[Orca254]

I currently run Twin 1990 Johnson 140 VROs on my '84 25' Mako. Top speed was 36 Knts. Just burnt a cylinder after only 8 hours on newly rebuilt motor, so am looking to repower. I found a deal on a single 2005 Evinrude 225 E-TEC with low hours, but am concerned if it is enough power.

(empty boat hull is 2800 lbs. 150 gal fuel tank, Heavy duty T-Top, and anglers probably bring laoded boat weight to about 4700 lbs)

What do you think? Will a single E-TEC 225 be OK?

Thanks,
John

 

[gary49]

I think you will be disappointed with the performance. Those 140 loopers are pretty stout engines, torquewise, and on a relatively large boat, I think you need the extra prop area you get with twins. Why don't you consider twin 140 Suzuki 4 strokes?

 

[Orca254]

What's the price on the Suzuki 4 strokes. Wil they also work with my Johnson contols?, considering the Johnson 4-Strokes were Suszuki.

The main answer to your question though is "budget". I may consider a single 250 4-stoke if it will keep me under 20K

Thanks,
John

 

[POLECAT]

My son in law had an '87 - 25' Mako with a hardtop. Very heavy hull!!! It was powered with twin 175 Johnsons that blew up. He found a great $ deal on a 250 (2 cycle) Yamaha. Two different Mako dealers said the 250 was not enough power for the hull. They both claimed the boat wouldn't go much over 30 MPH, if that fast. Goes to show how much the "EXPERTS" know. He installed the 250 Yam and it pushed the boat 42+ MPH. Plenty of power for that old heavy hull.
I don't think 25 HP less would be that much difference especially on your lighter hull. The 225 E-Tek might be just as powerful as the 250 Yam.

Another option: If your hull can handle a 30" shaft I know where there's a 1998 225 HP Johnson with low hours that can be had cheap. I know this motor and it is as good as new. It was used to push a 23' SeaCraft. You'd be saving a heap of $$$ if you can make this engine fit your hull. It's bulletproof!

 

[fixit]

The 225 Etec would push that boat just fine but after having twins you might just want to get 2 150s or something. I have a 225 Etec and had a 250 Johnson and the Etec has way more torque than the 2000 250 Johnson I had, I mean waaaaaay more torque with the Etec... The new E tec actually throws me into my seat on a 23' Kencraft weighing in at about 4500# loaded with gas. My top speed is about 45 with 200 gallons of fuel. My gas consumption went from about 20 GPH to 11 pushing the boat along at a good clip above cruise speed.. I can burn about 7-8 GPH at cruise... Oh yea one more thing, My oil consumption is incredible, About a gallon per 200 gallons of fuel !!!![wink]

 

[iFishMD]

why not consider the 250 E-tec?

 

[THOMAS70]

We can repower your Mako with a 250 Suzuki with new controls for less than 20.
Aaron Anderson
410-272-0786

 

[fixit]

B faithful, The 250 Etec's are hard to come by at this time.

 

[uncljohn]

My Grady 228 Seafarer is 3700# dry w/o engine. W/o t-top. It was originally powered w/ a 200 Yam and I just repowered w/ a new 200 Yam OX66. Its plenty of power to move it 35kts. And I paid about $12K for it installed.

So I think 225 would be sufficient. However, if you're already rigged for twins, I'd try to repower w/ twins.

 

[Orca254]

Great info from you all. Although I am currently rigged with 1990 twin 140s, the stern sits dangerously low in the water, with the scuppers exactly at the waterline (when fully loaded). A single motor will weigh less and be an improvement in that regard. I surely would prefer to go with a single 250 ETec, but found a fabulous deal on a 2005 225 ETec. Budget being a major concern, I have to consider it.

The new issue I have is "what shaft length to go with?" My current twins are 25". The Mako website lists the transom height on my boat as 25/30. I don't know if this means 25" for twins and 30" for single.??? Can anyone tell me what 25/30 means? and more importantly, what works best on your '84 254 boats? (The '84 model has the cut down/out transom)

I can't thank you all enough for sharing your wealth of information and experience!

 

[POLECAT]

If your current 140s have 25" shafts, more than likely you need a 30" shaft length single engine.
Draw a horizontal line (at the bottom) from the points where the two 140s line up with the transom, then measure down from that line to the keel. It should be about 5". That means the single motor will have to be 5" longer than the twins.
30" motors are hard to find. I know where there is a really good one.

 

[uncljohn]

[Q]Orca254 originally wrote:
Although I am currently rigged with 1990 twin 140s, the stern sits dangerously low in the water, with the scuppers exactly at the waterline (when fully loaded). A single motor will weigh less and be an improvement in that regard. [/Q]

My scuppers are right at the waterline too, with the bottom inch of the scupper submerged. Seems to be the design of the Grady. Be careful, b/c if you take too much weight off the transom, your boat could sit "bow down" in the water, and thus water will run towards the bow and not the stern (scuppers). A new 200 4-S Yamaha will weigh about 600#, a new 200 2-S Yam weighs 500#, while an E-Tech will weigh about 400#. Compare those #s to a 4-S 150 Yamaha which weighs 466#, which tells me you'll be removing almost 400# from the transom.

As for shaft length, check w/ the manufacturer or your manual. Just b/c you had 25" w/ twins doesn't mean you require a 30" single. While it wouldn't hurt performance, it will mean that you have 5" less clearance if you fish skinny water.

 

[Tail Chaser]

I have a 23' Dusky cc , 3,700 lbs hull weight, that is +- same length & weight w/ the bracket.

1999 Fitch 225 which, is more or less the same motor
42 mph top
32 mph @ 4,300 rpm loaded

Great fuel economy.

 

[iFishMD]

[Q]fixit originally wrote:
B faithful, The 250 Etec's are hard to come by at this time.
[/Q]

Hot new item I guess... Are there many tech's certified to work on the etecs in our area yet?

I love the eTec (and how quiet it is at idle) but I would also recommend running a 225 Opti. I forgot how much I loved mine until I ran her yesterday. The Opti is probably the most powerful 225 out there. My bet is that it competes with most 250's. Though you cannot compare our boats, my 225 Opti was pushing my 25'er 28.3mph at 3980rpm's buring 10.2gph into a light wind with almost full fuel and 4 passengers. I also easily hit over 41mph on the gps and probably had a little more. My bet is that a 225 Opti with a 15" Rev 4 Stainless prop will push that boat wonderfully (I am now running a 17" Rev 4). There are number of good places to service Opti's and they are a lot less expensive than any of the other engines listed. Plus you can get oil just about anywhere. If you buy from Almar's in DE, you will also save yourself 5% alone in sales tax.

Good luck!

 

[homewrecker]

Orca ask fixit about how well that mako runs offshore with twins he has seen me with the old merc 175s I wish I would have waited for the etech 175 to be made as I told you on the other site the only other option after 2 years of research was the yamaha 150 four strokes because of the weight factor also I have the aux fuel tank holds 50 gal it is under the deck forward of the console I keep this full if I am going to anchor up and fish all day then when I pull anchor and am running in I pump the fuel into the main tank. Also install pumps and tvalves in the bilge to empty the large fish boxes if they fill with water so that you dont have another 4or5 hundred pounds in the back of the boat good luck

 

[POLECAT]

Depending on which model 140 you have:

J140TLES @ 365#
J140CXES @ 393#

The total weight of your two motors is somewhere between 730 and 786 pounds.
The weight of a J225TZECS is about 475 pounds.

Replacing the two 140s with a single 225 two stroke will lighten your load between 255 to 311 pounds give or take a few if your replacement engine is in the 475 pound range.

This weight loss will certainly improve both performance and economy. It should also float the transom a bit higher. I seriously doubt your boat will be bow heavy with this arrangement. My son in law's boat floated just fine with a single 250 Yam 2 stroke replacement.
More food for thought. Ain't boats fun!!![grin]

 

[RLGFlagship]

I would conside the new 300 Suzuki. Cheaper than the 300HPDi. It is better to have too much than not enough IMHO

 

[fixit]

B-Faithful, Yea that 250 is a hot item and they seem to be concerned about getting all those 250s on the bass boats and manufacturers that have a contract. You can get em but it takes awhile. As far as service, There is nothing special about this engine, Plain and simple..

Orca, Homewrecker and I ran back in from about 45 miles or so and his Mako was incredible !!!!!! Could not even come close to keeping up with his Cruise speed. He had to stop and wait for us after about every 15 miles.. Oh yea, He had a FULL load coming back also[wink].

 

[uncljohn]

[Q]POLECAT originally wrote:
Replacing the two 140s with a single 225 two stroke will lighten your load between 255 to 311 pounds give or take a few if your replacement engine is in the 475 pound range.

This weight loss will certainly improve both performance and economy. It should also float the transom a bit higher. I seriously doubt your boat will be bow heavy with this arrangement. [/Q]

I think you should put 300# in the bow of your boat and see what happens to the level of the deck. That's 6 batteries worth of weight. Or 1.5 heavy friends. Get a couple of them to stand on the bow and pour water into the cockpit and see which way the water runs. I'm still betting that water will run forward. If it doesn't then I guess you're good to go.

 

[homewrecker]

Fixit she sure had a load in her