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It's raining here, it's winter........let's have a good spirited discussion - I know this will get one going...
E-tec's are great engines but they don't seem to get the same MPG as their counterpart 4 stroke. Doing the math using these two tests (that are by BRP and Yamaha on the same boat), the E-tec burns 3 gallons more across the operating range. Hell, at a 1K rpm troll, the E-tec burns twice as much as the F250. Assuming you cruise 60% of the time and gas costs $3.50, the E-tec will cost you 630 dollars more in gas than the Yamaha every 100 hours. Assume the 2S vs 4S oil thing is a wash. To me 630 dollars difference is significant. And if e-tecs only need service every 300 hours that's 1890 dollars difference. And the delta $$ will only get worse as we go above 3.50 per gallon. So I don't get slammed for having an agenda, I have left the Mercury and Zuke out of this discussion but both do even or better MPG than than the F250.
The Mfr reports are here. Remember these are their own motor mfr tests so I assumew they brought their A game in terms of props and engone mounting....
With all this said they are still an engineering tour-de-force. They are reliable. The lack of need for 100 hour services and being NMEA 2000 compliant is a huge plus. If they solve this thirst problem, add power steering standard, Vesselview and fly by wire, they would the hot ticket, IMO. (or at least offer).....but they are thirsty right now....wonder what the new 300 burns?
but maybe on the etec TV commercial they should show the etec owner kicking the etec dealer when he looks at his gas receipts...
I never meant for it to be bait...just two performance reports from two mfrs...period....on the same boat....I don't think I bashed e-tec here and will probably buy one in the future...but the gas bills should be taken into account when consdiering buying any motor and I don't think that this been pointed out in the etec advertising....
I also respect what Joe does here and have contributed hard $$ to this site....and if it turned into a Pi$$ing contest somehwhere else, that's not of my doing....
All I can say is my ETEC running on a trip with another similar boat with an equal hp Yamaha 4 stroke was about equal in amount of fuel we each took on at each stop. This was about a 60 mile trip up the intracoastal and back. I other words if there is a difference either way it's not enough to really matter so I wouldn't let the fuel aspect sway me in either direction.
I will probably be getting twin Suzuki or Yamaha's when I repower in a few years. I have heard good things about E-tecs on the internet, but have seen several problems first hand. Nothing major, but any problem with a new motor will make the blood boil. I just don't want to take that chance.
