Postby jimh » Wed Aug 05, 2020 11:33 am
Re my opinion of your brother-in-law's opinion about older two-stroke-power-cycle engines:
Older two-stroke-power-cycle engines that have been well-maintained and were originally good and reliable engines can continue to be reliable and good engines as long as they are well maintained.
The difference in noise level between modern engines and older engines is the largest at idle speeds, and when the engine is running at higher throttle the difference in noise becomes much less. If a few decibels of quieter running is worth $10,000 for your auditory enjoyment, get a modern engine.
The difference in maintenance between modern engines and older engines is not particularly large, and older two-stroke-power-cycle engines may require less maintenance. On older two-stroke-power-cycle engines there are no crankcase lubricating oil sumps to drain, no oil filters to replace, no valves to check for clearances as will be found on many modern engines.
If modern two-cycle oil is used there will be little smoke or odor in the exhaust of an older two-stroke-power-cycle engine.
The reliability of an older two-stroke-power-cycle engine can be quite good, but this characteristic will depend on the original quality of the engine, how well the engine has been maintained, how many hours of operation the engine has endured, what sort of service the engine was in, and many other factors all related to how the engine was used. Generally there are OEM or aftermarket parts (often better than OEM in some cases, particularly electrical parts) still available.
There are many c.1980 outboard engines still running just like new, are kept in like-new condition and appearance, and are highly reliable. These qualities depend entirely on the ownership, care, and prior use of the engine.
ASIDE TO DON RE NOVA SCOTIA: we visited Nova Scotia in 1997 and rented a car. We drove around for two weeks and had a great vacation there. We visited the small towns of PORT HEBERT and LITTLE PORT HEBERT on the southeast coast due to their familial namesakes, Halifax, Cape Breton, Bra d'Or, the Fortress of Louisbourg, the site of Marconi's transmitter used in the first radio transmission from North America to Europe, and many other interesting places. We did get out on the water on a whale watching boat and a leaky skiff that we rowed out and very quickly rowed back to shore.