2-Stroke vs 4-Stroke, not what you think.

[gunflint]

For the past few years I've been hearing that 2-stroke outboards either won't be manufactured or that there is a law banning the manufacture of 2-strokes in 2006.And yet I see that Yamaha and Evenrude are still making them. Does anyone know what the heck is going on?

As a commercial user of outboards can I still use and rent 2-strokes after 2005? Thanks

[cashcrews]

Gunflint,

2-strokes can still be manufactured and operated. They have to meet certain emission criteria in the future though. So Evinrude, for example, has launched the E-Tec line which is still fundamentally a 2-stroke, but with lower emissions, etc.

I guess to summarize what I'm saying, 2-stroke or any particular engine type isn't being regulated; rather, it is the emissions that is being looked at more closely.

Cashcrews

[Valv]

Cashcrews is right. There has been this issue sice the '90s. They always advertise "no more 2 strokes after XXXX year" theny the mfgs change emissions to match EPA and they gain few more years.

I've seen it for 2000, 2004, 2006, now 2007.

[PierBridge]

Quote:

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As a commercial user of outboards can I still use and rent 2-strokes after 2005? Thanks

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Yes at this time older 2 strokes will be grandfathered in.

[DTro]

I found this elsewhere. All you gearheads may want to look away

Hi,

Many of you know that California is slowly legislating the phase out of 2 Stroke engines; not only on boats and personal watercraft, but also on lawn mowers and string trimmers and the like.

Lake Tahoe and surrounding lakes in the Tahoe Basin have gone ahead and banned the use of carbureted two-stroke engines altogether. In other parts of the state the engines already in the hands of consumers are still allowed; but for how long?

Here's a picture taken at a marina at a Southern California lake. They have replaced their rental fleet with 4-strokes, and have purposely disabled their old 2-stroke engines so they are effectively taken off the market.

This particular lake is a drinking water reservoir...no body contact sports allowed; so the purity of the water is of top priority. They even went so far as knocking holes into the crankcase.

[blacksheep]

that is messed up, but at least they were only mercs!

[gunflint]

That's just sick. Oh wait, that's California.

The other issue is, what happens to the value of 2-strokes if they stop manufacturing them? Some say that your old 2-stroke would be worthless, other say that because of supply and demand they would increase in value.

[Valv]

Quote:

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That's just sick. Oh wait, that's California.

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That's exactly what I was saying Gunflint, we had same exact thought......

[fishlakeman]

This reminds me a lot of the video I saw about the massive gun ban in Australia, when they banned every semi-auto, pump, lever-action, and handgun. It almost brought tears to my eyes seeing them going at a Winchester Model 97 with the chopsaw. I just hope they don't ban 2-strokes outright, as there are a lot of memories with my dad's old ducktwin. It's typical California to do a senseless ban and to waste valuable pieces of equipment. If all these laws keep up, I'm moving to Montana.

[V-12 Merlin]

The comment that sticks out in my mind is drinking water. California uses a lot of surface water for drinking, which is yet another reason why Minnesota is such a great state.

I don't think it will ever come to the point where two-stroke outboards are pryed away from our cold dead fingers. Just my opinion.

[gunflint]

The drinking water argument is a false assumption. Most lodges and private homes on the Gunflint Trail get their drinking water from the lakes that they are on.