2001 optimax 225 motor issues?

[Matts94z28]

I have come across one that has an intermittent no-crank issue that I am looking at. What do you guys think of these motors and would it be a wise decision? Compression is suppose to be good, but I will check it when I get there obviously. Anything I should look for? Anyone ever have a no-crank issue here and there with it? Says it runs good when it fires.

The owner got so fed up with it he repowered with a leftover 2012.

[Matts94z28]

Starting to be a bit skeptical of the compression on the motor after considering what may be causing the starting problem. Then again, Even with low compression I would expect it to fire off every time.

[njj502]

Just depends on what the numbers are.... It should try to run on the good cylinders I'd think and unless it ran out of oil or something I doubt all 6 holes are damaged that bad....

[Matts94z28]

Well I can get the motor pretty cheap. He claims the compression is good as I said, but yall know how that goes. I wonder if its just a fuel pressure regulator or something simple.

[TripleA]

I had a bad sensor on my promax, I believe it was the air temp sensor. Sometimes it would fire right up no problem then sometimes I couldn't get it to start at all. The sensor was a pretty cheap fix once I figured out the problem. Not sure if an 01 optimax has the same sensor or not. Hope this helps.

[Matts94z28]

Thanks for the info! Anything helps.

[njj502]

Is it local to you? If so go check it out. If not, maybe there is another member close?

[hometown45]

No crank is different than no start. If the battery does not have enough juice it will not crank, however if the starter is no good it will not crank either.

[TripleA]

Yea, my promax would turn over just fine just sound like it wasn't getting any fire. If it's not actually turning over then I doubt it's the sensor. Sorry for the confusion.

[Raceman]

No crank is different than no start. If the battery does not have enough juice it will not crank, however if the starter is no good it will not crank either.

Down here in the South we use a different jargon. We crank cars, boats and other things with engines we DO NOT start them. If it won't crank that means it won't run. If it was a dead battery, bad starter, locked up powerhead type problem he would have said "it won't turn over".;)

[Matts94z28]

Lol. Its the southern slang.

Basically the motor would run and not run at its own discretion. However, after talking with the owner more he said mercury tested it on their diag computer and showed that it was droppng coils 5 and 6. It was suggested to him to swap the driver so he did that. He then went to fire the boat off and it was sputtering and popping and would not start.

After that he sold the boat and never touched the motor again after it was rigged. He has all the paperwork to document this.

I am picking it up Saturday.

[Matts94z28]

What would y'all say is a fair price? 300 or so hours.

[XstreamVking]

I just got one with 450hrs and it's real clean, a good runner, good skeg for $1,500. It was a great deal. It's worth more. Maybe 2500 or 3000. Seller wanted a quick sale and says make an offer. I got lucky! 2001, 200 opti. 20'' mid.

[flabum1017]

Get it as cheap as he will sell it to you for then when you get it, check the crank position sensor gap.............

[flabum1017]

Could also be a weak compressor

[Matts94z28]

Thanks for the information guys. Looking forward to picking it up and getting it rigged once I complete my core project.

Now if someone would take this OMC I have for sale cheap...

[Matts94z28]

Should I be running away from this motor for my valero? All the local people seem to think they are junk.

[flabum1017]

the 03 and older Opti's didn't have a good reputation............

[Matts94z28]

Looks like I am going to pass it up. I can't afford to have this thing melt down and start over. I will hold out for now.

Thanks guys!

[Matts94z28]

After some though, I am going to pick it up tomorrow. It's about 4 hours from me. I will probably put new decals on it and list it on ebay and some bass boat forums.

[dan02gt]

The early 3.0L Optis had issues with the reeds breaking, and you know what a steel reed can do to a motor. Other than that if it has all the updates installed it can be a good motor, but there is a lot to go wrong. They are very dependent on having the correct fuel and air pressure so check that all the fuel pumps are working and the air compressor (another common failure) is in good shape.

[Matts94z28]

Thanks for the tips guys. Keep em coming.

I will probably put it up for trade on a bridgeport or a bigger omc here before long.

[dan02gt]

Thanks for the tips guys. Keep em coming.

I will probably put it up for trade on a bridgeport or a bigger omc here before long.

I don't know about that. I bet you get her running good you'll have a hard time giving up the gas mileage you can get from a Optimax.

[Matts94z28]

Well, just made the trip back with the motor. Hope to get it out of the truck and build a stand tomorrow.

[Matts94z28]

What plugs are you guys using in these motors? Anything particular I should be looking for or looking over while I have this on the stand?

[flabum1017]

We had an opti at the shop that had an intermittent fire problem, found the flywheel splines stripped... rare but does happen.........

[Matts94z28]

How hard would it be to get this thing fired up on a stand? I've got some extra fuel line, a bulb, tank and an extra battery now.

[flabum1017]

a key switch harness would make it easy, otherwise, you will need the plug diagram to supply 12 volts to the purple wire to power up the computer, then just jump the starter solenoid as usual

Make sure the oil reservoir is full also..........

[Matts94z28]

I don't have anything as far as the boat side harness for a mercury. It does look like it has the standard 8pin connector and such. This would be my first time doing this and I am not a wiring guru, but I can get by.

I appreciate the tips.

[XstreamVking]

You can get the iridium plugs at napa for 1/2 what the merc dealer sells them for. bout 11 bucks each.

[Matts94z28]

The owner said he paid $6 pe plug. I wonder if he used the wrong plugs and that's why it pops and sputters when trying to start it after replacing the coil and driver.

[XstreamVking]

It will say the correct plug on the emissions sticker. Located on the intake plenum front of motor usually. All my opti's run the NGK IZFR5G plugs.

[Matts94z28]

I pulled a pzfr5f out of it just now.

[XstreamVking]

Whats the sticker say? That may be the prob.

[Matts94z28]

I will look when I get home. Just left for work.

[XstreamVking]

Looks like that plug you described (a platinum) was superseded to the IZFR5G iridium plug. The gap is different .043 for the plat. And .031 for the irid. Either should work, but the gap on the plat is bigger and harder to jump requiring more spark energy. Probably not the cause of the miss.