4 stroke maintenance

[Guest mfishing0]

i a 4 stroke more or less maintence the 2 stoke ? also whats better 4 or 2 ?

[naden 136]

It depends, 4 strokes smoke less, burn way less fuel, are way quieter, dont require mixed gas, give off less emissions and probably will have a longer life expectancy. As far as maintenance for smaller to medium sized outboards probably the only difference is that 4 strokes would require oil and filter changes and 4 strokes, in general, would have more moving parts. Im not familiar with larger modern 4 stroke outboards at all but I would assume they are considerably more complicated and probably have more electronic sensors and electronic fuel injection similar to a car or truck. With the price of fuel these days I dont think I would want to be putting a lot of miles on a 2 stroke outboard larger than 15 hp. As far as the newer etec 2 strokes I dont know anything about them and how they compare to a 4 stroke.

When it comes to motors 15 hp and less the 4 strokes are still heavier and physically larger than comparible 2 strokes. They are getting closer in weight but I still cant see myself buying a 15 hp 4 stroke to use as a portable motor. I think newer 9.9 and 15 hp 2 strokes are going to be harder to come by in the near future as most manufacturers have quit making them.

[Guest Munshaw]

It depends, 4 strokes smoke less, burn way less fuel, are way quieter, dont require mixed gas, give off less emissions and probably will have a longer life expectancy.

Where exactly are you getting your information from??? Go check out some of the hull comparisons on Mercury website and check out the 4 strokes to the Optimax engines. Optis and Etecs etc. get better fuel milage than 4 strokes. They also don't require mixed gas, and get better emissions in some cases. Longer life I would say goes to 2 strokes, as they have way less moving parts and are simpler and easier to repair. I have never seen smoke come from my Optimax. Less maintenance, as there are no oil changes to do and filter replacements. And they're generally much lighter than 4 strokes with more power through the lower band.

I would give the edge to 4 strokes in that they are somewhat quieter, yes.

Way too many people drink the "4 stroke Kool Aid".

[Pro fisherman-Stud Muffin 420]

i would say a 4 stroke engine will outlast a 2 stroke but other than than i agree with munshaw. 4strokes are heavier too.

direct injection will save some life on outboard but 4strokes do last longer on average even though they have more moving parts. just the nature of the designs

[DJL66 5]

Love my 4 stroke. Can troll all day on superior with no smoke or fouled plugs and it just sips the gas. Very quiet too! Had 2 strokes and I do not think I'd go back. Everyone has their own preference, much like boats (welded vs rivited, Lund vs Crestliner etc).

[DC_84 5]

Opti's and Etecs get better mileage? Do you factor in the cost of opti oil you are dumping into it at $50 a gallon? Opti's also smoke like a burning tire...

[filletandrelease 17]

4 strokes make their power with less rpm which equals less strokes of the piston and longer piston and cylinder life. They also have better cylinder wall and bearing lubrication which make for longer life. They smoke less because they don't burn oil (unless the rings are shot) They are much quieter and burn less fuel than any 2 stroke I've ever seen. On my 45 Honda I have trolled 8 hour days and run 50 miles at 20-24 mph on 10 gallons of gas. On the down side they cost much more, they are heavier and most people may not use their boat enough to wear out a 2 stroke for many years (I've got a couple with countless hours) As for maintainance 1 oil change a year is normally the only differance.

[Guest Munshaw]

Quoted DIRECTLY from the Mercury website

Mercury 4 stroke 115 EFI on 1775 Lund Impact Sport (19 pitch Black Max):

Fuel (MPG) @ 4000 RPM = 6.3

Top Speed (MPH) = 43.5

0-20 MPH time = 5.1 seconds

Mercury Optimax 115 on 1775 Lund Impact Sport (19 pitch Black Max):

Fuel (MPG) @ 4000 RPM = 10.9

Top Speed (MPH) = 47.5

0-20 MPH time = 4.4 seconds

Seems like a no-brianer to me. That's comparing the engines of the SAME MANUFACTURER so they would have no biased in their test data. They want to sell BOTH ENGINES.

As for Optis smoking like a burning tire, obviously the ones you've been around are in need of major repair. I have yet to see smoke from mine. Once in awhile with the bimini top up, you can get a whif of "burning" but I'm more than willing to put up with that for the above performance gains...

I went through 2.5 gallons of Optil oil last year, including break-in time which is double oil. I bought it at $33 a gallon. = about $80

I didn't realize 4 stroke engine oil was free.... 5 x $10 + filter = about $60-70

The cost of 2-stroke oil should hardly factor into the equation, particularly as you don't have to actually do an oil change and dispose of the old oil as well.

All I'm saying is if you haven't looked into 2-stroke technology in a while, you might want to take a look. I was pleasantly surprised and had I based my decision on my dad's old 86 Johnson 2-stroke then yes I might have got a 4 stroke as well.

[DC_84 5]

You must be too busy trying to read lips to notice the smoke...

[Guest crashj]

DC-84 I get it that you like the 4 stroke but you really need to check your facts. My 200 opti does not smoke that you would notice it and I can troll and still not be bothered but emissions from the motor. I say it is a personal choice for each of us but to spout stuff that is just not true is a disservice to all who come to places like this site to learn about things before making their personal decisions. JMHO

[DC_84 5]

I actually like the Opti over the 4stroke for a larger motor... They do smoke, they are loud and can get on your nerves if you are downrigging all day... I know this because I do all my fishing from a boat with a 150 Opti... There is a better discussion on walleye central that most of the "facts" were copied from...

[Guest Munshaw]

These same topics (2 vs 4 stroke, glass vs aluminum, and transom saver vs no transom saver) come up over and over again to the same end. Everyone has an opinion.

But I do agree that both sides of a discussion need to be presented with facts to back them up.

[naden 136]

Where exactly are you getting your information from??? Go check out some of the hull comparisons on Mercury website and check out the 4 strokes to the Optimax engines. Optis and Etecs etc. get better fuel milage than 4 strokes. They also don't require mixed gas, and get better emissions in some cases. Longer life I would say goes to 2 strokes, as they have way less moving parts and are simpler and easier to repair. I have never seen smoke come from my Optimax. Less maintenance, as there are no oil changes to do and filter replacements. And they're generally much lighter than 4 strokes with more power through the lower band.

I would give the edge to 4 strokes in that they are somewhat quieter, yes.

Way too many people drink the "4 stroke Kool Aid".

My opinions were based on my experience with smaller outboard 4 strokes vs smaller less technologically advanced 2 strokes and my general knowledge of how 2 and 4 strokes work. Like I said in my first post I dont know how a 4 stroke would compare to an etec.....or i guess in mercurys case an opti and I am not familiar with larger motors. I would agree that a newer oil injected 2 stroke will smoke considerably less than that one that runs mixed fuel but I would think it is impossible for it not to burn oil at all because oil is still being burned. The amount of visible smoke would probably vary depending on what quality of injection oil was used.

The original question was not very specific and left us really comparing apples to oranges.

If you are looking for a used outboard lets say 10 years old or newer than was intended to be portable and 15 hp or less I would say the 2 stroke wins.

If you are looking for a used outboard 15 hp and larger 10 years old or newer and is non opti or etec I would say the 4 stroke is better for the reasons i stated in my first post

and if you are looking for something new or close to new I would say it would be in your best interest to compare all the data and buy whatever you like better.