1987 OUTRAGE 18 Re-powered with E-TEC 150

[NeverLand]

Holy guacamole Batman! I just re-powered my [1987 Boston Whaler OUTRAGE 18] with a new Evnirude E-TEC 150, upgrading from the original BlackMax 150 that had faithfully served the boat for nearly 30 years. The E-TEC is amazing. Torque is mind-blowing and even a bit scary. Speed at WOT is in the mid to high 40's No stats yet on fuel and oil consumption.

Engine is remarkably quiet and compares favorably to my new 200 Yamaha that's hanging off my other boat. So far, very pleased with the E-TEC.

[jimh]

Yes, if I had an OUTRAGE 18 boat, and it needed a new engine, I would also get the 2.6-liter V6 60-degree E-TEC. It should be the perfect engine. Your fuel consumption will be significantly reduced, unless you run around all the time at full throttle. Try the XD100 oil. It is smokeless and leaves no ash or carbon behind.

[NeverLand]

Jim -
It's an outstanding machine. Am using the XD oil and love the absence of smoke!

[porthole]

Does the reduced oil also equate to reduce "stink"

[jimh]

The exhaust of an E-TEC on XD100 is not very smelly. The XD100 oil itself has a rather unusual odor. It reminds me of slightly rancid fish oil.

[blackvr4tt]

Does the reduced oil also equate to reduce "stink"

The newer Evinrude Etec direct injected 2-strokes have a very efficient combustion and virtually no smell. Most of the Etec lineup is actually cleaner than most 4-strokes, especially at idle and low speeds. Excellent high tech engines!

[NeverLand]

Question about mounting height: What's the ideal height/hole?

[jimh]

Engine mounting height usually starts at one-hole-up from lowest. We describe engine mounting height in units of hole or 0.75-inch and measure up from the lowest position.

The optimum height will depend mostly on the propeller chosen, and on how well it works in an elevated mounting.

How the propeller and the gear case interact also affects the propeller's ability to be mounted higher.

Optimum results come from testing on your boat.

[Phil T]

If you do a search on the archives, you will find the comments

"...as high as possible"
"E-TEC's like to be mounted all the way up"

Here is one thread for example

http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/007738.html

[NeverLand]

Thanks for the information re: mounting heights and props. Will begin testing shortly. The dealer mounted it all the way down and installed a viper (need to double check the specs of the prop). I hit 47-48 and 5,500 at WOT, up from 38-40 with my old Merc at nearly 6,000 RPM. Handling has been a bit off. I've experienced some porpoising and, once, at WOT the boat started to wobble in a most terrifying manner, unlike anything I'd seen on this boat in my years of ownership. Figured it was the result of low mounting.

Looking forward to dialing it in. It's already pretty amazing, and to think it can be even better...

[Phil T]

The dealer mounted it all the way dow

Your dealer is an idiot.

[jimh]

Many dealers mount engines in the lowest possible position on the transom when installing a new engine. This happens either from ignorance, from habit, or from concern that there might be some risk to mounting the engine in an elevated position. That last supposition makes no sense: if the manufacturer wanted the engine always mounted in the lowest position, why would he put in three or four sets of holes to mount it higher?

Move your Evinrude E-TEC 150-HP mounting position on the transom of your Boston Whaler OUTRAGE 18 boat so it is mounted one-hole higher than lowest. Begin propeller testing there. Record your engine speed and boat speed at a variety of of throttle settings, including wide-open-throttle with best trim. Report your results. Give us details on the propeller. In this way we can offer advice.

[NeverLand]

Thanks Jim. Will do!

[flymo]

Never, in your situation I would be inclined to move the motor up all the way - you have a reference, in the link provided, to someone's good experience with the same boat and motor. Or possibly one hole down from the top, if you're very conservative. I don't see any need to move it up one hole at a time; although it would be interesting to see a comprehensive set of results as you go up the ladder, it's a lot of work.

Porpoising is for sure related to the mounting being too low - not sure about the wobble but it seems likely. I presume the steering was also quite heavy?

[Peter]

My first Outrage 18 came with a Johnson 150 mounted one hole up
0
0 <== 1 hole up
0 <== 2 holes up
0

turning an OMC Raker propeller which is often used on bass boats. One season I had the motor mounted two holes up and I did not like the way the boat handled in a chop. The ride was uncomfortable relative to 1 hole up mounting. I moved it back down.

My second Outrage 18 came with a Johnson 140 mounted one hole up and I repowered it with a Johnson 150 and kept that at the one-hole-up mounting position based on my past experience.