Motor test - The Three ???

When people in the boating scene talk aboutOutboard motorsusually refers to the large and well-known brands that we regularly test and present in BOOTE. What is less well known is that there is aVariety of
Manufacturers of smaller motorsthat cannot be found at trade fairs or at well-known retailers.

Their sales channel is the Internet. It was precisely there, namely at the industry giant Amazon, that we specifically searched for boat engines in the lower horsepower class.

At least in terms of price, we were not disappointed. For just a few hundred euros, you can get motors with outputs between 2 hp and 7 hp on Amazon.

Depending on the model1 hp motor power for a record-breaking 70 euros to have. But watch out:

An offer that is still online in the morning may have disappeared by the afternoon of the same day or appear the following day from another provider at a new price.

This is also the reason why the motors we tested are only available asexemplary to look at. Two of the three test engines were already "sold out" a few weeks after our test - however, they are now available again from time to time under a different name.

This fact also shows thatto regulated spare parts procurementas we are used to from the "big brands",is unthinkable. If a defect occurs, it is often only possible to return the entire engine to the seller, who will hopefully still be in business.

And there is another point that should not be neglected:

Since the beginning of 2007, new outboard engines in the EU have been subject to exhaust emission values that cannot be achieved by conventional 2-stroke carburettor engines.

Sale to private individuals is prohibited. Our test 2-strokes did not provide any corresponding proof that these emission values had been achieved. But let's move on to the really exciting test criteria:

How do our "budget models" perform in practice, and what do they do on a 2.3 metre dinghy?

We generally recommend that you read the operating instructions before using the device for the first time - especially if you have not received any instruction. But there are already problems here: The Demon manual is only supplied in Polish. With the help of translation programmes, we were at least able to make out the most important words from the table and the illustrations. Speaking of illustrations, the engine illustration in the OM 6200-4 operating manual has little to do with the real engine.

However, the description is available in Russian and English. The instructions for the Grünwelt engine are a tour de force in this respect, as they are printed in three languages: German, English and Polish. However, there are some points in it that make no sense. One example: In chapter "11. Cause of fault", under the point "Engine overheating", it says: "Check that the water pump and thermostat are working properly by checking that the water flow is normal." Instructions that are not really comprehensible for an air-cooled engine such as our test candidate, as the components and the "water flow" simply do not exist.

The assembly is limited to the tiller mounting. The screw connection of the OM 6200-4 was particularly noticeable here. It was actually intended to be quite practical, there is a wing nut on the outside for manual operation, but I couldn't tighten the nut enough for the tiller to stay up on its own. Armed with pliers, I tried to tighten the wing nut, but then realised that the screw head on the inside was also turning. So I grabbed another offset ring spanner from Manni's toolbox to hold it in place. But it didn't work either, the tank had to come off first (unscrew the Allen screws) so that the screw head could be reached.

The tiller of the BC 520-1 is tightened by hand using a large plastic nut. However, it can then no longer be moved in height as it engages in a toothing. So if you want to adjust the height of the tiller on this model, you always have to loosen the screws, change the angle and retighten the thick hand nut. Although the control lever of the GW-200 FC is more manoeuvrable in this respect, it turned out to be too loose at the end of the test day: The screw came loose on its own and the tiller folded down by itself.

At the end of each test drive, it was time to tighten the screw again.

Weight plays a decisive role when mounting the engine on the boat. The clear lightweight winner: the Demon with just 8.6 kg, followed by the other two-stroke engine, the OM 6200-4 with 10.5 kg. More than twice as heavy: the four-stroke from Grünwelt.

A weight increase that was more than noticeable during assembly. The test trio is fastened with toggle bolts, whereby the ones on the Demon are made of plastic. All toggles had holes to secure the motors against theft with a U-lock. Changing the trim position? All manufacturers agree on the gradation here, as each motor had four stages. However, the bolts are not secured with a "hinged pin" as on conventional outboards, but are firmly screwed in and you have to use tools to adjust the trim angle.

Let's come to theexciting moment of the engine startBeforehand, we had to prepare the comparatively rich mixture for the two-stroke engines at a ratio of 25:1 and pour it into the integrated (mini) tanks. The Grünwelt four-stroke gets pure petrol, but of course we filled it with lawnmower engine oil (SAE 30) beforehand.

To start the two-stroke engine, first pump fuel into the carburettor using a pump button. Then set the choke to the "On" position and start the engine. To do this, you should turn the OM 6200-4 180 degrees (in reverse) so that the angle of the starter rope does not run over an edge. Then pull a few times and the two-stroke engine will start rattling.

Easy tightening was also the rule with the four-stroke, but the rattling was clearly limited here.
Now shift lever forwards and off you go. Far from it, all three engines have a centrifugal clutch, as known from garden tools and chainsaws. This means that the engine must first be brought up to speed before the clutch "engages" and the propellers start to turn. This is done on the Grünwelt and Demon using rotary throttle handles, which are equipped with ratchet steps so that they remain in the selected position. The Outboard has a spring-loaded twist grip. When the skipper releases it, it automatically returns to idle throttle.

Driving forwards out of the pits was still quite possible with all engines, but one thing must be clear: If you take the throttle off, you no longer have any rudder effect. Stopping when pulling into the pit or onto the jetty was quite an adventure: not only do you have to turn the engine 180 degrees to do this, you also have to operate the throttle beyond the engines to get thrust. After a few attempts, I simply took the thrust away when travelling forwards and hoped that I would land halfway to the jetty.

As soon as I had left the jetty, the first boat people came on deck and asked when I would be finished "mowing the lawn". The sound of the two two-strokes was already clearly heading in this direction, and measured volumes of 94 to 98 dB(A) can no longer be ignored, but are rather annoying. The four-stroke from Grünwelt was much more pleasant.

However, it also had a special feature: at full throttle on the handle, it ran at a speed preset by the manufacturer, but not yet at full throttle. We achieved this by manually operating the control rod (which is moved by the controller when a greater load is applied, as with a lawnmower). Our colleague Manfred achieved a speed of around 22 km/h in this way. However, this procedure is neither suitable nor intended for continuous operation.

If you look at the test tables, the clear advantage of the four-stroke engine quickly becomes apparent. It only consumes around half as much fuel or even less than the outboard, which of course means it can go much further on a single tank of petrol.

The propellers of the OM 6200-4 (three blades) and the Grünwelt (two blades) are made of aluminium, while Demon relies on plastic. The Grünwelt propeller has a conventional toothing, the other two have so-called shear pins.

Conclusion

Even if the two-stroke engines appear very attractive due to their favourable price and low weight, this outdated technology cannot be recommended. The immense noise pollution and the two-stroke fumes are neither up-to-date nor bearable in the long term. The green world four-stroke engine is clearly better in these respects. However, it is not convincing either. The high weight and the moderate top speed due to the "lawnmower speed limiter"spoil the test result. According to our test experience, conventional 5 or 6 hp outboards perform significantly better in all respects.

What remains is the question: Is it worth buying such cheap motors for a dinghy or a day trip in an inflatable boat? The answer: No!

You can find the full article in the September 2019 issue of BOOTE. Available here.