4 stroke or 2 stroke outboards

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I must be in the minority to support 4 stroke over 2 stroke outboard engines; especially small outboards.

In my opinion, the days of the 2 stroke engines are well over for so many reasons; reliability being the major reason.

 

[reeac]

I must be in the minority to support 4 stroke over 2 stroke outboard engines; especially small outboards.

In my opinion, the days of the 2 stroke engines are well over for so many reasons; reliability being the major reason.

I was all in favour of the idea of 4-stroke when I bought my first outboard. Unfortunately my Honda 2 bhp. proved unreliable when it came to starting and the agent could offer no solution so I traded it in for a 2-stroke. Strange as I have a Honda car, mower and strimmer [all 4-stroke of course] and all have been excellent.

 

[Seajet]

The only reason '2 strokes have had their day' is the conservation lobby - again.

I have a 2-stroke 5hp Mariner as main engine on my Anderson 22. I have used 2 strokes since 1978 with no problems.

I have motored across the Channel several times with 4 hp 2-strokes.

However a 4 stroke is MUCH heavier - an even bigger drawback with smaller engines for tenders - and equally bad if not worse, 4 strokes are often very fussy about the position they are stowed in; get it wrong and the lubrication oil will fill the combustion chamber resulting in very expensive bent con-rod & no go.

2 strokes are fine for anyone who has the slightest clue what they're doing.

 

[rotrax]

I must be in the minority to support 4 stroke over 2 stroke outboard engines; especially small outboards.

In my opinion, the days of the 2 stroke engines are well over for so many reasons; reliability being the major reason.

My experience with small four stroke petrol engines is that they need to be used frequently-at least weekly-to stop the fuel held in the float bowl going "off" and becoming less volatile. This causes poor starting and "varnishes" the tiny jets and internal passages in the carb.They are usually more fuel efficient but pay for this in extra weight and less flexible storage. Their main disadvantage in my view is the lack of power for the same weight as a two stroke. As to reliability, both two and four stroke outboards are reliable if used and maintained correctly. We have been making internal combustion engines for over 100 years now and apart from some cheap horrors fron the far east the units from recognised outboard manufacturers are trouble free. Most are neglected or abused to death. Very few wear out.IMO of course.......

 

[TSB240]

I must be in the minority to support 4 stroke over 2 stroke outboard engines; especially small outboards.

In my opinion, the days of the 2 stroke engines are well over for so many reasons; reliability being the major reason.

I have a very different opinion.

Two stroke engines are mechanically as simple as they come. Unreliability is usually down to operator laziness.

Simple engines need simple disciplines. Always drain the carb by running it dry.

Never run the impeller dry and flush with fresh water before long term storage.

Clean and gap plug once a year or replace if you are lazy.

Most common problems are down to fuel starving because of blocked jets. Filter your fuel at all times

Have you seen the weight difference HP for HP?

The small air cooled 4Strokes are as noisy as the old Seagulls.

They should be banned on the basis of noise pollution!

 

[longjohnsilver]

The only reason '2 strokes have had their day' is the conservation lobby - again.

I have a 2-stroke 5hp Mariner as main engine on my Anderson 22. I have used 2 strokes since 1978 with no problems.

I have motored across the Channel several times with 4 hp 2-strokes.

However a 4 stroke is MUCH heavier - an even bigger drawback with smaller engines for tenders - and equally bad if not worse, 4 strokes are often very fussy about the position they are stowed in; get it wrong and the lubrication oil will fill the combustion chamber resulting in very expensive bent con-rod & no go.

2 strokes are fine for anyone who has the slightest clue what they're doing.

Another vote for 2S. Have used smaller 2 strokes for 20 odd years with no problems at all. Wouldn't consider a 4s for anything under 15hp.

 

[Twister_Ken]

The small air cooled 4Strokes are as noisy as the old Seagulls.

There's only one. The Honda. All else is water cooled. Noisy as Seagull, maybe. Leaving behind a haze of blue smoke and rainbow patterns on the sea surface, never.

 

[Seajet]

The 'haze of blue smoke & rainbow patterns on the water' is long gone, that's Seagull stuff !

I hate to say it as I like to support British kit, but I do not miss Seagulls one bit; best place for them is polished up and nailed to the wall of a waterside pub.

My Mariner 5 runs at 100:1 petrol/oil mix...

 

[macd]

I Always drain the carb by running it dry.

There's your answer, Rotrax.

 

[Lakesailor]

I must be in the minority to support 4 stroke over 2 stroke outboard engines; especially small outboards.

In my opinion, the days of the 2 stroke engines are well over for so many reasons; reliability being the major reason.

I'm with you on this.
Whatever reasons the 2 stroke fans have for liking them I have found them to be noisy, dirty, thirsty and don't like running at tickover (in or out of gear) for long.
It probably depends on the use you put them to. A blast from the jetty to a mooring half-a-mile away is probably fine. But chugging around a lake between moorings and into shallows a four stroke is my choice. The 2 strokes have all filled the cockpit with fumes on a still day.

I've had five 2 strokes and four 4 strokes. I still have two of the two strokes and one 4 stroke, but that's the one I use.

 

[JClarkes]

I'm with you on this.
Whatever reasons the 2 stroke fans have for liking them I have found them to be noisy, dirty, thirsty and don't like running at tickover (in or out of gear) for long.
It probably depends on the use you put them to. A blast from the jetty to a mooring half-a-mile away is probably fine. But chugging around a lake between moorings and into shallows a four stroke is my choice. The 2 strokes have all filled the cockpit with fumes on a still day.

I've had five 2 strokes and four 4 strokes. I still have two of the two strokes and one 4 stroke, but that's the one I use.

Thats the thing, Im a 2stroke fan because my mooring is 50 yards away from the jetty. Its only used on a 6ft rib. It does the job and I find it easy to maintain.

Where as my aux outboard is a Honda 8hp 4stroke and main engine is a Honda 50hp 4stroke.

 

[Robin]

I had a Seagull way back and it was OK but noisy and oily.

I had several small two strokes, the last one was a Mariner 2 that IIRC cost under £100 new but almost the same again for the annual service. It therefore only had the one service until the impeller went some 10 years later whilst we were away on a cruise. I traded it in and IIRC again got £150 for it in part exchange for a Honda 2 four stroke.

The Honda 2 was great, loads of oomph beyond it's claim and very light on fuel. However three times it suffered a gummed up carb from stale fuel, times two and three after I used fuel stabiliser as a preventative too. The absolute need was to totally drain the carb before leaving it any length of time and we rarely used ours so hence the problem.

We had a choice with our latest boat, buy it with or without the existing 18 month old RIB and 15hp two stroke Yamaha. We chose to buy the existing one because we would have the two stroke which is no longer available new. I don't know yet if we will regret that but...

 

[doug748]

I suspect this thread is a bit of a wind up. However it all adds to the fun of fair, so:

I had one of the ubiquitous Tohatsu style, 2 stroke, motors from new. It was immersed in seawater three times, once for the whole afternoon boozer opening hours. I had it for 15 years, it was frugal with fuel, powerful, never failed to start, never needed a spart part and was running like a new un when I sold it.

I bought a new 3.5 in advance of the ban. I have no plans to buy a four stroke, unless it's a motorbike.

 

[rotrax]

There's your answer, Rotrax.

Yes Mac, sensible people do. however some dont, or forget and then they end up round my house saying"Have you got time to look at my engine?" Its usually in the springtime,when they find it wont go after leaving it all winter with fuel in the bowl.

 

[macd]

I have no plans to buy a four stroke, unless it's a motorbike.

Do you mean to say you've never experienced the joyful howl of a stinkwheel coming on the pipe? Addictive (but history, too)

 

[Seajet]

If using my Mariner 2hp 2 stroke on the tender, I always shut off the fuel before reaching the slipway, so that it doesn't spill fuel when I tilt it.

The Mariner 5 2 stroke on the Anderson 22 is stowed on any decent length trip; I disconnect the fuel and run it dry so fuel doesn't spill in the locker; at the end of the season I try to run down stocks of fuel, any left when the boat is ashore goes into the car or lawnmowers, always fresh fuel for the new season.

I was told, don't know if it's true but seems good practice to follow, that modern unleaded petrol goes to gummy jelly a lot quicker than the good old stuff, 3 months is pushing it.

With that & regularly flushing the engines in fresh water ( inc taking the head off the Mariner 5 which has a bit of a tendency to salt up ) I don't get problems, touchwood.

I remember the chap at our local garden centre machinery shop saying Spring is good for business, as he gets to service all the neglected kit which has been left full of fuel all winter...

 

[rotrax]

Do you mean to say you've never experienced the joyful howl of a stinkwheel coming on the pipe? Addictive (but history, too)

that sure is a great feeling-but conversly I once had an awfull old Villiers donk in a special off roader. It was origionaly in a Bond three wheeler. With its three speed box you rushed through the low first and second gears, put it in third and hoped it did'nt stall.............

 

[macd]

that sure is a great feeling-but conversly I once had an awfull old Villiers donk in a special off roader. It was origionaly in a Bond three wheeler. With its three speed box you rushed through the low first and second gears, put it in third and hoped it did'nt stall.............

I can see that might lead to a degree of prejudice against strokers. I still have nightmares about an old CZ...

 

[Seajet]

Rd 400's were good fun, but I've never heard anything better than my ( 4 stroke obviously ) Z650C3 with piper 4:1, + high lift cam & bell mouths; went and sounded absolutely wonderful, dangerously intoxicating !

 

[Skylark]

Just to state the obvious, with an apology to all egg sucking grandmothers, it's not wise to run a 2t out of fuel as you will be leaving it without lubrication. Outboards usually have a fairly accessable drain plug to empty the carb.