Cost To Maintain : Two Stroke vs. Four Stroke ? 2025
ChrisD46 reply :
I was surprised to read that most 4 stroke outboards require maintenance every 100 hours to the tune of approximately $700 ... Of course , two strikes require oil mixed with gas - the more gas you use then your two stroke oil costs go up . *I thought with four stroke outboards your maintenance costs were reduced (i.e. oil) but now after reading the high cost of maintenance every 100 hours - I'm not so sure ? ... Evinrude is now offering no maintenance for 500 hours and 7 years transferable coverage on their E-TEC two stroke outboards ? This is a head turner - two stroke outboards appear to be making a statement !
TOXIC reply :
The new 2 stroke G2 is a complete miser of gas and oil and has lower emissions than most 4 strokes. Every motor is going to need maintenance.
slonezp reply :
Riddle me this. 500hrs could potentially be 10 years of running by a weekend warrior in the northern states. Would you really allow a piece of machinery run that long without someone even looking at it? I bet a damaged lower unit, from a torn shaft seal from fishing line wouldn't be covered.
sully420 reply :
100 hrs is longer than it seems. I do live in Minnesota so I only run April to Oct maby November some times. If you learn how to change your oil and change your gear lube you can save quite a bit of money. And I feel like I could go 200 hrs before changing me water pump impeller. Btw I own a 75hp merc 4 stroke.
Troy85 reply :
I don't really go by engine hours for my 115 4-stroke maintenance. I change my engine oil and lower unit oil every 6 months. I change the fuel filter inside the engine once a year. I change plugs and water pump about every 2 years.
Crappiebasser reply :
What maintenance costs $700?. Like Troy1985s I change my oil every 6 months regardless of hours, LU oil once a year, plugs and water pump every couple years. I have had my Yamaha 4 stroke since 08 and probably have less than $700 in all maintenance combined.
WCWV reply :
I'm on my second 4stroke and the first one I ran for 11 years without any issues and may have spent $700.00 total. ????
Further North reply :
Johnson 4 stroke (Suzuki DF 140).
I change oil and lower unit lube once a year, when I put it away if it's still warm enough, or in the spring.
Plugs - 3/4/5 years? Depends. It's a 4 stroke. I don't change the plugs in my car very often...hundreds and hundreds of hours...I pull 'em, look at 'em...they go back in if they look good.
Water pump and impeller: 2-3 years. I don't run shallow, dirty water often...mostly clear deeper water.
Motor is an '05, <300 hours. I don't troll, and mostly fish lakes around 2,000 acres...a spot to spot run is maybe 3 minutes, fish on the trolling motor most of the day. My longest runs of the year are on Canadian lakes where I might have a week full of days where I might pile up 5 hours a day.
If I blew up my current motor, a new 2-stroke like the Evinrude E-Tec G2 would get a hard look, along with another Suzuki, Yamaha, Merc...did I miss any?
Way2slow reply :
Take your Mercedes in to the dealer at the recommended service intervals and have the recommended service and see what that cost you. I used Mercedes because taking a motor to a dealer is in about the same category.
I'm sure that $700 is based on the dealer servicing it and doing all the recommended and suggested maintenance. Do it yourself and just doing the general oil change, lube and visual inspection, and water pump every few years, the maintenance cost is minimal.
You also have to realize, 100 hours is like 4,000-5,000 miles on a car
ChrisD46 reply :
On 9/8/2018 at 12:01 PM, Way2slow said:Take your Mercedes in to the dealer at the recommended service intervals and have the recommended service and see what that cost you. I used Mercedes because taking a motor to a dealer is in about the same category.
I'm sure that $700 is based on the dealer servicing it and doing all the recommended and suggested maintenance. Do it yourself and just doing the general oil change, lube and visual inspection, and water pump every few years, the maintenance cost is minimal.
You also have to realize, 100 hours is like 4,000-5,000 miles on a car
*I believe you and other posters are correct - this would then make cost of 4 stroke outboards maintenance much less costly if DIY .
Jig Man reply :
I have a 250 Verado and take it to the Bass Pro Service Center once a year. It runs about $250 for all lubes, filters, and labor along with about $15 for donuts so they will be glad to see me come in.
Catt reply :
The only maintenance the requires any level of expertise would be timing belts & water pumps.
With YouTube they aint that bad for a novice ????
Further North reply :
On 9/8/2018 at 12:01 PM, Way2slow said:You also have to realize, 100 hours is like 4,000-5,000 miles on a car
Do most people average 40 to 50 MPH? Probably more like 35 given that most people live in cities and towns and it takes more engine hours to drive slow than fast.
Edit: I just checked my car - 7,277 miles, 191.3 hours...that's 38.03 MPH...and I live out in the country, easily half my mileage (probably more) is at more than 60 MPH.
Jig Man reply :
Don't know about most people. I run between 40 and 65 depending on how far I am going and how fast I want to get there.
slonezp reply :
Boat is out most every weekend from ice out to ice up. I put on 70-100 hours a year. I have my 2 stroke ProXS serviced at the dealer annually for maintenance/winterization. I don't want to risk screwing up a $18k engine. I also have a 1960's era Evinrude and an early 70's Johnson I service myself. Dealer charges 2 hours labor and materials. Spark plugs get changed every 100 hours and the NGK plugs that Mercury uses aren't cheap. Best price on Optimax DFI oil is around $30 a gallon but can be as high as $50. I go thru about 3-4 gallons annually. I don't spend close to $700 on maintenance. Closer to $500. As far as the 2 old motors, If I spend $50 for maintenance annually on both, that's a lot.
Further North reply :
On 9/8/2018 at 10:44 PM, Jig Man said:Don't know about most people. I run between 40 and 65 depending on how far I am going and how fast I want to get there.
Yep. Same here. We tend to think about how fast we're going when we're moving, or on highways or bigger roads. I run 73 - 77 on divided highways unless I'm pulling the boat.
It's the in-town stuff, idling at stop lights, stuck in traffic, waiting for Agatha Cottontop to make a left turn or figure out the traffic circle that adds hours with no or low forward motion that drops the average.
Zeros drop average MPH in a hurry.
Further North reply :
So...back to that 100 hours = 4,000 to 5,000 miles...
That means the average speed of the boat is 40 to 50 MPH. I'll bet it's not.
Sorry for being semi-obsessive...numbers that look outta whack jump out at me... ????
Way2slow reply :
it's not the speed. Forklifts only run about 13mph but many of those have a 100 hour service interval. The wear on the drive train is considered to be equivalent approx. 3,500-4,500 miles on a car.
Your boat may only run 35mph at WOT, but the same engine is still working the same as one running 70mph at WOT.
Russ E reply :
I have a 115 mercury pro xs 4 stroke.
once a year (which is usually around 100hrs.) I take it to the Local Cabelas for service. they change fluids, filters and put it on the computer for a checkup. Last time costs me $242.50.
MickD reply :
The duty cycle on outboards is far tougher than it is for autos, no doubt about it. But I don't see the value of trying to determine the correlation anyway. To me the issue of maintainence is first, to do it so you are not risking an expensive engine and second, only do yourself what you are confident in doing. If you cannot afford to do the challenging maintainance, then maybe you have the wrong hobby.
I did all but water pump impeller changes on my 17 year Suzuki 4 stroke 50, but it looks like my new 60 4 stroke Merc may have some things I don't fully understand. Will have that done by pros. By the way, my dealer charges $116 for annual winterizing which does not include plugs. The schedule calls for a major maintainence every three years. That includes plugs and all filters, maybe more. But I think i'm at a point in my life where I'll just let them do it all and be confident that it is done right.
Further North reply :
On 9/9/2018 at 12:06 AM, Way2slow said:it's not the speed. Forklifts only run about 13mph but many of those have a 100 hour service interval. The wear on the drive train is considered to be equivalent approx. 3,500-4,500 miles on a car.
Your boat may only run 35mph at WOT, but the same engine is still working the same as one running 70mph at WOT.
Help me get my head around that...
On 9/9/2018 at 5:53 AM, MickD said:But I don't see the value of trying to determine the correlation anyway. To me the issue of maintainence is first, to do it so you are not risking an expensive engine and second, only do yourself what you are confident in doing. If you cannot afford to do the challenging maintainance, then maybe you have the wrong hobby.
THat's where I'm landing...I don't buy the 100 hours = 4,000 - 5,000 miles.
I do buy into the annual maintenance. Cheap insurance, IMO.
Logan S reply :
On 9/9/2018 at 9:22 AM, Further North said:Help me get my head around that...
I think he's saying WOT is WOT and results in the same wear and tear on a motor, even if the actual speed of each is different.
I really don't try to compare boats to cars...Boats don't have transmissions like a car does, that's a pretty big distinction IMO.
I've always heard 4-strokes are cheaper too, but I'm not really sure how different they are in annual costs. I will say it would be hard to get much cheaper than my previous E-TEC 2-stroke, but we'll see since I now have an SHO 4-stroke...The Evinrude G2 is the last new model 2-stroke in production for large (bassboat application) outboards right now, I don't think we'll really have the choice much longer as emissions requirements and new tech are starting to make 2-stroke obsolete.
Krux5506 reply :
I have a 75 Honda 4stroke on my Lund that no way is running me anywhere near $700 annually. Upper and lower unit oil, pump/impeller, plugs, plus non engine related electrical/rigging got my bill to about $600 last year.
For regular yearly maintenance I'm at under $300.
ChrisD46 reply :
OP Here : Thanks for all the replies ... Maintenance on 4 strokes is cost effective as compared to two stroke costs it appears (oil costs alone) .
gimruis reply :
In addition to the maintenance wouldn't a 4-stroke use less fuel compared to a 2-stroke too? I realize that fuel consumption is technically not considered to be "maintenance" on an outboard but it would be an additional cost. My uncle has a Yamaha V-max and that thing sucks up gasoline like a vacuum. I think modern versions of the 2-stroke outboard are improved but I doubt they are as fuel-efficient as a 4-stroke.
Jig Man reply :
On 9/10/2018 at 8:13 AM, gimruis said:In addition to the maintenance wouldn't a 4-stroke use less fuel compared to a 2-stroke too? I realize that fuel consumption is technically not considered to be "maintenance" on an outboard but it would be an additional cost. My uncle has a Yamaha V-max and that thing sucks up gasoline like a vacuum. I think modern versions of the 2-stroke outboard are improved but I doubt they are as fuel-efficient as a 4-stroke.
I can not compare apples to apples here but close. I had a 225 Opti on a 20'6" Champion. I now have a 250 Verado on a 20'4" Nitro. If anything the Verado uses a little more gasoline.
slonezp reply :
On 9/10/2018 at 8:13 AM, gimruis said:In addition to the maintenance wouldn't a 4-stroke use less fuel compared to a 2-stroke too? I realize that fuel consumption is technically not considered to be "maintenance" on an outboard but it would be an additional cost. My uncle has a Yamaha V-max and that thing sucks up gasoline like a vacuum. I think modern versions of the 2-stroke outboard are improved but I doubt they are as fuel-efficient as a 4-stroke.
My 225 ProXS on a 20ft boat gets similar fuel economy to a 90hp ELPTO carbed motor I had on a 17ft boat at WOT
Boomstick reply :
On 9/8/2018 at 12:01 PM, Way2slow said:Take your Mercedes in to the dealer at the recommended service intervals and have the recommended service and see what that cost you. I used Mercedes because taking a motor to a dealer is in about the same category.
The Mercedes analogy is a good one. They have a A service every other year, and a B service every other year. I know for a fact that one of the largest Mercedes dealers in the country who I will not name because they will probably sue me charges over $500 for the A service, and $800 for the B service on the years between which add basically "inspecting" a bunch of stuff that you know a dealer never really does anyway. You could do the same thing yourself for around $40. I will note they are probably more expensive than most Mercedes dealers.
On 9/8/2018 at 10:22 PM, Further North said:Do most people average 40 to 50 MPH? Probably more like 35 given that most people live in cities and towns and it takes more engine hours to drive slow than fast.
Edit: I just checked my car - 7,277 miles, 191.3 hours...that's 38.03 MPH...and I live out in the country, easily half my mileage (probably more) is at more than 60 MPH.
I bought my truck with 26800 miles and I believe 830 engine hours. That's around 32mph average. I had a car that gave your average speed and reset it per trip, and you'd be surprised how low the average is. If you drive 20 miles on a 55mph road and stop at one red light, your average is going to be end up being below 45mph counting starting from a dead stop.
I would imagine most people will slow down to look at a potential fishing spot on their boat here and there, which should have the same effect.
slonezp reply :
On 9/10/2018 at 9:30 AM, Boomstick said:The Mercedes analogy is a good one. They have a A service every other year, and a B service every other year. I know for a fact that one of the largest Mercedes dealers in the country who I will not name because they will probably sue me charges over $500 for the A service, and $800 for the B service on the years between which add basically "inspecting" a bunch of stuff that you know a dealer never really does anyway. You could do the same thing yourself for around $40. I will note they are probably more expensive than most Mercedes dealers.
I bought my truck with 26800 miles and I believe 830 engine hours. That's around 32mph average. I had a car that gave your average speed and reset it per trip, and you'd be surprised how low the average is. If you drive 20 miles on a 55mph road and stop at one red light, your average is going to be end up being below 45mph counting starting from a dead stop.
I would imagine most people will slow down to look at a potential fishing spot on their boat here and there, which should have the same effect.
On that same note. 2 stroke motors are made to run. They are much happier balls out than idling around
Further North reply :
On 9/9/2018 at 8:02 PM, Logan S said:I think he's saying WOT is WOT and results in the same wear and tear on a motor, even if the actual speed of each is different.
That'd make sense. I don't run my motor at WOT often. It's happiest at about 70%.
Nobody runs car/truck motors at WOT very often.
RHuff reply :
I own a 2007 Triton VT-17 with a 50 HP 2-Stroke Mercury. I run fresh 2-stroke oil and high test gas in it year round with Seafoam as an additive to both the fuel and oil tank. Near the end of the season I run as much as the gas out of the tank as I can.
At the end of each season before storing it for the winter in my father in law's insulated garage I pull the fuel filter and clean it out, pull the spark plugs and check them, lube the prop and wheel bearings, change the lower unit oil, and add stabil marine 360 to the remaining little bit of fuel that is left in the tank to stabilize it over the winter.
At the beginning of the season all I do is add fresh fuel to the tank and a fresh dose of Seafoam. The motor starts right up with a small cloud of smoke and clears up after idling a couple of minutes. Between all of the seafoam, oil, stabil, and lower unit lube I may spend $50 a year on maintenance. The MOST important thing is to RUN your motor during the year. Letting it sit is the worst thing you can do. Keeping Seafoam in it year round is a must, IMHO.
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