Opti's still issues in '03??

[Rob LaMoy]

At my tourney last weekend the mgr or owner of Capital District Marine, (NY's largest Merc dealer) showed up with a Yamaha on. When I asked him if the Opti's were fixed he said, "Not yet". Then yesterday at the ramp while launching a nice Ranger 520 with a 225 opti pulls up to. We started chatting. It was Bob Plemmons from NC, a FLW pro. It turns out we know a lot of the same people so I decided to let him follow me to a spot for some nice morning topwater smallie action. (He's fishing the Everstart too, so I did NOT bring him to any honey holes LOL) but when we took off, I got about 2 miles down the lake, looked back and he wasn't anywhere to be seen. He didn't pass me. Right in that moment, if I had had $10,000 I would have bet it that he had blown that Opti, I have seen so many of them go in the past. I went back and found him and sure enough...blown 225 with less than 100 hours on it. No warning, just POP. Shattered a cylinder wall and made a real mess. I know merc will go good for it, but geeeesh, is it worth it to have a motor that is prone to that much failure. Anyone else still having issues with their's? I know Mac's is running strong and hope it continues to for his sake. But my next boat will have another EFI or a Yamaha. On a side note, I took Bob back to the ramp and helped him drop off his boat and he came out with me for the day. Bob was an awesome guy and is making some calls for me to hook be up with some potential big sponsors. Hope it goes through. The wind really picked up and we were bobbing around in 4 footers, but we killed 'em on topwater. It was so much fun. Usually, you can get nice 2 lbers on top but we were hammering 3's and even a couple 4 lbers yesterday. When they missed, they were knocking the plug 3 feet in the air. I'll tell you what, that XPS version of the Sammy with the gill's that spit water....ROCKS! They ate that thing all day even when they wouldn't eat the spook anymore. Hope everyone had a great day. I'll post pics once their developed.

 

[Jim Jackson]

That's too bad for Bob. I know he is sponsored and also that Merc will stand behind it, but it's still too bad. However, as they say, something good in all bad and it was good that you were in the right place at the right time. Hope it pans out for you, Rob....

I know about all the Opti problems, and I'm sure some of the stories are carryover from the early issues, but I believe where there is smoke there is bound to be some fire.

My new boat will be an EFI. My question is, has anyone heard of any problems with the EFI???....

Thanks

JJ...

 

[Rob LaMoy]

I love my efi and the Merc dealer said you can't go wrong with them. Bob also told me that you don't save THAT much $$$ on gas with an Opti vs efi, because the Optis love oil and eat almost twice as much as an EFI and since oil even at dealer cost is $9.50 a gallon....well, it all evens out in my opinion. And this guy just finished an FLW tour, if anyone knows how much an opti eats, he does. These guys are great, they don't BS, they give you the real facts as they see them. He still loves merc and so do I, just don't trust Optis is all. But I would still take an opti over ficht any day! LOL

 

[Jim Jackson]

Plus everything I have read on gas consumption for the most part only gives the Opti significant edge at mid-throttle range. Since most bass boats only have two throttle settings -- idle and wot -- it doesn't look like you are getting much for the extra bucks except the latest technology, which may still have reliability issues???....

 

[Michael Snow]

Guys, I'm here to tell you that my opti does very well on gas at WOT. I bet it gets better gas mileage than my 115 carb on the back of an 18' aluminum boat.



Opti will use more oil per gallon of gas. However, since the gallon of gas lasts longer, the oil consumption (per mile) is really about the same between the two (from what I've heard).

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

GLass or tin!? LOL Personal preference issue again. I'm sure efi's pop also. I just like the reliability and cold starting of my efi. Everybody's gonna like what they have right now anyway so you just cross your fingers and hope you get a good one whichever you choose.



TOXIC

 

[Jim Jackson]

On the other hand, Mike, if you get a good one that does what it was designed to do and last like it was intended to last, then I am sure you have great motor. It sounds like you did and do... You have a good point on the oil consumption. Both gas and oil should be measured on an MPG basis...

 

[Michael Snow]

My Opti starts GREAT in cold weather (you know, 50 here in Texas ). I've never had a problem with it starting. Reliability is questionable on the opti, I have to admit.



SOMETHING has to change though... 2005 is coming and EFI's are going away in their current form. Truth be told, I'd swap my opti for a Honda 4-stroke at any time. I'm a Honda man... from motorcycles to cars. I can't imagine their outboards aren't just as good.



Right now, you have two choices for California and that's 4-strokes or DFI. Mercury and Yamaha's DFI motors are under criticism. Ficht seems to have resolved their problems (though I think there just aren't enough VOCAL people that are actually USING them to get a good sampling).



I asked my mechanic about Opti before buying one and he said they were good motors (it was a used motor he was checking out for me, no money in it for him). He had an opti, but when he got a newer boat, he went EFI because of initial cost.



The problem with outboards is they can pop at almost any time for any number of (or no decent) reasons.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

It is personal preference, and it is easy to scare people about the opti. Just like it will be easy to scare people about the efi in the next couple of years. I do not personnaly know anyone who has blown an opti after 2000 model year. I have know of 2 EFIs that have blown, one to a UWO(Under water object, and another to operator issues.

It just happens.



I haven't noticed any change in oil consumption from my 200 2.6 ltr block EFI, to my 225 3.0 ltr Opti. I have noticed a definite change in gas mileage, i have also realized cheaper operating costs due to the 87 octance rating on the Opti. I save $15 to $20 a tank using 87 gas.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Last time I checked, efi's don't burn higher octane fuel right? I just make it a policy not to get anything within the first couple of years of initial production. Even saying that, I'm sure your odds at getting a bad unit compared to all of those that perform as intended is small. Nonetheless let em' get the kinks out first. I would feel safe with an opti now. I don't like the lower performance (top end) but could sure use some savings in fuel/oil. I am on the water a lot and can eat up some $$.



TOXIC

 

[Rob LaMoy]

I'm not downing optis at all. It was just funny that not long after I asked the question, I had one blow right in front of me and it was a '03. I know that Merc will go good for it, they're the best (right up there with Guest) for honoring warranties and taking care of customers. Heck, I heard they replaced some motors that were out of warranty to keep customers. Now THAT'S customer service. I just can't take the chance of running to a tourney say 1,000 miles away, having my entry on the line, all the expenses and then having a motor blow in the tourney. But it can happen to any motor. In my experience with the folks I know, it's happened a lot more on optis then efi. I can't wait until they have the bugs worked out. I'd love the speed and saved gas that comes along with them.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Makes sense. I agree, I hadn't thought about it, but now that you mention it, I do see a LOT more optis than efi's.

 

[Jim Jackson]

Good point, Curtis. To really know you would need access to failure data. all products have a design "B" life. all product failure data will chart out a "bathtub" curve with high failure during early hours, dropping to low failures during normal product life, and then back to high failures at design life. Think of a stretched out U. You would need to see the Weibul data to be able to tell if the curve was abnormal with greater than normal failures at any point in the curve. It would be interesting to compare the curves for EFI and DFI data. It's always best to see the "historical data" rather than listen to the "hysterical data".... It would also be interesting to see failure data by boating segment ie. bass boats vs pleasure boats.

 

[gone bye bye]

I dont know if anyone here has seen the correlation of Optimax failure after the motor has not been run in a while (morning or heading back to the ramp).



It is imperitive to let the motor warm up prior to hammering the throttle.



Mini

 

[Rich Stern]

Mini, that's one theory.



Another theory is that because the motor is running very lean at idle to reduce emissions, the pistons and cylinders develop hot spots. When you hammer the throttle, detonation occurs because of the hot spots, leading to a potential melt down. I have read several well informed sources say that easing into the throttle after prolonged idling to remove some of the heat before stressing the engine is a good idea.

 

[gone bye bye]

I only blew one Opti out of the 5 or 6 that I have used.



I do know of quite a few Mercury Touring Pros that do the warm up thing prior to blast off. Warm the engine and ease into the throttle for about a quarter mile then return to the launching point to blast off with the tournament.



Mini