posted 01-10-2004 04:56 PM ET (US)     

I could tell they were excited ( but guarded) about this. They typically have been installing Yamaha 4-stroke engines and the loss of horsepower up here in at altitude plus the weight factor as been a problem with some customers.

They started it up in the back warehouse on a hose and I was impressed by the lack of noise by the engine running out of water campared to a typical two stroke. Absoutely no smoke at any RPM range this was in a building where it would be noticable. We compared it to a two stroke 1999 Yamaha 75-horse which was much louder.

I pulled off the cowling, very neat, less complex looking that a comparable Optimax. Very good looking motor.

No startup smoke, no break in period, 3 year warranty with the option of 7 year which I didn't get all the details on. It is available in dark or white, will adapt up to most older omc prerigs as far as shift throttle goes. Complies with all emissions current and comming

Not a detailed lake test with a foot of snow on the ground, but my first impressions were very favorable

Sterling

posted 01-10-2004 05:18 PM ET (US)            

Now all we have to do is wait for the Big Ones to be released..

I am curious about this..
For several years now the Evinrude 75hp, 90hp, and 115hp have all been 4 cylinder engines..
Now, the new Evinrude brand E-TEC&trade engines; 75hp and 90hp are 3 cylinder engines..

Where does that leave the 115hp, 135hp, and 150hp?

I haven't seen any reports on these larger engines, but I think we can assume the 115hp is going to be 4 cylinder otherwise it would be out "Now" along with the 75hp and the 90hp...

Is there going to be a 135hp?
Is it going to be a 4 cylinder of a six cylinder?
Is there going to be anything between the 115hp 4 cylinder (like a 125hp or?) or is it going to be the only 4 cylinder E-TEC™?

I am very curious as to what engines are going to be 4 cylinder.. Even if the 150hp is a 6 cylinder, I would consider a 135hp (if it were 4 cylinder) for the back of my 18... Obviously less weight then a 6 cylinder and probably not any less power then we are running now with our older 150hp OMC's.....

Just a thought,
Joe

posted 01-10-2004 05:46 PM ET (US)         

I was wondering that as well, 4 or 6, inline or V. We are on the eve of Mercury releasing their new line and from posts here, it looks like inline is popular.

Yamaha new 150 4 stroke is a 4-in-line and it will be interesting to see what Evinrude does with their E-TEC™.

I have been looking for a quieter cleaner repower and I like the fact that 4 strokes do that well. I am not sure that up here at altitude (4500-7000ft) it would work here well, especially with a kicker 4 stroke on the back.

I have heard (haven't confirmed) that at 5000 ft, a solid 25 % of horsepower is lost due to oxygen content in the air. DFI, EFI, doesn't make up the difference. When I take my Whaler to a local popular lake up here (Flaming George) at 7700 ft I run a 18 pitch OMC raker and can't get over 35 mph and barly get 4000 rpms. When I took my boat to Lake Mead at Las Vegas last summer (about 1200 ft above sea level) my boat flies in comparison with that same prop at 44-46 mph and I can reach 5000 rpms easily.

Max hp with 4 strokes up here really struggle and aren't enough. Weight on the transom is huge and Optimax has expoded in our local market because of less weight and cleaner burning.

I hope Evinrude will do the same. I have been brand loyal to that company since my childhood and my Dad used to take me fishing in a rental boat and bring his 25 hp Evinrude (1963) I would rather have some compatibility in a engine change out rather than lose all rigging.

My question is will they do the same as Merc/Yamaha and Honda did with 4 strokes? Skip the 150/175 class for a few years and go straight for the 200-225 class and later come back. If so, it could be a while before we get another good option for our 18s ORs.

posted 01-10-2004 06:18 PM ET (US)            

Because the combustion chambers of the current 40 through 90 HP E-TEC™ engines share the same dimensions (bore & stroke) as the current 100 through 175 HP engines, I think that the E-TEC™ versions of the 100 through 175 HP engines will built on the same blocks as the current DI motors are. If my speculation is correct the current 60 degree V4 will be used for the 100 and 115 HP and the current 60 degree block V6 will be used for the 135, 150 and 175 HP engines. My speculation is primarily based on not exceeding current horsepower to cubic inch ratios. I'm told that the 60 degree V blocks have a somewhat restrictive exhaust system that might prevent them from reliably and cost effectively getting an honest 135 HP out of the V4 block. Also, Evinrude usually under rates output a little.

As far as idle sound of the direct injected Evinrude 2-strokes go, they are much quieter than their carburated counterparts. When I flushed my Evinrude 225 Fichts on ear muffs for the first time I couldn't believe how quiet they were. The other thing that was very noticibly missing was oil smoke.

posted 01-11-2004 02:29 AM ET (US)         

I think you are correct. From my visit with the dealer, the new E-Tech motors are only up to 90 horses. Everything above that point is the existing Ficht technology which they won't carry. They have dropped the name off the cowlings. They just use the word " direct inject".

I suppose that is because the Ficht name has hurt them, even with the improvements made and Evinrude doesn't want that decal anywhere.

Our dealer said he thinks 150s-225s are a year away or more.

I looked carefully under the cowling at the 90 hp E-tech and compared it to a 2 year old ficht on a bass boat in the back of the shop. They looked totally different, from the block casting, wiring, coils etc. Totally different. The castings on the gearcase I am quite sure, were different, everything looked different. I don't think Evinrude/Bomb is using any old parts from the bins. It appears to be a complete new start.

I directly asked the question, is E-tech a warmed over version of Ficht. The answer was "absoutely not" He showed me a few of the differences I have mentioned and then showed software differences on the screen. They had a tough experience with Ficht and would not have started again if it was only a warmed over, slightly improved menu.