New Motor

htillman · #1 10-05-2011, 12:58 AM

Considering a new 300 hp 4 stroke yamaha against the 300 suzuki and 300 etec. They are now about the same weight, wondering about performance, durability and quality issues? I have a 23 CC and am about to repower and want the best of the best. What are everyones recommendations and experiences.

jongolds · #2 10-05-2011, 11:51 AM

I've been thrilled with the 300hp Etec on my 23' Tsunami. Cruise about 20mph & 2mpg, top speed near 50mph. This is in a Tsunami with a hardtop and a twin engine bracket that for unknown reasons is still filling with water. Trim tabs are also not yet working properly.

I expect performance to improve once we can keep the bracket dry. The motor is on it's 2nd season on 100:1 oil. Starts fast everytime. Zero maintenance costs to date. The easy winterization has been terrific too. It takes seconds to do and you don't need to prep. No fogging oil needed, no sparkplug wrenches. It's easy enough to do if you just think it may be a couple weeks before you get to use the boat again.

Old'sCool · #3 10-05-2011, 12:50 PM

The Suzuki has oil bath chain driving the camshafts where Yamaha has a rubber belt. Just sayin' E-Tec is obviously lighter and requires (a little) 2 stroke oil. I think any would be good.

DonV · #4 10-05-2011, 03:47 PM

I agree, any of the three sounds great! I would rate the importance of the purchase as follows,
1. installed price, which is controls, guages, etc.
2. factory warranty, not some extended insurance warranty
3. dealer and his service
4. weight and performance, if one is way above the others

I checked on the prices of a new 250 eTec vs a 250 V-6 Yamaha at the Tampa boat show a few weeks ago, if I could purchase right now, I'm buying the eTec (plus they had a special on controls). Yamaha was $1500 to $1800 more depending on the dealer. Good luck!!!

doodlebug · #5 10-07-2011, 02:37 AM

the 300 etec is only getting 2mpg @ 20 mph cruse? That does not sound real good, Don your old 225 merc should do that. Made a couple of long runs with my cousin out of Ceader Key he was running a 250 promax and was getting 3mpg with a top speed about 50mph

DonV · #6 10-07-2011, 08:21 AM

Mr. Bug, you are correct my ol 225 EFI gets just at 2 mpg when the water is smooth. The 300 eTec numbers mentioned seem quite a bit low. The below is a copy/paste from the Maverick Boat Co. forum for guy who's running a 300 Yamaha V-6 on a 23' Pathfinder Deep V. I've seen the boat in person and it's VERY nice looking outfit with the 300 and seems to run effortlessly. I'm thinking the 300 eTec should be much closer to 4 mpg. My two cents....

Pathfinder 23DV

"The F300 is a stellar engine. The SDS props are totally silent. It is smooth, quiet, efficient and strong as an Ox ! The power above 3500rpm is hard to describe. The 19 pitch SWS prop is perfect with the new lower unit ratio. WOT speed is 57 light, and at 3300 I cruise at 27mph, & 4.0 mpg.
Excellent numbers for a 4500 lb deep vee !!"

jongolds · #7 10-07-2011, 04:21 PM

Remember the caveat, this is with a large hardtop and dragging around a twin motor bracket that is literally full of water and with trim tabs that are wired wrong and were therefore likely never fully retracted. A short run after Irene with a fully drained bracket and fully retracted tabs seemed to have much better performance but is not much of a sample size to report #s from. Even with all these problems I'm still doing about 50% better than i did with our old triple carb 225 merc. I'm betting the Tsunami model weighs a bit more than the CC to begin with as well.

Basspond · #8 10-07-2011, 09:45 PM

Not sure what the Suzuki or E-Tec would run you, but I know a new Yamaha F300 installed with the new electronic controls ran someone around $27k... and that's if you can find one.

doodlebug · #9 10-07-2011, 11:31 PM

Don if you would just hurry up and get you one and give us some good #'s to look at you could help me in my decisions, mine runs good and over 3mpg is nice but I have a 1998-2000 on the one side that is a little cranky, my port eng is a 2001 and is always ready to go. I guess I need to just find a 01 or later for the stbd side to make life great
but they are just harder to find.

DonV · #10 10-08-2011, 10:18 AM

Duane, there is only one thing standing in my way to a new 250 to 300 hp engine for my SeaCraft........money. Actually it's the lack of money to buy the engine and hire a divorce lawyer.