efi or carbs?

[hipster dufus]

iam having carb problems with my littlie outboard. what is everyones opinion on efi vs carbs? better or worse, fuel efficiency, repairs, reliability etc.soon i will be looking for my retirement boat and would like to hear different opinions. thanks

 

[hipster dufus]

Re: efi or carbs?

no opinions out there? i am a decent mechanic but carbs have always eluded me. what are the pros and cons of efi and carbs? thanks

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: efi or carbs?

Some fuel-injected outboards are great, especially the new Evinrude etecs. The advantage in many cases with efi is fuel efficiency and smooth, quick acceleration.

The new Evinrudes have won awards for being a clean outboard, since the fuel and oil is mixed by a computer sensor and recycled so none is wasted, or burned off, or dumped in the lake.

Carb'd motors are easier to work on without paying a mechanic.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: efi or carbs?

With EFI you are pretty well getting out of the shade tree mechanic possibilities for many repairs. If carb's have given you issues, then a computer controlled EFI will be a dealer repair item.

 

[bassman284]

Re: efi or carbs?

On the other hand, with efi you aren't repairing it every week.

 

[bruce40]

Re: efi or carbs?

I prefer the EFI. A whole lot better on fuel. (my 115 etec is better on gas than my old 70 yammy) I also like the way the motor starts immediately, no choke or prime, doesnt matter if its cold or warm, just turn the key and it fires right up.

 

[coolguy147]

Re: efi or carbs?

etec!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: efi or carbs?

You folks are forgetting that there are three main kinds of outboards. Carb, EFI and Direct Injection. DI are the best on fuel, but are pretty complicated to repair.

Anyone want to weigh in on the merits of non-DI EFI outboards vs carb outboards?

 

[jonesg]

Re: efi or carbs?

REbuilding 6 carbs isn't rocket science.
Replacing 6 $400 injectors is twice as much as I paid for my V6 150hp.
Then theres the onboard computer and labor$.

I can buy a lot of fuel for the difference in repair bills.

If theres a problem with your carbs, fix it, if you don't understand get the manual and ask for explanation. Carbs are very simple devices.
The same lack of maintenance that causes problems in carbs will cause expensive havoc with injectors.

 

[coolguy147]

Re: efi or carbs?

why is EFI and DFI so hard to work on?

the hardest part i believe is getting the computer program which is very very expensive

 

[reeldutch]

Re: efi or carbs?

If you have a fuel problem with a carburated engine, you wil get the same problems with a EFI engine.

the EFI 4str engine has a VST with a float and needle and a high presure fuel pump.
if you have water in the fuel or lot of crap that wil clog up carburator jets, it will also clog up the high presure fuel pump filter, screen,injectors.
cleaning a 4 stroke fuel system is not difficult but you need to know how to clean the injectors.
lot of people over estimate the importance of a computer as a diagnostic tool.
a computer doesnt fix anything.
fuel problems often dont show on a computer diagnostic program.

my advice is

if you are looking to save money
go find a other hobby than boating.

 

[coolguy147]

Re: efi or carbs?

hmmm i'll stick with my carbs till i get older.

 

[Lou C]

Re: efi or carbs?

Each has advantages and disadvantages, carb has lower cost and easier shade-tree repairability, but EFI runs great with very little maintenance for years assuming clean fuel with no water in it...

If you have a carb engine and don't want to rebuild the carbs yourself it's not bad idea to find a mechanic who does it all the time, take the carbs off and let him do that for you...

I had to do that with my Rochester Quadrajet this spring, the shop was too busy to take my boat in so I pulled off the carb took it to them and they rebuilt it for $160, back in business...

I love FI in my vehicles, have run them 10-12 years and very little trouble....probably my next boat will be FI unless I re-power this one and keep running it...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: efi or carbs?

If you are considering a "new" boat and motor, it is fairly hard to find something other than EFI/DFI which brings up a point. There is a distinct difference in the two technologies. Four stroke engines are EFI where fuel is injected into the intake manifold. On injected two strokes like the Optimax and ETec, fuel is injected directly into the cylinders thus the term DFI or direct fuel injection. What I would definitely NOT consider is a carbed 4-stroke. Why go half way when making this switch. You still end up with carbs if that's what you dislike. If you claim to be a decent mechanic, then repairing carburetors should not be an issue. They are quite simple devices. The only recurring issue with them is sticky or leaking needle and seat and deposits of gum and varnish that build up due to poor fuel system maintenance. Whether you choose carbed or EFI/DFI, if you intend to work on these engines yourself, buy a factory service manual and save yourself time, money and the frustration that comes from "shot gunning" what you "think" is wrong and making R&R mistakes that screws up other things.

 

[coolguy147]

Re: efi or carbs?

etec