Evinrude E-Tec USA

The E-TEC difference

Since Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) took over the design and manufacturing of Evinrude outboards in 2001, the corporation has taken the innovative step of opting for direct fuel injection two-strokes across the entire product range. This clarity of direction makes BRP unique in the recreational boating industry at a time when competitive manufacturers have decided to “sit on the fence” and offer a range of both four-strokes and DFI two-strokes in their low emission product mix.

A full rundown of the E-TEC fuel injection pressures and air/fuel ratios was mentioned in my recent review of the E-TEC 175 in TrailerBoat, so there's no need to cover this topic again. But because of the ICOMIA recreational marine engine's duty cycle, where 40 per cent of an engine's time is spent idling or trolling with only six per cent at Wide Open Throttle, the entire E-TEC range complies with California Air Resources Board (CARB) 2008 and Australian OEDA “3 Star” exhaust emission requirements, whereas only some competitors' DFI models comply.

To help me understand why E-TECs are so unique, BRP Australia's general manager Gregoire Dupont decided the best way to achieve this would be to tour BRP US Inc's R&D facility in Waukegan, Illinois, followed by the Evinrude manufacturing plant in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, and finally, test products at the Ralph Evinrude Test Center in Stuart, Florida. So in late March I toured these facilities with BRPA's Paul Dawson, who has been involved with BRPA and previously Outboard Marine Corporation for a total of at least 30 years.

WAUKEGAN
The Waukegan R&D facility is located in the old Evinrude/Johnson plant in Sea Horse Drive and was established more than 70 years ago. It contains the fuel injectors, electronics and emissions testing labs, the Pattern Shop and the BRP International Warranty section.

All E-TEC injectors were developed in-house and are totally unique in the outboard industry because of the manufacturing tolerances and the way the fuel plunger operates. As one fuel injection specialist there explained to me, the manufacturing tolerances used were unheard of a decade ago and are down to five microns. As was demonstrated in a laser viewing chamber, the precision manufacturing allows for a fuel spray of around 32 microns in a narrow conical shape directed towards a round recess in the piston crown, to create the localised air/fuel ratio of 14.7:1 needed for air/fuel combustion.

The second unique aspect of E-TEC injectors is the electronically-controlled fuel plunger that allows fuel to reach the injector nozzle, then shuts off fuel flow when the injecting cycle is finished. Because of its electronic operation instead of a return spring common to the automotive-type injectors used in competitors' DFI systems, the injector operation is silent, so when an E-TEC engine is trolling there's no “click” common to other DFI systems.

Again developed in-house, and “potted” in resin and a casing that's vibration-isolated, the variable voltage under-flywheel alternator system is available in two outputs. In-line E-TECs from 40 to 90hp have an alternator that produces up to 1100W at 75amps with an average voltage of 14.7 and a dedicated charging circuit of 25amps. V4 and V6 models have an 1800W 133amp system with an average voltage of 13.5 and 50amps of dedicated battery charging.

Both systems utilise a combination of three windings which alter between series and parallel. The Electronic Control Module operates at five volts, the charging circuit at 12 (up to 14.4 for battery charging) and the injectors at 55V, the maximum deemed safe by E-TEC engineers for DC operation. When an engine first fires up, the windings are in series to ensure the engine starts in about half a revolution of the crankshaft. This allows E-TEC engines to run without needing an external battery.

Once the engine is running the windings switch to parallel to run the ECM, injectors and charging circuit. Through a series of sensors the ECM records any engine operating discrepancies and records them for analysis via a laptop computer.

For the 2008 model year, all in-line E-TECs from 40 to 90hp will be fitted with a combination of 'faststrike' and inductive ignition, replacing the existing 'multistrike' system where the spark plug is fired as many as five times during the firing cycle. The spark plug electrode quickly reaches its operating temperature but remains hot for the entire firing cycle to ensure a more thorough air/fuel burn.

The Pattern Shop is where complex shapes needed in cylinder block and head, exhaust passage and lower unit/gearcase design are created, using a three-axis CNC milling machine. The resulting foam shapes are then re-created as needed to provide the basis for the lost foam casting method which ensures incredibly accurate castings without resorting to the limitations of die-casting methods used by some outboard manufacturers. The Pattern Shop also has the facility to develop mouldings for the upper and lower cowls used in creating the unique E-TEC styling.

The Emission labs randomly test engines for compliance, taking into account Hydrocarbons (HC), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Oxygen (O2) emissions.

Engines are then randomly tested at the floating dock in Waukegan Harbour on Lake Michigan, using cut-down props to simulate normal loading. The engines are subjected to ICOMIA test cycles and have to survive at least 350 hours of on-water testing year round.

Finally, the BRP warranty department comprises a customer call centre which employs experienced technicians, training school classrooms and experts who write technical publications, service bulletins and owner's manuals. Teams are split up into sections including Consumer Tech Support, the Four Stroke Team, Small Bore Team (carburetted Johnson outboards), the 60-Degree Team for E-TECs 115 to 200hp and the 90-Degree Team for E-TECs 200 to 250hp. A team also handles parts and accessories queries.

STURTEVANT
All E-TEC engines are assembled and tested here using some of the most sophisticated equipment and techniques I've yet seen in my 18 years of touring engine manufacturers' factories.

There are two separate sections of the plant, one does powerheads and the other midsections and lower units before the components are mated prior to painting. Raw blocks are fitted with cylinder liners made from grey cast iron incorporating graphite flakes. The liners are then honed using an automated process that produces a beautiful cross-hatch with what appeared to be 60-degree intersecting grooves, eliminating the need for a formal break-in period.

Powerhead assembly lines are split into two sections, one for in-line and 60-degree V6 engines and the other for 90-degree engines, known as the “Thunder” line. But instead of having slowly moving assembly lines, technicians operate in teams to attach the cylinder heads to the blocks. Only when a task is completed does a powerhead or lower unit move to the next assembly section.

Cleverly, BRP uses O-ring gaskets which are formed by automated dispensers to create an elastic seal around cylinder bores and cooling water passages. The O-rings dry with contact to the air, ready for the heads to be mated with the blocks. The bolt tensioners are DC-driven and tighten up to eight bolts at a time with precise alignment provided by dowels in the blocks and heads. Because the bolts have a fine thread and are much longer than assembly bolts used by other outboard manufacturers, the need for bolt tightening during the first 300 hours is eliminated. A computer screen informs the technician when bolt tightening is correctly sequenced and complete.

After painting, the engines are fitted with electronics and undercowl oil tanks (up to 90hp), then moved to the test facility where every engine is run in a tank up to WOT for at least 13 minutes. The standard prop can be used for this test because the water is circulated in a continuous loop to simulate average loading. Once tested, the engines are packaged ready for shipping around the world.

In the parts and accessories section I was shown exciting developments coming up in the next couple of years. One is the availability of Bombardier's I-Command fuel management system being made available for 40 to 90hp E-TECs for the 2008 Model Year.

Finally, I was briefed on upcoming models and marketing directions for E-TECs before heading back to Chicago for a night flight to West Palm Beach, Florida.

STUART
Established about 50 years ago, the Ralph Evinrude Test Center was acquired by BRP when it took over OMC's engine manufacturing and test facilities. It employs ex-OMC engineers.

The RETC evaluates not only E-TEC engines but also competitors' products and has full engine dyno equipment and a range of fibreglass test hulls that have remained unchanged for several decades. The reason for this is continuity of testing comparable products.

Test equipment on the four-hectare site includes storage sheds, a travelift and docks for mooring boats between on-water testing procedures and storage tanks containing a range of various-octane fuels. Fuelflow is measured using accurate oval-rotor equipment.

Once E-TECs and competitors' engines have been dyno and emission tested they are mounted on suitable hulls. Checks include ease of hot and cold starting, shift quality into forward or reverse, vibration levels and performance, and identical test conditions. When testing competitors' engines the hull weights are identical with the only difference being the weights of the outboards themselves.

In the past I've been sceptical about manufacturers mounting different brands of engines on the same hull and showing the results on promotional CDs and DVDs. But one test we conducted was with an E-TEC 225 and a four-stroke 225 mounted on a fibreglass 9m 2900 Angler Centre Console from Angler Boats in Miami. The 2900 has a 3m beam, a deadrise at the transom of 19º and a 750lt fuel capacity.

Both the E-TEC and the four-stroke (I know, having tested several of these engines) were propped correctly to suit the engines' torque curves and recommended WOT rev ranges. Pushing a total of 3.8 tonnes, including three adults amidships, the WOT average with both engines was 82.2kmh with the E-TEC reaching 5700rpm and the four-stroke 5800rpm. 

With the E-TEC tilted up and the four-stroke's throttle 'floored' all we reached was a semi-planing 15.2kmh at 3600rpm. But with the four-stroke tilted up the E-TEC drove us to 54.7kmh and 5000rpm, and stayed fully on the plane through full lock turns.

The reason for this performance is the massive midrange torque produced in all E-TEC engines, achieved through a combination of cylinder wall porting, fuel delivery management and clever electronics. Maximum torque is produced in the 3000 to 4000rpm range instead of around 4500 with automotive-based four-strokes.

LESSONS LEARNT
Apart from learning much more about E-TECs than BRPA media days could ever teach me, the main reason BRPA sent me to the various US facilities was that I'm completely unbiased towards any engine manufacturer. All the manufacturers distributing outboards on the local market have good products, it's just that some of these suit certain applications better than others.

I'm not anti four-stroke, owning two myself! But, I must confess, experiencing BRP's facilities was an eye-opener to the corporation's fresh approach to outboard technology and with the product mix already available and upcoming models in the pipeline, consumers will be the winners!