The E-tec debate pros and cons

[sea raider]

One thing that I have noticed on most of these threads are that any claims of the Etecs breaking down or being unreliable have been by heresay, I think I can recall only one owner who has posted a thread saying he has had a major problem, but he then turned around and said he would buy another one!!

Most of the Etec "bashers" seem to have had no experience with the motors at all and are basing their allegations on their percieved prejudices. If the motors were all that bad, wouldnt you think there would be some direct input by people who actually have had these so called problems with them?

As far as BRP's advertising, yes it is a bit over the top, (A load of Yank Wank as it has already been described). I tend not to pay too much attention to that sort of crap, especially where our North American friends are involved. As far as I know, those videos weren't around when I bought mine, all I had were a couple of reports, one from a pro fisherman in Townsville who had one and another from a guy in WA who had just changed his Optimax over for one, both reports had the owners giving them glowing reports so thats what influenced me.

I have had first hand experience of the mechanica keeping up with technology, we had two dealers here in Cairns who sold them. Unfortunately, I bought mine from the wrong one, his mechanics did not seem to be in tune with the technology on the Etecs and while I had no major broblems, my motor used way too much oil and fuel. One trip to the other dealer fixed that, they are much more tuned in to the needs of the Etec and seem determined to make sure the motor succeeds. They even pointed out that the other shonky dealer had taken the Stainless steel prop off and replaced it with an aluminium one. (I have heard that the dealer I bought mine from is no longer a BRP dealer)

Maybe with so many owners giving the Etec such a good rap, the knockers are starting to feel that their old technology engines are inferior!! Honestly, I think in most situations it is a case of being afraid of new technology but hey, where would the world be without new technology???

Cheers

Geoff

[Steven78]

Many Thanks Sea raider.

[Shane Dyer]

Dont worry boys,yankee built will do me,i own a 2006 75hp mercury 2stroke ,said i would never own a merc,love it and would only buy another yankee built motor.only worry about your own experience with your own motor,heresay is more likely to be bullshit or jealousy. I have heard conflicting rumours re; E-tec but i have a very good source (or two) that rates E-tecs and that is enough 4 me.

[Getout]

yes i hate the way you cant see the tell tail to check its pumping water when your running along

Isn't that what the water pressure guage is for?
I must admit that the first time I ran mine, it was on the ear muffs and I was sure that the water pump was faulty, cause it took forever to pump water out the telltale.
I can't fault my Etec. One year old (forty hours), starts first pop, pretty quiet, not too smelly, goes faster than I care to drive and is really good on fuel. I had it serviced at thirty hours and it didn't cost a fortune to check the water pump and the computer mapping.
I'm sure that I would be just as happy with a modern four-stroke.
It is a shame that Evinrude's advertising was initially so antagonistic, but I guess they had a bit of ground to recover.

[Shanoss]

Well i suppose it would have something to do with what you would classify as a "problem". Sea Raider, you mentioned that your motor was usung too much fuel and oil when you bought it? Sounds to me like a problem. And i'm sure I've read posts on here about other "small" problems" that people have had with their Etecs. Yes, all these problems get fixed in a hurry, but i would be fuming if my outboard left me stranded when it was only a couple of hours old.
From what i can gather, Etecs seem to suffer a few minor glitches when they are straight out of the box. Perhaps the dealers should be running them in before delivery. Other than that, its the silly adverts that get most people going i think.

Shane

[sea raider]

Shane,

I would clasify a problem with the motor as just that, a problem with the motor. If that problem has been caused by the ineptitude of the dealer which set it up, then its not a problem caused by the motor itself.

And yes, I would classify being stranded when the motor was a couple of hours old a problem, I would be spewing too.

After the run I have had from my e-tec, I would recommend them to anyone. But I would also add a clause that you buy it from a reputable dealer and check that their technicians have been properly factory trained.

Cheers,

Geoff

[Shanoss]

What was it exactly that was set up incorrectly Geoff? Apart from the prop which would explain the fuel, but i'm curious as to what would make it use more oil than it should. Not a dig, just curious.

Shane

[sea raider]

The engines can be set up so that you can use one of three different grades of oil, the XD25, XD50 or XD100, the 25 being basically the standard two stroke oil. All the technician has to do is plug in his laptop and adjust the setting of the motor for the different type of oil. If for example the engine is set for XD25 or XD50, because it's not the same grade of oil, the motor uses more of it (and fuel), pretty well the same as a standard two stroke, when it is set for the XD100, the engine uses very little oil as well as less fuel.

That's the way I understand it anyway. If any of this is incorrect, please fell free to correct me.

When I picked up my boat with the new motor, unbeknown to me, the "technician" (in this case I use that description very loosely) had not set the motor to run on XD100, but on XD25. Because of that I was burning the expensive stuff at about four times the rate that I should have been. I believe that the setting made the engine use more fuel as well.

Not only that, but the guy had set the motor one spot too low, which gave me all sorts of problems in getting the boat to plane as well as using more fuel again.

All that was sorted out when I took the engine to the other dealer in town (Mitchells Marine!! thanks guys) who had a technician who knew what he was doing and picked all those problems up. Since they adjusted everything and I put the Stainless prop on, fuel and oil consumption have improved out of this world (dont ask me for figures because I havn't been keeping tabs on it).

Hopes that helps,

Cheers

Geoff

[Shanoss]

interesting. I had no idea they would have a setting like that. I wonder....... is it possible to activate the Four Stroke setting on them? that would make life alot easier. lol

[johnsonMAN]

Mercury16 -Woopty doo. If you want a speed boat go get a Wakrboarding boat with a Jet engine.
We own fishing boats not speed boats right?
Those 'Tugga-war' test's aren't always accurate.
Does 2km/h off top end speed really matter?
Does it matter which outboard has the best up and go?

IMO if you are looking for an outboard get an outboard that suits your needs, will be a reliable motor and give u pleasure boating out on the water.
This isn't aimed at any brand im just saying does a few km/h faster/slower really matter?
Thanks

[juju]

Some guys go to allot of trouble trying to squeze out a few extra klm.......never been able to understand why...i can do around 60...but sit on 40 most times..less fuel , not as hard on the outboard...better ride........when was the last time anyone had a drag race getting out from the ramp???..
Ps Im still waiting to hear of some problems......bad stories.......waiting.....waiting....seems quiet.....

[Mercury16]

What eva mate, clearly you dont understand what i meant!

[cormorant]

I didn't know the oil setting changed the fuel ecconomy. Would be interested to find out if this is correct. Not sure you would change the fuel map on a engine ECU when you change the oil mapping.

Your prop change and one hole up will make it a diferent boat and amazing the difference on ecconomy when on the plane.

Great to see you got it all fixed

[just_cruisin]

Steven,
The way I see it is...
The BRP marketing scheme has really got under alot of peoples skin (myself included). Trying to trash the oposition with phony tests & reports, yer some of there claims may be true (not alot), but mercury's optimax fuel injection system (as initially designed by Aussie's) has been doing, what BRP claims to be groundbreaking stuff, for years.
All tests I have sited, not conducted by BRP, have had no were near the same results as what BRP claims.

What happens is.. a new E-tec owner comes out with all guns blazing, claiming this thing is the ducks nuts, when most probably, alot of his/her thoughts/observations are actually the creation/result of the above mentioned informercials and shite.

[sjp2]

how come nobodys mentioned price (as far as ive read)
suzuki 4st 70 hp $9500 martin marine
etec 75 $10,530 yatala marine
and sure if you want to compare same hp,the 60 hp in etec $1200 dearer then the same yammi 4st