Optimax will not raise all the way out of water

[McLoki]

I have a 90hp Optimax motor on my Tracker V-175. It is a long shaft motor (25") due to the transom height. The issue is, the motor does not raise all the way out of the water when tilted up for me to use my kicker motor. It stops raising (I assume at the top of the piston range - it does not hit the boat at all) with about 5" or so still in the water.

Not only does my kicker have to drag the motor around through the water, but it causes the boat to never really track straight when using the kicker or trolling motor. (always steers it to the right kind of like an off center rudder)

My father in law just purchase the walk through model of the same boat but his came with the 115 4-stroke motor. We went fishing this weekend and his motor will lift about 5" or so out of the water. (about 10" total higher than mine does) Both motors are mounted in the center mounting hole (hole 3 of 5).

Is there anything that can be done to get my motor higher out of the water? About 90% (or more) of the time my boat is in the water it is running the kicker or trolling motor (due to lake HP restrictions) so it is kind of a pain.

Any thoughts?

Michael

[Hot Runr Guy]

Talk to your dealer. They do offer a tilt-limiting switch, for boat/motor combinations where raising the motor too high could hit the splashwell or a rear-mounted seat. Yours, if equipped, could be set too low.

HRG

there's also the chance of tilt-limiting spacers inside the cylinders, scroll down in this thread http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-...ain-gurus.html

[perchjerker]

I leave my main motor down when using the kicker.

it helps keep it trolling straight as there is an extra rudder in the water

actually where I fish I dont ever recall seeing anyone lift their main motor

[McLoki]

I called the dealer and they said it is going up as high as it will go. Apparently the 4 stroke motor lifts about 10" higher than the 2-stroke.

Personally I find that hard to believe. (If that was the case, I cannot believe I would be the first person that the motor does not lift all the way out of the water and asked about it on a forum but I cannot find anything via google.)

Anyone else with a 25" shaft optimax that the motor will not power tilt all the way out of the water? (I was hoping it was a cable adjustment that was needed or something....)

[McLoki]

Originally Posted by perchjerker

I leave my main motor down when using the kicker.

it helps keep it trolling straight as there is an extra rudder in the water

actually where I fish I dont ever recall seeing anyone lift their main motor

On the Hp limited lakes - it is required to have your main motor lifted out of the water. Not to mention the lakes are so low right now, there are a few places where you cannot have the main motor down as it will drag the bottom. I have the kicker to the side (obviously) of a deep V boat so the bottom of the motor is about the same or a little higher than the bottom of the V in the boat. I can (and have) run the kicker in about 18" - 20" of water (with the bottom of the boat dragging occasionally through sand\silt)

[perchjerker]

Originally Posted by McLoki

On the Hp limited lakes - it is required to have your main motor lifted out of the water. Not to mention the lakes are so low right now, there are a few places where you cannot have the main motor down as it will drag the bottom. I have the kicker to the side (obviously) of a deep V boat so the bottom of the motor is about the same or a little higher than the bottom of the V in the boat. I can (and have) run the kicker in about 18" - 20" of water (with the bottom of the boat dragging occasionally through sand\silt)

you are saying you have to have the big motor completley out of the water? thats strange.

on the other issue just tip the motor up as much as you can, it wont hurt anything

[Hot Runr Guy]

Originally Posted by McLoki

I called the dealer and they said it is going up as high as it will go. Apparently the 4 stroke motor lifts about 10" higher than the 2-stroke.

Not according to Mercury's own installation drawings. In fact, the Opti shows 71 degrees of tilt, the 4-stroke 70 degrees.

HRG

[Topwater]

I would leave your motor in the water when trolling, i find the big motor helps steering and the boat tracks better. With that being said I have a 2012 115 four stoke that won't tilt out of the water either. When it goes into the dealer next time I'm gonna see if it can be adjusted so it will tilt higher. I'd like it to tilt higher for those occasions where i need to untangle fishing line off the prop lol

[McLoki]

Originally Posted by perchjerker

you are saying you have to have the big motor completley out of the water? thats strange.

To tell you how much we have been brainwashed - I am happy we just have to tilt the motor out of the water. 10 years or so ago, we had to remove the prop from the main motor.... (and have it tilted out)

[McLoki]

Originally Posted by Hot Runr Guy

Not according to Mercury's own installation drawings. In fact, the Opti shows 71 degrees of tilt, the 4-stroke 70 degrees.

HRG

Perfect - thanks so much. I will let you know what the dealer has to say about this one...

to your knowledge - is there a way to adjust that? (without a tilt limit switch like you already mentioned) (still hoping for something I can adjust in my garage rather than another 1.5 hour trip to the dealer)