Difference between E-TEC 75 & 90? Upgrade??

[dctucker]

Yeah, it's 15 HP, right?

Any E-TEC techs or experts here? I have an opportunity to buy a NEW old stock '05 E-Tec 75 and a pretty large discount. Dealer will flash it to latest program, rig the motor, with controls, prop and new battery. Cost is $3300+ USD less than a new 90 hp! Too good a deal to pass up.

Naturally however, I really want a 90 for my Searider. Looking at the engine specs got me thinking (always dangerous!)... There appears to be no meaningful difference between a 75 and a 90 in terms of mechanics. Doing a big of googling, I found a reference to a BRP rep telling someone it's just the EMM and intake manifold. Soooo... If I were to buy the 75, and a new EMM & intake for a 90, I'd presumably have a 90 for a dramatic discount. Obviously I have a potential for a warranty problem, which for the sake of argument, I'm willing to accept.

I've done this and more to my Saab 2.0 turbo, taking it from 185 hp to ~230 so this is not uncharted territory for me! That started with a simple ECU swap... Outboard folks seem like sticks in the mud in comparison to the help available tuning autos!!

I've asked about this on an E-Tec heavy US Bassboat board and gotten a lot of guff about Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nonsense (it's the same damned engine!!), just buy a 90, etc. Which I would do if only money were no issue!. Even then, I'd be a card carrying member of the CBYC (Cheap Bastard's Yacht Club), if I weren't to cheap to buy a hat!

I'm looking for some more useful input on whether this should be as easy as it seems. Maybe it's just my cheapness and willingness to tinker, but it seems like everyone should be doing this! Why not? What am I missing here?

[codprawn]

There are many engines that differ only in small ways. The Ford Transit van for example has 3 different power outputs for what is basically the same engine.

It also happens with outboards - there are a few articles on RIBNET that tell you how to turn your (I think) 9.9hp to a 15hp for example.

As you say look at the bore/stroke etc they are the same engine - it is much cheaper for a manufacturer to just changed a bit of code than to make major changes. If you can do it then go ahead - I would.

[jyasaki]

Might try posting the question on TheHullTruth.com ; seems they have a lot of (granted: self-proclaimed) experts.

Quite a few guys running E-Tec's though.

Might find something out (then again, might not.)

jky

[dctucker]

Just saw an anwer on the other board.

First: Potential for a $25,000/day fine for the dealer, technician and I for tampering with an emissions control device. Not that there's anyone checking such things, but that's pretty heavy duty. I wouldn't ask any business to risk that.

Second: "the manufacturer has some pretty tight controls on these things right now. If you buy a new EMM, its essentially brain dead. It needs to be brought to life and properly programmed with model number, serial number, injector coefficients, etc. Second, unless one works for BRP manufacturing, Engineering or Technical Service, the software program to do all this is simply unavailable to us general public types. Even the software dealers use isn't capable of loading a new EMM, it requires some pre-programming from the factory boys

So it sounds like it would be tough to lay your hands on a programmed EMM. This is a tougher hurdle, making this a long shot, unless an aftermarket emerges, as in the auto tuning world. So, if I buy the 75, it sounds like that's what I've got. It's just too good a deal to pass up. Maybe in a few years, I'll find an EMM from a 90 on eBay and give it a shot!

[Seaharrier]

when they changed the engine blok on mine, they needed to reprogramm the EMM. That took some thime as there seems to be only one person in Belgium who can do that!

So software is not widly available!