Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Have any of you been on the evinrude website and seen the back to back comparison videos. The etec smokes the 4 strokes with the same hp. I ordered my boat with a yamaha f150, after watching those videos, I wish I got an etec. Have any of you driven comparable boats with same size 2 and 4 stroke motors? I wonder if it is more of a propping issue or a real power difference in those videos.

Lighter weight, you should have asked Lakerunner,he would have told you to get the E-Tec, he switched his and loves the fuel mileage too.

Running a 90 h.p. etec on a 24 custom build and can easily burn about 48 gallons of gas to only one oil tank, and the oil ain't cheap. So I'm saying they get great gas mileage also the best selling feature to me was you cant hardly hear it run and no typical 2 stroke oil burning smell. Sorry pal its like I tell my Chevy driving friends "You shoulda bought a Ford"

ditto on herbs reply...............a mustang with a 302 will out run a Lincoln with a 302. they both have the same hp but the mustang is lighter

doc

Being the die hard 2 stroke fan that I am........(it hurts to say this ) but i firmly believe that a 4 stroke is the best way to go on a pontoon...now if I were running a tritoon setup and was only concerned about topend I may lean towards an Optimax or similar 2 stroke..as there MAY be a slight advantage where top speed is concerned on certain applications(not always though)... but overall, the 4 stroke is a better running engine on a poontoon. Pontoons do a lot of idling, slow, and medium speed cruising and the running quality of a 4stroke is excellent down low where 2 strokes tend to suffer a bit. 2 strokes are light weight high revving engines and do not have the same smooth and even powerband of a 4 stroke.

As far as ETEC's videos...they have a kick ass marketing division but remember those boat/motor setups used are very very carefully picked ...

I haven't seen the video but my real experience is compared to my 90 Merc 4stk (6 years of excellent service)
I use half the fuel of the Merc. I went with the 100/1 setting and I use a gallon of oil per 100 gallons of gas. Yes the oil is expensive but compared to fuel cost I will stick to E-Tec. Also it is quieter than my merc ( friend has a new 60 Merc 4stk and it is quieter ) was but not as quiet as the Honda I had on another toon.
Performance wise I am a 100 lbs lighter so rear sits higher in water about 3". I also out perform the merc under load. With the merc and 5 or 6 on board It was a dog but the E-Tec performs almost like additional passengers aren't there.

So yes I do love it.

I would buy either one, their both great engines.
I would like to see them re-do the comparo video with the new Yamaha engines. Some of Yamaha's new models are lighter then their own2 strokes (something like a 100 lbs lighter) which would put them real close in weight to the e-tecs.
Once the weight difference is gone, then it's really a 2-stroke vs 4-stroke. Would be interesting.

Buying my 4 stroke was the best thing I ever did. LTB hit on the head. When it comes to Idleing or slow cruising they are awesome. My old 2 stroke did not like to putt it would shake a shimmy and foul out plugs. I am crazy bout my Mercury.....

he he, I work with a guy and help him work on etecs now and then. the monopoly they have on parts and service, particularly on thier EMM computers and fuel injector setups have scared me away from etecs. give me a good ole mother carburator any day. they are also very cold natured motors