2 Stroke Outboard ban?
 

Been doing some reading. It's a myth.

2 stroke outboards are not banned. What has
happened is that emission standards have been
tightened for all engines, including marine.

The older, carburetor type 2 strokes don't
meet the emission standards but the newer,
fuel injected types do.

So, reports of the death of the 2 stroke are premature.

2 Stroke Outboard ban?
 

On Thu, 24 May 2018 21:21:57 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


Been doing some reading. It's a myth.

2 stroke outboards are not banned. What has
happened is that emission standards have been
tightened for all engines, including marine.

The older, carburetor type 2 strokes don't
meet the emission standards but the newer,
fuel injected types do.

So, reports of the death of the 2 stroke are premature.

Reading Title 40. Chapter I.Subchapter U.Part 1045 Subpart B §1045.103
sheds a little light on this whole thing and if you go to §1068 there
is way more than you want to know but the reader's digest version is
engines below 5.7 HP get a real break on hydrocarbons and NOX so they
can still do pretty much what they want. Below 53 HP there is also a
break on CO. (Table 1 to §1045.103)
They also allow averaging, banking and trading (between manufacturers)
so they can really get a break on low volume engines and make it up on
the mass market products.
There is also a break on existing engine designs that gets phased out
over time but I am guessing those old loopers have met the expiration
date or will very soon. It is still based on the actual year of
manufacture tho so they can still sell new old stock. It is probably
why most manufactures stopped assigning a "year" to their motors.
Who knows how they actually decide when a motor was manufactured?
Can you simply "finish" a bunch of blocks you cast in 2008 and call
them 2008s? Since the 2d and 3d world is not bothered by all of this I
imagine most new 2 strokes are going there anyway.
I suspect the new build 2 strokes here, over 6HP, are living on the
averaging but I am guessing they would rather be using those credits
on the "performance" models. I suppose that all gets back to profit
and how many credits you need for a little vs a big one. It is based
on total emissions.

Another interesting thing is it says "(e) Useful life. Your engines
must meet the exhaust emission standards in paragraphs (a) through (c)
of this section over the full useful life as follows:" ...
Outboards "minimum useful life is 350 hours of engine operation or
10 years, whichever comes first".
My 2012 F70 has exceeded that by over 1000 hours.
So I guess if my engine is out of spec now, I am still OK. The reality
is, if it is not throwing codes, it is probably still in spec. (same
as a car)

The huge loophole I see for the "go fast" guys is if you are buying an
engine designated "for competition" there are no rules. What happens
if I buy an engine and say I am racing, then just put it on my fishing
boat? For that matter, is a tournament bass boat "competition"? I know
lots of guys who fish in tournaments
From 1068
"If you loan, lease, sell, or give any of these engines/equipment to
someone else, you must tell the new owner (or operator, if applicable)
in writing that they may be used only for competition."

Cross your heart and hope to die ;-)