On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 03:29:10 GMT, "Billgran"
wrote:


"K Smith" wrote in message
...

I will point out that garden variety aluminium, we use it here, has a
"melting" point of about 660C or 1220F. So your new "special" high temp
alloy pistons might be stronger, but they are an admission the fuel is
autoigniting, which it definitely is by much much lower temps.

Ah, you don't get it at all, Karen. With FICHTs performing well over 2000
hours in commercial fishing use and for years doing OK, it's not a problem
of piston melting. The "NASA space age" aluminum does not expand as much as
traditional alloys. This allows E-TEC to have a very snug piston to cylinder
fit for less piston-slap noise in the motor. There are also no cutaways in
the skirts either, so the piston has less "rocking" motion. The E-TEC is
competing against the 4-stroke noise issue and the less expanding, tighter
fitting piston helps. I've run the motors and mechanical noise is almost
non-existant, even with the motor cover off.

You are correct about the off-topic posts, most should be relegated to
alt.news. political. crap. See, we can agree on something!

Bill Grannis
service manager

Bill - I heard that the new baffling system on the air intake and some
mechanical changes in the interior surface of the cowling has quieted
the E-TEC engines down a lot. Any truth to that?

It sure would be an improvement over the FICHT - my FICHTs aren't
terribly noisy, but on the Ranger (which is twenty feet long and you
are about 8 feet from the engine) you have to talk louder than normal.
It's better on the Contender because of distance.

Speaking of quiet engines, I was at the last Miami boat show and as a
result of knowing somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody I
managed a ride on a Hydrasport with one of the new Merc outboards -
the motor was all black with no identifying marks, but it had to be at
least 250 Hp - anyway, at full throttle, you could stand next to the
motor and have a conversation at normal volume - incredibly quiet.
That would be the gold standard to my way of thinking.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------
"My rod and my reel - they comfort me."

St. Pete, 12 Lb. Test