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pbrady Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 176 City/Region: Anchorage State or Province: AK C-Dory Year: 2005 C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser Vessel Name: Bidarka Photos: Bidarka PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:50 pm Post subject: ETEC Cold Water Performance Reply with quote With all the recent comments on which outboard to use for powering a C-Dory, I have to relate my experience to date with a 90 ETEC. Since taking delivery of a CD22 in April, I have put 114 hours on the main engine. My overall assessment at this point is the ETEC is not suitable for use in cold water climates (water temperatures less than 50 degrees F). The reasons for this assessment are based on several PM's between Dusty and I comparing the performance of his engine to mine and the fact that Evinrude could not explain the differences. Here are the problems I encountered: a. During April, May, and part of June the EMM would return a no oil alarm after a few minutes of operation. The alarm could be cleared and the engine would operate normally if the oil system was primed using the instructions in the owner's manual. The problem cleared in June after replacing the oil tank which included all the sensors but that coincided with higher air and water termperatures. When the problem recurred the end of September, Evinrude went back to the drawing board and finally came up with the solution. Apparently the recommended XD100 oil viscosity increases so much with declining temperatures, it does not flow well enough to keep the sensors convinced the engine is getting oil. Evinrude recommended using SkiDoo XPS synthetic snow machine oil. In the last 12.4 hours of operation during temperatures ranging between 28 and 48 degrees F, I had no oil alarms. I think this problem is finally behind me. b. Oil consumption over the 114 hours was approximately 3 times the oil consumption expected (and seen by Dusty). Evinrude examined engine reports on two occasions and after more than a month recommended the dealer look at the cooling system as their assessment the motor was running too cold. Their review of engine operating showed that it should have consumed 1.2 gallons of oil during which time I had used 3.5 gallons. The dealer found that the thermostat was allowing the engine to run 30 degrees cooler than a new thermostat. When I ran the boat with the new thermostat, the engine sounded much different, (it was quieter), ran smoother over the full rpm range, and fuel economy increase almost 30% (from 3.5 to 4.5 mpg with the same load). Prior to the new thermostat, the engine showed its best fuel economy at WOT. c. During extensive low speed trolling the engine fouled the plugs. After trolling for approximately 2.5 hours, when increasing the throttle the engine was missing on two of three cylinders for about 5 seconds and eventually smoothed out. d. On my last trip, the water temperatures averaged between 40 and 45 degrees F and the air temperature was between 25 and 45 degrees F. Fuel consumption declined back to the 3 to 3.5 mpg range, and oil consumption was unchanged. The engine got its best fuel economy at WOT. My assessment is the cooling system on the ETEC does not allow the engine to reach the proper operating temperature to run efficiently in cold environments where the air and water temperatures are below 50 degrees F. If anyone has any different experience in a cold environment, I would like to here about it. _________________ Tom But hey BRP seem to admit they don't know what's happening then the consumer seems to be happy to do their testing for them???!!! Damn wonder why our own 3 E-Tecs owner (& counting) isn't being consulted??? tpbrady Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 176 City/Region: Anchorage State or Province: AK C-Dory Year: 2005 C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser Vessel Name: Bidarka Photos: Bidarka PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 11:18 pm Post subject: Reply with quote We've pretty much tabled it until spring (March some time), but this what I plan to do and Evinrude has agreed to help. a. Install a new software map for the EMM. b. Install new plugs since the current ones are pretty well fouled. c. Switch back to XD100 oil. d. Go out with a notebook computer running the BRP diagnostic software connected to the engine for real time monitoring to determine actual operating temperature and oil consumption. e. Stay in cell phone range to discuss real time monitoring results with BRP. I wish I could have resolved this before winter, but it doesn't look like it. The best I can tell my engine is the exception but that doesn't necessarily make me any happier. _________________ Tom Ya gotta hand it to these consumers, they even seem to like it when they get ripped off with experimental engines ................ again??? C-Fisher Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Posts: 60 City/Region: Lake Stevens State or Province: WA C-Dory Year: 2005 C-Dory Model: 19 Angler Vessel Name: C-Fisher Photos: C-Fisher PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:27 am Post subject: Reply with quote I have the same E-tec you have and ran it all summer. I have about the same hours as yours around 115, at least going by what my Garmin GPS says. Until I put the boat in the shop and have a laptop hooked up to it to get the real hours thats the best reading I have. I was told that with the XD 100 oil properly programed you should get 100 hours on a tank of oil. I just started my second tank. He said that E-tec's normally come programed for XD 50 oil and have to be programed for the XD 100. The rate you are burning is the rate of XD 50 as I understand, you might question that. I do have the same problem with the plugs though. If I us it alot for trolling the plugs do start to foul after a few hours, rough starting back up and a little stinky but no smoke. This was not a problem at first but started after around 40 hours. What I found was happening was trolling was fouling the plugs enough to cause the electrode to burn and widen the gap. The gap that should be 30 thousands +- 3% was out to 40 thousands. New set of plugs and I am back to normal running. I am now on my 3rd set of plugs, not good since they are supposed to last 300 hours. I am now setting up my kicker to troll with EZ Steer and Troll Master for next year as I have no problem if I don't troll with it at below 900 rpm for long times. My E-tec mechanic say Evinrudes have had a lot of problems in the past with running to cold at slow speeds in cold water and thinks this may be the problem. The oil light problem, yes I to had that problem too but with me it was not a problem with the oil. I would start heading out, get about 5 min. run time and light would come on an engine would kick into idle to protect itself. I would reset every thing and it would be fine or maybe do it one more time. Well what I found by looking at my fuel lines, it was sucking all the fuel out of my kicker motor fuel line then sucking air. In fact it sucked it so hard it broke the valve in the squeeze ball for the kicker. I put fuel valves on both the main line and the kicker line so I can turn off the one not in use and have not had it happen since. Well that is my experience so far with my E-tec and the Mech's. I still love the motor and have faith that they will work the few bugs out. Wink Wayne Back to top View user's profile Send private message |
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