Drain all of the old gas out get new gas add a can of seafoam.It may not want to run wide open at first but you can push the choke in and it should pick up.The more you run it the better it will run.2 cans of seafoam will not hurt it. I had to do that to mine as it had been sitting for several years.Also put a new water pump in it.Good luck and enjoy
BOUGHT IT BOYS! Decks a bit beat but im gonna hydroturf it. Engine ran great....and its an 2 stroke....BUT.....the mechanic said I dont need to premix the gas! Same thing the owner told me...he said you just gotta keep an eye on the oil levels and its fine.
Ill post some pics tomorrow...
congratsOriginally Posted by bockscar
2017 Skeeter ZX225
12” Bobs Action Jack
Dual Powers Poles
"if you read through all of the pages here, you'll quickly realize that 4 strokes have caught up performance wise to 2 strokes and are supposed to be much more dependable."
B.S.
Four strokes STILL can't keep up with the two strokes, and are STILL heavier for the same size. Except the same size means the two stroke that has twice as many power strokes is still more powerful.
An oil tank means you can run straight gas in your tank but you also have to fill the oil tank on the motor. Keep a quart of the two stroke oil in the boat so if the 'low oil' alarm goes off you can put it in and shut it up. They are VERY annoying.
I am 63 and just got my first four stroke (trolling) motor this year. While I like it I had a buddy sell me (really cheap) his two stroke trolling motor of the same basic year. Twice the HP rating and it actually weighs a little less.
I have run the living crap out of the big two stroke on my boat and other than changing the plugs twice in 16 years and the lower oil every year I have had to do little to it. Still runs strong. Starts quickly but I have to use the choke (the horrors!) always. More so when it is cold.
They are getting very close in terms of "keeping up" - and the Merc Fourstroke is a couple lbs LIGHTER than the Optimax...
2014 Ranger RT188
Mercury Fourstroke
Optimax is still too heavy. Look at the older 2.5L motors. 280 horses. Under 400 pounds... THOSE were performance motors.
2008 Bass Cat Pantera Classic
2014 Mercury Pro XS 200
Emissions mean those days are gone. Given the requirements fourstrokes are getting closer.
I don’t know which part of my comment you take issue with but many SHO’s are out performing Opti’s on the exact same boat. As for the more dependable portion, it’s great that all you’ve had to do is plugs but it doesn’t change the fact that these 4 strokes are marketed as more dependable. Other than maintenance on my old fourstroke (sold last month), I too had no issues with an 11 year old motor.
We are also talking about a Tracker here. This isn’t a speed boat by any means so there wouldn’t be much difference in speed if any at all. These aren’t pad riding glass boats that will get every ounce of efficiency out of a motor.
I own 3I would buy a 2 stroke today and not think twice
X2
Two stroke all day. Nothing whips your head back on take off like a 2 stroke or gets you to top speed faster.
CATCH N RELEASE
Thread kinda turned into a 2 stoke vs 4 stroke battle....i bought the 2 stroke so my alliances are there! LMAO
Did drain gas per recommendation. Ended up running 1 can of seafoam+1 gallon of gas and did the "hot soak" thing where you alternate on/off to let the seafoam go to work. Ran a full tank+ 1 can of seafoam through it in about 2 trips....was mostly running up and down the lake keeping what you said in mind. THEN ran another 1 can+1 gallon on/off hot soak. Have run about 2 FULL tanks of straight gas through it since.....but im adding ~4 ounces of quickleen+quickare to all full tanks from here on out. I also changed fuel lines right after purchase
Boat literally feels better every time I start it...maybe placebo....or maybe thats some of that 2 stroke magic! When i first started running the boat there were idle "issues" in that it wouldnt hold idle while stationary with neutral in center/middle position (parked/docked for example). low rpms sometimes puttered out too when in gear. this was amplified when I first got to the lake and started her up, and would get a little better as the day went on. Made trailering the boat a pain. I would have to restart the boat a couple/few times when unloading and being docked or stationary on the water. I also would need to move the neutral to the forward position to start the boat more often than not. Ran well and went through no wake zones no prob....but at those very low RPMs it would putter out. the neutral in the center/middle position was not a strong one and the boat would putter out often.
Havent done anymore to the gas or boat since that last seafoam soak...but I started the boat up last week just to run it for 20 minutes since its been about a month unused.....VERY IMPRESSED! Like I said before....when in neutral or whatever the term is when the throttle is right in the middle setting, the boat would putter out and I would need to move it to the forward position while in neutral to increase RPMs and keep it going (and to start). Not last week....started up with (throttle) neutral in the center position and held the center position neutral almost the entire time....i did need to restart twice at first but after that it kept on running!
Good to see the motor doing motor things! really glad I got this boat!
Congrats!!!
------Co-founder of Post Derailment, LLC---------
Well congrats on the purchase! Sounds to me like he was using the ether to get around the buildup of junk in the carbs and such. The sea foam has more than likely take care of the issue and if you treat her right, she will continue to work wonders for you.
That Seafoam stuff is amazing. And I can pretty much say you are not experiencing a placebo effect. It will get to a point where it won’t run any better but as long as you’re using some additives, it should run strong for a long time.
I get what you all say about running away from it......but (prolly shouldve mentioned it) he only used the ether the first time I went, which was likely the first time he'd really started it in 6+years (old vietnam vet with lots of health problems whod been holding onto it waiting till he got healthy). When we did the lake test there was no ether and it started decent enough with some choke....plus the mechanic said the gas was bad at that time, but it ran for the pre purchase lake test....and it ran even tho I put the plug in the wrong hole on the lake test! Too bad a boats not like a lady and lets you know.....HEY, wrong hole buddy! LOL
I dont know if it was the seafoam or not...but somethings have DRASTICALLY improved since day 1, and Id like to think it was the little things ive done (i.e. seafoam and just running the lake up and down and not doing as much fishing as i'd want to these first trips). Boat starts on 1 or 2 cranks max today....as long as I dont forget the killswitch LMAO and is holding idle 100%. Dont know what its called but it holds in the straight up neutral/middle position and doesnt putter out like it did before. ive been starting it every few weeks just to keep it a bit fresh since I didnt really winterize, beside adding quickare to the gas to avoid moisture in gas while sitting in winter.
I think I got a good one boys! 4 strokes are cool, im sure my next boat (something with over 100hp) will end up being a 4 stroke....but so far im loving the 2 stroke...plus i think I will be able to work on her myself for a lot of the little things and save a little cash on mechanics. Trolling motor getting in on wednesday, hydroturfing the casting deck.....ill post a brag picture in a couple weeks! lol
My '04 Tracker > KVD's 2018 Tourney Nitro
Honestly, I’m not bashing this at all. In fact, sold my tracker with a 4 stroke and bought a Ranger with a G2 on it. I was going to get a SHO or a Verado but 10 year warranties will change a mans mind quick! Lol.
Enjoy your boat. If properly taken care of, you’ll have a good motor for a long time.
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