Gundigest

I am going to buy a Ranger 619VS which is the 19' multispecies boat. I am thinking about getting a 175 Etec on it, but my dad thinks I should go with a 4 stroke. I was wondering what the best 175 would be for this boat?

Thanks,

Tom

JoshKeller

I'd go with the E-tec MUCH less parts = much more reliable.

RedAllison

I agree, go with the Etec they really seem to have re-invented the direct injection two strokes. I own a 20'+ bassboat with a 225ProMax SS (Merc racing div. engine) and absolutely love it for such use. BUT that is on a high performance hull (runs over 90mph). Were I going with a slower hull I would pick the Etec over any of the 4 strokes. I am actually days away from buying a deckboat for my wife and kids (tired of them dirtying up my bassboat! [:@]) and I have been looking at 20'-22'ers mostly with 150 outboards. I prefer black motors just because that is what I have owned for over 20 years. BUT the new Evinrudes are very good motors.

Don't get me wrong, the 4 strokes are nice and VERY smooth and quiet. But they aren't the fuel misers everyone would lead you to believe, especially with throttles over 75%. And for me my biggest concern is how long will they last and can you rebuild them affordably? Just about any 2 stroke around can be rebuilt easily and cheaply (My 225 runs up too 7K RPM but knock on wood, she turned 7 lastmonth and I haven't so much as turned a bolt on her!) it is simply impossible to rebuild a 4 stroke so easily. Cams, valvetrain, complex oiling systems. And the weight, they are HUGE and very heavy in comparable HP ranges. Getting rid of that extra 100+#s will not only boost your speed, but will make a difference at the gasdock.

Good luck and let us know what you end up with!
RA

JoshKeller

I'm willing to bet that in 20 years, there will still be plenty of 2 strokes going strong that were made 20 years ago... and not many 4 strokes from today still going!

A few friends I fish tournaments with use 4 strokes - They are insanely expensive to maintain and if something bad happens, I feel for ya.

Right now I am currently running a 140 hp 2 stroke carbureted Johnson. I can fish all day with about 6 gallons of gas, and I'm not one to sit on a hole if I'm not catching anything. I use more gas towing the boat to the lake 45 miles each way than I do in my "highly inefficient gas guzzling" carbureted outboard.

Gundigest

Thanks for the info.so far, keep it comming I am interested in what everyone has to say.

thanks

Tom

Kyle Colburn

The Etec is definately a much cleaner and smoother running engine. Better gas milage and lighter because of the 2-storke engine instead of the 4. Great pickups on it and quiter than most outboards. Evinrude built a great outboard.

HighDesertWolf

heck yea go with the Etec, on my 1999 Tracker pro team 175 I had a 50 horse mecury on it which was a good engine untill i began having lower end problems, thinking I would like a 4 stroke I got a 50 horse honda. with the 4 stroke i got better gas mileage but I lost 5 miles per hour off my my top speed and it would take forever it seemed to get on plain I wasnt really any happier with a 4 stroke, to be honest I was really missing the 2 strokes performance. then a year later evinrude comes out with the Etec the infomercial I watched sold me onto it. this winter I sold that 4-stroke and bought a 50 horse Etec I took it out this weekend for the first time. I didnt pay much attention to the fuel mileage but id say its about the same as with the 4 stroke. where i noticed the best improvement was my top speed and getting on plain the Etec had about a 10 mph improvement over the 4 stroke, my top speed I was getting was just a hair shy of the 35 mph mark where with the 4 stroke i was getting just a hair shy of the 25 mph mark.
and getting on plain was awesome it seemed to take just a couple seconds to get on plain instead of what seemed like atleast 30 seconds with the 4 stroke.

what better can you ask for, the Etec gives 4 stroke effeciency with 2 stroke performance. Gundigest dont waste your time and money on 4 stroke im telling you you will absolutely love your Etec.

Gundigest

I decided to get the Ranger 620VS instead of the 619VS. It came with a 225 OptiMax direct inject 2 stroke and a4 stroke9.9 prokicker. I can't wait to pick it up.

What experience does everyone have with the optimax?

Thanks

JoshKeller

Optimax's are good motors, but the earlier years had issues.

Dukebh40

i think you shouldve went with the etec. we have a 90 horse on our 19 foot lowe fishing machine. with 4 people it has us up to 39 mph. also is the quietest engine i ever heard. at full throtle u can still have normal conversation. hope u enjoy your boat anyways though.