Mercury 150 Opti Care?

[C C]

I am very interested in learning if there is a 1, 2, 3 process for taking care of my motor. 04 Mercury 150 Optimax



What fuel is the best

What oil should I use

Is there anything I need to do each time I run the boat

Any other advise?



Thanks



Cass

 

[Staci Matheis]

Best advice I can give:



If it ain't broke.....

Don't fix it.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

First and foremost, break it in EXACTLY as the owners manual says. Use ONLY Mercury oil designed especially for the opti. and use the right octane gas...higher octane is not better. I run a general cleaner through about every other tank. Follow your maintenance schedule and change out your lower unit oil 3 to 4 times a year. I do it every 3 months.



Last...Ler her warm up before you throttle her open first thing in the morning.



TOXIC

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

JR, if 92 is what the manual says then great. If it doesn't then I'd be asking some ???'s of my mechanic. I honestly don't know what the opti's are supposed to run on. Seems to me that if you have to run high test, the fuel savings that they claim are so great wouldn't be there? Too hot of detonation is a bad thing, I do know that!! I also know there is a set break in schedule RPM/Time/WOT etc. Heck, with as severe of case of cabin fever that you've got I figured that you would know your owners manual inside and out, forwards and backwards by now!!LOL



TOXIC

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I run 87 in the 225 and she screams...no plug problems, still on the original set, my mechanic (who races boats) told me not to change them as long as they look as good as they do (no diode wear either), smooth idle and a little easier on the pocketbook!!. Shoot, I'd have your dealer send the OM to the house NOW!!! What a way to spend the winter. I'd even order the shop manual for your motor type and size for bedtime reading!!LOL



TOXIC

 

[C C]

I won't get my owners book until I return to pick up my boat in April. I realize that the dealer will give me his version of running the boat but I am interested in learning other things about running this motor and what to do and what NOT to do.



Thanks,



Cass

 

[Bryan McDonough]

Optimax are designed to run on 87 octane. You will probably get better performance with the 87 out of her. Also make sure you run regular tanks with the quikleen additive. I prefer every other fill up to add Quikleen. I still run the premium plus oil instead of the opti oil since that what the engines was originally designed on. But the newer engines are supposed to be running the Opti oil.



Don't worry your gonna like the engine.

 

[Brian Bell2]

87 vs 89 octaine.. I was told years ago by a friend of mine who's family owned several gas stations, that you should avoid using the middle grade gas ( 89 ) since it sells the slowest to sell, and chances of getting bad or old gas is much greater with the middle grade upose to the low and high octaine.

 

[Bill McElroy]

Cass,..use the Opti DFI oil,...and burn 89 Octane...

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Ok...87 or 89? What does the manual say? Is there even a difference...really?



TOXIC

 

[Tom(fishfafun) Lutz]

Been running 89 octane in my 2001 135 Opti and Merc. Premium Plus oil (buy in bulk) since new with out a problem. Was advised by Dealer/Mechanic to use Chevron fuel because it has the additives (Techroline,sp?) needed to keep it running clean.

Also, called Merc. customer service rep. and he advised that Opti synthetic oil is now "recommended" but "not required" on the Optimax motors and it will mix with the Premium Plus if you want to change over anytime at a later date. It would not void any warranty by them!

Like I said, not a lick of trouble with over 200 hrs. on the motor...



Tom

 

[C C]

Interesting, did you know that Chevron bought Texaco? I can't find a Chevron anywhere in Mass or Southern NH.



Cass

 

[Dan J.]

I run Prem. Plus or above, NEVER to mix any synthetic with any organic. 89 octane fuel for 3.0L Opti's seems to be the consensus from the support trailers on plug life, full det., better burn, less carbon...it works for me. I'm not sure what the spark/octane recomendation on the 2.5L's are. Someone else will surely chime in. Good Luck!

 

[Bob G.]

Chevron bought Texaco a while back, but Texaco gas is only available overseas. Shell gas is sold at Texaco in the US. I found this out on Chevron's website when I was looking for a Chevron station in VT because I wanted to take advantage of the Techron additive in Chevron gas for my vehicles. None around here either.



Bob G.

 

[Paul Ritter]

I have a 2002 150hp Optimax and run it on 89 octane. I have used the Quickclean additive with nearly every tank of gas and have had no problems at all in the two years that I've owned it. It still idles as smooth as when new. Be prepared for sticker shock though when you take it in for the 100 hour service. Here in Northern California the dealers wanted nearly $600 to do the service! It's a very complex engine and you need a laptop computer with special software just to work on it. Enjoy your new boat and motor. I'm sure if you take care of it it will give you many years of reliable service.

 

[Tom(fishfafun) Lutz]

Dan J,



I thought the same about mixing but Mercury has said with the two oils (Premium Plus and Opti synthetic) it's perfectly OK! This is due to the fact most bass boats carry 2+ gallons in the tank and another quart or so in engine reserve tank under the cowling and it is totally imposible to change over oils without some mixing going on (unless you plan to run "your" motor without oil to completely clear it out, NOT!) So, if you start out with either and want to change over some day it's not gonna be a problem. Once again, just info directly from Merc and anyone that is not covered under warranty by them would have to decide that if they felt it was a risk they shouldn't change from one to the other.

Yeah, we still have Chevron stations all over northern California and yes, we HAVE to buy these Optimax motors, someday you other Americans will catch up to our regulations, you always DO! heheheheheh



Tom

 

[Dan J.]

I will still NEVER mix an organic with a synthetic. Try this experiment: Put equal amounts of each oil in a jar with a lid and shake it up. Put it down and give it time to settle. Hold it up to the light and I think you'll see what I mean. That's what is eventually going through an injector to lube the powerhead. Most likely it is fine, but it just doesn't look right to me. Premium Plus has worked for me and is factory recomended as well as the Opti Oil. On Merc's support trailers, they've used an "either/or" philosophy, but they also recomend choosing one and sticking with it. That's my preference.

 

[C C]

Let me see if I understand,



After paying a lot more $$$$ on a 150 Merc Optimax I get to...



Spend more at the fuel pump to fill it

Spend more on Oil

Spend money on fuel additives to prevent problems

Spend more on maintenance because it is computerized



Did I miss anything?



With all of the added cost of ownership of an Optimax what are the benefits of owning an Opti over a 150 XR6?



Guess I should have asked this question before I bought the Opti.



Thanks,



Cass

 

[TrepMan]

Cass - Got your problem solved - When you take posession of the boat, drive it down to the Rally. I'll swap you my 40 Merc 2 stroke for the Opti. You'll get WAY better gas mileage, use WAY less gas, use NO additives and there is basicaly NO maintenance!!!



Of course with the Opti on my 175 the'll be new problems for me like: Can my transon handle the weight, i'll need a 2nd or 3rd gas tank, have to re-paint the cowl to say 75 to keep it looking legal!!! LOL



OHHHH to have your problems !!!!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Exactly why I run an EFI. And don't forget, you will get lower mph than the same size EFI also. Let's see, worse performance (not a lot), more for gas, more for oil...yep that's about got it. You will use less of that gas and oil though!!LOL



TOXIC

ps, and they sound like a hive of bumblebees!!LOL

 

[Dan J.]

Cass-



"With all of the added cost of ownership of an Optimax what are the benefits of owning an Opti over a 150 XR6?"



In a nutshell, a bunch of reasons; Overall range increase of 25 - 40% on same full tank of fuel (Opti over XR6), better emissions for the environment, much better year round response and performance, and better oil economy. The savings will make up for the difference over the long haul.



Tox -



Some hulls with Opti's actually post a mile or two higher factory specs than with the same size EFI. Yours is one of them. (2004 - 929 DC w/ 200 EFI v 200 Opti)



http://www.nitroboats.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.boat&nav=4&boat=1072#motors



P.S. Oh yeah, they are very quiet running engines, too!

Enjoy your new toy!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Hey Dano....I gotta re-read the specs the ones I read showed the 225 opti with a 1-2 mph top speed loss coppaired to the 225 efi (not xr6), all for more $$....not doubting you but just not the great deal that it billed to be. Both are great motors and you can't put a price on environmental issues.



TOXIC

 

[Bill McElroy]

Tox,....once you run an Opti,...you won't ever want anything else......except maybe more horsepower, but it'll still have to be an Opti...just a bigger one!! LOL....You will NOT believe the difference in range between an EFI and an Optimax....an XR6 won't even be considered and the way the EPA is working,...I'd be willing to bet that "non-injected" motors will be banned altogether in just a few years!!..Current owners will be "grandfathered" of course,..but you won't even be able to buy a new "Carbed" motor before long...IMHO.



XR6's Chug gas......bottom's up baby!!!

EFI's chug it through a straw...ahahaha

Opti's sip!!

 

[Dan J.]

Tox -



C&P the link I posted above into your browser. Check out the 200's on that page. You'll find similar results accross a variety of hulls involving a variety of Opti's.



I'd hate to think they've spent millions of dollars in R&D and development to make something worse than a currently produced, less expensive line. (LOL!)



I've ran several Opti's. Weighing the good and the bad, overall, I wouldn't run anything else. (YET!)

 

[C C]

Thanks for the responses and don't worry I am not having second thoughts about my purchase. I am interested in learning the differences. I have only owned 2 strokes and for me this is quite a change in boat and motor. Learning how to drive this baby will be a blast!



I agree that there is no price on environmental protection and just as I give 1/2 of my state tax return to the Massachusetts Wildlife Preservation Fund every year (don't worry it's not that much, hence the name Taxachusetts) I don't mind paying a few extra dollars to run my motor.



Cass