Chinese Clone Motors. Any good??

[User name]

Originally Posted by Matt73

What model is it do you know ? 2 or 4 stroke

I believe it's the T15 2 stroke and is about 3 years old.

I've no strong opinion on them myself. I just thought the nickname was funny.

[chipko]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Have they managed to keep the weight to 36kg?

Motor back home for winter now. Popped it on the scales and weighs in at between 36 to 36.5 kilos including 11” pitch prop and fuel in the carb!![emoji6]

[Fenlander]

Damn you're a kg lighter. Must be the use of advanced Chinesium alloy.

[Steve509926]

I'm looking forward to next season when you put it through its paces. That's when it will prove if it's upto being compared with the Yam.

[Fenlander]

To be fair I think the clone has 70hrs on it so proven to date.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

To be fair I think the clone has 70hrs on it so proven to date.

Reread everything and I had missed the 70hrs, to be fair I bet that is more than most sib outboards do in 3 - 4 years.
Chipko, have you compared any Yam OE parts for your clone, I mean regular service parts?

[chipko]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Damn you're a kg lighter. Must be the use of advanced Chinesium alloy.

Ha ha! Might well be the Chinesium alloy, although more likely no charging circuit/rectifier, not half as much paint and my scales a bit off etc. etc.

Steve…not tried any Yam service parts yet…only changed gearbox oil to date. If Yam or pattern parts don’t fit then its the skip for it I’m afraid. [emoji45]

[chipko]

The Clone has now found its blueprint brother.

Just acquired possibly the best used Yam 15 in the country and from a fellow member of this parish to boot. Paid top dollar mind, and perhaps even a bit more if honest, but how often does something this good crop up. Very pleased.

Can the clone compete with its master!

[Fenlander]

Well done. Top dollar is never too much for an absolute minter like that.

[Steve509926]

Good to see both yourself and Mr F have secured "mint" 15hp Yams.
It'll be interesting to see how the clone matches up.

[Oldman2]

I didn't think that one would stay at its home for long Chipko, It was worth that arm and leg really though wasn't it

[chipko]

Originally Posted by Oldman2

It was worth that arm and leg really though wasn't it

Definitely worth the arm and a leg, it was the kidney that smarted!

Amazing condition though, so well worth the cost.

[chipko]

Bit of an update.

Glad to say the Chinese Clone emerged from its winter slumbers no worse for wear with still not a hint of any surface corrosion. Fired up instantly and still running faultlessly so far at 80 odd hours.

Been running both the Yam and clone on the Elling this season for some back to back testing. Both have the same 11” pitch prop.

Have to say there’s bugger all difference in performance with both nudging 23 knots at full chat one up in good conditions. The clone actually pulls 5600 rpm against the Yams 5550 although no discernible difference in speed. The clone also has about 60 more hours on the clock over the Yam’s 20 odd hours so may be a tad looser. Both start from cold usually on first pull and a very lazy half pull warm.

Apart from the Yamaha’s far superior paint job, build quality, and resale value there’s so far nothing in it performance wise.

[Fenlander]

Valuable info, real test rather than hearsay.

In truth I'm not amazed at the identical performances... but would it be wrong to always wonder if making a passage at sea with Mrs F and dog that one day the clone would be more likely to go clang?

Anyway time for one or the other to be hung on the red peril.

[User name]

Great info. These actually look pretty appealing.

Have you been able to confirm parts compatibility between it and the Yamaha? Is is 1:1, or a more loose clone of the Yam?

[chipko]

Mr F….Yes always in the back of my mind the Clone goes pop out at sea. Thinking more electrical gremlin rather than mechanical but hey ho. Rather ocd on fuel housekeeping so less of a worry in that respect. Also need to bear in mind our new Tohatsu 9.8 died inexplicably a mile out, so even the genuine article ain’t foolproof!

Hopefully get the red Aerotec wet sometime soon before the seams finally turn to mush. Banking on it still being the ‘best of the best’ but in truth I’ve managed to move on a tad and found there is indeed life after an Aerotec. The T38 will give it a good run for its money and lately become rather smitten with the new breed of sib-cats, so much fun to be had with these. Fully agree the Aerotec is a classic, but sadly long gone, so getting rather weary of peeps recommending something that’s not available, so overpriced, and so old it’s potentially unseaworthy. At least if my ancient Aerotec disintegrates I’ll have a pattern to commission a Chinese copy. Hey already got the Chinese Yamahaha so why not a Chinese AeroTao!

User name….Not had call to replace any parts as yet, apart from fibre gearbox washers at the oil change so don’t honestly know if genuine Yam or pattern parts fit. It looks to be an exact Yam copy visually down to the smallest detail, but have no idea on how tolerances stack up. If Yam or pattern parts don’t fit then it’s a scrapper…..that’s the risk!

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by chipko

Also need to bear in mind our new Tohatsu 9.8 died inexplicably a mile out, so even the genuine article ain’t foolproof!

Hi chipko, did you find out what the problem was?

[Fenlander]

>>the Aerotec is a classic, but sadly long gone, so getting rather weary of peeps recommending something that’s not available, so overpriced, and so old it’s potentially unseaworthy.

And that's why I will so value your usual accurate comparison.

To be fair I'ver rarely pointed folks towards an Aerotec since we've owned one... sung it's praises yes but accepted while it suits us better than any SIB on the market it is not for everyone. I'm so pleased we bought one of the last of the production run to probably see out our two folks plus dog adventuring. The seam glue and our wish to keep trundling a 3.8m on transom wheels may fade at the same time.

[chipko]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Hi chipko, did you find out what the problem was?

Steve, no never found the problem and it’s run faultlessly since. Could have been user error I suppose!

[smallribber]

I agree regarding the so frequent mentions of the Aerotec given it has been out of production for so long and the issues older ones seem to have. The best general purpose all rounder is without the Honwave T38 ie3, particularly as it has now done away with the rear trim tabs to aid wheel and transducer mounting ��