Propane outboard?

[david-bartlett]

quote lotec:

I’ve often thought that a propane fuel outboard would have the advantage of not having to worry about the ethanol gas turning to goo in the carb if left over the winter. Having one may actually make sense for people who don’t use their motors that much: for example an auxiliary motor on a small sailboat. Just one trip to the dealer to clean the fuel system would be the difference between the Lehr and a gasoline 4-stroke. (Of course that’s only true if the Lehrs don’t have some other Achilles heal unique unto them.)

Personally, I really think that the world has gone BACKWARDS with smaller outboards. (Though I believe the lion’s share are all produced by or under license from Tohatsu, so it’s really only one brand that is represented.) It doesn’t seem that any of these new small 4-cycle outboards in the 2hp to 20hp class are improvements over the 2-stroke models they replaced.

1) They certainly are not lighter
2) They have not proven to be as reliable, corrosion proof or as serviceable (Son Harry had a summer job at a Merc dealer that often entailed replacing the carb with a new one on the 4-6hp models every time they got dirty. Even the Merc Tech just couldn’t get them to function when rebuilt, no mater how hard they tried! And that to the tune of $250 a pop plus labor…)
3) The high number of plastic parts will limit their lifespan – after just one summer out in the salt/sun the decals peal and plastic checks making them look like hell. Even Scott Atwaters held up better in the salt & sun around here!
4) If past practice is any indicator, parts for them will be obsolete in 10 years
5) Given the environmental impact of producing and then recycling an outboard every 10 years, is the difference in 4-stroke emissions really better over a 2-stroke motor that’s design has been proven to last 25, 50 or 75 years?

I think small outboard motors (1-20hp) reached the pinnacle of their design, function and reliability from the 1950s through the 1970s – maybe into the 1980s for certain models. Guess we can thank the pinheads at California’s Lake Tahoe who started it, and the nitwits at the EPA who finished it, for the loss of a better, safer and more environmentally friendly technology…. Not to mention the loss of jobs for the people here in the USA who used to produced them.

Art,

I had this same discussion with my brother in law at lunch today! I could not agree more with all your points.
Reduce-Reuse-Recycle!

[Mumbles]

I was talking to the salesman at a local Merc dealer where they sell the Lehrs. He said he wouldn’t want to use them for anything except for powering a boats tender to get to shore.

[billw]

I think the world has gone backwards on almost everything except maybe computers and medicine. I agree with Art, that the best stuff was probably made in the 50’s through the 80s; although if you had to pick ONE year where the world started to turn around and head backwards, my vote would be 1968. Whoever can figure out why this is and get it turned around would be quite the hero. it’s a shame that I know I won’t be around to see it.

Long live American manufacturing!

[jerry-ahrens]

I operate a boat and motor repair shop and work on outboards from fishing motors to 300 hp. Sometimes a customer will bring in an older fishing motor to see if I can get it going. Many of these people have looked on line at what it will cost for a new motor of the same hp, vs. fixing their old one. Many times they will want to fix what they have and continue to use it. I always have more time in labor than what I charge, but I enjoy getting them going. It is a real eye opener to work on one of the new plastic motors when you are use to working on say, a Light Twin. The carburetors are difficult to clean and the parts are expensive. Some of the Japanese four strokes I will sometimes decline even working on them, especially if they have been left sitting with ethanol in the fuel system. And as far as the new environmentally friendly outboard fuel tanks, well don’t get me started. I sometimes fail to see how all this is helping the environment.
I am skeptical about a propane powered outboard. However I would like to run one for myself and see. I did go with propane when I purchased a new portable generator. Its a Generac. I really like it. I have no problems with bad fuel and it’s ready when you need it. The only down side is it’s more expensive vs. the gasoline model.

[jeff-register]

Well put my friend!

[billw]

Am I mistaken or is there less energy available in propane than there is in gasoline? I know I can buy a kit to convert my Tecumseh-powered generator to propane; but I have held off doing it because of this belief. It sure would be great to hook my genset up to the tank from the gas grill and know that it will start every time….

Long live American manufacturing!

[jerry-ahrens]

Bill, I just googled that question, and found that 1 gallon of propane has 73 percent of the energy of 1 gallon of gasoline. Interesting, I never thought of this. I can say though, I love my propane generator. I have a 5500 watt Generac that I got from Menards. My propane man came buy the shop yesterday to visit, and showed me a brand new delivery truck [the one with the big tank on the back] powered by an 85 gallon propane tank. I asked him if the new truck had good power and he said it was great.

[billw]

Okay Jerry. Thanks for that insight and information. I guess even at 73%, it’s more energy available than when your ethanol gas turns to corn meal when you least expect it….Lol.

Long live American manufacturing!

[amuller]

Not a new idea. I recall that Homelite, or Bearcat (I forget which) promoted propane as an advantage of 4-cycle outboards. They had a propane-powered rig they showed to reporters.

[kerry]

Propane has a higher "octane" than gasoline, so it needs higher compression ratios to get efficiency and power. I wonder what the compression ratios are in the Lehrs. As for reliability, the large factory I work in uses a fleet of propane hilos. They wear out from being driven like stolen rental cars, rarely for engine problems.

If you have too many, AND not enough, you're a collector.

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