CONTINUOUSWAVE

I just came across a very informative presentation on the Evinrude E-TEC 74-degree V6 engine, also called the E-TEC G2. This recorded presentation has a number of interesting views of the internal components of the engine that I have not seen before.

https://vimeo.com/124204446

There's a lot to like about these engines, functionally and mechanically. The "clean rigging" is brilliant. The 2-gallon oil reservoir tucked under the engine cowling is a big improvement too.

Cosmetically speaking, I happen to think the white Evinrude ETEC engines (not the G2s) with their red trim decals are the nicest available to complement a white-hulled Whaler. But I just can't warm up to these G2s. I hope Evinrude will trickle-down the clean rigging to the lower-horsepower engine offerings in the ETEC line-up, without drastically changing their appearance.

One can only assume that the innovations in combustion chamber design used in the 74-degree engine to improve its power output and fuel efficiency while reducing exhaust gas pollutants will also be developed for Evinrude E-TEC engines in power ratings below 200-HP.

I really like the innovative design of the Evinrude E-Tec G2 engine. It took a little while but seeing one and being given a guided tour by the Area Rep at a boat show revealed a lot of very clever innovation.

At the dealer rollout meeting in 2014 when Evinrude revealed the new E-TEC 74-degree V6 engine, they put on a very good and very technical slide show presentation. Some slides from that presentation have been captured in photographs and explanatory captions provided in a short summary of a portion of the presentation. If interested in the computational fluid dynamics modeling of the combustion chamber, you can see the simulations in color in this presentation. It is worth a look. See it at

http://www.fishnlife.ca/pages/evinrude?mobile=1

The computational fluid dynamics modeling is available from other sources, but this is the only one I have seen with the slides in color.

The gear case used with the E-TEC 74-degree V6 (G2) engine is quite unusual. It is called the SLX Gear Case. Let's look at in in this annotated cutaway view:



The SLX gear case contains an electric motor actuator that operates the shift linkage. The electric motor is contained in an isolated compartment and actuates a shaft that passes through a seal into the gear case mechanism. The electrical control cable is made long enough for use with 30-inch shaft length engines. On the 20-inch and 25-inch engines the excess control cable is stowed in the mid-section. This eliminates the need for different length of cables for different shaft length engines. And, of course, using electrical cable eliminates the need for manufacturing different shift shaft rod lengths for a mechanical connection.

The drive shaft length is the same length on all gear cases. Appropriate extension shafts are added to fit the gear case to 20-inch, 25-inch, and 30-inch shaft length engines. In this way, only one model of gear case needs to be produced.

The gear case houses conventional gears and shift mechanisms, but tighter tolerances and stronger components have been used. Shifts are said to be accomplished with very reduced shift noise or "clunk." Also, it is anticipated that no neutral cut-off switch will be needed. Since shifts are initiated electronically by ICON II engine controls, the engine ignition could be momentarily interrupted to permit a shift electronically.

A hose (not shown) from the power head area connects to the gear case lubricant reservoir. A bottle at the end of the hose with a sight glass provides a indication of the lubricant level in the gear case.

Lubricant Level

To check the level of lubricant in the gear case, the starboard side panel is removed. The lubricant level bottle and sight glass are visible, as seen in the image below. The level shown is for a properly filled gear case lubricant level.



The attachment of the lubricant reservoir means removal of the gear case for service will be a bit more difficult. The hose from the lubricant bottle to the gear case is removed at the bottle and kept with the gear case, and the lubricant bottle is temporarily plugged so as not to leak.

According to a recorded presentation by Eric Olsen of the E-TEC G2 development team at Evinrude, the SLX gear case utilizes the same "super, super, heavy-duty" gear set as the straight leading edge (SLE) gear case already in use with the E-TEC, but the overall size and shape of the gear case has been "downsized" so that it is approximately that of the earlier high-speed LIGHTNING gear case.

The new SLX gear case that is used with the new E-TEC V6 74-degree engines has a few other new features. Compared to the Magnum II SLE gear case that is used on the standard E-TEC V6 engines, in the SLX gearcase:

--the propeller shaft is larger by 0.125-inch;

--the drive shaft is larger by 0.1875-inch;

--the propeller shaft distance to anti-ventilation plate is larger;

--the length of the anti-ventilation plate is increased at the aft end; the forward end has been tapered into the gear case;

--the skeg has been extended by 1-inch, and the start of the skeg moved back from the leading edge; and,

--the water pump has greater capacity, producing about 30-percent more water output.

Because of the change in propeller shaft diameter, propellers using a replaceable hub, like a TBX propeller, must have their hub kit sized to fit the SLX gear case propeller shaft. Existing TBX propellers or other brands with replaceable hubs for Evinrude engines will not fit the SLX gear case propeller shaft with their current hub kits.

Oil System for E-TEC G2

In the E-TEC GEN 2 200-HP and larger engines, the oil system is significantly changed. The new engines provide for an under-cowling oil reservoir. In most cases this will eliminate the use of a remote oil tank. A remote tank, however, can still be used, and connections are provided for a remote oil hose and remote oil tank level sensor to enable a remote tank to be rigged. Elimination of the remote oil tank will simplify rigging and reduce clutter in the transom area of most outboard engine boats. It also stops the four-stroke fans from insisting that a two-cycle engine rigging is cluttered because it must have an extra oil tank.

The under-cowling engine oil tank has two gallon capacity. Connected to the tank is a tank level sensor and the MAIN OIL PUMP. All GEN 2 engines also have a second oil pump, called the CYLINDER OIL PUMP. And the 300-HP E-TEC GEN 2 has a third oil pump, called the RAVE VALVE OIL PUMP. The MAIN pump feeds oil via the usual blue translucent hoses to various points for crankcase oiling on the engine block. The CYLINDER pump feeds oil to individual cylinder lubrication points. The RAVE pump deals with the special exhaust valve system used on the 300-HP model.

The diagnostic software allows for individual control and priming of the three pumps. Or all three can be primed simultaneously. Priming is extremely important to remove any air bubbles from the oil system.

Use of Evinrude XD100 oil is "highly recommended for all conditions and applications." XD50 can also be used. If XD100 or XD50 are not available, the oil used must be TCW3 certified. I have not found any mention of an option for reduced oil rate if XD100 is used exclusively. (Further input on this point is welcomed.) Oil is not to be added to the fuel tank on E-TEC models. Evinrude mentions this explicitly in their literature and training presentations.



On my present E-TEC 225, my average fuel consumption is about 4-GPH. The average fuel-oil ratio is about 50-to-1. This suggests that a two-gallon reservoir ought to provide about

1-hour/4-gallon-gasoline x 50-gallon-gasoline/1-gallon oil x 2-gallon-oil/1-tank = 25-hours/tank

at average fuel consumption.

I couldn't find anything online on how the integrated steering gear would communicate with current auto pilots, traditional style plumbed in to the steering helm.
Has anyone else seen anything regarding autopilots?

Auto pilots with their own hydraulic actuator do not communicate with other steering devices. They just create their own hydraulic fluid pressure and flow which is introduced into the hydraulic steering system in parallel with the hydraulic pressure created by the helm pump.

I have not heard of any information on using the built-in hydraulic power steering of the 74-degree V6 E-TEC engine as part of an auto-pilot system by "communication" with it. Here I assume you mean some sort of electrical communication.

There really is no data communication or electrical activation involved in the E-TEC 74-degree power steering system. It is operated by a normal helm pump, and it responds to input of hydraulic pressure. Such a system could not tell if the hydraulic pressure applied to the engine was from a helm pump or an auto-pilot pump. On that basis, I don't see much of a problem in using a conventional auto pilot with its own hydraulic pump. It would be connected in parallel with the helm pump, as usual.

The only unusual aspect of the E-TEC 74-degree power steering system is the control of the amount of boost provided. This can be set electronically. Perhaps with an auto pilot added to the system, it might be found that certain settings of the boost would work better.

If you are planning to buy an E-TEC 74-degree engine, and want to use it with an auto pilot, you should contact Evinrude in Wisconsin and discuss this with them. I don't think there will be a problem, but it would be very wise to check with the manufacturer.

You should be aware that Evinrude has specifications about the particular models of helm pump that are suitable for use with an E-TEC 74-degree V6 or G2 engine. They have also specifically banned certain helm pumps. On that basis, you may have to select the auto pilot pump to be similarly compatible. I believe the concern is for the helm pump to have too much output fluid volume per turn of the wheel. This concern would carry over to the auto pilot.

The best advice I know of in this matter is

An auto pilot pump is nothing more than an extended version of the typical hydraulic helm. The exception is the auto pilot pump is driven by a reversing dc electric motor instead of a steering wheel.

Source: "mead"

The G2 hydraulic steering is hydraulically assisted and needs hydraulic pressure to activate. It is not not fly-by-wire, so there is no way to electrically steer the outboard.

Source: "Seahorse"