubt if you would be disappointed. |
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Posts: 512
| Hearing some horror stories, but thanks for the info! |
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Posts: 84
| Ive got a E-tec 250HO and I don't go thru much oil at all or gas. Once I get on plane I back off the throttle. Now if was running from a storm then I would go full throttle. That guy that's using a lot of oil he should have a mechanic look at his outboard to see if it is adjusted correctly. He shoudnt be using that much oil unless he is running full bore all the time. |
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Posts: 2753
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | The ETEC will burn more oil untill you get it out off breakin mode, mine is 10hrs @ +3000 RPM - its still probably in breakin after 2 years, as I don't run it WOT even if running from storms. At WOT there is not much pad in the water, its like driving on glare ice (seat of the pants). I have to take it in to my dealer for spring checkup & see how many hrs are left...but even then its not burning more than my old motor.
Have fun!
Al |
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Posts: 298
Location: Not where I want to be! | I have a 2013 150 etec on my 618 ranger. Way better hole shot than the previous 150 4 stroke, and the same fuel mileage. Almost as quiet. Love it! |
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Posts: 1120
Location: West Chester, OH | Same church, different pew: Any experience specific to 40 HP tiller motors? |
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Posts: 1023
| I have an optimax which I believe is similar to the ETEC. it runs great. However, my boat service guy sells both and says that the Yamaha 4 strokes last waaaaay longer and come into his shop far less. My next motor will be a four stroke. |
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Posts: 512
| Landry - 1/2/2016 5:51 PM
I have an optimax which I believe is similar to the ETEC. it runs great. However, my boat service guy sells both and says that the Yamaha 4 strokes last waaaaay longer and come into his shop far less. My next motor will be a four stroke.
when i purchased my last boat and took it in to the Suzuki service guy, he said the same when i asked about suzuki 4 strokes, said he wasnt sure because they never come in for repairs!
think ill stick with my 4 stroke
thanks guys.. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | Our local dealer sells Etec and Suzuki and the owner has Suzuki's on his bass boat and his salmon boat. I had a 60 hp Suzuki 4 stroke and currently have a 70 hp Suzuki 4 stroke the only problems I have is I cant tell if its running and I keep thinking my gas gauge has quit working. There are lots of good outboards out there and every manufacturer has some problem motors but I would not hesitate to buy another Suzuki.
I fish often out of a friends boat with a 200 Etec and he seems to have no problems.
I think the biggest secret is buy from a local dealer you know and trust with a good service department. Don't buy something that isn't serviced close to where you live.
Don't go 200 miles to save a couple of bucks and expect the local guy to service it ahead of boats he sold. I know who he wants to get back on the water first.
Edited by horsehunter 1/3/2016 4:02 PM
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Posts: 100
| I have a potentially silly question: How does one get in a place where the low oil warning comes on running in front of a storm?
On all my two strokes, I checked the oil level before I went out on any day, topped it off if it was anywhere near a half tank... |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | I have been in 2 boats where a bad sensor put the motor in what i call limp mode with a full oil tank.Actually once was a sensor and the other time the mechanic could find nothing and suggested it may have been air in the line. In neither case could we have outrun a fast moving storm. |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | I can't speak about an Etec, but I moved to four stroke engines 10 years ago and never looked back. The slight improvement in performance simply doesn't justify the additional hassle for me. |
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Posts: 32885
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I owned a Suzuki 70 that went through 3 electrical components that caused the motor to simply not run. Had a 4 stroke 40 Merc that pooped a fuel pump on my first day of an Arkansas vacation. Try to get that part in Mountain Home, Arkansas fast. I've run a number of 2 strokes and 4 strokes that never missed a beat.
Some folks like 4 stroke, some two.
Both have their benefits and drawbacks. |
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Posts: 240
Location: Oconomowc, WI | Just to clarify on the low oil and limp mode on E-Tecs...the "low oil' warning will not cause limp mode, it's just a sensor in the tank that goes off when you get down to a quarter tank left, warning you to add oil. The "no oil" waning goes on when the engine isn't receiving enough oil (due to pump failure, bubbles in the oil line, etc) That can put you into "limp mode" |
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Posts: 921
| My buddy has a 250 ETEC that he runs WOT almost all the time on LOTW. He is not easy on the throttle. I think he gets about 2.5 MPG overall. LOVES HD-100 oil. We need to bring about 5 gallons of oil to be safe. He is buying a new boat this year and I am going to be getting this ETEC from him. The engine itself is bullet proof, it just loves oil.
His next boat will have a Yamaha or Merc Verado on it. He HATED having to add oil every time he got gas.
Midge |
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Posts: 240
Location: Oconomowc, WI | Oil (and fuel) consumption is greatly reduced if you only run around half of WOT, when I first got this motor I would run at WOT all the time cause it's a blast. Then I got my I-command gauge and could read real time fuel consumption...wow what a difference if you back off on the throttle!! |
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Posts: 921
| I totally agree. When I take over that boat from him, I will not be running WOT that is for sure !!!
He's runs so much that we usually spend more on Canadian gas than we do on the cabin. LOL |
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Etec or four stroke?