Evinrude E Tec?

[OXN939]

In the market for a skiff, and a strong contender is wearing a 2017 Evinrude E Tec. I've always been a Tohatsu guy for small outboards and it's definitely weird thinking about owning one by a company that doesn't make them anymore, but it's less than 10 years old and only has 200 hours on it, and the rig overall seems to have been taken care of pretty well. Anyone got experience with these, positive or negative? Thanks in advance!

 

[brocksw]

Friends don’t let friends buy evinrudes.

 

[WRO]

Really depends on the age, that being said id discount enough to get a new engine sooner than later.

 

[Ferrulewax]

I think there’s a couple good threads on microskiff about them. I fished with a guide a few years ago in the Everglades and he loved his.

 

[IdahoElk]

How many hours on the engine?

 

[Slickhill]

I saw two kinds of owners of them back when they were new. The guys who’s ran loved them, they were lightweight and powerful if not as efficient on fuel as a 4 stroke. The guys who’s did not run had endless issues and cussed them constantly because they were always in the shop.

I’d say the guys with bad luck outnumbered the guys with good luck by about 4:1. I would pass.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

We beat the hell out of our boats down here in the Gulf and I absolutely love those Etecs. Lightest you'll find of anything since the old Yamaha 2 strokes and that 2 stroke torque really helps jumping up in the shallows with a load full of gear. I do all my own maintenance and repairs and will buy one on site right now if I find one that's the right size for my boat just to have a spare. It's a travesty BRP quit making them. I didn't care for the older Evinrude engines but the ETec is a whole different animal. I've had three of them in different boats, only one was bought new. One I bought cheap from a guy who's shop racked up changing thousands of dollars with of injectors and parts. I took it to the lake and fixed the problem with a zip tie and ran it all weekend til the $4 washer came in and fixed it properly forever. We enjoyed it for a year until I sold the boat I built for it. Wish I had it back now.

 

[Spence1875]

Suzuki or a Yamaha. Evinrude being out business is a show stopper for me.

I am not a Merc fan either. Had way to many problems with a really low hours 40 hp

 

[rodney482]

Steer clear..

in this order
Yamaha
Honda
Suz
Mercury

 

[Djacker]

I have a 115 etec on my current boat. It's been a good motor. I had a 50 on my last boat, ran it for 30 years, never had a single problem.

 

[Jacack]

Last 4 skifs I have owned all had etecs, no issues with any of them.

60 on a b2 beavertail
115 on a east cape
150 on a east cape
90 on a beavertail currently, it's a 2014 with 900hrs on it currently.

 

[Scoot]

Rodney has the right list, but I'd put Suzi at the top of it. Etecs ruin great, right until they blow up. Not a motor I'd own, unless the deal on the rig was ridiculously good.

 

[Binz17]

I had a 90 on my last boat, I thought it was great, highly recommend

 

[randy66]

Currently have a 115 h/o gen 2. Very good motor, low maintenance, great torque, easy on fuel.

 

[SDHNTR]

There is no other outboard aside from Yamaha.

 

[rodney482]

Rodney has the right list, but I'd put Suzi at the top of it. Etecs ruin great, right until they blow up. Not a motor I'd own, unless the deal on the rig was ridiculously good.

my 9.9 is a efi Suz… love it

 

[Spence1875]

Yamaha, tohatsu, Suzuki are all about equal to me, each having a few plus or minus vs the others.

 

[Bluefish]

Having worked two summers in a boat shop, I would probably pass unless it’s a good deal. While not bad, I found they are a little noisier than the newer 4-st. Parts are still available, but they are quite complicated. The ones with fitch injection I would run away quickly. Horrible tech and imho released before tech was mature. Part of the reason they died out. The only good thing is they will self winterize.

I am a die hard 2-st guy, but I wouldn’t own any larger 2-st outboard today. Too many issues and hard to work on. The newer 4-st really are nice. Start easily, idle well, quiet. Efi is really nice and the ones in the last 10 years have good diagnostics. Older than that are not quite as good.

Many of the mercury engines are just rebadged from other manufacturers. Yamaha makes several for them.

 

[yfarm]

Had a 90 etec on a Curlew, very time I went to use it, it failed, renamed it F-ng etec. Repowered with a Suzuki 90 with same usage pattern and zero problems.
Read about ecm issue. As I understand it Evinrude decide to combine the voltage regulator and ecm into one unit with heat related failures. Some users experience repeated replacement of their ecms.

 

[roadrunner]

Mercury quit making 2-Stks in 2018. Most of the other manufacturers ad well.

The day is fast approaching where you won't be able to get replacement parts anymore.