4 stroke motor choice?

[ib_jigged]

I have the chance to buy a new boat with 3 motor options.

115 Merc 4 stroke, 115 Yamaha 4 stroke, and 140 Suzuki 4 stroke. All three motors will cost the same. It will be hung on the back of either a Alumacraft Dominator 175 Sport or Navigator 175 Sport.

Has anyone had any experience with any of the above motors? I have always owned Merc's in the past and have had good luck with them.

Thanks,

[reinhard1]

it may not be the case anymore but when i bought my merc 115 4stroke i was told at the time that the motor itself was made by yamaha. this was at the end of 2001. still have it and runs great as ever. only thing i have done to it is change the spark plugs once along with normal oil change and lower unit grease anualy. if i would of bought the yamaha at the time it would of cost me $750 more. that was then and who knows now, i'm sure they are both good. good luck.

[flyboy10]

I have a 2010 Dominator 175 Sport with a Suzuki 140. Perfect combo. top speed with a stainless prop is 44 and it will troll down in the low 2's. The HP is actually only 128 but I felt it had alittle more on the top end then the Merc or Yammi. Plus the Suzuki is wisper quite.

[boatfixer]

Brand wise they are all good. If you could get a Zook on the back of your boat with 25 more HP for the same price, I'd prolly do that, as long as it is rated for that, which I would think it is. If it is I'd bet you would be somewhat unhappy with only a 115 back there. I would want to be comfortable with the dealer and their ability to service which ever you decide to go with.

[goose89]

I had a Suzuki DF140 on a 175 Tourney Pro. Awesome motor on that boat. I actually could have hung a 175 on that boat (I believe), and that would have been wild!! The DF 140, IMO, is one of the best all around motors out there.

Decent power and speed (quick on plane and 40-42 mph), easy on gas, and trolled down very nicely... like a Singer sowing machine back there. (closed throtle -- 1.8-2.0mph, depending on load, bow livewell empty or full, T8 down or up)

I'm embarrassed to say how many times I left it running after starting / trolling with my T8.

I've got a Yamaha F150 now, and although I'm impressed with it and it has also been a very reliable engine, I miss alot of aspects of my DF140. If Skeeter wasn't Yamaha owned, and pre-rigged with Yammies, I'd have a Suzuki on it for sure. Good luck.

[goose89]

I would want to be comfortable with the dealer and their ability to service which ever you decide to go with.

Very good point! I'll take good service over a particular brand, but if the Suzuki rig has good service with it, or they're all available at the same place....Suzuki...no brainer, to me. (I've never owned a 4Stroke Merc, but family members have....good motor, but not up to the level of Suzuki or Yamaha. IMO.

[morepower02]

Very good point! I'll take good service over a particular brand, but if the Suzuki rig has good service with it, or they're all available at the same place....Suzuki...no brainer, to me. (I've never owned a 4Stroke Merc, but family members have....good motor, but not up to the level of Suzuki or Yamaha. IMO.

Up to a couple of years ago the powerhead on a merc was basically the same as a yamaha. Also Suzuki built the Johnson four strokes. Mercury now produces there own four stroke that has just as good if track record as the yamaha era.

[thebman]

You will not be disappointed in the Suzuki. I've had the DF140 for the last 5 years and that motor is bulletproof, wisper quiet and great on gas. Don't believe the people that claim it is only a 128 HP motor. When I was looking to buy this motor I heard the same claims and researched every place I could and the only place I found the 128 HP claim was on message boards with people claiming they heard it here or there. The 140 will perform great idf you take the time to get it propped correctly.

[morepower02]

I have the chance to buy a new boat with 3 motor options.

115 Merc 4 stroke, 115 Yamaha 4 stroke, and 140 Suzuki 4 stroke. All three motors will cost the same. It will be hung on the back of either a Alumacraft Dominator 175 Sport or Navigator 175 Sport.

,

They are all good options, but the 140 will not go that much better than the 115's. Most 140 Suzuki/johnsons only put out around 128-130 horse. I have personally dynoed all three engines.

[CAMAN]

You will not be disappointed in the Suzuki. I've had the DF140 for the last 5 years and that motor is bulletproof, wisper quiet and great on gas. Don't believe the people that claim it is only a 128 HP motor. When I was looking to buy this motor I heard the same claims and researched every place I could and the only place I found the 128 HP claim was on message boards with people claiming they heard it here or there. The 140 will perform great idf you take the time to get it propped correctly.

[morepower02]

Just stating what I see in person, not what I heard Third party that is all.

[Northlander]

If you can get a 140 Suzuki at the same price as a 115 yamaha I would go with it. Otherwise the 115 yamaha 4 strokes have been absolutely bullet proof and great on gas and very quiet.

[PerchJerker]

I agree with the others, go with the bigger Suzuki motor. Even if it's not quite 140 hp who cares, it will still have more power than the 115s have. There's not a bad choice in the group but I like the bigger motor.

[Triple_D]

I know this wasn't one of the choices, but a good dealer should be willing to order this for you, my next motor will be one of the new improved Honda 115's, they came out last year, can get one for a little over 10 grand. I have a 2000 Honda 90 now with absolutely no problems.

I'm interested in an opinion from Marineman or some other boat guys on the new Honda. Better alternator/charging, lighter, better mileage, and an RPM reduction control available from what I've read.

How much were your other options pricewise? I saw a dealer in VA that had the 2011 Honda for $8600, not sure how much it would cost to ship here though?

[thebman]

They are all good options, but the 140 will not go that much better than the 115's. Most 140 Suzuki/johnsons only put out around 128-130 horse. I have personally dynoed all three engines.

Not trying to start any wars here but please post up the dyno sheets. I've searched a long time for some proof but all there is is heresay. Until then all I can reference is the mandated emissions rating required on every motor that rates the DF140 as 103KW power output. The motor is rated according to ICOMIA standard 28/83. The conversion puts this at 138 HP which is within the 5% (140HP)allowed by ICOMIA with motors rated above 100KW. (www.icomia.com) All this info is what I had gathered a few years ago when purchasing a new rig. So even though the 140 could be 133-147 the rumors on the web always keep getting lower and lower. I've read 128 then 125 and even some saying it runs the same as a 115 motor. The reality is that these motors simply have a great reputation for reliability and solid performance. The biggest thing with the motor is getting the proper set up for your rig. There are a limited number of props available for this motor and I had to get mine customed tuned for my rig. After doing this I am very pleased with it's power and have outrun boats with the same motor that have not taken the time to set their rig up correctly.

[morepower02]

First of all the Suzuki-Johnson 140 is a great powerhead. The marine dynos that we use do not have the luxury of printing dyno "sheets". Since the beginning of the 140's I have measured output of them. They were all overrated, heck I had a BRP service rep sit in my office and confrm what my guys were reading on the shop on the dyno.

[SkunkedAgain]

It's nice to have so many motors that are all top quality. If not, you wouldn't have these type of Ford/Chevy debates going on. It's tough to go wrong picking any of them.

That said, I have the Suzuki DF90 and love it. It's so quiet that the fish don't even wake up when I go by.

[rmb]

i have a hard time believing that the suzuki 140 would consistently fall outside of the 5 percent allowable range.

if they did they would have had their pants sued off by now. shoot briggs and stratton is out 51 million over mislabeling hp rating on lawnmower engines. really who the heck dyno's a lawnmower, let alone sets up a class action lawsuit.

if the 140 is always low (outside the 5 percent allowable so below 133 hp) all of the suzuki and johnson 140 owners out there are in for a nice class action lawsuit payday. however, i think the feds, a lawyer or a few other people would already be all over it if it were actually true.

from the california CARB records.

The df140 is rated at 102.97kw. a quick conversion to hp results in 138.1hp in 2010.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/offroad/cert/eo/2010/sime/u-w-002-0091.pdf

for reference the yamaha f115 was rated at 118 hp.

and the mercury 115 was rated at 113.4hp.

[tori's dad]

I have a Yamaha 115 on my dominator 175 and I really like it- trolls down nice and has a decent hole shot. top speed is about 35 mph with full gear load. I had a Yamaha 100 hp on my 2002 lund pro sport and did not have any mechanical issues with that motor and I owned it for 9 yrs- but all three are good choices- buddy has a suzuki 140 on his tourney pro and has had great luck also- good luck!

[JohnMickish]

i have a hard time believing that the suzuki 140 would consistently fall outside of the 5 percent allowable range.

It's a 10% allowance so 140-10%= 126HP. The 128HP that it puts out is a well publisized number. It's still a great motor though. It should be listed as a 130 instead of a 140 but it's legal to do it the way that Suzuki does it so I guess it is what it is. Anyways, people will pay more for a 140 than a 130 so why change?

[rmb]

in that case it makes complete sense. that does seam like a really big allowable range for higher hp motors. i also find it odd that the CARB certs list it closer to 138.

[ib_jigged]

Thanks for all the input guys. Still trying to decide on the boat, but if I go with the Alumacraft I will most likely go with the Suzuki.

[The_Seasock]

Guys I know have chosen Suzuki over the others because Suzuki spins the cam with a chain rather than a timing belt. Less maintenence in the years to come.

[waterwolff]

My spin on this would be in the event of a repair or service wich company is better represented.

[JohnMickish]

The 10% allowance is usually an over which allows manufacturers to make motors such as the Mercury PRO XS and E-tec HO, which dyno above their rated HP.