Optimax and fishing motor build questions?

[oceanstatetuning]

Alright after like a year or so of trying to find a 260/280 or even just a 200/225 promax locally I realized my area they just do not seem to exist. Really wanted a 260/280 but everyone on here seemed to suggest a 200 fishing motor. Well this is not the ideal situation but i found a supposedly 1998 carbed 200 mariner motor with a bad mid/leaking exhaust so i am told. Since this is a 25" and pretty corroded i figure it is just good for a powerhead. I paid $300.
I picked up this same 150 optimax with 84 hours on it but a hole in the block for $500 it has the 20" shaft i need and everything is very clean.

Here are my thoughts, put the 200 on the optimax, run it and enjoy it.

Try to adapt optimax injection onto the 200 carbed motor on the optimax mid lower.

Send the 200 powerhead to have an engine builder take it apart and rebuild it with a 7 petal front half. Try and source 260 electronics or maybe a svs computer and front. Toss it all on the optimax.

Other thoughts?

Here are pics of the motors i grabbed, i am only $800 into this project.

[XstreamVking]

Completely different animals. Mids are same, but the parts would not swap.

[oceanstatetuning]

So probably yank that 150 opti and eBay the powerhead in full or part it out and just only use that for the lower/mid/cowl.

Think I should just toss this 200 powerhead on and keep me eyes open for a good efi powerhead on here?

[XstreamVking]

You can mount the 200 power head on the opti mid and run it for a while then sell it as a running motor.

[mercrazy]

this place has a used horn motor for sale.
watsons marine 423-538-5332. ask for glen.

[billybob]

My suggestion is, put any 3 litre opti max on boat. you will automatically want to increase prop pitch by 2 or 4 inches. & use half the fuel. it may sit deeper in water at rest, but that,s the only disadvantage.

[Fishinmymission]

I just dropped a 2006 optimax head onto a 1995 carbed v175. Had my marina use its crane to pull and place the heads and I did the whole installation on the water in my dock slip.
It should be easier to put the 200 carbed on the opti mid.

So when I did my build I kept the 175 carbed exhaust tuner as it was was the same length and shape as the 175 opti tuner, after the swap the boat had the same top speed (+ 1 mph).
The 150 opti tuner may restrict HP on the 200 engine or it might not do anything. See what others here say.
As you pull the heads off see what's salvageable from the exhaust plates. It may be easier to swap some exhaust plates especially if you break some things or one has corrosion issue etc between motors. Basically any of plates should work, they may just have different locations for thermostat water to enter the exhaust tube.

If you use the opti exhaust plates remove the black barbed coolant feed and screw in an aluminum plug.

Stick with the optimax cowling everything will fit in it.

[oceanstatetuning]

My suggestion is, put any 3 litre opti max on boat. you will automatically want to increase prop pitch by 2 or 4 inches. & use half the fuel. it may sit deeper in water at rest, but that,s the only disadvantage.

I wish that was an option but trying to keep the weight down, salt water boat and dont want to loose self bailing

[oceanstatetuning]

Thank you so much for the info fishinmymission. Im hoping that the 200 tuner will fit if its still good.

[Varmint]

I ave a nice 2003 200 efi powerhead,,would bolt on either mid,,,,with motorola 55 amp electrics for sale. was rebuilt with new pistons,steel caged bearings, 3 seasons ago,,140 hours or so. 130 psi all 6

[oceanstatetuning]

I ave a nice 2003 200 efi powerhead,,would bolt on either mid,,,,with motorola 55 amp electrics for sale. was rebuilt with new pistons,steel caged bearings, 3 seasons ago,,140 hours or so. 130 psi all 6

Price?