[Rhodes22-list] Engine Glurge

[Bill Effros]

Well,

Not necessarily.

Did you see the letter in the latest Practical Sailor about the guy with the 2 hp Honda 4-stroke that was such a lemon Honda gave him a new engine after more than a year of total unreliability? 

As a group, small 4-stroke engines are not as reliable as 2-strokes.  At least not now.  Maybe never.

All of the testing cited by Roger and Michael is for much larger engines than the ones we use on our boats--and the engines are run nearly full throttle--something we almost never do.  

Manufacturers have already demonstrated that they can develop 2-strokes that meet the emissions requirements in the size engines they put into PWC.

Take a look at this beauty from your friends at emissions concerned Yamaha:

http://www.marshallsmarine.com/pwc.html

Please note that even Yamaha cites the reliability of 2-strokes over equivalent 4-strokes.

Small 4-stroke carburated engines like the ones we use on our boats do not meet the cited specifications for fuel efficiency in the way we use our boats.  Because they do not start reliably, and do not run reliably until they are warm, they start with an over-rich fuel/air mixture--much of which is dumped into the water, just like our 2-strokes.  By the time they warm up, we turn them off.  We never run them at the tested RPM, and they never achieve that efficiency.

I'm sorry, Roger and Michael, if you find this thread frustrating, but you are slanting your statistics, and presenting as fact information that is inaccurate.

When I have to buy another engine it will be as reliable, fuel efficient, and environmentally friendly as possible.  But for people who have to make that decision today, it's not so clear which way to go.  I don't think someone should spend 10% of the value of a boat to buy a brand new 4-stroke engine which will seldom be used, cannot be counted on, and will not be nearly as environmentally superior to an older, cheaper 2-stroke, as your posting would lead new Rhodes owners to believe.

There.  I've said my piece.  Nothing more on this thread from me.

Today.

Bill Effros




----- Original Message ----- 
From: R22RumRunner at aol.com 
To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org 
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 9:00 AM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Engines.


Well, I'm glad that we are going to finally clean up our lakes and waterways. 
I still think the original legislation was passed to get rid of those pesky 
personal watercraft, but the industry will adapt and conquer.
By the time my 2 cycleTohatsu bites the dust, they should have all the 
problems worked out of the four strokes.

Rummy
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