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| I'm going to be buying a boat and wanted to put a Honda 50 on it. The dealer, since they deal evinrude was trying to get me to go with the 50 e-tec. The e-tec is supposedly quieter, more fuel effecient, and vibrates less than the 4 stroke. Since this is a new motor thats out I'm not sure what to get. Any of you guys that have Honda 4 strokes let me know what you think of them. I don't really want to get a motor that no one real knows anything about. Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Dave |
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Posts: 1189
Location: Bagley,MN 56621 | Hi Dave, I have yet to see or hear an E-tec, but have 3 sold/ordered already based on design and features that this motor brings to the table.
I think that some of the info you have gotten is incorrect:
1) E-tec is not quieter than a 4-stroke. It has specialized baffles,etc. in the cowling to redirect and muffle sound..but as an Evinrude rep would say, "It has it's own signature sound".....4 strokes are the quietest(is that a word?)
2)I would not go as far as saying they are more fuel efficient as a 4-stroke either..but very equal in fuel efficiency.
What they do have an advantage over 4-strokes is their emmissions. E-tec's are cleaner than any others..so clean they have met the European Union (EU) rating for carbon monoxide..no one else has that.Coming from an Ag backround and the bio-tech industry, it is major kudo's to get new technology recognized and praised in Europe.....they are just tough nuts to crack and very cautious people.
I think the most dramatic difference in the E-tec (which is a direct injected 2-stroke motor), even OVER other direct injected 2-stroke technology...i.e Ficht (E-tec is not Ficht),HPDI and Opti-Max is that they have WAYYY less moving parts than their DI relatives and especially a 4-stroke.
Have 4-strokes had a great track record..YES
Have very few of them come back for service...YES
I think if you ask any 4-stroke owner how they like their 4-stroke, the response will be unamimous that they love them and everyone should get one, no matter what stickers are on the side of it.
As a motor salesmen I dont think any of us would lose sleep over selling you a 4-stroke and worrying about you having future problems and not being a happy customer.....BUT....In my humble opinion I much prefer the 2-stroke and like to think that long long term it will be much more reliable due to less moving parts.
In your HP range you really could flip a coin....weight/torque/holeshot/speed,etc is extremely minimal in performance if at all. The big differences come in the 150+ stuff. I'm running a 200 Ficht, when E-tec gets to be in that size I will own one..it's a better version of the direct injection I am running now. Do I currently have problems...nope, just like the thoughts of a better mousetrap and less to go wrong.
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | Everything I have heard about the E-tec has been very,very positive. The mechanic(private mechanic technically not affiliated with Evinrude/Johnson but that is all he works on) who works on my boat was telling the same stuff you heard baiscally. It is supposed to be AS quiet as a 4 stroke, AS fuel efficient..etc.. Should be a little cheaper then the Honda 4 stroke(I would think) and it should be lighter also(235lbs for e-tec, 195lbs for regular 2stroke), but is not...Honda 50 (212lbs){the honda was listed as being a tiller with its weight, the e-tec did not say but shouldn't be too different either way}.. There is No break in period on the e-tec motors, not sure what break in procedures are on a Honda 4 stroke. The Honda is a 3 cylinder, the E-tec a two. The E tec is Direct Fuel Injection, not sure what the honda has, but I think it is injected(double checked the Honda website, it says it is carburated, but 3 carbs total, 1 per cylinder). Both HP's were rated at the prop-shaft. Here is some performance info on the e-tec and the Honda (27mph to 31.85mph for the honda), for the e-tec I could only find 40hp performance: 31.5mph-32.8. They had one pontoon with a 50 on it. Both Honda and E-tec had Carolina skiffs used in their tests and both were close despite the 10hp difference, Honda used a V1965 which is 18'8" and 900lbs 31.85mph and E-tec used a 1665dlx which is 15' 9.75" and 575lbs 32.8mph, other e-tec boats included one that weighed 755 and went 31.5mph and another one that was 788lbs and went 31.5.. too bad they couldn't both use the same boats. Here is Honda's site: http://www.honda-marine.com/bf50_features.htm
here is Evinrude's: directly to e-tec http://www.evinrude.com/e-tec/default.htm?US
Evinrude home: http://www.evinrude.com/docs/100/0_US.htm
I guess Greg posted his while I was still typing..lol..
Edited by kevin 3/11/2004 7:42 PM
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Posts: 184
Location: Rockford Il 61108 | I wouldnt buy the heavy set Honda over the E-tec. Yes, the E tec is more quiet than a four stroke. |
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Posts: 1189
Location: Bagley,MN 56621 | Didnt know the Honda was a carb...thats a no brainer right there for the injected..whether it's electronic or direct. If still looking to stay with a 4-stroke, I'd look at Johnson or Merc due to EFI in them (would have to look if Merc had a 50 4 stroke w/o bigfoot, cant remember). If you do stick with carb'd 4-stroke, be sure to use additives to prevent gumming....again havent had a lot of issues with them, just injection is a better mouse trap. good luck with your choice. |
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