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No More Need for Starters?

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kevinj

Advanced Contributor
I just saw an article talking about the new SHOT system from BRP on their Ski-Doo snow machines. Check it out here: https://www.ski-doo.com/technologies/e-tec-shot-starter.html

Basically in the SHOT system they are using the magnets in the flywheel to and the coils on the stator to spin the crank. Then with a properly timed squirt of fuel and spark the engine kicks over and starts.

The Etec system in these skis is pretty similar to the Evinrude Etec outboards. I wonder if they'll move this system over to the Evinrude Etec outboards and eliminate starters? I'm sure the larger displacement of V6 engines would be a challenge but maybe in smaller 2 and 3 cylinder engines this could work just as easy as it does in the snow machines?

What's funny is a mechanic I knew before he passed away several years ago mentioned something like this when the FICHT engines first came out. He always talked about using the CPS to know which cylinders were at or just past TDC then give them a squirt of fuel and a spark to start the pistons moving. BRP says the crank only needs 1/3 rotation for it to fire a cylinder. If the magnets can move the crank on an outboard engine enough this could be a real possibility. It's not going to be a big weight savings for a 450lbs outboard but it would make a little room room under the motor hood.

I'm very curious to see if this will show up in the next round of Evinrude Etec engines.

KJ
 
SHOT stands for start hot. It will not start the motor when it's cold or after it sits for about an hr in those two situations you still need to pull it over by hand. It uses the magneto in the motor to charge an ultra capacitor to store electricity. When you hit the start button the capicitor charges the magneto and that spins the flywheel. This is not a replacement for electric start. I think it's more of a gimmick right now, if it only works when the sled is warm or still has a charge in the capacitor. With a sled, when I want electric start is right away in the morning when it's 20 below. To many times have I pulled over my 800 cat on a cold morning and wondered why my arms were laying on the ground. No If I still have to pull my sled over by hand when it's cold what good is it, sleds are easy to start after they have been run.
 
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flyingscott said:
SHOT stands for start hot.It uses the magneto in the motor to charge an ultra capacitor to store electricity. When you hit the start button the capicitor charges the magneto and that spins the flywheel.
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Exactly. In sleds the idea was to have push button starting without the weight of a heavy battery, starter, and ring gear on the flywheel. So, the light weight capacitor gives you the charge storing ability to juice the magneto and spin the flywheel. Sure, you still need to pull start if the sled has sat for more than 30 minutes, but it's still an interesting concept.

I was wondering since most boats already have a battery there wouldn't be a need for the capacitor system. So really I'm wondering if the magneto driven spinning of the flywheel is sufficient to move the crank on an outboard and allow it to fire? I just found it interesting they are implementing this now and my local mechanic had mentioned something similar 10 years ago.

I'll bet dollars to donuts BRP is trying this in their outboards to see if it's a workable solution. They've made huge advances and gone way outside the box on the new G2 Etec engines so it's quite probable their going to continue pushing the envelope.

KJ
 
Just sounds like more stuff to break down especially on the newer engines that are near impossible to work on without a computer science degree.
 
Wow!!! I'm still getting used to the innovation of the recoil start! OMC continued to have a rope start on it's 1.5 even in 1970. I still can't get used to our new car shutting down and restarting at every stop light. If that happened 30 years ago, it usually meant the carburetor float was defective and you would need to rebuld the entire carburetor. Someday they'll probably put a man on the moon!
 
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