E-tec 150 Reviews

[Rayvon]

I'm thinking about buying a boat with a new 150 E-tec non current (not G2) model motor.The reviews online aren't very good overall but some people seem to love them. I've alway's bought Yamaha's and been very happy with them but don't have that option with this boat.Sometimes I think online reviews attract negative comments more than positive,but I don't want to be stuck with a lemon or something that's hard to sell.I tend to change boats often,it's a sickness that won't go away.Anybody have good or bad to say about them,especially outboard mechanic's,please chime in.I have to make a decision soon.Thanks,Ray

 

[scott craven]

The only guy I know with an Etec 115 hp has had problems and wouldn't buy another.
That being said , there will be lot's of guys who love them.

 

[leftcoast]

I had a 2007 150 Etec for about 6yrs loved it. Never had any major issues! Ran strong so much power when needed. I liked it so much when I got my last boat I motor swapped it onto the new boat. I had to sell it due to life changes and a forum member bought it I hope it still runs strong for yrs for him.
I would not hesitate to buy a boat with one just get the history on it. Even though they say 300hrs no maintenance or whatever it was I still did it annually why not it's cheap and worth having the mechanic give it a once over annually.

 

[MadJigga]

I’m putting a 225 used on my boat. My mechanic loves them. Interchangeable legs with most omc motors in same horse power range. He says to add 100/1 oil in your gas tank as well as the injected oil resovoir and I’ll likely have a looong time before a major issue.

 

[RiverBoy]

I’m putting a 225 used on my boat. My mechanic loves them. Interchangeable legs with most omc motors in same horse power range. He says to add 100/1 oil in your gas tank as well as the injected oil resovoir and I’ll likely have a looong time before a major issue.

I purchased my DE185 from Leftcoast, no issues whatsoever; as mentioned very reliable and lots of power. had six adults in the boat several of them very large ( 250+) and she has the torque to put up on plane.
Madjigga what’s the thought process with adding the synthetic oil directly into the fuel tank? second time i have heard this. I’m of the “ if it ain’t broke don’t fix it , so i’ll pass. just curious why he told you that

 

[BCI]

I purchased my DE185 from Leftcoast, no issues whatsoever; as mentioned very reliable and lots of power. had six adults in the boat several of them very large ( 250+) and she has the torque to put up on plane.
Madjigga what’s the thought process with adding the synthetic oil directly into the fuel tank? second time i have heard this. I’m of the “ if it ain’t broke don’t fix it , so i’ll pass. just curious why he told you that

Some guys will add oil to the fuel tank in case the oil injection fails, line pinches, etc. If there is 100:1 oil in the main tank it won't foul the plugs even with the regular oil injection running properly, and it should keep you running in the case your injection system goes down without you noticing. Should.

 

[abl]

Ray, I have a 2010 150 and have been very happy with it. Good fuel economy and lots of torque. Had it serviced at South Island marine when I brought it home. Ask the seller if you can have it checked out. Unfortunately I only got to use mine prawning this year as health put the boat in storage for this season

 

[RiverBoy]

Some guys will add oil to the fuel tank in case the oil injection fails, line pinches, etc. If there is 100:1 oil in the main tank it won't foul the plugs even with the regular oil injection running properly, and it should keep you running in the case your injection system goes down without you noticing. Should.

but wouldnt you have to know exactly how much fuel you have right down to the litre? E-tecs are designed to run in a Safe Mode with no oil injection for a specified amount of time to limp home.
guy i was talking to was implying it’s good to add a bit of oil to the tank for maintenance reasons.
interesting thanks for the info

 

[Rayvon]

Ray, I have a 2010 150 and have been very happy with it. Good fuel economy and lots of torque. Had it serviced at South Island marine when I brought it home. Ask the seller if you can have it checked out. Unfortunately I only got to use mine prawning this year as health put the boat in storage for this season

Wasn't expecting a reply from you Bruce,the new heart must be working out OK.Hope to see you at home soon.The motor is essentially new and warranty may be transferrable but online reviews are terrible and I don't want a boat that I can't sell,you know how long I keep my boats,a year at best it seems.

 

[agentaqua]

I've run E-Teks for years (old & new - 90, 115 & 135 Hp), Yammies and lately Suzukis. I LOVE the new Suzukis. Quiet - power all the way through the power range. Yammies are fine - expensive to fix (really they all are); while the newer E-Teks also have lots of power. The 2 downsides to the E-Teks I see are expense of the oil (~$10/L) and they are very noisy. I think where you live, and your relationship to the dealer and repair shop should also be part of that decision as to what manufacturer you choose...

 

[beemer]

I’m putting a 225 used on my boat. My mechanic loves them. Interchangeable legs with most omc motors in same horse power range. He says to add 100/1 oil in your gas tank as well as the injected oil resovoir and I’ll likely have a looong time before a major issue.

If you want to foul expensive plugs and crap out your injectors! I would run from any mechanic who said this about a direct injected engine.

I have owned and maintained many Evinrude etecs and their predecessors , My main comment would be that the engine life is less than half of a 4 stroke. They are simple if you want to do your own maintenance , but they can be very finicky at times.

beemer

 

[gunnerlove]

I have been told the same thing regarding my Optimaxes by a number of merc mechanics. Pre mix at 150/1 with a normal twc oil. Their reasoning was that the manufacturers are chasing emissions more than durability and run lean on oil to make the EPAs numbers. They also thought getting oil into the HP pumps and injectors would increase the lifespan of the parts.
Right or wrong I will probably never know or notice because I have yet to see a dirty or fouled plug.

 

[Irishwolf]

I run a 30 etec bought in March 2018 from South Island Marine for my 14 foot SSV Lund and I love it. Super quiet. Quieter than any equivalent 4 stroke I’ve heard. Torque is ridiculous on it, sips fuel, easy to flush with direct hose connection, self fogging and no oil changes. And can’t beat the warranty. 10 years on mine. And they stand by it. My lower drain hole started corroding and a quarter sized paint bubble started to form below it. I happened to mention it to the dealer and they replaced the whole lower unit no questions asked.

As for oil consumption, I’ve used maybe 1/2 a gallon in 100 hours of use. I think I paid 20$ for the gallon jug when I bought the motor. But what is the cost of oil for the 20hr and 100hr maintenance marks of a 4stroke. Plus labour?

I tend to agree about online reviews these days, they do attract negative comments. If you look hard enough, all motors get bad reviews. But I do know the larger hp etecs from 10 years did have injector issues so maybe check the dates on the reviews your referencing.

There’s also another thread on this forum about etecs. I’ll see if I can dig it up. Would be worth the read.

At any rate, any new boat I buy will have an etec on it.

Cheers

 

[Irishwolf]

Here’s the thread I was thinking of:

https://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/index.php?threads/evinrude-g2-my-initial-thoughts.70234/

 

[EZZ70]

but wouldnt you have to know exactly how much fuel you have right down to the litre? E-tecs are designed to run in a Safe Mode with no oil injection for a specified amount of time to limp home.
guy i was talking to was implying it’s good to add a bit of oil to the tank for maintenance reasons.
interesting thanks for the info

I read the same somewhere as well, Hull Truth, maybe...

 

[walleyes]

Ran my 2006 175 ETech for 13 seasons without even the slightest glitch. Fresh water, saltwater, best engine I’ve been around period, would buy another ETech in a heart beat. Have twin 175 Zuki’s on the boat I have now and that ETech started better by a long shot, ran quieter and was built structurally better than these Sazuki’s. I would dump that boat in the water in the spring and hit the starter it was like it ran 15 min before, I don’t think that engine ever made a complete turn with out starting and stay running. Sipped the injection oil you would never know you were in a 2 stroke boat. So yes, I love ETechs they are awesome engines.

 

[walleyes]

but wouldnt you have to know exactly how much fuel you have right down to the litre? E-tecs are designed to run in a Safe Mode with no oil injection for a specified amount of time to limp home.
guy i was talking to was implying it’s good to add a bit of oil to the tank for maintenance reasons.
interesting thanks for the info

Because there is no fuel in the air traveling into the crankcase with direct injection engines, the oil is not washed away and can remain on the bearing surfaces for many hours of engine operation. E-TEC engines have a safe operating mode where if oil pressure is lost for any reason, the rpm is brought back to 1200, where the engine is capable of running up to 5 hours without damage.

 

[Pearl dog]

I have a 2012 150 with 1100+ hours. It's a former coast guard motor with lots of time at idle. I am very happy with mine. Oil is pricey. It's louder than my one buddy's 225 Verado but the same noise level as my other buddy's 140 zuke. I find it produces a slight exhaust odour. Nothing like an old school 2 stroke but more than the four strokes I've been around. One bonus is you can run "cheap" gas. Also they self winterize if you need that. So far all I've done is change fuel filters and leg oil. This spring I had the bottom end rebuilt but just as a precaution as it showed very slight water intrusion.

 

[EZZ70]

I have a 2012 150 with 1100+ hours. It's a former coast guard motor with lots of time at idle. I am very happy with mine. Oil is pricey. It's louder than my one buddy's 225 Verado but the same noise level as my other buddy's 140 zuke. I find it produces a slight exhaust odour. Nothing like an old school 2 stroke but more than the four strokes I've been around. One bonus is you can run "cheap" gas. Also they self winterize if you need that. So far all I've done is change fuel filters and leg oil. This spring I had the bottom end rebuilt but just as a precaution as it showed very slight water intrusion.

Thank you, lov the feedback

 

[Gerry Too Many Boats]

I'm thinking about buying a boat with a new 150 E-tec non current (not G2) model motor.The reviews online aren't very good overall but some people seem to love them. I've alway's bought Yamaha's and been very happy with them but don't have that option with this boat.Sometimes I think online reviews attract negative comments more than positive,but I don't want to be stuck with a lemon or something that's hard to sell.I tend to change boats often,it's a sickness that won't go away.Anybody have good or bad to say about them,especially outboard mechanic's,please chime in.I have to make a decision soon.Thanks,Ray