Thread: 4 stroke or 2 stroke for pontoon duty

If your running a 4 stroke already,it should be a easy decision

Been doing a lot of reading lately. When you add up operation and maintenance cost is seems to be a wash. The 4s would give you guiter operation, and slightly better fuel economy. Buying used there is also the concern of how good the maintenance the previous owner had done. With a 2 stroke it is pretty simple. Run it without oil and motor damage becomes apparent very quickly

Four strokes I have owned were a lot better than just slightly better fuel economy.

The Mercury CT 60 is the only 4s I have owned so far. Pontoons also seem to be a little different than the boats I am used to. You certainly see a lot of them with very small motors

I run a 2 stroke 25 Tohatsu. The only up side I can see to running a 2 stroke over a 4 stroke is in shallow water, you can generally get up quicker and the weight is a little less on the 2 stroke. I am with G, on the 4 strokes I have seen were WAY better on gas than my 2 stroke and they are also A LOT quieter! If I was to buy again, I would go with the 4 stroke I believe.

My fuel comparison is hardly fair. The last 2 stroke was a late 90's 150 Johnson on an 18' Stratos. Loved fuel a lot. 30 gallon tank and not much range. Current boat 175 Tracker ProTeam with the 4s Mercury 60. 13 gallon tank and close to 3 times the range of the Stratos. So far the Mercury has started the first time everytime.

4 stroke fuel economy shines at idle-midrange. With the hammer down the difference is less.

That is what I have been reading. At cruising speed they are comparable. The search still continues. Buying used you are at the mercy of availability