Evinrude E-TEC G2 Outboards

[DavidM]

The newish Evinrude E-TEC G2 outboard is an interesting engine that beats its competition soundly in fuel consumption and low speed torque in addition to other benefits. How do I know this?

Well I have been interested in buying a C-Dory pocket cruiser and all are outboard powered, so I have paid close attention to the tests published by BoatTEST. They test everything from 60' plush diesel cruisers to bass boats. They instrument the boats that they test with Flowscan or similar fuel flow gauges and report fuel consumption and speed at various engine rpms.

I first followed their diesel powered tests and found them pretty accurate. All diesel marine engine manufacturers unlike inboard or outboard gassers publish accurate fuel consumption curves for their engines. The BoatTEST values lineup very well.

So switching to the outboard tests I noticed that the E-TEC always comes up with about 12 hp per GPH of fuel at both wot rpms as well as mid range. No other outboard- Honda, Yamaha, Mercury, etc comes close. Most of the later hit 10-11 hp per gph at wot and often no better at midrange. Interestingly the E-TEC is about as good as the inboard gassers.

So how can this be? Well the E-TEC is an interesting engine. When emissions became important twenty years or so ago, most manufacturers switched to 4 strokes. The old two strokes with their carbureted fuel systems let lots of fuel go out the exhaust on the charging/sweeping half stroke and were smoky (oil mixture) and wasted lots of fuel. Some of these smaller outboards only got 5-6 hp per gph.

Evinrude developed the FICHT two stroke to overcome these problems and it was a disaster. The basic concept worked ok: direct fuel injection into the cylinders eliminated wasted fuel, but the mechanical design was a POS and it bankrupted the company.

Bombardier, the Canadian manufacturer of snowmobiles and airplanes bought Evinrude and developed the E-TEC engine out of the remnants of the older FICHT engine. It was a success. In addition to direct injection, the engine uses a point oiling system that sends a measured amount of lube oil to the bearings and piston/cylinder walls. The oil delivery is tightly controlled to the point that any bearing seal leakage or excess oil on the piston/cylinder wall just gets burned up (well not entirely) in the combustion. The E-TEC doen't use any more oil than a 4 stroke and you only have to replenish the oil reservoir every 300 hours.

I can't see why these principles couldn't be applied to 4 strokes, but so far that hasn't happened. Evinrude with Bombardier's technical support has put some quaity engineering into the product line and it shows.

The G2 version is available on 150+ hp models now, but lower hp G2 versions are in the works. The older E-TEC versions in 100 hp and less are pretty good but BoatTEST data indicates that they only get 10 hp per gph, the same or worse as most 4 strokes.

I also like the maintenance regimen for the E-TEC G2. No oil changes (you just top up the oil reservoir periodically) and a 300 hour service interval.

So today the E-TEC G2 150 hp engine would be a great choice for the Tomcat, the C-Dory 25 and the bigger/heavier Ventures. When the 100 hp G2 comes out it would be a nice engine for the C-Dory 22.

I know that this post may sound like a commercial for Evinrude. But all of the data quoted above comes from real objective third party tests. I don't know a thing about engine longevity and I suspect that 4 strokes still hold the lead in that area.

But take a look at the new E-TEC G2s.

David

 

[thataway]

David,
I think that is an honest assessment. I used to be an all OMC (which was Johnson and Evinrude, including a couple of the early fitch which did fine, but I didn't push the engines.

Boattest.com is optimistic --in that they tend to run the boats light, and real life mileage and speeds, especially with our boats, are not quit as good. For example for the C Dory25 with a 150 Honda, they give a "mileage" of 3.7 to 4.1 statute miles per gallon).

There is a lengthy thread about the G2 on The Hull Truth--and mostly very positive. `I believe that there is good customer service and a 10 year warrantee.

My only nagging concern relates to an issue with my last Fitch Evinrude. The oil pump went out--I made it back (many miles on Powell) with a small kicker. You cannot put oil in the gas--like the old 2 strokes....The other problem was the only dealer was who had a computer program for diagnosis, was in Las Vegas and he was booked up for several months--even for just a computer read out (bad business--but it stays in Las Vegas!). We finally found someone who had a pirated computer program, and got the diagnosis--and a new oil pump....That was an engine 20 years old at this point--and long in the junk heap by now.

 

[gulfcoast john]

David,
I agree, an honest history. And the E-Tec 150 is an engineering marvel tour-de-force. It is fascinating and some aspects (like the internal steering) seem aimed for the future of all outboads.
I had an Evinrude 120 outboard that was bullet-prrof and reliable...and nothing against the brand, at least since Bombardier bought it.

My concern is that the nearest dealer may be 500 miles away (vs 20 miles for a Yamaha F150)...and we are visiting the wilds of Geogian Bay's 30K islands this summer...no G2 Evinrude dealers around!

A marvelous subject for debate among honest boaters (excuse me if I include myself in that group).
It strikes me as unfair that the G2 ETEC appears to be a superior product, at a cheaper price, than the Yamaha F150, and yet the Yamaha is by far is the world-wide best seller.
Why is that? Inquriing minds would want to know...
John

 

[thataway]

It strikes me as unfair that the G2 ETEC appears to be a superior product, at a cheaper price, than the Yamaha F150, and yet the Yamaha is by far is the world-wide best seller.
Why is that? Inquriing minds would want to know...
John

Yamaha did a lot of "promotional" marketing in 3rd world countries--way under pricing, with very liberal "financing" for a number of years to get their product and mechanics established. We watched this happening over a number of years--and cruising these areas we asked why the Yamaha's--we got our answers they almost gave them away--at least for cost...

During much of this time OMC (Evinrude the old company, was struggling). Suzuki did some of this "marketing" as did "Honda". At one time it was Johnson you would see in many of these countries--they were simple, rugged and ran. We carried a lot of plugs and a few other spares (impellers, fuel pump parts) with us, so we could repair the older OMC outboards for people we met.

 

[island andy]

John,
Welcome to the 30,000 islands!
We have a 2007 90 hp Etec. So far a good motor. Certainly, if your nearest Etec dealer is distant, makes sense to go with a brand which can be serviced locally. We have a cottage on an island near Honey Harbor, ON, in southern end of the 30k islands. The Honey Harbor Boat Club in Honey Harbor is an Evinrude dealer. They are capable and quick. In fact, one must go to Midland ON to have a Yamaha serviced by a dealer. That is about 15 miles by water and 30 miles by land from us. While that area of G Bay seems remote, there are boats all over the place, and mechanics in towns such as Parry Sound, Britt, Killarney, Little current etc if help is needed.

I am unaware of any data, such as that for cars by Consumer Reports, on outboards. Lots of opinions and anecdotes. Anyone aware of any data?

Bob, thanks for the insights on why so many Yamahas in other parts of the
world. We were avid windsurfers until arthritis got the better of us, and I always wondered why so many Yamahas on so many Caribbean islands!

andy

 

[JimTid]

I repowered a Rosborough RF246 with a 2017 Evinrude 300HP G2. It cost $28,600 and had an 8 year warranty that covered all you would expect except corrosion. I never liked the motor. It was slick with the electric shifting and had an excellent instrument panel. The motor had unusable power for my hull. There was no hole shot capability. If I applied power too quickly the prop would spin with not enough bite to push the 7000 pound boat regardless of prop selection. Mid range power had a noticeable skip. The dealer explained that it was a characteristic of the motors fuel delivery system. At WOT I could get it up to 35MPH which is unstable for a semi displacement hull.
It was louder than the twin 115 Suzuki's I replaced. The fuel consumption was a little better but I had to burn $30 a gallon oil so the savings was a wash. It had a 5 year or 500 hour service interval. I would have been better off with a single 4 stroke in the 150 to 200HP range.

 

[hardee]

It strikes me as unfair that the G2 ETEC appears to be a superior product, at a cheaper price, than the Yamaha F150, and yet the Yamaha is by far is the world-wide best seller.
Why is that? Inquriing minds would want to know...
John

Yamaha did a lot of "promotional" marketing in 3rd world countries--way under pricing, with very liberal "financing" for a number of years to get their product and mechanics established. We watched this happening over a number of years--and cruising these areas we asked why the Yamaha's--we got our answers they almost gave them away--at least for cost...

During much of this time OMC (Evinrude the old company, was struggling). Suzuki did some of this "marketing" as did "Honda". At one time it was Johnson you would see in many of these countries--they were simple, rugged and ran. We carried a lot of plugs and a few other spares (impellers, fuel pump parts) with us, so we could repair the older OMC outboards for people we met.

John, I spend 80% of my boating time on the BC coast and I would say I see more, (Maybe not 80% but better than 50%) Yamaha on the working boats and many of the recreational boats up there. In talking with the water taxi folks, the fish farm and log camp tenders and many others there, the answer is easy. It is easy to get parts, (anyone can get them) and easy to get service, and warranty issues can be dealt with by most mechanics and any of the dealers and there are more Yami dealers than others in the area.

Also, they are reliable up past 3,000 hours, and some up to 5,000. Kind of the "John Deere" of outboards.

Especially if they are set up as twins 8) :thup :wink: :thup

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[Two Bears]

Just picked up Two Bears from her winter trip thru the "fix-it" shop with their nice mid-winter rates. Looking at the printout of my use of my Suzuki 90 led to a discussion of outboards. The manager had just returned from a Tohatsu mechanics school. The school taught him to have 80% of running time be at high speed and the final 15 minutes should be at WOT to burn out any carbon deposits. Outboards are built to go fast, not steady. All the complaints I've heard on the ETec is that it carbons up when used to troll or go hull speed for any length of time.

Looking at the printout of my Suzuki at just over 1,000 hours, more than 600 hrs are at hull speed (1,800-2,100 RPM depending on boat loading, wind & other variables), and just 160 hours at 4,200 RPM which is a sweet spot at about 18kts = my go-to spot for a high speed run. Almost 150 hours are under 1,000 RPM which is idling and charging the battery when at anchor overnight.

You've got to run it faster he told me. I just laughed. "That's not why I have a C-Dory I responded.

I think that is why many of us would like to see a diesel outboard. Slow but steady.

Chuck

 

[san juanderer]

I repowered a Rosburough 246 that came with a 175 hp E-tec. Motor would have been fine for hull speed only, WOT was about 19 mph. But the boat could not get over the hump.
Put a 250 hp E-tec on it, the boat came alive and was a joy to run. WOT was 33 mph. I ran about 5 different props on it, main problem was it is a heavy hull and needed a VERY low pitch to get 5600 WOT rpm's. 99% of Rosburough owners have there motors pitched way to high. And the motors are lugging, thus have no rpm response. Best prop was a Merc Enertia. Never had any cavitation or blow-out in tight turning.
The motor ran great, only negative is the slim dealer network.