Volvo Penta

200hp EFI

Gas It Up: Volvo Penta introduces 200-hp V6 EFI engine and says goodbye to carburetors

Pumping your car’s gas pedal to prime the carburetor before starting the engine is so “old school.” EFI (electronic fuel injection) now means you just turn the key and the car starts. With this technology, Volvo Penta has eliminated carburetors from its entire offering of recreational marine engines. All now feature EFI with the newest being Volvo Penta’s 4.3 Gi V6, a 200-hp engine, the smallest offering in the line-up introduced back in July. Volvo Penta’s entire line of gasoline and diesel engines (along with innovative IPS pod drives and stern-drive systems) propel boats ranging from 18 to over 100 feet.
“Having an entry-level fuel-injected product offers consumers a big advantage on the starting side of the equation,” says Bob Apple, Volvo Penta’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We phased out the carbureted 4.3 GL over the last 12 months—that was the last non-EFI engine in our line. We came out with the 200-hp 4.3 Gi because our OEMs wanted it—they had 19-foot boats they did not want to put a 225-hp engine in. The new 4.3 Gi opened up the lower end of the market for us.”
Volvo Penta’s engineers didn’t have to look far for the engine design. “The 4.3 Gi is actually the cousin to the 4.3 GXi which is our 225-hp engine,” Apple explained. “All the packaging specs and weight are exactly the same. We detuned the engine electronically and used different decals. Our engineers created the algorithms and mapping to allow the engine to run at the proper horsepower. The best news for consumers is that we have had years of experience with that 4.3 GXi and have continually improved the engine over the years. It’s quite well validated in terms of performance.”
The 4.3 Gi weighs 914 pounds and is available now. Builders are using the engine in boats from 19 to 21 feet long and in some cases in larger boats, twin installations. Volvo Penta works with more than 40 builders supplying power for their boats. Regal Boats of Orlando, Florida is currently using the new 200-hp engine in four models.
“Regal Boats is going to be offering the 4.3 V6 Gi in our 1900, 2000 and 2100 in a single installation, and in our 30 Express in a twin configuration,” said Duffy Stenger, Regal’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Regal believes that the 4.3 Gi represents a tremendous value and great performance.” Using twin 4.3 Gi engines opens up more cruising possibilities since two engines provide a considerably improved safety factor.
Also, Volvo Penta’s stern-drive joystick control product can be added on boats with the twin-engine application for enhanced maneuverability around the docks. The driver can move the boat sideways, diagonally, forward or rotate—with just one hand. The secret behind such dockside dexterity is the electronic steering with twin-engines individually steerable drives. Sophisticated and specially developed software transforms the driver’s joystick movements into steering angles, gear shifts and throttle positions. The boat moves exactly according to the driver’s intentions.
Going completely EFI also helps Volvo Penta’s technicians service the engines. “If there ends up being a problem, the ECM (electronic control module) in the EFI system offers diagnostic capabilities you can’t get from the carbureted product,” Apple explained. “Being able to connect to the engine’s ECM speeds up the process for a marine technician to diagnose and fix the problem.”
Early next year Volvo Penta will introduce a 230-hp catalysed engine. Later in 2012 they will unveil an entirely new product that will “take gasoline stern-drive power to the next level,” the company said. Volvopenta.com