Re-Power of a 2520

[TimC2520]

Hopefully, I'm a few years away from this decision.
However, I've been kicking some #'s around though. I have a 1999 MVSC,
the capacity plate indicates max HP is 325.

I have dealer cert companies from both Yam and Evinrude within 30+- minutes from
the boat so dealer support is really a wash. The E-Tec 300 HP is listed as 528 lbs.
The new Yam 300 or 250 HP 4Stroke is listed as 562 lbs. I understand the need for 2 stroke oil versus no oil for a mix, maintenance required, etc. But my question is...anyone ever repower a Parker 2520 with a new Etec?
I'm not sure I've seen that on this board or even on the water!? Any feedback? Warranties are the same....3 years.

 

[Striperswiper]

Tim.
I got a left over 2008 Yamaha F250 with fly by wire installed for 18,500 from Campbells Marine in South Jersey.

I'm really happy so far , but I only have 30 hours on it so maybe I'm a little premature on that comment.

If you want to take a ride this summer let me know and we can make arrangements.

Capt Brian

 

[John_Madison CT]

An ETEC on a Parker just doesn't seem right. Go with the Yamaha. It will help when you go to sell it someday.

 

[TimC2520]

Thanks Brian, I still have your # on my cell phone.
I'm not splashed yet, boat is ready, but it's just minor stuff with the motor......gear case seals, tilt/trim seals. At 12 seasons on my Yam 225 OX66, just starting to think now. I'll be talking to you when the time comes, believe me!

 

[TimC2520]

An ETEC on a Parker just doesn't seem right. Go with the Yamaha. It will help when you go to sell it someday.

LOL, I hear ya, but selling it anytime soon is NOT in the picture.
This boat is perfect for what I do.

 

[DaleH]

Go with the Yamaha. It will help when you go to sell it someday.

I’ll add a contrary opinion here, but it’s not intended to debate anyone, especially posters I respect. To me, that's not a valid reason to buy or not buy a particular brand motor. I'd be more concerned with the motor brand as I am going to use ... not the next guy to use it - haha!

Not that I'd buy an E-Tec mind you, as I sure don't want to buy & add expen$ive oil, but I'd never buy a Parker, or any other boat for that matter, with a Yamaha 4-stroke on them. If I had to, I’d buy used and re-power with my choice of OB.

If I counted, I'd have a list of well over 100 Yam 4S motors that I know of ... with VST, clogged other filters, and injector issues. And I bet it it would expand to be in the many hundreds to > 1,000 or more with a simple 2-hour internet search on the various boating forums that I frequent.

To date, honestly I don't know of ONE Suzuki OB with any of those issues and have never,ever heard of a filter, VST type, or injector problem with any Suzi OB, not a one. None, nada, zip, zero. Too bad their dealer network is sooooooo thin .

Yams are pretty good motors I admit, but to eek the efficiency out of them, their combustion and injector orifices are just too darn small, making them wicked sensitive to fuel & filtration issues. For the record, I'd rate them as excellent if they weren't so prone to those issues. For my $$ there are better, more reliable motors out there, but I'll agree to disagree .

 

[Megabyte]

Tim... If I were in the market for a new motor, the available choices out there would cause me to scratch my head and wonder too.
When it comes down to it these days, there really aren't any bad motors on the market. Some are more preferred than others, but there aren't any spuds out there.

I have had the opportunity to run several identical boats with Evinrude and Suzuki power in the 250 hp class.
Both motors performed well (as expected), but there were subtle differences.
The Suzuki was quieter at idle speed, but god-awful loud at cruise speed which surprised me.
The 'Rude was surprisingly quiet all through the range, even at cruise speed, and it jumped out of the hole like a scalded dog.

At the time that I ran both of those boats, the new 250 and 300 Yamaha motors had not been introduced yet, so I cannot compare the Yamaha directly with the other two.
Everyone these days seems to want the 4 stroke motors, but I have to say... If I were in the market, the Evinrude would certainly be on my radar.
2 stroke oil doesn't scare me. I run it now in my OX66, and that motor runs like a champ.

If I had to make a decision for myself, I would look at four things... weight, price, features, and availability.
I'm not sure you could go wrong with any of them.

 

[miky2884]

A good friend of mine just put a new 200 e tec on his boat (not a parker) last year was his first year with it and I must say the motor seems pretty sweet. And sort of changed my decision if I where to repower. I think i would go 250 E Tec when im ready.

 

[Megabyte]

A good friend of mine just put a new 200 e tec on his boat (not a parker) last year was his first year with it and I must say the motor seems pretty sweet. And sort of changed my decision if I where to repower. I think i would go 250 E Tec when im ready.

Mike... That pretty much seems to be the opinion of every person I've talked to who has run one.

 

[TimC2520]

Hopefully, what I have now gives me a few more dependable years, but going on its 13th season now, I know eventually a decision will have to be made. I've always figured I'd go right back to a Yamaha, but lately I see the E-Tecs more and more for some reason and dealer support is close by for me either way.

 

[miky2884]

A good friend of mine just put a new 200 e tec on his boat (not a parker) last year was his first year with it and I must say the motor seems pretty sweet. And sort of changed my decision if I where to repower. I think i would go 250 E Tec when im ready.

Mike... That pretty much seems to be the opinion of every person I've talked to who has run one.

Yea Kevin I was pretty impressed with the motor, and I was on the boat quite a bit. For a 2 stroke it really is quite. And i got to see first hand the winterization process this year. Let me tell you pretty impressive. Start the motor let it run 2 min, turn it off push throttle all the way forward until red light blinks start motor, you start to smell the extra oil, motor turns off after about 45 seconds thats it your done cover the boat. And what i like the most about it compared to the 4 strokes is the lack of expensive maintenance. The motor is maintenance free for 300 hrs or 3 years, then its 500$ for the service but there is no changing the oil etc like the four strokes, like I said right now id go E Tec but ive also seen my cousins 4 strokes run flawless for over 900 hours so far.

 

[Megabyte]

Tim, I have 15 seasons on my OX66 now and thankfully she is still running strong, so I'm not wishing myself any ill will.
However, when the day comes, I'm really going to weigh the E-Tec and the new offshore Yamaha in 300hp trim.
Both of those motors seem to have a lot going for them, especially if I had to make a decision today.

Now, when the time comes... there might be an even better choice or two out there.
I just hope that when that day comes, I can afford the bill. :shock:

 

[Brent]

Which Suzuki model? How quiet are they?
thanks

 

[Megabyte]

Which Suzuki model? How quiet are they?

The one I tested was a 250hp, 30" shaft model.
No figures, just a subjective (to my ear) impression.
Very quiet at idle and in the 6kt zone.
As loud, if not more so, than my 225 OX66 at cruise.

 

[Brent]

thanks
The only point of reference I have is our Yam 225 4 stroke. I was considering re-powering when the oil leak and corrosion issues struck out motor

 

[DaleH]

The Suzuki was quieter at idle speed, but god-awful loud at cruise speed which surprised me.

Usually I've found the 250hp & 300hp Suzis to have a wonderfully tuned GROWL at the highest RPMs. Very surprised at the loud claim, but as admitted, we all have perception.

Tim, I have 15 seasons on my OX66 now and thankfully she is still running strong ...

23 seasons, estimated 3,500 hours on my bro's twin '87 Yam 150hp 2-strokes. Only parts replaced were trim motors & steering arms on each (pre-SW series, so that parts was plain steel), a key switch on 1 and some part in lower gearcase on the other. I once sold an OMC with 4,000 est. hours on her ... in her 25th year of use, still running strong too! Other than PM, we only replace the trim motor and 1 powerpack. We passed it down form brother, to brother, to brother & brother (twins) and then finally sold it - running.

Older 2-strokes were hard to kill (less the late 80s OMC V6s) ... they died on their own ! [Lots of p'head failures, which I believe was more too steep a prop, than oil mix issues].

 

[Megabyte]

The Suzuki was quieter at idle speed, but god-awful loud at cruise speed which surprised me.

Usually I've found the 250hp & 300hp Suzis to have a wonderfully tuned GROWL at the highest RPMs. Very surprised at the loud claim, but as admitted, we all have perception.

You are correct. It was a growl. (a loud one) :lol:
To be fair, it was in a center console boat, so I was closer to that motor than I am to mine in my 2520.

The E-Tec, on the other hand, was surprisingly quiet.
I was impressed by it.

 

[Striperswiper]

Tim,
I'd agree with Dale and Brent that the 2000-2006 Yamahas do have some serious issues VST , Corrosion etc.

The 2008 I bought is supposed to have different metal in the exhaust and internal parts to prevent these problems. Time will tell and that's why I got the YES 6 year warranty.

The price was right for the leftover I bought considering my boat is a 1999 I didn't want to get too upside down in it.

If I had to buy a new 2011 I'd be shopping like you.

Capt Brian

 

[TimC2520]

What got me to start comparing makes/models was the spring repair bill this year.
The gear case seals were shot, leaking bad, I knew that in December so I had those replaced last month. Also over the winter the tilt and trim ram seals leaked all over the driveway. The tilt seals are original and have never been removed/serviced/replaced.
Mechanic wanted to take the entire assembly off so as not to make a bigger mess in the new brick paver driveway. He wanted to take it back to his shop. Well, 12 years of sitting in salt water for 9 months a year......... :shock: Tried a torch, PB Blaster, etc. 6 of 8 bolts finally came out, 2 sheared off. The caps, forget about it. The cap on the tilt sub-assembly had to be pretty much destroyed to get that off. Confirmed with Andy at SIM after the fact that you can't buy just the cap for that so I had to spring for the entire tilt piston sub assembly. Not sure about hours of labor yet.

I've never really put any "repair" money into it in 12 seasons and it has never broken down. Preventive maintenance I do myself and I'm religious with that. Power head still runs like a top. Hopefully I can get more reliable years out of it.

Jarvis in Tuckerton is only 10 miles from my slip and he is an authorized E-Tec and Yam dealer. I know people who have repowered both makes with him and are very happy with the sales and service. I talked to him at the AC show. Seems like a pretty sharp dude. When the time comes, i think that's where I'll start. Hopefully that's a least a few years from now! :lol: