Looking for some advice on optimax

[vangoalie]

Looking for advice on optimax

I have a 2006 optimax saltwater 115 with just under 300 hours on it. It has run great for the last 10 years I have owned it for, this year I took it out last weekend to the first time in 6 months and it wouldn’t get over 2500rpm under load. I took it in and 8.5 hours later and a $300 ignition coil it is repaired for now but they tell me my diaphragms in the fuel rail are starting to show aging but ok for now, Apparently I have a fuel rail part # 880037T03 and apparently you cannot just buy the diaphragms for this fuel rail, the replacement is part #8M0185151 which they suggest I get and to start looking at repower in the future. My questions are is my motor too old, in my mind and order with 300 hours is barely broken and maybe I’m wrong. Is there anywhere to get diaphragms for the original part or do I really need to replace the whole fuel rail at a price over $2000 just for the part? Does anybody have any other advice for me? I’m already $1900 into one ignition coil but love the motor and love the boat and don’t really want to make a change. Appreciate any advice thank you. Thanks again. 

 

[scott craven]

You could look for a used fuel rail, someone on the forum might even have something?
If it was me I would start looking at a newer motor before throwing significant money at a repair.

 

[wolf]

the whole fuel rail at a price over $2000 just for the part?

that was about the same when I did mine , you do know boat means "bring out another thousand"

 

[vangoalie]

You could look for a used fuel rail, someone on the forum might even have something?
If it was me I would start looking at a newer motor before throwing significant money at a repair.

Thanks Scott, wouldn’t newer motor still require similar maintenance? If it is just a fuel rail would this not make sense and keep going? Thanks for your advice

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

Depending on the age of the Motor this might just be first in a long line of repairs it needs. Low hours just means it’s been sitting around most of its life and in my opinion that’s worse for the motor than running it.

 

[vangoalie]

Just curious, what happens when a diaphragm fails? thanks

 

[Sailfish25]

As a recovering Optimax owner, this forum was invaluable for mainting my twin 200 Opti’s.

https://www.bbcboards.net/forumdisplay.php?f=7

The user on there “EuropeanAM” is a Mercury master technician and runs a business that specializes in repairing and cleaning the Optimax high-pressure fuel system. Very good reputation and his website has a good description of everything.

Might be worth considering this option instead of trying to source new.

Personally I bought a third engine that I used for parts. I also cleaned my fuel rails, diaphragms and all air and fuel injectors every winter myself. That was the key to keeping the Opti happy.

 

[Sailfish25]

Just curious, what happens when a diaphragm fails? thanks

It just won’t run. It’s a very simple engine with an extremely complicated fuel system. If anything on that fuel system is off even a bit, that won’t run

 

[salmonkiller01]

As a recovering Optimax owner, this forum was invaluable for mainting my twin 200 Opti’s.

https://www.bbcboards.net/forumdisplay.php?f=7

The user on there “EuropeanAM” is a Mercury master technician and runs a business that specializes in repairing and cleaning the Optimax high-pressure fuel system. Very good reputation and his website has a good description of everything.

Might be worth considering this option instead of trying to source new.

Personally I bought a third engine that I used for parts. I also cleaned my fuel rails, diaphragms and all air and fuel injectors every winter myself. That was the key to keeping the Opti happy.

Great advise on the repair option. You can also buy diaphrams on eBay

 

[scott craven]

Thanks Scott, wouldn’t newer motor still require similar maintenance? If it is just a fuel rail would this not make sense and keep going? Thanks for your advice

Not if you were to upgrade to a 4 Stroke.
Regular maintenance would apply to all motors.

 

[wolf]

Just curious, what happens when a diaphragm fails? thanks

Ive never heard them called diaphams either??? they were called reed valves i believe .

It will run but will go thru gas like crazy and a way rough idle thats how I knew .. I dont know about that sized engine but if I remember we had to lift motor off and replace a base gasket , but dont quote me on that

 

[ship happens]

Ive never heard them called diaphams either??? they were called reed valves i believe .

It will run but will go thru gas like crazy and a way rough idle thats how I knew .. I dont know about that sized engine but if I remember we had to lift motor off and replace a base gasket , but dont quote me on that

The diaphragms work between the fuel and air rails regulating a 10 psi differential between the two. Have somewhat high pressure fuel and air with independent injectors for each.

What I can't understand is if the thing ran how it wasn't diagnosed within and hour or 2 that there was a coil down. If it's running on 3 cylinders it's easy to do a mechanical diagnostic. Guys who don't know how that system works should definetly not take on trying to fix one. To the owners good luck finding a mechanic who knows them and willing to work on them. They are not fun. The connectivity with diagnostics is very minimal. Most of the components are solid state and do not work in the diag program. When there is a fuel system problem, you can't get it running to diagnose most the time. If the diaphragms leak then you have fuel in the air line or air in the fuel line.The air pressure runs 10 psi higher ( I think based on old memory ). Basically you have high and low pressure fuel pumps on one side and a air compressor on the other side. Running independent injectors at different timing intervals. Along with the classic CDM module style coil. Those things fail all the time. The same design was stuffed into the 4 strokes just after that Era. They eat plugs too.

That design was in the opti, hpdi and tldi. It's basically the only way to do direct injection without copying the combustion patent that etec created.

 

[kaelc]

If you don’t have a good reliable kicker, I’d get your opti running well and sell it. I’ve seen 150hp motors with over 12k spent in recent repairs, that guys were trying to sell for a few thousand. New or newer 4 strokes will burn less gas and take no 2 stroke oil. Between the lower maintenance and operating costs your cost of a new engine might equal the cost of keeping the old one going in 3-4 years and you will have less head aches and more time on the water.

If you have a good kicker and don’t mind down time, you can find a great affordable opti mechanic, which sounds unlikely or can spend the time working on it or sourcing parts. Everything is a trade off, good luck!