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Welcome to the December 2004 issue of Outboard News, an electronic newsletter for the outboard enthusiast.
INDUSTRY NEWS Outboard motor technology continues to evolve to suit the ever-changing demands of the marketplace, as well as a myriad of upcoming anti-pollution regulations. Most of the technology enhancements are aimed at the direct-injected two strokes. Evinrude's new E-TEC, and Mercury's Optimax are making strong challenges to the popular 4 strokes. Evinrude's E-TEC was introduced last year in two and three cylinder engines. This year they are unveiling the V-6 version of the E-TEC. They will be available in big-block 200, 225 and 250 HP models. These are not brand-new powerheads as were the five original E-TEC engines. Evinrude's 3.3L (200cid), 90-degree, big-block V-6 forms the basis for the for the new V-6 E-TECs. It's the same block Evinrude has used for years, but with different pistons, sleeves, exhausts, intakes and butterfly plenums. The old 3.3L block's cooling system has been extensively re-engineered to better cool the engine when running at full throttle. The pistons have been redesigned and the wrist pins moved to reduce piston slap. The oiling system has been changed so that the oil is delivered directly to the connecting rod bearings for better lubrication, and less oil is used in the process. The heart of the E-TEC system is a new fuel injector for the direct-injection system. Unlike Evinrude's Ficht system (still used on the small block V-6 engines and on the V-4's), which employs a solenoid at each cylinder to force fuel into the combustion chamber, E-TEC uses a coil surrounded by a magnet to move the piston. The coil acts just like a speaker coil, but drives a piston instead of a cone. The amount of fuel delivered to the cylinder depends on the length of the piston stroke. The E-TEC system has two major advantages: First, the E-TEC coil can develop more pressure (up to 700 psi) than the Ficht solenoid (500 psi), and secondly, the polarity of the coil can be reversed, allowing for better control of the piston and a quicker plunger return. According to Bombardier engineers, the soot problems that affected early Ficht systems have been totally eliminated with E-TEC. The new system's increased injection pressures ensure better atomization of the fuel, and a re-designed nozzle swirls the fuel as it enters the combustion chamber. In addition, the intensity and duration of the spark ignition is tailored to the needs of the engine depending on engine speed and loading. All three features contribute to cleaner burning and increased spark plug life. The E-TEC line of engines will continue to expand. The technology can be used on engines as small as 3 HP. The next set of anti-pollution regulations the marine industry will have to deal with is carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. The direct-injection two-strokes offer the lowest CO levels of any current technology, so they are best prepared to handle the new regulations. The four-stroke outboard manufacturers have recently been looking into the implementation of catalytic converters. This has been a proven method for reducing CO emissions in autos for years, but it remains to be seen how catalytic converters will hold up to the marine environment, and what affect it will have on the price of four-strokes. SERVICE Now that most boats are put away for the winter, you may ask yourself: Did I put stabilizer in the fuel tank? Well, if not, it's not too late. According to Mercury Marine, today's fuel begins to deteriorate after only 15 days. In fact, it's a good idea to always add stabilizer to your gas, no matter what time of year. One final note to all you cold climate boaters: did you check the lower unit for signs of water? Just a little water in the lower unit can result in cracked housings and rusted bearings in the spring. Go check it today. NEW PARTS We are always searching for new supplies of parts for old motors. We have recently found a supplier of new breaker points for the 3 cylinder Scott-McCulloch motors from 1960-69. These are newly made, not old stock. We also have a fresh supply of new cylinder head gaskets for the same 3-cylinder Scotts. Another new item we just discovered are new ignition coils that will fit the 16 HP Scott-Atwater and Firestone motors. I know of many motors that were junked due to a lack of coils; well, no more. They will also fit many other motors with a Wico ignition with the large size coil arbor. HISTORICAL The years following the close of WWII saw the appearance of many minor outboard brands. One of those was Majestic. They first appeared in 1950 and were made by Champion. They were referred to as "King of the Outboard Motors", and quietly disappeared from the scene in 1958 along with Champion. Model HP 1950 1MBB Standard Single 4.2 2MB Deluxe Single 4.2 4MB Deluxe Lite Twin 7.9 1951 same as 1950 1952 same as 1950 1953 M-2L Fisherman Special 3.5 M-3L-GS Gear Shift 5 M-4L-GS Gear Shift 8.5 1954 M-2LL Fisherman Special 3.5 M-3LL-GS Gear Shift 5.5 M-4LL-GS Gear Shift 7.5 M-6LL-GS Gear Shift 15 1955 same as 1954 1956 M-2N Fisherman Special 4.2 M-3NGS Gear Shift 6 M-4NGS Gear Shift 7.8 M-6NGS Gear Shift 15 1957 M-2N Fisherman Special 4.2 M-3N-GS Gear Shift 6 M-4N-GS Gear Shift 7.8 M-6N-GS Gear Shift 15 |
Laing's Outboards Newsletter December 2004 
