Suzuki 2.5 or Yamaha 2.0?

[lancelot9898]

Why just limit yourself to 2.5 hp whereas most engines can be had at 3.5 hp for basically the same weight? And also I had a friend here in the US buy a new 2 stroke through mail order. Check it out, although the quality might be suspect since its imported from China. I think a 2 stroke might be easier to repair vs a 4 stroke.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I’m looking to buy a tiny motor mostly as a backup but also for when we are places where only no wake speeds are allowed, so if I give up planing that means to me to get the smallest, lightest and cheapest motor available, that is reliable, no Chinese clones for me.
I’m in the Bahamas, the two stroke 2 hp Yamaha is available, but is $900, and weighs in at 22 lbs.
The 12% VAT just kills prices here.
In the US I can get the Suzuki for less than $800, it’s 30 lbs.
The Yamaha requires mixed fuel of course, nothing else I have does, and the little motor won’t be used very often I don’t think unless the bigger motor dies.

So which one is most reliable, better made? I assume there will likely be carb issues with either, just have to live with that I guess.
Neither will go in the Lazarette, they will live on the rail or on the dinghy, so no worry about oil leakage when laid on its side.

I have had a Suzuki 2.5 for two years. It runs about an hour on a full tank of gas, and starts every time. I have access to non-ethanol gas and that is all I put in it. I would not pay more for a smaller Yamaha.

[Gaia]

Read all the above and am wondering why no one has mentioned that all those little 2 strokes are built by Tohatsu except Yamaha. At least that is my understanding.

I bought ours, a 3.5 hp Tohatsu in Malaysia for about 500$ and had some carb issues due to ethanol in Brazil. In Florida bought widely available recreational gas and have had no issues. We are now in the Bahamas but still using our Florida gas. The little gem starts on the first pull and drives our Tinker inflatable at over 4 kts on part throttle. We never run the carb dry nor in 23 yrs of using these little engines have we ever rinsed them with fresh water.

Ours has no gears but if I had my druthers I'd buy the shift model. Handy and not much extra weight. I do not understand why one would buy the lower HP versions as their wt is nearly identical but having said that we seldom, or actually never, run ours full bore. However in a pinch when pushing the mother ship extra horses might come in handy, hence our choice.

It is a pity these motors cannot be bought new anymore but for the environment the change was good and necessary.

Jim

[Suijin]

A plug for the Yammie 2.5 hp four stroke.

It just runs. Leave it baking in the sun for two months, unused? No problem. Starts second pull. Light enough to swing down to the dink with one hand. No mixing, no fumes, great mileage. And actually has a shifter, neutral and forward.

Downside is an internal fuel tank smaller than a squirrel bladder.

The poor 8 hp Yammie two stroke now sits on the rail, pressed into duty only for longer trips.

[sailhand]

For what its worth the yammy 3 two stroke is my pick of the bunch. Afew basic reasons, has neutral and forward gear box, throttle on the tiller so easier to operate 360 degree steering for close quarters manouvering. Light enough and best of all super reliable. Easy to service, every ten years or so I pull the powerhead and dig all the accumulated sand and salt out of the waterjacket. I usually throw in a few seals and bearings if the old ones are a bit rusty from a submersion or two, or left underwater overnight on a sunken dinghy. Cant beat em to death with a big stick, start first pull every time if you feed them clean fuel. I bought it for fifty bucks seized and underwater, never looked back amazing little machines. You wont regret buying a three yammy, bulletproof!!!

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

To me they are obnoxious, LOUD and I do not like the centrifugal clutch

Oh

We like our little Honda

If $800 buys a new 4 stroke in the US, what sort of price does a mint condition little 2 stroke cost second hand? For 15 years I ran a Johnson clone of the 3.5hp engine. Serviced it once at the 14 year point when the water pump finally gave up. Some, like the later Evinrude and Johnsons have clips for the hood, older or mariner have bolts which have to be removed to access the engine. I would always choose the single hood with clips.

Cheap and cheerful, it will live happy in all weathers on the rail with minimal maintenance and even then a carb strip is a 10 minute job with a single cross head screwdriver. I can't think of anything simpler.

[a64pilot]

Best price I found not looking real hard for the 2.5 hp Zuki was from Portaboat at $748 delivered.
In the Bahamas the Yamaha 2 hp two stroke largely because of the taxes is about $900.
Apparently when something is brought into the Bahamas there is a 45% import tax, and when it’s sold there is a 12% VAT tax.
I think that is why things are so expensive here.

However the 15 HP Yamaha leisure model can be had for less than the 20 HP Suzuki in the States, it’s about $2600, I don’t know exact because I wasn’t looking for another big motor.

[Pete7]

Well at $750 it's worth a try. Reports on some of the other forums suggest they run very weak to meet emmision regulations, probably a EU thing, but there is a fix to solve it. That would be worth googling.

Certainly being able to climb up the transom with our little Honda in one hand on my own rather than faff around with ropes and pulleys is a boon when you just want to get back on board, for a cup of tea

[yachtgemini]

I have been dabling in the dark side and have been using a shakespeare freshwater trolling electric motor that cost me about $200 plus a battery and 4 years in the setup still works a treat and no ethanol problems.. it is never going to plane the dink or go very fast but I probably use it 2 or 3 times more than the Suzuki. Saltwater does not seem to have hurt it at all, my family can carry it and start it and it has had zero maintenance.

Range has not been much of an issue and with an 85 amp/h leisure battery we routinely do 3-4 nm round trips.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by sailhand

For what its worth the yammy 3 two stroke is my pick of the bunch. Afew basic reasons, has neutral and forward gear box, throttle on the tiller so easier to operate 360 degree steering for close quarters manouvering. Light enough and best of all super reliable. Easy to service, every ten years or so I pull the powerhead and dig all the accumulated sand and salt out of the waterjacket. I usually throw in a few seals and bearings if the old ones are a bit rusty from a submersion or two, or left underwater overnight on a sunken dinghy. Cant beat em to death with a big stick, start first pull every time if you feed them clean fuel. I bought it for fifty bucks seized and underwater, never looked back amazing little machines. You wont regret buying a three yammy, bulletproof!!!

This is why I went with a Honda, aside from it being the lightest motor available. Air cooled so you avoid a lot of maintenance & a lot of problems.

[Shawn67]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Well at $750 it's worth a try. Reports on some of the other forums suggest they run very weak to meet emmision regulations, probably a EU thing, but there is a fix to solve it. That would be worth googling.

Certainly being able to climb up the transom with our little Honda in one hand on my own rather than faff around with ropes and pulleys is a boon when you just want to get back on board, for a cup of tea

I have a 2006 Suzuki DF2.5. Nice little engine. Suzuki downsized the main jets after 2006. In 2006 the main jet was a #70 and the pilot jet was #32. In 2007 the pilot stayed the same but the main jet went down to a #64.

Easy enough to change out the jets and Suzuki offers several sizes of jets. My engine had been sitting for about 5 years so I just put new jets in it. #34 for pilot and #72 for main.

I also drilled out the cover for the idle mixture screw to dial out the hesitation off idle on acceleration with the Suzuki. Haven't taken it on the water yet but it is running strong in the barrel.

https://www.brownspoint.com/store/pc...il.asp?ID=9787

Shawn

[Jammer]

The Suzuki 2.5 is highly regarded. I would consider it the score to beat for a new boat motor in that size range.


The air-cooled Honda, as you note, is loud, and the received wisdom is that they have a useful life of about 500-800 hours, after which the rings and cylinders are worn out; overhaul is not cost effective so people scrap them. On the other hand, they require less maintenance, since the water pump impeller does not have to be replaced every 1-2 years.


Around here, Johnson/Evinrude 3 HP motors from the 1960s are widely available used. Typically they have few hours on them since they are popular on canoes and duck boats rather than on the sort of boat where you troll all weekend. Parts are readily available. I have two of these motors and like them. They are water-cooled two-strokes. Local repair places sell fully serviced ones with a warranty for $400. Size and weight are comparable to the Suzuki 2.5.



There's a folding version out there with a hinge in the lower unit, you pull a pin and the leg folds up for stowage.

[a64pilot]

I have decided that if I go with a little motor it will be the Suzuki.
Biggest reason is the price difference, port-a-boat will deliver me one for just under $750.

[Shawn67]

Looking at the parts catalog and a couple of recent DF2.5 videos it looks like Suzuki also put a real cooling water indicator in the later engines around 2009. The early engines just spit a little bit of water out when running with almost nothing at idle.

Shawn