Yahmaha 150 4 stoke or 150 Etec

[marine_man]

Here's my take on the situation...

I think there are two things in play here.. Chevy vs Ford (Vexilar vs Marcum) and the public's hesitancy to give a E-tec a try after the issues exhibited in the past (FICHT really messed with Evinrude / Johnson's image in my opinion). Couple that with a strong Aluminum Boat preference in the areas this forum serves which limits the options quite a bit and you're left with a lot of people pushing the "big" brands (Merc, Yamaha) and some people that have tested the waters with the Etec.

I think this is a lot like the Marcum vs Vexilar discussions from 5-7 years ago. Vexilar was pretty much the only brand out there, and Marcum was just starting to catch some early adopters attention. For a couple of years the feedback on Marcum was much like the feedback on Etecs.. sparce. As they gained some in roads their popularity has increased, and it's now more of a Marcum / Vexilar vs Humminbird discussion.

Bottom line... I have read more than my fair share of Etec horror stories... perhaps because people are more sensitive to those types of failures than a similar failure on a Yamaha / Mercury.

marine_man

[delcecchi]

So, what in your opinion was the root cause of the failures in FICHT? Was it the direct injection? Insufficient pressure? Sooting? Lean burn? or was it just [PoorWordUsage] parts due to outsourcing with insufficient quality control?

What is the difference between ETEC and FICHT?

As an engineer I am really curious as to what went wrong with ficht and what was done to fix it. Talk about secrecy. The CIA should be so tight.

[gregg52]

Well I called up to the marina where we prefer to have it installed and he was $1000 higher on the Etec than anywhere else I've called and another $1000 higher than that for the Yahmaha. That other Yamaha that I got the good quote on was for a 25", we need the 20", and apparently those are hard to come by? Oh well we got time to find a better deal.

Gregg, Stockholm is Stockholm Township south of Cokato Mn. Thanks for the offer.

Not a problem let me know

you could try prices at hilmersons in little i think they still sell them

i bought my 60 there was like 1500 cheaper than any where else

also the power lodge here in brainerd sells them

but i have no idea where they are with there prices

[gregg52]

[quote=LMITOUT

Wonder why.

[Fredd]

Yamaha is still the standard like many have said. If the prices are comparable, I would stay with the time tested unit. I would also strongly consider intitial cost and value (used cost) down the road. Some people have a hard time buying the white motors for some reason (me included), but their time may be coming. BTW: I am a Marcum guy myself.

[isojam]

I had the same debate with myself 3 years ago, when I purchased a 115 hp. I went with the Etec. No problems and love the motor.

[blakeb]

yamaha tried and true, etech not so much, go to a repair center and ask any mechanic, they will let you know.

[gregg52]

my mechanic said 150 is bullet proof

and of course i'm sure he's bis right ???

[Farley]

yamaha tried and true, etech not so much, go to a repair center and ask any mechanic, they will let you know.

I did, they said they've never had an etec come back since 09.

[Fish&Fowl]

I've got the Yammy 150 and my dad has the E-tech. He says if he did it again he'd get a Yamaha instead...quieter, more power, better on gas and no buying oil all the time. His e-tech also blew up with less than 200 hours of quite easy use (he rarely runs it above 4500 rpm). I just talked to a guy who guides for a living and he has about 12-1300 hours on his 2008 Yamaha 150 and he's had virtually no issues.

[gregg52]

i would question the power issue unless its a 2 stroke

even then i would wonder

mines seems to have a lot of power on a heavy boat

why did it blow up ???

[marine_man]

So, what in your opinion was the root cause of the failures in FICHT? Was it the direct injection? Insufficient pressure? Sooting? Lean burn? or was it just [PoorWordUsage] parts due to outsourcing with insufficient quality control?

Sorry for the delay... I don't know that I have seen the formal "root cause".. based on what I've heard and read, it's sounded to me that it was a combination of a lean fuel issue related to the injector coupled with a shortened development schedule and not fully testing everything as they would have liked to.. couple that with a push to change the corporate operations into more of an assembly operation than a manufacturing operation and it was kind of the perfect storm.

I believe the E-tec was almost do over as compared to the FICHT.

marine_man

[Het]

I have a few friends that have had Etecs that were nothing but nightmares. One was an '07 115hp. This guy went through three powerheads in the first year, then sold the boat in the fall. Buddy #2, a very good friend of mine, had an '08 115hp. He had trouble right out the gate. The motor would cough, sputter, miss, and stall. The dealer claimed it was bad injectors, and changed them. That did nothing, so they changed the powerhead, with the same results. After the first season, they had changed the powerhead twice, and the injectors three times. The boat spent the majority of the first season at the dealership. At the start of season number two, the motor still didn't run right. Evinrude sent their own regional mechanic to the dealership. He claimed there was absolutely nothing wrong with the motor. Evinrude told my friend that they were done trying to fix this motor, and to live with it. My buddy had the motor removed from his boat, had another motor of a different brand mounted, and filed suit against BRP. I am listed as a witness in the case. Buddy #3 bought a brand new, big dollar rig, and had a Etec 250 HO mounted on it. On his third trip out, the motor grenaded, leaving him stranded way out on Lake Erie. The motor had seven hours on it.

[mamohr686]

If you want a 2-stroke, get a mercury optimax pro XS. If you want a 4 stroke, get a yamaha or suzuki. I don't own an Etec but have friends that have had too many problems right away. Hesitation, bad injectors, and weak lower unit gears that explode or get out of alignment.

[FM_Mike]

If you want a 2-stroke, get a mercury optimax pro XS. If you want a 4 stroke, get a yamaha or suzuki.

Why would you not consider a mercury verado?

Mike

[mamohr686]

Verado's are super heavy weight, have poor top end performance compared to other brands, and are gas hogs compared to any other 4 stroke on the market (due to the supercharger?). I think they were innovative when they came out, but there are better choices.

[Het]

Verado's are super heavy weight, have poor top end performance compared to other brands, and are gas hogs compared to any other 4 stroke on the market (due to the supercharger?).

I have a couple buddies with Verados, and I've found none of that to be true. The digital shift and throttle is amazing, the topend is as good, if not better than other four strokes of comparable size, and they are super quiet. I am picking up a new rig this fall, and it will have a Verado on the back of it.

[mamohr686]

The last shootout in bass and walleye boats magazine that had a verado in it was in 06'. Google BWB Mag and find the article titled "put up or shut up". Note that the Etec wasn't present and the SHO hadn't hit the market yet. The others have not changed much. Verado is the heaviest, and rated worst fuel economy compared to both 4 stroke and 2 stroke motors. It got rave reviews for the quiet noise level and ease of shifting and control. It took 2nd place for top speed and acceleration. The test boat was a ranger 620VS, and I know that that motor doesn't sit well on light weight hulls. It's just my opinion but if you want top end go for the opti, if you want a 4-stoke trolling machine go yamaha or suzuki. The verado seems to be good at everything else besides fuel economy. It might be a good choice depending on what you want, and the boat you put it on.

[Het]

I have an Opti on a Ranger now, and have had four in the past. I've been very happy with them. I have a 621 on the way with a 300 Verado Pro on the back, with a Merc Pro Kicker next to it. I have a buddy with the same setup. It is an awesome rig.

[delcecchi]

I recall reading a story a few years ago about the updates that were made to Verado to increase fuel economy. You might still be able to find it

And I did...

Mercury Marine brings fuel improvements, power train upgrades to Verado line

(Jun 20, 2007) - This summer, Mercury Marine proves you can have both increased power and better fuel efficiency as the company unveils enhancements to its Verado outboard engine line.

In the most significant enhancements since its groundbreaking 2004 launch, engineers at Mercury developed an enhanced power train for the Verado line that gives consumers increased fuel efficiency and power without sacrificing reliability.

Improvements to the power train give the Verado line world class fuel efficiency. Mercury tests show the new 150 hp Verado consumes 22 percent less fuel at wide open throttle and 18 percent less fuel on average at cruise speed than the 150 hp Verado introduced in 2005. In comparison to the competition, the new 150 hp Verado consumes up to 20 percent less fuel through the power band than the 150 hp Yamaha1, up to 23 percent less than the 150 hp Suzuki2 and up to 40 percent less than the 150 hp Evinrude E-Tec3.

The enhanced power train features forged pistons, precision machined oil dams, eccentric grooved crankshaft main bearings, an all-new intake cam profile, and a new PCM (power control module) calibration.

Compared to a cast piston, the new forged pistons provide increased strength and resistance to temperature and wear, added durability and are lighter in weight.

The precision machined oil dams significantly reduce the amount of oil allowed to remain suspended in the crankcase. This is achieved by reducing the tolerance between the oil dam and crankshaft lobe and connecting rod.

The eccentric grooved crankshaft main bearings deliver improved oil retention surrounding the crankshaft main bearings and reduce the amount of flow-through to the crankcase.

The new intake cam provides better optimization of top end power. It significantly improves air flow and allows the engine to produce more power while working less.

The enhanced PCM calibration helps optimize fuel economy at full throttle and cruising speeds.

To showcase the enhanced power train, all Verados will feature a new chrome-polished graphics package. The new four- and six-cylinder Verados will be available late summer at authorized Mercury Verado dealers.

[mamohr686]

My last boat purchase was around 06' so I didn't know about the updates to the verado. I appreciate the info, this board is great. I think I'll have the CROW for lunch.