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View Full Version : optimax 250xs vs 225h.o. evenrude



sanger mike
09-29-2002, 10:43 AM
need help. im thinking about buying a stoker sport tunnel 204 or 20 sst, still not sure until i see both side by side. the deal is this dam california 2 stoke problem. im a jet v-drive guy and dont know a lot about the outboards,so i need to hear the good and bad of both these motors.
[ September 29, 2002, 07:12 PM: Message edited by: sanger mike ]

TOBTEK
09-29-2002, 11:16 AM
All of this talk of two stroke ban's really sucks, But has been around for a long time. I was working for Yamaha and Bombardier back in 94 and we were affraid of ban's back then! Really a shame because the 20.4 stoker is bad-ass with a 2.5 on the back! From what I have been told (and im still doing more digging)If you get the motor now, it will be grandfathered and wont be a problem. But , if I were you id do some research also....Great boat good luck......

HavasuDreamin'
09-30-2002, 06:51 AM
Sanger Mike.............I would talk to several Mercury or OMC dealers including Alan Stoker about the possibility of having trouble with a 2.5L Merc. or equivalent.
I am a huge Mercury fan, will run nothing but a Mercury, but would steer you away from the 250 XS motors for a couple of reasons. First, it is a new motor, let Mercury get the bugs out of it before you buy.
Second, a tunnel is going to run a surface piercing prop. That puts "A LOT" of stress on your gearcase. Now, I do not know what internals are in the 250XS Gearcase, but if it is a production type motor, you will immediately need to send the gearcase to Bob's Machine shop in FL. and have a nose cone/low water pickup installed as well as a heavy duty bearing carrier. These are absolute must items and will run you probably about $700 at least.
Last, and the biggest reason not to run the 250XS or an OMC for that matter is the RPM band. You end up with sluggish acceleration if you have an RPM band below say 7,000 RPM (Most OMC's are 6,500 or so). What happens is you need to run a 28" or bigger prop to get some speed out of it on top end (because your rpm band is small) and it accelerates slower because of it. With a 7,500 RPM limit, you can run a 26" prop or so and turn it more rpm's effectively getting the same top end with a lot better lower end acceleration.
If it were me, I would look at the Merc. 2.5L 280HP motor. This motor should push a "lake setup" Stoker about 95 mph. Just check with some dealers about the environmental stuff. If it is an issue, I would possibley recomend a 225 pro max with a relieved exhaust. That should get you at least 240 pshp being more environmentally sensitive. Good Luck :cool:

snappertapper
09-30-2002, 06:02 PM
i actually like the 250 ho evinrude, although the mercs are good but not the 250x2 dont care much for optimax but thats my 0.02 cents, if you wanted to be anbitious go with yamaha lol