Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

[PierBridge]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

<br /> my local Boston Whaler dealer will not offer you a Whaler with anything other than a Merc, since Brunswick owns BW. However, if you ask for it, they will replace the Merc with a Yamaha in a flash, as they are still a Yamaha dealer,[/ QB][/QUOT<br /><br />In a flash for about $2500 bucks...

 

[TheChad]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

Originally posted by myoutboards:<br />stop asking the SAME F*&^ing question over and over and over.<br /><br />itll run forever and you'll save bandwidth.<br /><br /><br />seriously

If only people willing to make helpfull posts would reply... Imagine how much bandwidth THAT would save! <br /><br />-TheChad

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

geeee, chad, how mcuh are you gonna ask. over 20 replies, just to this one thread, i know you have asked before. you even stated that you knew everybody would tell you to get the etc, so what is your question?<br /><br />a VERY small percentage of people on this board own an etec. 99% of the responses will be from people who all the same thing.... opinions(among other things)<br /><br />optis are louder than etecs.<br /><br />etecs get GREAT milage. optis do too, though.<br /><br />ive knever owned either one, but i would get the etec, just cause its newer technology from a newer company, at the outboard business at least, who has something to prove. they are absolutely an IN YOUR FACE kind of company, and they want everybody to know.<br /><br />merc on the other hand, is owned by the same folks who make the bowling alley stuff, brunswick.<br /><br />at least to me, with merc starting to build motors in china, and the fact that they seem to be pushing 4 strokes, and their past reputation for not supporting older stuff, would steer me away from them 110%.<br /><br />i would lay down my cash more likely based on how the company operates than by the product they provided, that tells me MORE about what im buying than ANY tv ad ever could.<br /><br />theres my 2 cents.<br /><br />now go out, throw doen the 500 bucks, get an old 2 stroke from, say, 1982, and take it all apart and put it back together, and see if it still runs <br />you'll get a MUCH MUCH MUCHHHH better understanding of whats going on in there. that way, youll be able to make a more eductaed decision.<br /><br />ok, make it 3 cents.<br /><br />and STOP asking wich is better. they are all great. nobody makes a dud, except maybe if KIA made outboards. its all in what you want it to do for you and how much dealer support youre going to recieve.<br /><br />STOP

 

[tommays]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

if you look at the e-tec parent company they build what are considered the finest motors in the world for many other uses than boats<br /><br />there is really not a bomb in there wide product line<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[Sevcrist]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

Personally, I don't think much of the E-Tec or the Optimax. I think the best bet is a 4 stroke EFI engine from probably any manufacturer.<br /><br />My main problem with the E-Tec is the oil delivery system. A computer controlled squirt of oil here and there system doesn't compare to a pressurized lube system of a 4 stroke for reliability or longevity. <br /><br />I would also like to see a schematic of an E-Tec compared to a 4 stroke and see if there are really that many more parts to a typical 4 stroke.<br /><br />Finally, Evinrude/OMC/Bombardier has been through how many reincarnations of the Ficht motor but now I'm to believe it's a great motor.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

Finally, Evinrude/OMC/Bombardier has been through how many reincarnations of the Ficht motor but now I'm to believe it's a great motor.

There were 32 upgrades made on the Ficht the first year BRP owned them.....got rid of the bugs almost completely after the second year.<br /><br />As for "Is there really more moving parts in the 4-stroke?".....you are not a mechanic, are you...

 

[Sevcrist]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

Wallyhead,<br /><br />Do you have an Etec schematic? I guess all the electronics, wires, oil injection system etc. used to make the Etec environmentally friendly don't count as parts when compared to a 4 stroke.

 

[PierBridge]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

<br /> nobody makes a dud, except maybe if KIA made outboards. <br /><br /><br />[/QB]

Now you have crossed the line KIA is one of the leaders in consumer customer satifaction "number of complaints from customers" ahead of HONDA and TOYOTA.......

 

[TheChad]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

Originally posted by walleyehed:<br />

Finally, Evinrude/OMC/Bombardier has been through how many reincarnations of the Ficht motor but now I'm to believe it's a great motor.

There were 32 upgrades made on the Ficht the first year BRP owned them.....got rid of the bugs almost completely after the second year.

32 upgrades!!! Wow. That's what, about 1/4-1/2 the engine?<br /><br />-TheChad

 

[tommays]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

well company OMC made a FUBAR motor and went bankrupt leaveing the owners SOL<br /><br />company BRP steped in and picked up the pieces and did what was nessary to turn the FUBAR motor into a good motor and moved on and made a fresh start<br /><br />no matter which motor you like you cant use the fact that the OLD company made a bad product to slam the new one<br /><br />you should admire the fact that in this day of greed they did the right thing<br /><br />if you think anybodys high tech motor is going to be supported as long as the plain motors of the past you dreaming<br /><br /> whats CLEAN now will not be CLEAN enough in the future and will need things done that will require a lot of changes<br /><br />tommays

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

There is a lot of truth to that.

 

[ob15]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

Hey TheChad, Please post what you end up getting when that ever happens. If it was me, It'd be an E-tec

 

[BillP]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

Today's ob motors are getting to be disposable products anyway. Does anyone think we will be able to find efi/dfi computer parts (or anyone who can work on them) for a 2005 ob in 45 yrs? But guys with a 15 hp omc twin from 1960 are doing it now and will continue to do it well into the next decade. <br /><br />I guess the good thing is we may be able to find parts for new mercs from toaster ovens and bowling pin setup machines...cause that's what they look like were used on my merc/mariner/yammy. <br />

 

[Realgun]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

except maybe if KIA made outboards

Please tell me they make 1! I would be first in line to get it. It would probably weigh 280Lbs, put out 90 Hp, cost 4500 new, and never have a problem!<br /><br />Personally I loved my 1988 Ford Festiva made in Korea by Kia. It was a first year car and there were never any warrantee issues with it at all.<br />Only sold it to get me a truck.

 

[Bwalker]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

"My main problem with the E-Tec is the oil delivery system. A computer controlled squirt of oil here and there system doesn't compare to a pressurized lube system of a 4 stroke for reliability or longevity."<br />I run a fleet of over 30 outboards commercially. I can say with out reservation that the engine is the last thing to worry about wearing out on a outboard. Typicaly everything else on the outboard is shot before the motor is bad. I also wouldnt count on a four stroke lasting any longer than a E-Tec. By not having any gas in the crankcase the lubrication is light years ahead of a traditional two stroke. I might also point out that traditional two stroke last most people a lifetime with minimal maintenance. Something that can not be said for a for four stroke(the maintennace part). <br />As for the complexity issue. Keep in mind that from a emmisions standpoint four strokes are going to have to go to fuel injection. In reality the E-Tec system is fairly simple. It has a CPU and a unit injector on the head. By contrast the optimax, HPDI, TLDI, etc are much more complex having a belt driven air pump, etc and a injected four stroke more complex yet.<br /> That is what is so good about the FICHT injection sytem which the e tec uses and one of the main reasons BRP bought OMC. It is very simple to comparative technologys and it is very effective at reducing emmissions for todays and future emmissions standards.

 

[TheChad]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

Originally posted by BillP:<br /> Today's ob motors are getting to be disposable products anyway. Does anyone think we will be able to find efi/dfi computer parts (or anyone who can work on them) for a 2005 ob in 45 yrs? But guys with a 15 hp omc twin from 1960 are doing it now and will continue to do it well into the next decade. <br /><br />I guess the good thing is we may be able to find parts for new mercs from toaster ovens and bowling pin setup machines...cause that's what they look like were used on my merc/mariner/yammy. <br />

This is probably true, if electronics go out in 40 years, your probably SOL. But maybe with this new technology, some sort of regulation will come that will require longer support for outboards. Like with cars, a dealer is required to make/sell parts for a minimun of 10 years, before discontinuing them. Maybe some sort of requirement/law/regulation will get presented for that sort of support on outboards... But who knows, I guess we'll have to all come back here in 40 years to talk about it <br /><br /><br />As for the bowling pin machine comment....<br /><br />Alot of people are poking fun at Brunswick as a company. Yes Brunswick makes bowling products, but they make alot more then just bowling products. (BTW Brunswick is the STANDARD in bowling, so if they carry that industry leadership into outboards, than there is NOTHING to worry about).<br /><br />If we want to poke fun at Brunswick and all its sister companies, then we must poke fun at all companies that own odd sister companies....<br /><br />Like Yamaha... Lets see, yamaha makes everything from, Outboard's, ATV's, Motorcycles, Home Audio Amplifiers, cd players, speakers, Paino's, DJ equiptment, etc....<br /><br />But just like brunswick... Yamaha also is the industry leader with many of those product lines, and makes very good quality products.<br /><br />So it seams most all the outboard manufacturers have a long running list of high-quality products. So we should have nothing to worry about right? <br /><br />-TheChad

 

[Sevcrist]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

Ben Walker<br /><br />As I eluded to earlier, the Etec is simpler in theory but by the time all the extra parts are added to make it more environmentally friendly the simplicity vs. the 4 stroke EFI argument doesn't hold up.<br /><br />Also, does anybody know how much maintenance on the Etec costs after 3 years? I've never seen an answer to this question anywhere. All of Bombardier's fancy literature for some reason fails to mention this.

 

[BillP]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

Forget about bowling pins and look at Bombardier's reputation this way. They are THE engine of choice for ultralight and small experimental homebuilt planes. Ultra high reliabilty and dependability beyond question...nobody comes close. It's been that way for 15 yrs in aviation. The only other mfg that comes into the picture is Kawasaki and that is a LONG second place away. I have yet to see a merc, yamaha or suzuki motor in a plane. There are a few honda civic engines flying but not many. When your azz is pulling the stick back, reputation means everything. Bombadier is lightyears ahead of others in their design, engineering and mfg processes.<br /><br />

 

[tommays]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

<br /><br />get a tom and bill motor we are american made and run on easy to find water and food <br /><br />we do have a 6 hour per day run time limit but have never broken down <br /><br />tommays

 

[Bwalker]

Re: Evinrude E-Tec vs Mercury OptiMax

"As I eluded to earlier, the Etec is simpler in theory but by the time all the extra parts are added to make it more environmentally friendly the simplicity vs. the 4 stroke EFI argument doesn't hold up."<br />That is simply not true. Askyour self this.. What parts does etech have that a four stroke efi does not? Now ask yourself the opposite. What parts does a four stroke have that a e tec odes not?