Opinions needed on Etec

[Halfhitch]

I have a pair of 1988 Mercury 135 Black Max 2 strokes on my boat. They are original to the boat and run fine....except....fussy to start cold...smoke like crazy when they do till they warm then run clean/no smoke(kinda)....noisy....thirsty(12 carburetors)....that early oil injection system was undependable so it has been removed and I premix the fuel.(a pain in the arse).....The plusses......They are mounted on the transom and I own them. I am wanting to upgrade the motors but putting new on this old boat is not smart so I have been looking for good "take offs". A guy near me is getting ready to update to new 150 4 stroke Mercurys. He is removing a pair of 2009 Etec 130hp two strokes. They are actually a few pounds lighter than my old Mercs. Each one has about 650 hrs on the clock. He said they run like new and His boat is on a lift at his house so we can still run them. They come with SS props, remote oil tanks and hoses, wiring harness and gauges and SeaStar steering cylinders. He is keeping his dual binnacle so I would have to buy binnacles and cables. Now, before you give me your opinion, just imagine that we are sittin' around a fire shootin' the bull, and we've all had a few good pulls on that bottle that's getting passed around and you don't really give a damn what people think. Now this guy wants 10K for the package and we all know that Evinrude quit making these things a while back....Do these things start and run like you hear guys bragging about? Should I run for my life? Should I grab the deal before it gets away? I'm an old guy so parts will be around longer than I am. Fire away!

 

[SkunkBoat]

Out of Business is a hard nut to overcome. And 2 stroke... Might as well buy an AMC Gremlin.
I wouldn't do it.

I owned a carbeurated 91 merc 150...I have felt your pain..replaced it with a zuke df140, great motor

Find some Yamaha fuel injected 2 strokes, or some old 4 strokes coming off a repower.

 

[Halfhitch]

Those 140 suzukis are ideal for my boat because they are narrow and I have to mount them close. The only problem, they are like hens teeth.

That Gremlin remark pretty well puts a nail in that coffin!

 

[blindmullet]

Those 2-smokes are good motors and the weight savings are nice on older hulls. Depending on the application the Etecs will out perform a comparable 4-stroke. The downside will be a little more noise and the oil. I have one of each (Opti/zuke) and they both have pros and cons.

They don't make Etecs any more, but they sure make replacement parts. Warranties and parts will still be available.

 

[steveditt]

Fantastic engines ,use very little oil never never smell of a two stroke , great on gas a whole lot less maintenance touch the key any weather starts right up, excellent power.If you research the Etec they run cleaner then 4 strokes . Soon we will be all driving electric cars and be convinced that gasoline engines are bad !

 

[family affair]

There is a misconception that Evinrude is out of business. They aren't. They stopped making outboards. BRP is alive and well. Parts will be available, but who knows for how long.
I'm a fan of 2 strokes for some applications. I even considered a g2 for our last boat. However, after having 4 strokes, something profound changed my mind. We do a lot of slow trolling and have some long idle speed areas out of the ports we operate out of. The near silence of 4 strokes at low speeds is a welcome game changer for me. When you spend hours at a time putting along, the silence makes a long day feel much easier.
Back to your question. If noise is not an issue and price point is a deciding factor, you will be very pleased with the upgrade over what you have. I wouldn't be worried about parts unless you put on a ton of hours per year. If money isn't an issue and you like quiet, I'd spend some time with a comparably sized 4 stroke before making the decision.

 

[Halfhitch]

Well, so far ....2 in the + column.....1 in the -- column.....1 on the fence. Still in a bit of a quandary. Not a lot of weighted opinions yet. Mulling it over.

 

[SkunkBoat]

There is a misconception that Evinrude is out of business. They aren't. They stopped making outboards. BRP is alive and well.

idk...by that logic AMC is not out of business Chrysler is alive & well

 

[blindmullet]

idk...by that logic AMC is not out of business Chrysler is alive & well

idk...by that logic AMC is not out of business Chrysler is alive & well

No - Does Chrysler still provide warranty and parts for AMC? Much different situation.

 

[BobH1]

Ever run a Gremlin with the 304 V8?

 

[Mustang65fbk]

It seems like with the ETEC's that there's either a love or hate relationship with them. The people that own them and haven't had any issues with them are obviously going to sing their praises. Those that have owned them and had an experience on the complete opposite end of the spectrum are probably going to tell you to run away. I admittedly have never owned ETEC's and I can't say from what I've read or heard from actual owners that I'd ever want to own a boat with them. A coworker of mine actually worked as a marine mechanic at one point and said the ETEC's when they were brand new years and years ago shipped oftentimes with bad injectors. To the point where the shops getting them to put on customers boats would just take out the injectors and install brand new ones, even though the motor had never been run before. I'm sure they're well past that issue at this point, but it can be an issue depending on which generation of ETEC's you have. My biggest concerns would be who will work on them, the parts and if they're readily available and the smell/noise. I heard that Mercury dealers are required to work on the ETEC's? But I'm not positive. If so, is there a decent Mercury mechanic in your area that you trust and has parts readily available? I've also noticed in the last 5 years or so when being out on the water in my previous boats that you can always hear or smell when an ETEC or other 2 stroke boat is nearby. I remember vividly being out shrimping with a buddy on my previous boat and there was a newer Grady White that had a single ETEC on it, and every time it took off or came back to check his pots from a different location you'd hear him from a ways out and smell the smoke or fumes. You could also see smoke coming out of the back of the outboard, which having been on my uncle's previous boat that had twin two strokes, you'd almost be nauseous after a few hours of fishing because of the smoke and fumes. With 4 stroke motors you don't get the noise or the smell of oil/gas fumes. I remember when I had my 21' Arima with a Honda 130 hp 4 stroke on it that I'd try starting the motor every once in awhile when it was already on and in neutral because it was so quiet that you almost didn't hear it. Not trying to bash the ETEC's or anything, just not really my cup of tea and not something that I'd want on my boat. Good luck!

 

[family affair]

idk...by that logic AMC is not out of business Chrysler is alive & well

I see your point. I think a Mercury/Ford relationship might be a more appropriate analogy.

 

[Byram]

A friend of mine has a 2015 ? 115 etec on his mako.. I guess the older ones smoked more than the newer ? His is almost 4stroke quiet , and no smoke. From what ive seen its been a great motor.