[ronlyn239]

I'm considering a new boat later this year, and would like to hear pros and cons about 4 stroke vs. 2 stroke.

I've fished with a guide out of Lafitte, La for Redfish the past 5 years, and he has a 225 Honda on a 22' Bay Stealth boat. That Honda is impressive, and I was certain I was going 4 stroke this time. Then I went to a boat show, and saw the Evinrude E-Tec, and it is one sweet machine...lighter, better fuel economy, as near smokeless as is possible for a 2 stroke. What are your opinions??

 

[Defiant]

Here is a long post about that subject

http://www.catfish1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64384&highlight=4stroke+2stroke

 

[crazy]

Go with the suzuki 4 stroke. Dealers and ad's can make any product sound good.

 

[illinois_angler]

After driving numerous brands of both 2 and 4-strokes, I'd stay with an Opti or an E-TEC.

 

[cantstopgrandma]

2 Strokes have fewer moving parts, but takes oil. There are still a lot of old (60's and 70's) 2 strokes around, so i would say they are very durable. Most of the bigger engines are oil inject, so there is no oil to mix with the gas.

4 strokes take no oil (in the combustion process), have more moving parts, and are usually heavier than their 2 stroke counterparts. They do tend to be quieter, although i haven't heard the E-TEC or Optimax in person. 4 strokes aren't AS proven in the outboard world yet (they haven't been around for over 50 years like the 2 strokes have. They also require oil changes, and some require valve adjustments.

I personally like the 2 strokes, but everyone has their opinion on this subject....the arguments can get pretty heated.

 

[JAinSC]

Don't really know.

I have a 50 hp Honda on my personal jon and I love it. They are very well engineered motors. Run well, good efficiency, quiet, easy to service, etc.

We have a couple of the 75 hp E-tecs at work and they seem to be good engines, too. We abuse the heck out of them and they are still going strong. They are very powerful for their size/rating and efficient and tough. We ahve had a few small problems, but fo rthe amount of use and abuse we give them, they've been great.

 

[whodaman]

My team uses a mercury 2 stroke and we love it

 

[tncater19]

from an awful experiance i would say 4 stroke all the way cause unless ur caryin extra plugs and the tools to do it then 4 strokes the way to go plus they run alot cleaner

 

[rspd507]

This is usually a hot topic of discussion everytime it comes up here. I have a yamaha 4 stroke 50 hp and so far i love it. Its quiet and is great on fuel, however, power wise, Id say its about equivilent to a 35 2 stroke. The 4 strokes just dont have the torque the 2 strokes have. But to me the fuel economy is a big plus. I agree with you, The E-Tecs are an awesome machine and wouldnt rule out one of them if I were to purchase a new boat. Also the 2 strokes have proven themselves over the years and the 4 strokes still have a long time to go to say they can hang with them. rspd507

 

[micus]

4 strokes have been around a long time and proven themselves many times over. Just not on American outboard boats. I have a Merc 75hp 4s and love it.

 

[JAinSC]

Something to think about -
sveral people have said that 2-striokes ahve proven themselves for years and 4-strokes haven't. Today's 2-strokes are not the same motors that have been around for years. Emission regulations have required new injection systems and computers that are new and most are not proven or have only been out for a few years. 4-stroke motors may not have been on the backs of boats for years, but they have been around for a heck of a long time.

 

[ShilohRed]

My last 2 motors have been 4-stroke. And was sure I would never go with anything other then a 4-stroke again.
But the new boat is on order, And its getting a 90 E-Tec Tiller in White.:smile2:
Pete

 

[crazy]

Also the 2 strokes have proven themselves over the years and the 4 strokes still have a long time to go to say they can hang with them. rspd507

I don't know whats a car motor? Have you really seen the bigger 4 strokes there a car motor only turned on end. You tell me can your car hang with your lawn mower?

 

[cantstopgrandma]

I don't know whats a car motor? Have you really seen the bigger 4 strokes there a car motor only turned on end. You tell me can your car hang with your lawn mower?

You seem to forget that lawn mowers (for the most part) are air cooled, and car engines run primarly at thousands of RPMS lower than boat motors. Try running your car at 5000rpms all day. Let me know how that works for you. Yes they are very similar (many popular engine blocks are used in boats (5.0L, 4.3L, 454c.i., etc, etc), but not the same. Not to mention if you turned your car motor on end, it would probably starve the top cylinders of oil, because car motors use dippers to cool and lube the pistons. One good point that was brought up, 2 strokes tend to foul plugs at lower speeds, if you aren't idling a lot (like trolling, etc), than its usually a NON-issue. I've idled my new yamaha 2 stroke many hours this past year, and have not had any problems with fouled plugs (in fact, they still look new), and i'm running 50:1 oil instead of the recommended 100:1 that the motor says to run. I hear the bigger motors are worse about this though.

 

[Grumper]

The four stroke motor is general has been around way longer than any two stroke engine. Now, since we are talking boat motors, I would put it into two categories. If I had a jet boat, I would stick with a two stroke due to the weight factor. Everything else, I wouldn't consider anything but a 4 stroke now. Every boat I have owned until now, has been a 2 stroke. I now have a 4 stroke, and I absolutely love it. In my opinion you won't find a better 4 stroke motor than a Yamaha or Suzuki. They have it down pat. The last boat I had had a 70horse Yamaha 2 stroke on it pushing a 17' boat, and now I have a 150 four stroke pushing a 24' SeaArk, and the big motor gets just as good, if not better fuel milage than the 2 stroke. Plus, It's so queit you can't hear it running most of the time, and I don't have to buy oil at 25 bucks a gallon.:wink:

 

[gryan0607]

yes ,we just bought a 2 stroke mainly for speed getting in and out of the hole,if you have a 4 stroke 50 hrp, and i have a 50 hrp 2 stroke i will burn you every time.
enough said.

 

[Katmandeux]

In the interest of historical perspective, and accuracy...

http://www.4cyclemarine.com/bearcat.html

A small number (~500) of 85s were also produced. They were based on the Brittish Coventry Climax engine, while the 55s were built on a Crosley block.

 

[catsmith1]

I don't know every thing about boat motors, no where close. I just have my personal experience.

I have had close to 15 boats over the years. only two have been less that 2 years old. So if you throw out all the old motors, I have a Merc 4st and a merc 2st at this time. I can and have let the 4st sit for 6 months and it starts the second or third time every time. The 4st can take up to 5-6 tries after 2 weeks. I have had far less tinkering with the 4st.

That is just what happened to me.:cool2:

 

[ShilohRed]

yes ,we just bought a 2 stroke mainly for speed getting in and out of the hole,if you have a 4 stroke 50 hrp, and i have a 50 hrp 2 stroke i will burn you every time.
enough said.

Sorry but my Suzuki 140 will come out of the hole just as good as a 2-stroke. That is no longer an issue. Years ago it was. Just like weight. but if you look now days there about the same even on top speed.
Also same boat same motor I think you will find out if the 4-stroke is proped right. There the same.
Pete

 

[South Grand Laker]

i can see the arguments you guys were talking about, but nobody's mentioned price comparison's, i don't boat motors for diddly, i just know what hurts my wallet, and my 90horse johnson runs great but it sucks the gas down on the river