2 stroke vs 4 stroke on 1996 Osprey 225

[Jolly man]

My boat has  2000 225 johnson ocean pro.  Can anyone give me a good guestimate on what type of mileage i should expect and would a newer four stroke make that much of a difference?  With gas already 4 plus a gallon....just thinking out loud....

[fitz73222]

Hey jolly man,
You won't burn more than 22.5 gallons per hour at WOT. Isn't that reassuring! You should be able to cruise assuming she is propped correctly around 11-13 Gph at 4000-4200 rpm.  The 4 stroke or DFI 2 stroke should yield about 10-15% better fuel savings.  So weigh the return on investment of the fuel savings with a four stroke or DFI two stroke over your current 225 depending on annual hours used and the return on investment should be about 10 years with average use. Just sayin.

[flounderpounder225]

If your 225 is n good shape, runs good, and probably makes the 225 fly, stick with it.  Only a few of us on here make a living with our boats, if you were running it every day, repowering to a more efficient engine might make since, but for the rest of us IMHO I don't think repowering and spending 5 to 10k is economical from a purely gas mileage standpoint.  You will rarely see any return on your investment at selling time.  If current reliability is a concern, that changes the rules, as does being forced to repower because of a engine failure etc... Just my .02

[flounderpounder225]

Fitz, you got me, it's usually Bob And me Posting at the same time... I guess we were on the same page anyway

[wingtime]

Fitz and Marc are spot on.  My 225 Ocean pro burns about 13-14 GPH at 4200 rpm pushing my 245.  The old rule of thumb of 10% of the HP is your WOT GPH applies as mine does burn 22-23 GPH WOT.  Marc is right you would have to run your boat pretty often to get a return on your investment in a DFI or four stroke.  If your boat does not have flo-scan gauge I'd highly recommend you buy one since it will quickly pay for itself in fuel savings and it's much cheaper than a repower!

[gran398]

Jolly man,

As the brethren have advised..and since your current engine is running right...

"If it ain't broke don't fix it"

So many times we get caught up on fuel burn, efficiency, etc.

A brand-new 175 anything is 16-17K...plus rigging, gauges, throttle and shift cables, etc.

Unless you run her 3 to 5 times weekly...go ahead and run what you brung. Takes a LOT of gas to equate to 16K.

Run the Old Girl 'till she gives insurmountable issues...then shop

[Circle Hooked]

I mostly agree with everyone else, it all boils down to how you use the boat, if you like to make long runs even once a week the saving might just pay for that new motor with the way gas prices are, I figure with the offshore runs I make a fourstroke would save me atleast $100 per trip if you see where i'm going with this, that could ad up.

If your boat does not have flo-scan gauge I'd highly recommend you buy one since it will quickly pay for itself in fuel savings and it's much cheaper than a repower!

I could not agree more, it amazed me how much gas I saved after installing mine.

[seabob4]

Fitz, you got me, it's usually Bob And me Posting at the same time... I guess we were on the same page anyway

Been busy Marc...

[gran398]

Flo-scan is great. It is a teaching tool. Teaches a captain to run a boat with fuel efficiency in mind.

It's all about the sweet spot...gallons per hour at best cruise.

4200 to 4250 rpm on most rides.

The meter doesn't save fuel...a prudent captain does.

[Circle Hooked]

The meter doesn't save fuel...a prudent captain does.

True but when you throw engine tilt and trim tabs into the mix you won't  be nearly as accurate without it

[gran398]

The meter doesn't save fuel...a prudent captain does.

True but when you throw engine tilt and trim tabs into the mix you won't  be nearly as accurate without it

You're right. And right back to the teaching tool idea.

Once you've hit the sweet spot on your ride...and know the sweet spot...it's pretty much a done deal.

[Circle Hooked]

The meter doesn't save fuel...a prudent captain does.

True but when you throw engine tilt and trim tabs into the mix you won't  be nearly as accurate without it

You're right. And right back to the teaching tool idea.

Once you've hit the sweet spot on your ride...and know the sweet spot...it's pretty much a done deal.

But wind and currents are ever changing, admit it Bro you wanted that twin Flowscan now didn't you  

Side note, wasn't I supposed to get a call from you  :cry:

[gran398]

You're right...and you're right!

PM sent

[MarshMarlowe196]

Its true, you won't make your money back on a new outboard in gas savings, but you don't buy a new outboard for the same reason you buy a Prius. The advantage of a more efficient engine is increasing your range, which is real nice if you're running offshore. The reliability of a new engine is an added bonus as well, and definitely a perk I enjoy anytime I'm more than a few miles from the hill.

If your current engine is getting you where you want to go reliably, then like others have said, you might want to stick with what you got.

[wingtime]

Learning your boat and knowing the sweet spot is true.  But as mentioned varying sea conditions, load, winds etc. can change that sweet spot.  I'm constantly amazed at how much of a decrease in fuel burn I can manage using the flow scan.  I minor tweek here or there can save several GPH.

Good points on a newer engine increasing range etc.  However these new high tech engines are very complicated and there are some things a owner just can't maintain himself nowadays.  So unless you  buy a new engine with a warranty and your 225 is in good shape I'd stay with what you have.  That 3.0 V6 is a simple dependable workhorse that is easy to work on.