E-Ticket Evinrude’s new E-Tec outboards use advanced technology to maximize power and minimize maintenance Jim Barron Trailer Boats February 1, 2004

There’s new direct-fuel-injection (DFI) two-stroke technology hitting the boating market, and it’s called E-Tec. Though the name may be new, it comes with a familiar label — Evinrude.

It would be easy to think of E-Tec as simply the next generation of Evinrude’s Ficht Ram DFI. However, according to Bombardier Recreational Products — Evinrude’s parent corporation —E-Tec is much more than an updated DFI system. The E-Tec concept is designed to make owning and operating an outboard motor as trouble-free as possible. With this in mind, let’s look at this system in its entirety.

E-Tec starts with the engine manufacturing process. The current E-Tecs are newly designed I-2 blocks rated at 40, 50 and 60 hp, and I-3 blocks rated at 75 and 90 hp. Many of the components, such as pistons, connecting rods and bearings, come from the Evinrude V-6 parts bin.

A NASA-developed alloy is used in the pistons, which are 21/2 times tougher than traditional aluminum pistons at normal operating temperatures, according to company officials. Boron-nitrite honed bores ensure ultra-smooth cylinder walls that help eliminate the possibility of piston seizure during the first few hours of operation. These material improvements — plus closely held manufacturing tolerances — make the traditional outboard break-in period unneeded. E-Tec engines can be operated at wide-open throttle from the initial turn of the key.

Another enhancement to durability is the use of husky lower-unit components. These have also been adapted from Evinrude V-6s. The I-2 outboards have a considerable amount of gear reduction (2.67:1) that allows them to turn large-diameter, high-pitch props. This lends large-load carrying ability on boats that are marginally powered, while still permitting a good turn of speed with lightweight craft.

LOW-MAINTENANCE
The first recommended service interval is 300 hours or three years for E-Tec engines — a startling departure from most factory-recommended maintenance schedules. Many outboards require service in the first 10 to 20 hours, and again at 100 hours.

To simplify service on E-Tec engines, there are no adjustable linkages on the powerhead. Everything from spark advance to the winterization procedure is controlled by the EMM (Engine Management Module). For the winterization procedure, there is no need to go to the dealer. It is owner initiated by using the fast idle lever and by following the simple instructions in the manual; the engine will fog itself and shut down.
There are two dealer-adjustable provisions on E-Tec engines — the idle speed and oil ratio. Both require adjustments to the EMM. The oil ratio is adjustable to match the type of oil you are going to use.

These Evinrudes are designed to operate on any TC-W3 oil. The engine comes from the factory programmed for this grade of lubricant, and the reservoirs are designed to hold enough oil for 25 hours of operation under normal operating conditions. If you are willing to spend the extra money for Evinrude’s XD 100 synthetic blend two-stroke oil, the EMM can be reprogrammed to burn approximately half as much oil. This will provide up to 50 hours of operating time on one tank of oil, and that is a full season’s use for many outboard owners.

XD 100 is expensive ($34.98 per gallon), but remember that you can spend twice as much for XD 100 before there is an increase in actual operating costs. As this is written, a gallon of TC-W3 oil ranges in price from $7.69 for Pennzoil to $20.99 for Mercury Quicksilver at K-Mart.

MAGNETO DRIVEN
The E-Tec system is magneto driven, allowing these engines to operate without batteries. The outboards can be rope started, requiring only one revolution to develop enough spark to fire. With a 7.00:1 compression ratio, I found rope starting to be difficult. Stranded 10 miles up the lake with no help in sight, I could get the E-Tec started, but it would be a struggle. On the other hand, if the outboard doesn’t start with a flick of the key at the dock, I’m not going out until it is fixed.

At the heart of the E-Tec system is new fuel-injector technology. It is quite different from Evinrude’s Ficht Ram DFI system that employs a solenoid at each cylinder to force fuel into the combustion chamber.
With E-Tec, instead of a solenoid to drive the fuel through the injector into the combustion chamber, a coil surrounded by a magnet moves the piston. The coil acts just like a speaker coil, but it drives a piston instead of a cone. The amount of fuel delivered to the combustion chamber is dependent on the length of the piston stroke.

There are two major advantages of E-Tec over Ficht. The first is that the E-Tec injector coil can develop more pressure (up to 700 psi) than the Ficht solenoid (500 psi). Secondly, the polarity of the coil can be reversed for better control of the injector piston and a quicker return; this allows for higher engine rpm. The Ficht system, on the other hand, relies solely on a spring to return the injector piston.

E-Tec’s increased injection pressures also help ensure better atomization of the fuel. What’s more, a re-designed nozzle swirls the fuel as it enters the combustion chamber. In addition, the intensity and duration of the spark ignition is tailored to the needs of the engine, dependent on rpm and loading. All three features contribute to cleaner combustion and increased spark plug life.

RUNNING LEAN
All five E-Tec outboards carry the CARB (California Air Resources Board) three-star rating. Key to achieving this ultra-low emissions rating is a lean burn, stratified charge at low engine speeds. At low speeds, up to about 2000 rpm, there is no attempt to fill the entire combustion chamber with an ignitable mixture. Instead, the fuel is concentrated toward the tip of the spark plug. This small area of combustible mixture is ignited, and the flame then expands to the leaner areas of the combustion chamber. This lean burn technology reduces emissions, and is the reason behind the excellent low-speed fuel economy figures of these two-strokes.

Unfortunately, lean-burn technology has its limitations. A lean mixture burns very hot. As engine load and speed increase under lean-burn conditions, the pistons and cylinder walls can no longer transfer enough heat to the cooling system. If cylinder head temperatures rise to the danger point, pistons melt, head damage is likely and cylinder-wall scoring is inevitable.

With this in mind, the E-Tec system has sensors that closely monitor the cylinder head temperatures. These are linked to the EMM, which adjusts the fuel/air mix accordingly. In addition, Evinrude E-Tec outboards have a redesigned cooling system — a critical factor in a hard working two-stroke. This is a thermostatically controlled, high-volume system that is engineered to remove as much heat from the engine as possible when needed. As evidence, the cooling-water indicator stream is no longer a trickle; it is a gusher.

HAMMER TIME
We tested the largest of the
E-Tec outboards — the Evinrude 90 — on an Aquasport 175 Opsrey center console (see sidebar) on a blustery day on the Intracoastal Waterway near Bombardier’s test facility in Stuart, Florida. Our boat was loaded with test gear, safety equipment, two adult males and a full tank of gasoline (33 gallons).

The 171/2-foot Aquasport is rated for 120 hp, so I considered the craft underpowered with the 90 on the transom. Yet, she managed to reach 30 mph from a standing start in a tick under 7 seconds.

Turning a 15-inch-pitch, stainless three-blade prop, the Evinrude 90 E-Tec propelled the 1750-pound Osprey (without engine) to a top speed of just under 39 mph. To reach nearly 40 mph with this package is outstanding — strong testament to the torque of these new engines.
Fuel efficiency of the 90 E-Tec is remarkable. On our test with the Osprey 175, the outboard achieved 6.6 mpg. To give you a point of comparison, in a previous test, Suzuki’s 90 EFI four-stroke achieved optimum fuel economy of 5.9 mpg on an 1850-pound 220 SeaChaser.

Evinrude has also paid particular attention to noise. Special baffling of the air intake is designed to both block and cancel sound waves. Tighter manufacturing tolerances have reduced mechanical noise, and a special sound-absorbing cowl liner has further reduced the sound levels and made them more sonically pleasing.

The 90 E-Tec registered just 63 decibels at the helm at idle, 84 decibels at 3500 rpm and 92 at full throttle.
Styling of E-Tec engines is also new. There is a pleasant blend of graceful curves with hard line accents. The predominant color is deep blue with white lettering and a red accent stripe. The 90 hp unit is also available in a white, offshore version with blue lettering. Styling is always a matter of personal choice. In my opinion, these engine will handsomely grace the transom of any boat.

With the new E-Tec system, Evinrude is able to push the limits for maximum power and efficiency. Though the available horsepower ratings are relatively low now, E-Tec will eventually replace Ficht Ram in Evinrude’s V-6 engines. Once that occurs, it is sure to be an E-ticket ride.

SPECIFICATIONS

EVINRUDE 90 E-TEC
Horsepower 90
No. of Cylinders I-3
Displacement 1.3L/79 cid
Shaft Length 20”
Weight 305 lbs.
Induction DFI
Max. Alternator Output 25 amps
WOT RPM Range 4500-5500
Gear Ratio 2.00:1
Propeller SST 133/4”x15”
stainless 3-blade
MSRP $9075

Bombardier Recreational Products,
Dept. TBM, 10101 Science Drive,
Sturtevant, WI 53177; 262/884-5000;
recreation.bombardier.com

TEST PLATFORM

Aquasport 175 Osprey

Aquasport is one of the older names in center console boats, and it is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The 175 Osprey (see lead photo on pages 46-47) is currently the smallest boat in the line, and it offers strong performance with a mid-sized engine. It is a good value, too.

The bow area contains a storage compartment in the forepeak with a raised cockpit sole forming a forward casting platform. A large fishbox extends the width of the sole, is insulated and has an overboard drain. Stainless grabrails along each gunwale replace the more customary bow rail.

The center console contains full instrumentation and a compass, and is large enough for bracket-mounted electronics. The forward seat has a recirculating bait tank below, and an optional flush-mounted tackle drawer can be mounted in the forward area of the console. The console interior features lockable storage, and optional vertical rod holders can be mounted on either side. Additional rod racks are provided under the gunwale on both the port and starboard side.

Behind the console is a 45-quart ice chest seat with a reversible seatback. The cockpit sole has an effective non-skid surface and is self-bailing. There are two additional storage compartments in the stern quarters.
We found the 175 Osprey to be solidly constructed. The hull employs a fiberglass grid-type stringer system, and the voids are filled with foam to provide flotation. The hull features through-bolted hardware and has a solid feel, free of shakes and rattles. We did get an occasional clunk from the fishbox lid — this can easily be cured with a bit of weather striping.

This ride took place on a windy day at Bombardier’s test facilities in Stuart, Florida. It was one of those days that you expected to get wet, and sure enough, we did. The water, however, came from the sky, not the sea.
The hull is a modified V-bottom with 12 degrees of deadrise at the transom. This isn’t the smoothest riding hull design, but a sharp forward entry eases the boat through a chop; the riding qualities are better than expected. The fairly flat hull has some distinct advantages in other areas. It is quick to plane and doesn’t get bogged down with a heavy load. In addition, it has excellent stability both at rest and when underway. The hard chines bite well in turns, and the 175 Osprey corners with a modest amount of banking. The hull performs well at idling speeds with no tendency to wander.

This is a practical boat with standard features most fishermen will appreciate. The option list is not extensive, but the design encourages owner-installed accessories. The boat is well constructed and has a practical layout. Performance is great with the 90 hp Evinrude E-Tec, and with a list price under $25,000 — including a state-of-the-art engine and trailer — the 175 Osprey represents one of the best buys on the market.
— Jim Barron

SPECIFICATIONS

AQUASPORT 175 OSPREY
Base Price
(w/ Johnson 90
& galv. trlr.) $22,070
Price as Tested
(w/ galv. trlr.) $24,840
Length 17’ 4”
Beam 6’ 9”
Deadrise at Transom 12 degrees
Weight (w/o engine) 1740 lbs.
Draft (drive down) 25”
Fuel Capacity 33 gals.
Max. Horsepower 120

Aquasport Boats, Dept. TBM,
1651 Whitfield Ave., Sarasota, FL 34243; 941/751-7886; aquasport.com