225hp Evinrude E Tec test, 2 Stroke power at its best.
Test driving the new E-tec engine
In early 2007 I bought a Revenger 27 RIB in need of some TLC. Fitted with the original Carburettor fed 200hp Mercury it had a good hull with no anti fouling, no electronics and a reasonable set of tubes.
My first steps were to fit a North Star fuel computer, VHF radio and chart plotter. Then I had a stainless A frame made for the boat to and in due course I finished her restoration by having a flexi teak floor fitted.
Firstly I tested the performance and fuel consumption (by fuel computer) of the original engine before selling it off. I considered various replacement engines. Initially I considered the new Suzuki DF300 4 stroke and the Yamaha F250 4 stroke, but both were only available in XL shaft or XXL shaft and not the rare long shaft that my 22.5 inch transom required.
Really I had two choices either one of last years Mariner 225hp 2 stroke Optimax engines, or an Evinrude E Tec whose unique 2 Stroke direct injection system has passed the latest emission regulations.
E Tec is comparatively new technology and the feed back I was getting was that it is streets ahead of any other direct injection 2 stroke systems which at the time were no longer available as they did not pass emission regulations.
E Tec claim to match the fuel consumption of a 4 stroke outboard while producing a much broader power spread. Looking further into the concept of buying an E Tec I could not fail to become impressed.
For starters they were offering a three year warranty in the price which has now been extended to five years, no servicing for 300hours/three years and a built in self winterising system. In real terms this saves a lot of money as many manufacturers insist on a first service at 50 hours and 100 hour intervals after that.
Weighing some 234 kgs the E Tec is some 20 kgs lighter or more than its 4 stroke rivals. Losing weight off the transom makes a difference to the boat’s fore and aft trim enabling the boat to plane quicker and run as level as possible. Being that the boat was built with a low transom for the long shaft 2 stroke engines of the mid nineties fitting a modern engine of very similar weight made good sense. Luckily for me BRP had some 2006 225hp long shaft engines left over at a great price. Power Tech marine of Northney Marina Hampshire, owned by Keith Whittle are the BRP’s agents for the south coast and through them I ordered my new E Tec.
The engine took only days to arrive and I turned up to watch it fitted. Keith races E Tecs and certainly new his stuff and his team did a great job rigging my new engine.
What struck me when it was first started up on the trailer was the complete absence of smoke from the exhaust. With precision honed Boron-Nitride bores and its own special 2 stroke oil the E Tec needs less lubrication than a conventional 2 stroke. Coupled to its super efficient direct fuel injection you get a very clean burning engine. E Tec is an impressive beast, not only is it beautifully styled from top to toe with a durable high gloss finish, but it also looks powerful and radical.
However what really impressed me then and still does is the power delivery. E Tec picks up from just over tick over with noticeably more grunt than any other comparable Outboard engine. At 2300 RPM it has the Revenger planning at about 17 knots, remarkable for any petrol engine. The only outboard engine that I have come across with this level of grunt is the super charged, 275hp Mercury Verado.
There is no recommended running in period for the E tec, but never the less I took it easy for 10 hours and now with 100 hours on the clock with not a single glitch she actually feels quicker. I have had 49 knots reading on the GPS and this is with a 23 inch prop at 4950 RPM. The engine has a redline of 5800RPM so changing the prop to a 21inch would certainly release another 500RPM or so, and take her over the 50 knot barrier. BRP claim the E Tec can match a 4 stroke for fuel consumption so we set out to test this. I filled up the boat, took her for a 120 mile trip and then filled her up again. I then calibrated the computer to the exact amount used. At 30 knots at 3000RPM in zero tide this gave us a consumption rate of 6.36gph or 4.7 mpg which is the boats most economical speed. A fast cruising speed of 39 knots at 4000RPM produced a consumption rate of 9.62gph or 4.05mpg.
A recent trip to Weymouth and back in F5/F6 conditions showed the boat and engine at their best. Cruising at low planning speed most of the time the sharp hull cut through some pretty serious seas and the off-shore racing pedigree of this hull made itself felt.
The torque response of the engine made powering up over the waves at a lot easier.
Needless to say that when we returned to Southampton it was with genuine affection that I looked at both boat and engine.
