Problems – ETec

I was getting ready to head out of town and my son calls from his cell saying they are stranded on the river where I live. I towed him in and he is not happy.

He just bought a new 90HP E-Tec and without throwing any warning lights the motor kills when shifting into forward, will not run open and also starting is a bit difficult.

As some of you know I am a big E-TEC fan and mine has been perfect. However, the kid has one hour on this motor and it is less dependable then my 57 Johnson 10HP I have on my Jon Boat; now the tow boat.

Has anyone had a similar problem with E-TEC?

First off, in this heat, I would check the bulb! They tend to collapse in the heat. If it is, lay a wet cloth or rag over it. I have seen this and a partially closed check valve in the fuel line cause the same thing.
Obviously without seeing it, it would be hard to diagnose, but these are quick easy things to check. Also unplug and plug back in the fuel line to the motor.
I hope that helps!
Tuck

I wonder if he just fouled a plug or two, I imagine there is still some sort of break in period where the motor uses extra oil, though I do believe they claim there is no break in period on a etec right?

If he is serious about the time on the motor, it is highly unlikely it is the plugs.

Chris,

thamks. I called the kid and relayed your message. Also suggested if he had any comments to forward them to this posting.

His solution is back to four stroke if the dealer will replace with a 90HP four stroke Suziki/Johnson.

I doubt that is the right decision, but after running a new E-Tec for only an hour and having problems I can understand
the frustration.

On the other hand mine is fine.

Please keep us posted as to what the issue was.
Thanks!

Well I’m the son with my wonderful $7000 dollar e-tec that doesn’t run. The bulb was fine, also I thought it was running on 2 cylinders. Plug wires all on. No warning or lights,& self checks ok. I’m a tech at a chevy dealer so I checked the usual/stupid stuff that happens. The motor has between 1-2 hours on it. After seeing an e-tec apart at the dealer last week (exhaust tube rattled off) when buying an extra prop I wonder if I should have got the 4stroke Johnson/suz. I had a 50 4-stroke ’99 evinrude/suz and I am now missing it. In my 26 years of life this is the 1st time I had to be towed in. As you can tell I’m a little bitter.

Bummer.
Still, let us know what you find out if you would. It is nice to gear the good and the bad with these and all new engines.

I’ll let you know what they find, unless the dealer will trade it for that nice Johnson Japaneese engine.

Talked with the salesman tonight about a possible trade for my broken 90 e-tec for a 90 four stroke Johnson. Any thoughts? The differences I know are, e-tec is lighter and quicker out of the hole. 4-stroke is heavy 400lbs and is much quieter, and has been around since 1999. The e-tecs are still fairly new and may or may not have problems in the future. I just hate to be towed in again and again and again. The others brands they have are honda and merc. The hondas have carbs so that’s a NO and I’m not much of a Merc fan. I’ve owned a few that had mercinitus, a common virus that is cured with hundreds of dollars in parts.

I’d hold off on any descision until I heard back from the dealership on the cause. Might be something rediculously simple. Have you heard anything back from your dealership on the cause of the problem?

As you can tell from my previous posts, I am curious to see what it is. That ETEC is a strong dependable motor. I would give them the opportunity to do right by you. “Getting towed in time after time”… this only happened once, right?
I would see what he has to say, like James stated, it could be something stupidly simple, like a bad plug wire, or a cracked plug…
If not, then we can talk 4 strokes.

Easy Trigger.

Frustrating, sure, but to swear off a product because it had a hickup? So many happy Etec owners out there. Take a deep breath and give the tech a chance to diagnose the problem, it may very well be something real simple like the others have stated. Take the advice given and have the motor checked out before jumping off…BOMBS AWAY!!

BIRDDOG

ditto, I told my son the same thing but he said it sounded like my 1953 25HP Johnson with a bad cylinder.

I will keep you guys posted on this one.

The problem I have now is this. The original dealer 2 hours away told me they would probably switch motors if I wanted the 4-stroke they have in stock. If the other dealer works on the e-tec first and a warranty claim has gone thru then its not considered a “new” motor and it loses value if I change to the 4-stroke. If I trade them then they’re stuck with it and they can “finesse” paper work thru however they want for warranty on this thing. The biggest issue I have that everyone has missed is this. It ran very poorly, misfired and actually died. Then restarted and contiued to die. No CHECK ENGINE or ALARMS. This to me equalls a poorly designed computer system. I work on chevys for a living so I understand this kinda “stuff” happens, but it should also makes pretty lights come on and alarms go off. If my 1999 suz could do it so can a 2006 evinrude. If the computer didn’t catch it then what? With my luck it’ll be fine for the dealer or I’ll get some BS about fouled plugs or a ecm program. If this happens then I’ll be stuck with this thing for sure. Yes I’ve only been stranded once but we’re talkin’ about a new motor with less than 2 hours and maybe less than 1.

Unscrew it and dump it off the back of the boat QUICK!

If you didn’t believe in the product, why did you purchase it? If you do believe in it, then give them the chance to fix it. Or is it that you do not trust/rely on the dealer?

I’ll agree that a motor this new should not have this kinda problem and I am sure it will get resolved. It may be something as simple as a plug on the wire harness not pluged together tightly. I am not sure about the dealer where you purchased it but BRP is usually pretty good about customer service.

Quote:

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This to me equalls a poorly designed computer system. I work on chevys for a living so I understand this kinda “stuff” happens, but it should also makes pretty lights come on and alarms go off.

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This is a little confusing. By this quote do you mean that Chevrolet routinely has these kind of problems too? Do they work diligently at trying to resolve them? If not, then you expect the same from Evinrude? I am trying to understand your meaning here. I can understand your frustration, I’ve been there with cars and trucks. Ironically, both were Chevy’s. Thank god they don’t make outboards.

But seriously. If you trust the dealer and believe in the product then give them a chance to correct it. If you do not trust the dealer or believe in the product, then by all means, trade quick. Just please let us know (if you ever find out) what the root cause was. I too am a BRP/Evinrude owner and Its nice to hear about the problems as well as the praises.

You say you are a Chevy tech. Have you never had a cust by a brand new truck and drive it for 100 miles and have a problem? Then come in and start coming uncorked about it? I have been in the auto business my whole life and have seen just about everything. I have also owned 10 different boats with Evinrude, Johnson and Mercs. I have had problems with the all. Just remember, they are mechanical and can have a unforseen problem that can be fixed very easily. You for one should know that. I would give them a chance to look at it and figure it out.

What would happen if you purchase a four-stroke and first time out have a “probelm” with it. Are you going to replace that one? Give them a chance. The e-tec is a great motor.

I do not own an E-Tec, but I am a fan of “Direct Injection”!
Here is a story that happened to me, and a lot of the parts of your story sound like mine.
I had a “98” Opti 150 that after about the third time out, had the same symptoms as you state. Only thing, is that I could at least idle in gear. After idling for about 20 minutes, I could finally give it some throttle, and it would run. But, even at half to full open, the motor would shut off for an instant, and then come back on. This would really shake up the transom.

Chappy will probably chime in here and tell of the “lost trolling motor”! But I digress.

Since the thing was still under warrenty, I took it in.
What I found out, was that a wire had come off of the oxygen/temp sensor. It was my fault! I was showing off the motor in my garage, and since this was the saltwater version, it stands taller that me! So when I was putting the cowl back on, I caught the wire and it pulled off. The dealer found this, and I haven’t had a lick of trouble since. I sold that boat to a friend’s buddy, and it has not given him any trouble to date! I bought a “02” Opti 150, and it too has been flawlwss. I am more careful, (I get some help!), when I remove and install the cowl.

So, like most others said before me, give the dealer a chance to check it out. Hopefully, it will be something stupid, like my problem! I feel you will be happier in the long run with the 2 stroke. I think that all of the makes of “Direct Injected” motors are the cats meow! 2 stroke performance and 4 stroke economy! Best of both worlds.

But like you also stated, the electronics on all of these motors is unreal! I can fix anything, if I can put a wrench on it, or hit it with a hammer! Electrons, and 4-20 miliamps, scare me!

They should be able to hook that ETEC up to the computer and see what errors are occuring? I would hold off and see what is really wrong. Changing to a 4 stroke because something was wrong with the motor when you got is seems to be a poor choise in my opinion. Evinrude has a great warranty and I am sure your dealer will get it figured out. Keep us posted on what the issue is.

My opinion is this:

Tell them to remove the motor and replace it with another E-tec if they are going to hit you on a warranty claim.

1 hour on a motor should not instituted a warranty claim.

I wouldn’t pull the trigger to quick to dump the motor, for they do have a good reputation thus far.

However, I still wouldn’t accept being tagged with a new motor that has a warranty claim against it.

Has the problem been diagnosed yet?

BIRDDOG

NO!!!! Still at the dealer, man It’s been in the shop almost as long as I’ve had it!!! I haven’t been updated on anything either.

I have a 115 E-tec and it wasn’t running right;(start fine and then die when I put it in gear) Brought it back to dealer a few times, they tried new updates but still no fix. I was getting real upset too.

I was using xd 50, the dealer reprogrammed for xd 100 and now its running great.

Sounds quite scary. I think I would run and get a new motor instead. Either a replacement ETEC or a 4 stroker. Forget about asking them to work on it. If it is taking that long, it is not something simple. Do not condemn yourself to a extended period of waiting and possibly frustration if it does not get fixed.

Sure is nice to not see any remarks about the yamaha motors

I had a japaneese motor before and it never gave me any grief. It was a 50 evinrude/suzuki efi 4-stroke. I wish now I would have made a longer drive and got my naviagtor with a 90 Yamaha. I do beleive this issue would’ve never happened with a yamaha. It is unbeleivable to me the poor service, I don’t even know if its been touched! At the least they could do is spend 30 minutes and tell me it’ll be a week or be a day or so! I know I didn’t buy from them, but I purchased my last 2 boats from them.(2 princecrafts) They just didn’t stock this boat and the dealer I got it from had financing and everything right there. They even sold me the autopilot trolling motor 20 bucks cheaper than cabelas! Now I am stuck with a new boat at a dealer I didn’t buy it from and the service is very slooooooooooooooooow!!! I said earlier I work at a chevy dealer, and we never do this!!! Heck we could build a car from scratch in this time!! If I don’t get a response by Friday I will contact BRP directly.

Most dealers are two weeks behind for any service work. First dropped off first served. A person can’t expect to have everyone who was in line first to be bumped so you can go to the head of the line. Thats not fair. When its his turn his motor will be checked out and then the process of alimination of possible problems will begin. With computers in these new motors problems are easier solved too IF alarms went off which sends a code to the computer.
Thanks, Bill

I know it doesn’t sound right, but which guy do you think a dealer will take care of first…someone that bought a $20,000.00+ boat, motor, and trailer or a $700.00+ trolling motor? Like Bill said, most dealers are 2 weeks behind and that’s pretty good at this time of year.

At any rate I hope you get your motor issue taken care of.

My buddy Jim had a similar problem with his new ETEC. First time out it kept sputtering and dying. Had the mechanic look at it and it ended up being a pinched fuel line which took 2 minutes to fix.

I’m talking about “Jones-in” that is here on IDA. Send him a PM and he’ll tell you all about it…

When you call the dealer to check on “progress” what are they telling you? If you don’t know if it has been touched yet, you better be calling.