2 stroke vs. 4 stroke

[FishyScent]

I am looking to purchace a fishing boat with a motor 90 hp. or larger and would like some input on what syle 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

[Norsky]

Any boat will do, just make sure there's a Yamaha four stroke on the back! You won't be sorry.

[Bud Man]

Four strokers are quieter and require less maintenance.

Two strokers have more power and run more efficiently.

Two strokers rule!!

[jiggin' fool]

Fishy,

Some considerations.

If you are buying a boat that needs a 90-horse or bigger, then I got news for you, if you are going to troll, or backtroll, you had better be prepared to buy a "kicker" if you go with a 2-stroke. A 4-stroke will let you troll down, it is quieter and you won't spook as many fish, you won't gag from the exhaust fumes, etc.
As to the 2-cycle's having more power.., used to be true. Today's 4-strokes are very close to the 2-strokes in the "hole-shot"..., so don't let the "power" fool you.
Some other pluses????
You won't have to worry about mixing gas.., or injecting oil. The 4-stroke is far more maintenance free.., AND will last longer than the 2-cycle. The resale value is no comparison..., once again the 4-stroke is the hands down favorite. You won't foul plugs with a 4, like you will a 2.
Those thoughts alone should get you going on a 4-stroke.
And oh yeah..., put a Suzuki on the back of it. IF you doubt me.., go ask a few mechanics that work at marine dealers and ask them how often they work on them. Most of the time.., they will tell you that people buy them, and they never see them back.., the motor is that reliable.

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"You should have been here yesterday"....,

[cd3]

i like your thinking norsky

[Borch]

As far as trolling down my expereience is quite the opposite. Most 2 cycles can be tuned down to around 500 rpms. Where most 4 cycles 800 is the floor for idles speed. Personally I'd take a close look at teh new evenrude Etec motors. These are more fuel efficient than the 4 stroke motor, quieter than the 4 stroke motors, cleaner than the 4 stroke motors and require less maintenance. They also use almost no oil. Plus they have plenty of power and troll down to 500 RPM idle speed. If I was buying new that's where I'd be looking.

Nothing wrong with the 4 strokes though. As long as you can get them to troll down.

Borch

[Big G]

Borch is right.

The 2 strokes also require very little maintenance. Also, 2 strokes have less moving parts and have much less wear.

The life of a 2 stroke is much longer than the life of a 4 stroke.

[cd3]

i think all of the new motors are good,manufaturers hv to meet 2006 epa guidlines i believe,so they all have stepped up to increase efficiency and reliability,,2 stroke--4-stroke, i love the debate but really its the fuel injection that really changed how well these new motors run.

[Guest]

90 optimax. Great engines built right here in the old USA. Do searches on various walleye sights and you will see 4-strokes are not always more fuel efficent. Go DFI either Rude or Merc both are great engines. My opti has lasted 4 years and counting. one thing if you like a quiet motor these beasts are not for you.

[18 inch Crappie]

I just bought a new 17' with a Johnson 115 4 stroke, They are a little more in the weight dept. But so smooth and quite. The gass mileage I get, I used 1/2 of a tank breaking in my motor for 10 hours. My old boat would have used 2 tanks full.

Far as trolling, get a drift sock, 2-2.5 mph without, down to 1-1.5 mph with a 30-inch sock.

[Mille Lacs Guy]

2 stokes actually troll slower than 4 strokes, as somebody mentioned earlier. The four stoke runs smoother and quiter thus the illusion you are going slower. But if you check the speed with a GPS the 2 stoke will troll slower.

If got a 90 Merc two stoke on the back of a Warrior tiller and I can troll all day and I won't foul a plug. If I had to pick a motor right now I think I would go with either a Mercury Opti Max or an Evinrude Etech. Both are 2 strokes that basically run just like a four stroke in terms of being quiet and get the fuel efficiency of a 4 stroke. The benefit of these motors is the response or whole shot you get from a 2 stroke.

[minnesota mac]

I second the opimax, I now a few people with them and they are realy something. One thing I have been told, if you blow up a 4 stroke the moter is junk, yea thats right a boar anchor. I guess I have a hard time spending that kind of money on something that is cheaper to replace than to fix. As for the suzukie the only one I have been around has had nothing but problems, he blew it up trim tilt problems and a few other things. Buy a anerican made optimax and you will love it, and you can be proud to say what you bought when asked. good luck

[outdoor ran]

I've used 2-strokes my whole life. Just recently I used a 4-stroke efi at a resort. I'm in love, my next motor will be a 4-stroke yamie. No more smelly loud motors.

[Northlander]

Go with either a Yamaha or Suzuki 4 stroke. You wont be sorry with either.

[jiggin' fool]

Minnesota Mac,

Go ask any marine mechanic about Suzuki's. Then come back and run 'em down. Every mechanical thing out there will have it's share of problems..., Ford's, Chevy's, GMC's. I am talking over-all reliability. I was not shooting my mouth off. It is a fact. Suzuki outboards are in the shop LESS than any other brand.

And as far as your recommendation on "buying American.., so go with Merc"..., when was the last time you checked to see who really "runs" Merc. That's right.., it's YAMAHA!!!!!! And even before Yamaha took over Merc, they built ALL their powerheads on their 4-strokes!!!!! (With a Merc motor cover)!!!!!
I am as patriotic as you are, and am a Viet Nam Vet...., but when the boys across the big pond are the ones that introduced the 4-stroke..., what are you going to do.

Do you still call Johnson's an American motor..., owned by Bombardier???? Oh, and by the way, all of the Johnson 4-strokes are Suzuki's...., ALL SUZUKI..., not just the powerhead.

Check your facts....., mac!!!!!!!

[minnesota mac]

jiggin fool. I am not trying to start any thing. I now all the motors out there are good. I do now that the only person, I know that has a suzuki moter, blew it up its first year. The oil pump failed and he had to go in on his electric, also this year the tilt trim failed, the motor is 3 years old. I now every thing has its problems. I do know that suzuki makes the powerheads for the 4 stroke bombardier, also I do know that yahama makes them for mecuary. I also know that mecuary opi max powerheads are made here in the good old us. I am just saying I try to buy american WHEN I can. I know honda , yahama, suzki, makes good motors. What I am trying to say is my job and a lot of other peoples , need you to buy american products. I do now if anyone out there was to buy a opimax they would be more than happy with it. Also I guess I would not be proud to have a suzuki motor hanging on the back of my boat. I know they are good motors, but thats just me. I try to buy american when I can, or as much american as I can. good luck mac

[klbowe]

Quiet , easy starting , resale = _ Stroke ?

[jiggin' fool]

Mac,

My apologies. I didn't feel that you were trying to start something...., and I surely wasn't.
I too try very hard to buy American. I have owned 6 brand new trucks in the last 15-years, and every one of them was American. I go out of my way to buy American. But I wanted a 4-stroke motor, and didn't want a foreign motor, but soon found out after shopping, there was NO way around it. Even the Johnson 4-stroke is a Suzuki. (In fact, friend, the Johnson isn't just a Suzuki powerhead.., it is honest-to-God ALL Suzuki.., just painted white and lettered "Johnson".
So don't "read" anything into my reply, it is just that so many people like to slam others for buying foreign.., and for saying negative things about certain motors, that I get a little defensive. A friend of mine that lives in the Metro, did a little shopping, after fishing with me, and visited a number of marine dealers, and he asked about Suzuki motors, and NONE of these people sold Suzies, and every one of them praised the motor. If you look hard enough on this board, you will see a couple posts about the Opti-Max and the troubles people have had with them. And people I am sure, have troubles with Suzuki.
I was VERY skeptical about Suzie motors until I researched them.., and I now just want to tell the world how great a motor they are..., heh-heh!!!!!!
Mac, No offense, I hope!!!!!
Here is wishing you tight lines all the rest of the season.., and may your motor FOREVER purr...., Opti-Max or whatever is riding the back of your boat. But if you need to replace your motor somewhere down the road....., look at a Suzuki!!!!! (You really didn't think I was gonna miss another opportunity did you.., hee-hee)!!!

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"You should have been here yesterday"....,

[lawman]

I have been running my 115 Suzuki 4 stroke now for four seasons. I troll down to 1.7 mph and I can have a conversation with my hard of hearing brother while running fast or trolling. I'm not at all mechanically talented and I still do all my winterizing. A good buddy of mine just bought a 4 stroke Johnson and he loves it. He traded in his 3 yr old Johnson two stroke for it. He like my four and he just had to have one.

[18 inch Crappie]

FishyScent, Bottom line, go with the 4 stroke and you will never look back.

[Guest]

When did Yamaha take over control of Mercury?

Last I heard Brunswick owns Merc, not Yamaha. It is true that Yamaha sold power heads to Merc though.

If I were going with a wheel boat, 90 hp or over, I would worry more about finding the best deal with the dealer with the best service.

All the 4 strokes are good and the Opti and Etec are just as good. It's all personal preference.

[klbowe]

Agreed but I would advise to avoid the dealer with the best price and find the dealer with the best service.

[Sandbar]

I'll throw in my 2 cents. I have the 2003 Suzuki 140 4 stroke. I have put 220+ hours on this motor and all I can say is....WOW! The motor has been flawless, good hole shot and top end, excellent on gas, and REALLY quiet. A 2 stroke in the same class will out perform a 4 stroke in hole shot and top end, but for me, I will take this motor over any 2 stroke out there. With today's outboard technology, the majority of 2 and 4 strokes perform very well. Good luck with your choice.

Sandbar

[buzzsaw]

OK, now I'm curious. I have a 125 HP 2 stroke Mercury on my boat and wish I would have gotten a 4 stroke... like everyone has stated... gas mileage is better, much quieter, smooth ride! Can somebody explain why a 2 stroke is faster than a 4 stroke of the same or close to the same HP. Is it ubsurb for me to feel that my boat is quicker out of the hole and topend than a 4 stroke Suzuki????

[Big G]

Two strokes are faster because on every other stroke, you get a "bang" of energy. On a 4 stroke, it takes 4 strokes to get a bang. Therefore, you add up more energy with a 2 stroke. That is a small part of the reason why 2 stokes use more gas.

All in all..........Horse power doesn't really mean squat. It is all about torque. You can have 1000hp, but if you don't have any torque, you can't move a car over a curb. That is why you will see different "150s" out perform each other, because of torque that the different motors generate. A good example of this is basically the more stroke a motor has, it will generally produce more power. With that said, generally, a "V" motor will outperform an "inline". The power performance of a v-6 150 is about double of a inline-4 125. The power difference of 25 horse added 15 mph to my buddies boat. He went from the low 40s mph to the high 50mph, just by adding 25hp. However the 25 horse came with alot of "torque" with made it easier to move the boat. It also made it easier to gain the rpms.

Another example is the 400 small block chevy in comparison to the 396 big block chevy. The big block is smaller in cubic inch (ci), but because of the stoke, it generates 50% more horse and about 75% more torque. There was a study of all the manufactures 200hp motors. There were about 7 motors from evinrude, merc, johnson, mariner. All were 200hp. They were put on the same boat and compared speed. The evinrude fict out performed the other boats by 7mph, all because of torque.........

Again, this is generally speaking, but you get the gist........

[This message has been edited by Big G (edited 08-10-2004).]

[buzzsaw]

Thanks Big G! So am I crazy to believe that my 2 stroke 125 HP Mercury is quicker and faster top end than the 140 HP Suzuki 4 stroke?? Because it sure feel like it to me... or maybe thats just all the extra noise my boat is making. ( :