crunch time - Tohatsu / Etec

[Mr Flibble]

Both are very good engines.
I have a Tohatsu 115 tldi. Been running it all season and it's a fantastic engine. Quiet, good on oil and petrol.
As has been said servicing on the Etec is every 3 years (apart from the usual stuff like gear oil etc.) The TLDI is every 50 hours with a major service at 3 years. I'd do the 50 hour service anyway no matter what the engine so not a worry for me.
The TLDI has been around for ages so is a well proven engine.
If it's a difficult shout I'd look at availability of local service agents. If you can buy a TLDI 'up the road' or travel 300 miles for the Etec what happens when things break? Will it mean a 300 mile trip to get it fixed? Cost and availability of parts would be another consideration but as I've said both are good engines.
I'd have another TLDI without hesitation but if I had an etec I'd probably say the same.

You realise now that I've said this the thing will breakdown next week.

[bingomike]

Originally Posted by chewy

Any reason for the Quicksilver? You can get 25 litres of Morris 2-stroke TCW3 for £98.52 plus vat.

Only that is what my chandler/mechanic supplied me..so have stuck with it for initial fill and the 2nd top uo.. will have a look at what i am using before I buy any more.. especially if i can get it at that price!...Is costing almost as much as the petrol at moment!!

Thanks for the suggestions.

Mike

[MustRib]

Thanks to all for the advIce and opinions, have ordered the Tohatsu today.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by MustRib

Thanks to all for the advIce and opinions, have ordered the Tohatsu today.

Ok, can you advise what was the reasons for your choice??

[MustRib]

yep ...
Some good comments on here about their reliability primarily,
then I liked the idea of it being fitted locally
I saved a 600 mile round trip for the Etec
I was impressed by the engineer on the Tohatsu stand at the SBS,
I figured that a 50 hour service interval given the amount of use I will give it,
didnt really factor too heavily in my decision.
plus I saved over £400 on this motor against the etec even without the costs of the extra mileage etc to get it fitted...

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by MustRib

yep ...
Some good comments on here about their reliability primarily,
then I liked the idea of it being fitted locally
I saved a 600 mile round trip for the Etec
I was impressed by the engineer on the Tohatsu stand at the SBS,
I figured that a 50 hour service interval given the amount of use I will give it,
didnt really factor too heavily in my decision.
plus I saved over £400 on this motor against the etec even without the costs of the extra mileage etc to get it fitted...

All good reasons to justify your decision. Residual is the only one you've omitted.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Mollers

All good reasons to justify your decision. Residual is the only one you've omitted.

Yep agree with Mollers all good reasons. Wish you well hope it gives youu many enjoyable hours.

[BogMonster]

You think you have a round trip to the nearest etec dealer...

[MustRib]

so what OB's do private boats use down there ? (assuming there are none military boats??)

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by MustRib

so what OB's do private boats use down there ? (assuming there are none military boats??)

There are not a lot of private OB boats most of the privately owned "fleet" are WAFI's or bigger boats plus the commercial launches (Nelsons etc).

Offhand on mid size boats (4 - 8 metre) I can think of a pair of Suz DF140s on the local defence force's Rigid Raider, my old Humber had a carbed 2 stroke Johnson 115GL, another Humber I know of has a 2/ Mariner 90 on it, there is a Narwhal with a Johnzuki 4 stroke 50, the local diver runs twin Mariner 75 2/ on his Humber, there are a couple of sets of 2 stroke Yamahas around and a pair of Selvas so a right old mixture! The total RIB population in the islands is less than what you'd find on a RIBnet Rib Raid and not all of those are in the same waters I use, some out on the outer islands.

Mostly quite old stuff, the E-TEC and the Suzukis mentioned above are probably the only ones with electronic engine management.

The Navy runs a couple of Pac 22s on HMS Clyde and the South Georgia fishery patrol vessel has Deltas on it but not sure what engines they use - twin Yamaha 2/ I think.

[MustRib]

sounds like everything is a diy fix when it goes wrong down there!

there is an etec dealer in my city, just you can hear the sounds of knives being sharpened when you get near his place. Everything is very expensive.
The best price I could have got for the etec was from a dealer 300 miles away.
Anyway - am sure I made a good decision, a new Yamaha was way out of my price range.