View Full Version : Optimax
Optirox
06-10-2002, 08:42 AM
Was out fishing this weekend and the 200 Optimax ran fantastic. I find it hard to believe I have the only one running great, but listening to this board.....I'm not sure.
Yea I know what you mean about all of the opti bashing. I also have a 200 opti and absolutely love it. It always starts good and runs great and is 3 times quieter than my buddies 175 Ficht. Great motor!
Hey guys
yeah the optimax did run good. i have the 225 wiht a blown power head now and its in the shop. i broke mine in the way i was told. i dont firh tourneys and never pushed it before break in. Mine ran good since 2000 but this year blew up. its more a matter of time before she goes!
rock2me
06-17-2002, 02:37 PM
I have not read much Opti bashing, lately.
From what I hear they are great motors until they break. They do not give any warning, they just fail. Not all of them do fail but enough that I would not purchase one.
These high tech motors are the future, probably more so than the 4 strokes for me. I just feel sorry for these Opti/Ficht quality assurance test crews (that's you sucker). These motors are expensive and these companies need to stand behind them all the way.
When I bought, I did choose a 2 stroke because I did not trust the direct injection motors. I do not like the smoke but I also would cry too much if my motor was out of commission.
Good Luck
They are very quiet and use no gas when they are in the shop.
Hangman
06-17-2002, 05:18 PM
My 225 Opti blew on Memorial Day. No warning, just bang. 38 hours on it. Still waiting to get it out of the shop.
eyebuster
06-17-2002, 05:35 PM
I have the dreaded 2001 model 225 opti and knock on wood not a problem yet and I pray to the fishing gods that there won't be one.
So far I love the motor.
wade n theriver
06-18-2002, 10:54 AM
I have a 99 135 opti, that has run flawless for 2.5 years now. I live right next to the St Croix and Mississippi river and boat at least twice a week. I have read all the horror stories that came out after I bought mine and have had a worried thought now and then, but it has been flawless. I can troll from prescott to Hudson @ 1.6 mph and never once think about it stalling or smoking. I can boat ride and tube from Hastings to Stillwater w/ my wife and kids Sat and Sun on the same tank of gas and still have enough for a few evening fishing outings. Idles forever and pulls extremely hard for a 135. Now I just hope that I can say that 5 years from now. Its on a 2000 1800 Fisherman W/ a Trophy plus prop.
Warranties are great but who wants to miss time on the water?
I have a 2002 Opti 200 with 29 hours it and five year warranty. I hope I don't have to use the warranty. I can't beleive Mercury would take the finiancial obligation of a five year warranty without some assurances that the problems are behind them with the 2002 model. Unless they plan on bellying up like the other brand did. Just trying to make myself feel better for buying an Opti.
I've run Opti's for the last four years (135/200) and not had one problem.
Dan383
06-18-2002, 05:54 PM
I have a 1999 Opti , 200 hp. At the 2001 Merc Nationals it produced a miss , the merc tech took a look. I fouled out one plug . He has it on the computer , which said I had 237 hours on the motor...1 plug ? not too shabby. I now have to be well over 300 hours and running strong!!!
I should mention I have a 23 pitch High Five prop which only allows me 5250 rpm's at wot.....maybe the difference????
Hey Guys ,
With out a doubt there have been problems with some of these engines but---- how about all of those that have performed super! Mine sure has after 300 plus hours.Make all mine 225 OPTI,S
C.J.
SimplyFishin
06-18-2002, 06:30 PM
Hangman,
Sorry to hear about your motor. I guess it is sort of like Mercury's more "Bang" for the buck, huh? Good luck with it in the future.
It has got to be upsetting.
Tom Clatt Jr.
06-18-2002, 07:25 PM
I'm really getting sick and tired of the "Opti" bad-mouthing. I love my "99" Opti and it's the best engine I have ever owned.
Chris G
06-18-2002, 07:49 PM
I have a 1999 200 Opti with probably over 400 hours on it and over 55 tournaments and have never had a problem with it.
I will definetly buy another one.
I wouldn't worry too much about yours. Of course anything mechanical can fail but there are alot of 200 Opti owners out there that are satisfied.
Good luck with yours!
Chris Gasser
walleye poacher
06-21-2002, 08:12 AM
It seems to be the 225s that go to ##### .
Alot of guys are having the samething go bad.
Empathy
06-24-2002, 07:17 AM
There was one guy posting on here that had his blow up a second time. Anybody else experience that? Jeez... that has to be bad!!!
The difference in yours is the year. 99's were fantastic. They were also pre-lean days. They did not meet the EPA specs, and the 225's burn a lot of oil. At least 50to1. Now that they've leaned them up, the problems begin. Even as a Merc guy, I hate to say this, but Merc is behind John Rude on the DFI learning curve. OMC met the specs for EPA early, and thus they had all the problem earlier. Merc is just now coming to that part of the curve. They'll work it out, just hopefully at Lake X and not the consumer.
CJHughes
06-24-2002, 12:24 PM
Has anyone heard of any 2002 225 opti's blowing up , or is it just a problem with the earlier years ?
Lunch_Box
06-24-2002, 02:22 PM
I've only used my 2000 150 Opti a half dozen times before having to give it up to the shop. It is idling very poorly as if mis-firing on one hole. They replaced the plain ZFR plugs with the newer PZFR (Platinum) thinking that was the problem. It was not. Now they have no idea what is wrong and have been trying to work with Merc over the phone to diagnose it. Its been out of service since Memorial Day and now my big one week trip to God's country is in jeapordy beginning July 5th.
A Passport warranty is $1600 for only another 2 years past my OEM which expires in Sept. Is it worth it? I dunno. A powerhead failure is approx $6000k so I'm spending $1600 at a chance to save $4400. What are you guys doing about extended warranties or aren't you keeping your motor long enough to have to worry about it?
boatman
06-24-2002, 05:27 PM
I have a 99 225 Opti and I did purchase the Ex. Warranty. Funny thing is I only used the OEM warranty once for a bearing and seal kit in the lower unit.I as of yet have had to use the Ex. Warranty at all,just over 400 hrs. on the motor.Did I waste my money??? For me I'm glad I bought it, Personal preference I guess,or maybe just peace of mind.
Hardway
06-24-2002, 08:17 PM
2001 225 60 HRS. knock on wood, nothing but an alternator that went bad right out of the box.
Hangman
06-24-2002, 09:19 PM
When my 225 Opti blew on Memorial Day I had a little over 2 weeks left on the extended warranty. Thank God! I just got it back last Wed. and ran it all weekend on Winnie. Runs great. My Merc dealer that did the rebuild was MTM Marine in Glenwood,Mn. They treated me very well and so did Merc. The parts were shipped very quickly and they got me going again in good time even though I didn't buy it there. They replaced the complete power head as #1 piston detonated and blew a silver dollar sized hole in the block. They also replaced all six injectors with new updated ones and also both reed valve blocks, all at no charge. I hope this fixes it for good. The only thing that troubles me about the whole thing is the mechanic couldn't give me a reason for it blowing up and got very evasive when I kept questioning him about it. He gave me the impression that since it was under warranty and Merc was paying the bill, don't worry about it-just be happy. When I called Merc and talked to a tech it was pretty much the same. We don't have a problem with them, yours was just a freak.
To the person a few posts back who was tired of all the Opti bashing. I didn't notice any bashing going on on this thread. Just telling what happened to me factually with no malice intended. If you are that thin skinned about your Opti, just go stick your head back in the sand and pretend there are no problems with them.
Good luck and good fishing to all!
CJHughes
06-25-2002, 02:15 AM
Hangman since your's blew with two weeks left on the extended warranty ,and they replaced the powerhead does that mean your powerhead is good for another year on the old warranty or are you out of warranty now ?
Also is your powerhead a 2002 and are they having the same problems as the earlier models ?
Hangman
06-26-2002, 09:21 PM
No, they told me my warranty was now done with. If I would have had the work done out of warranty-as in paid for it myself-they would give me a 1 year warranty. The new power head has all the updates so I assume it is a 2002, but I don't know for sure.
CJHughes
06-27-2002, 04:30 AM
Hangman , Since your warranty is done are you going to purchase a new warranty ? I don't see where you have any choice but to buy a new warranty , I would . I would like to see some numbers on how many of the 2002 are blowing up if any maybe they have the problem fixed on the 2002's.
TomCat
06-27-2002, 07:16 AM
Guys,
Do we know how much the extended warranty costs? A lot of guys with these motors may be interested.
Also, it is interesting that Mercury is saying there is no problem with these motors ... that having them blow up is "just a freak". I wonder if they are trying to avoid a class action law suit?
Is anyone on here knowledgeable about such law suits? What kinds of conditions have to be present to start one?? Warranties are running out for some of these owners.
Eye Catcher 1
06-27-2002, 08:57 AM
If you have only used the boat 5 or 6 times in 2 years I would have them check the tracker valve. Old fuel can make these stick.
Curious
06-27-2002, 03:06 PM
Guys, are just the 225's blowing up? Any one with a 135 or 150?
CJHughes
06-27-2002, 06:49 PM
Tomcat an extended warranty for my 2000 225 Opti is $2600.00 for one year.
Jim Carroll
06-27-2002, 08:06 PM
CJ - you need to keep shopping. I've seen 3 years extended warranty for $2800 for a 225. I think you might want to double check your figures. If they are accurate then find a different insurer. $2600 for a year sounds too high.
Rich S
06-27-2002, 08:19 PM
$2,600 is correct. Merc gave me the same price. EFI ext. warranty is cheaper. I have not heard of any 2002's blown yet but I know that there was three blown at the RCL on Winnebago. I am sure that some of those were 2002. Anybody have any complaints at all about the new Evinrude? I have heard alot of good and not one bad thing so far.