Outboard choice.

[_Ed_]

Direct Injection 2 stroke engines are more efficient than 4 stroke if driven exactly the same. The reality is they have much more torque and which uses fuel (but still more efficient) than a 4 stroke so the difference isn't huge but you will notice mid acceleration much quicker when on a steady state the 2 stroke will be using less fuel than 4.

I don't accept under any condition that the 2 stroke uses more fuel than the 4 stroke unless its producing more power, because by its injection system is so much more advanced.

The E-tec has a 3 year/300h service, not 500. Thats the G2 engines. BUT BUT BUT!!! that's a DEALER service you still have to do this annually on salt water:

Anti-corrosion anodes
Grease fittings, lubricate
Propeller shaft splines, inspect and lubricate

The manual recommends that annual checks should still be carried out as normal annually on everything else if in salt water such as pump impeller etc.

I'll tell you what you need to do, you REALLY REALLY need to get on a boat and test both engines. I suspect, but I may be wrong you will prefer the E-tec. I imagine that the dealer (and this is me being cynical) will make more money on the Mercury engine, but I think its quite inferior to the Mercury.

Finally



Ignore the American hype, it explains quite nicely the 2 stroke DI benefits....

[sprocker]

Thankyou Ed, that is one reason why I like this forum so much, knowledgeable speaking in language that is easy to understand...even for me.

I guess I need to do more thinking, as your points do make sense.

I have arranged to get out on an Etec engined boat tonight, with an old boy in our Marina, so that should help to clarify my muddled brain.

This whole boat buying process is exiting, but frustrating, with a bit of scary thrown in for good measure.

The scariest bit is yet to come though......thinking of a name!

[Ianfs]

What sort of things are done at the 3 yr service? I'm guessing that as Ed says there are yearly checks and if an impeller required changing they would do it?
Interesting fact I read yesterday is that the injection module on the Etec injects fuel the size of a Champagne bubble.

[_Ed_]

Just one little snippet of info. The reason why DI 2 stroke are so good is that the piston comes up the bores, passes the ports, and THEN fuel is injected and ignited. Fuel never enters the engine via the transfer ports like in an old EFI or carb 2 stroke engine. The net result is a very very clean burning engine. 2 stroke oil then only needs to feed the bearings and it can be much more efficiently used to the point you almost don't smell it.

[Doc Oakley]

Hiya

I've got an E-Tec 25, had it for about 3 years now. Very economical (much more so than my old Mariner 30 2-stroke) and also quieter. It self-winterises very, very quickly, like in about 3-4 minutes. There are a lot fewer parts than in 4-strokes and as someone else observed, service intervals are every 3 years. I also have a friend who has an E-Tec 90 on a Jenneau (i.e. similar to the MF) - one of the earlier E-Tecs but has had no problems whatosever.

Cheers

Simon.