E-tec Outboards

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

You can get the TLDI 90 for the same 314 lbs. Compare that to the Suzuki 90 at 416 lbs. If I was going to put 300+ lbs on my transom I would go with the TLDI 90 but for now I'll stay with my nice light 170 lb Tohatsu 50 and live with my 4 NM per gallon.

[Frank C]

.... and I suppose once committed to 416# for a Suzuki 90, I'd rather save a few and get the Suzuki 140 @ 410#.

As I've observed earlier, my 60 hp @ 335# presents no penalty that I've been able to discern ... sailing upwind at 7+ knots in strong winds. I would not hesitate to add weight - just don't see it matters terribly on a late-model X, as a couple's boat. I'd probably feel differently with a family crew of 5.

[Mark Prouty]

Thanks for the input! I purchased an 4 stroke outboard earilier this year. I was concerned about purchasing one of these because they were so new yet and I hadn't found any user feedback. As I remember these motors provided the same horsepower at a might lighter weight then a comparable 4 stroke. Did you put this motor on a Mac?

[Don B]

Honda made a 4 stroke dirt bike called the Elsinore as I recall. Don't know if they still do.

Don B

[Don T]

Hello:
Actually the Honda Elsinore was a 2 stroke. It was the first to have an exhaust valve which flattened the power curve and improved bottom end torque.

Sorry about the thread drift.

[Jesse Days Pacific Star 2]

We also have a Nissan TLDI 50 on our 2002 X. Great engine, very reliable, good gas mileage, and starts in a heart beat. Plus it's very quiet.

[Don B]

Since I was wrong about the Elsinore I did some looking at Dirt Bikes and Snowmobiles. It appears that 4 stroke has made an inroad in these markets. I have been told that 4 stroke dirt bikes are pretty popular these days. I don't know if they are talking small or large displacement.

Rotax claims they can match 4 stroke gas mileage with their 2stroke but also offer a 4 stroke.

Okay all you two strokers keep bragging as I march off to Boaters World to buy my oil drain vacumn pump to do my oil change.


Thanks for correcting me Don T, those Elsinors were beautiful bikes !!

-Don B

[Don T]

Hello Don B:
Yeah I just got through converting a freind's Elsinore ignition module over to the new style cuz I couldn't find a good used one. We call it Big Red. It is light and fast as "you know what!"
4 stroke dirt bikes just keep getting better. Lighter than the older ones with more power. Water cooled, oil cooler, dry sump w/ tanks in the frame. They stay just outside the $ range I want to spend though. Eventually the 2 stroke will be gone.