Quote:
Originally Posted by keakar
I hear a lot of talk about tohatsu motors being very fast but the 4 strokes weight the same as the 2 strokes and are both models equally as fast? also which one is better and why.
also are there other motors that are just as fast or for that matter just better motors overall if not as fast?
I think I need a new motor and wanted to know where to begin searching for a replacement for a 17x52 flatboard motor in the 50hp size (max rated) and I want to get over 30mph top end, hopefully 35-40mph
as I understand it the Nissan/tohatsu motors are the same motors being branded and sold under the Honda badge
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When the current stock of Tohatsu TLDI's are gone, that's it. Stock motors will all run very close on equal boats. EVERY manufacturer must follow NMMA guidelines for horsepower ratings. 2 strokes will be a thing of the past except for E-Tec and that is useless.
Now if you want the 50 that is most easily upgraded, the Mercury and the Yamaha have identical specs. The ecu programming is a tad different, everything else is the same. The ecu can be reflashed to 60hp on both outboards. They are both 61 cubic inch 4 cylinder motors. To say one is superior, nahhh, not really. Those 2 would be the most easily upgraded. The problem is the weight, they are above the 250 pound mark for both motors. Both are available only in 20" shaft.
Tohatsu just released their new 3 cylinder, 53 cubic inch, 40/50. It is available in short or long shaft, weighs 208 pounds.
So, if you can live with a long shaft and you can handle the weight, the Merc and Yamaha are a toss up, whichever offers the best price and warranty. Last time I checked, about 2 months ago, the Yamaha was so stupid expensive compared to everything else, they priced themselves out of the market. You can buy the Merc and have enough left over for extended warranty and still have cash left over compared to the price of the Yamaha.
If you have to have a short shaft, the new Tohatsu is hard to beat, comes with a 5 year warranty.
STOCK motors, between the old carbbed tohatsus and the tldi and the 4 stroke, the 4 stroke is the stronger motor. Like the old saying goes "there is no replacement for displacement". The old 2 strokes were 42 cubic inches, the new 4 stroke is 53 cubic inches. And the beautiful thing is that the 40 and 50 are identical, except for 1 minor adjustment. It can be bumped to 50hp in 3 minutes, hello Lacassine.
It will be a stretch for any 50hp motor to push a 1752 boat 40 mph. It should wind up in the 35-36 mph range and remain fishable. Sure, I can put a race prop on it and get you a once in a lifetime mph number that is totally useless and will accomplish nothing. I have rigged boats for 35 years, I have learned that anything longer than 15' starts to cost speed. A 16' will run 4 mph slower than the same boat in a 15', that's any brand boat or motor. The 17 compared to the 16 will cost another 1 mph. It has to do with the balance point (fulcrum) of the boat more than the weight.
For every 5 additional horsepower you add, you will gain 1 mph. So if the 50 pushes your boat 35, reflashing to a 60 should gain 2 mph, at a reflash cost of $700.
I can't intelligently comment on any other 50's. I can only comment on what I have tested. and not speculate.
D