Optimax opinions, 2.5 vs 3.0, best years to buy.

[chevy355mark]

Im in the market for some used outboards for my dads boat, Its currently rigged with twin 150 Hondas that have corroded solid through the cooling system. We are looking for some used Optimax outboards thinking this will be the best best combination of reliability, fuel economy, etc in a sub 15k price range. A set of new merc 150s don't really add up when you consider the $30k investment. just another set of cable throttle/shift, seastar steering, mediocre performing outboards. you don't get much for your money.

Im relatively familiar with the 3.0 optimaxes, there's no doubt in my mind its a good reliable fishing motor. Its the 2.5s that i have zero experience with, at least in the optimax variety.. Was it as good an Opti as the 3.0 liter? how's it idle/run compared to the 3.0, I'm assuming about the same? Although i personally wouldn't hesitate to bolt up whatever the better deal is(normally a 225), he seems concerned with the original transom being rated for a 150, and the 2.5 will be a lot less weight and torque on the transom.

just looking for opinions, best years I should be looking for, service bulletins, recalls, etc.

[25two.stroke]

2.5L optis broke the alternators off the side of the engine blocks and there wasn't much you could do about it. They rand good though. Idle smooth and have good power. Don't get one older than 2000 though, I don't think their coils are as good.

If you go 3.0L just make sure you get one that has 6 coils, not the 6 coils+3 coil drivers.

In my opinion I wouldn't waste money on optimaxs. If you are going to repower and run all new harnesses/controls/gauges then save the extra pennies and get a fourstroke. You will save money in the long run just considering repair costs. Optimaxs cost so much more for parts: spark plugs, coils (which burn out more often) injectors, compressor, belt, thermostats. All the parts cost more; most cost twice as much as fourstroke parts. I don't want to bash your idea of getting used motors, but just giving you a fair warning that optimaxes suck. I know cause I work on them all the time.

If it was me I would try to find some first generation efi fourstrokes. Yamaha or Mercury from like 2006 to 2016. You will have the best longevity for your money.

[chevy355mark]

I appreciate your post but i have to say, its no help because what your describing is simply double the price range. its not that i don't believe you its that we simply don't want to spend that much. He wasted 22k on the hondas in 05, and now they are junk while someone is likely still enjoying his old 2 stroke mercs that were traded in at throw away price lol

so the boat is a 25ft worldcat, it does something like 35mph with the 4 cylinder Hondas. these boats are really well known for being underpowered with the factory rating them for only 300hp. So my thoughts are that we need a motor that runs really strong for its hp range, not a "kind of sort of 150hp" that weighs as much as a 250 optimax lol. These inline 4 cylinders all say 150hp but they provide something like 5400rpms with a 2.2something gearcase ratio, the boat lost near 8mph going from the mercs to the Hondas so i guess i just have a bad taste in my mouth about the inline 4 engines. I have nothing against a 4 cycle but i really think it needs a v6 platform and it seems the v6 4 strokes are extremely expensive and possibly too heavy. even the inline 4s are out of the price range.

here's the punch list simplified, around 475lbs, 150-200hp, good fuel economy, under 15k. Optimax is just what came to mind. Is there an affordable v6 4 stroke from merc that I'm unaware of?

trying to avoid any Japanese motors after the corrosion we have seen from the Hondas. It took 17 years to put 500 hours on them. The key concern is I want something that is not going to rot out before it wears out. I really don't care if a 4 stroke can run for 8000 hours where ill be overhauling the Opti at 2500, I care that 17 years from today they will still be worth maintaining and not just a throw away like these hondas have become.

[PanRonnie]

https://www.thehulltruth.com/parts-f...-250-pair.html

[chevy355mark]

https://www.thehulltruth.com/parts-f...-250-pair.html

... no more Japanese aluminum for us please! lol

although I'm sure those are great engines, my old Yamaha waverunners are of similar year and have been reliable.. but they corrode badly if not taken care of beyond meticulously. The mercs on my boat however, just a quick flush and a rinse and they never turn into an Alka-Seltzer like the yamys do.

[Chaz]

The four stroke outboard has been around for a while. Most think they were invented when the Merc V-8's came to be ..
Those who have dealt with the older ones know that the water jackets rot out between the jacket and exhaust port or combustion chamber.
I'm sure the newer ones will do the same .. just a matter of time. Lots of nooks and crannies for water to sit.
I can't recommend which motor's to buy. But this stuff goes a long way in avoiding the inevitable ....

https://www.saltaway.com/products

[chevy355mark]

I have my eyes peeled for the 3.0 liter 4 bangers but the prices are outrageous. Ive got a set of 2010 175 optis I'm looking at with 1400 hours... thoughts? Pretty hood price complete with rigging, seastar, and smartcraft stuff.

[25two.stroke]

I guess I misunderstood about what exactly you were considering. I thought you wanted to stay with twins regardless of whether they were 4stroke, 2.5 optis or 3.0 optis. I now gather that you would go with twins if they were 2.5s or a single 200+ hp main.

To answer your question "Is there an affordable v6 4 stroke from merc that I'm unaware of?" no there is not. No affordable v6 4stroke (reliable) anything. You hit the nail on the head when you said "... no more Japanese aluminum for us please! lol" The early 4strokes made by yamaha and sold by either yamaha or mercury had the garbage ass aluminum that did not hold up.

The 2010 2.5 optis you mentioned are good engines. If you don't mind spending a lot of money on parts to keep them up then that is fine. They will perform exactly how you described: they will not rot out if you take care of them and in a decade they will still be good motors worth fixing/maintaining. They will have lots of power and ok on gas. In my experience air compressors on optimaxs last about 1500 hours on recreational/fishing boats. Some last 1000, some last 2000...but MOST go out around 1500. If they have 1400 hours each they will be pushing the life on their compressors. If they've already had compressors changed then you are golden. If not, then figure that is something you will need in the next year or two.

Lower units are strong, no head gaskets to blow (the oring heads almost never have trouble), pretty good on fuel. Just inspect where then alternator mounts to the block and make sure there are no cracks forming. Keep the mounts in the alternators good; don't let them wear out or the alternator will shake itself off the block.

[chevy355mark]

quick question, What year for sure got the revised compressors. I'm getting conflicting information, some say as long as its painted black it must be the more modern compressor, some say 2009, some 2013. Then there's the matter of the 2.5 using a different compressor then the 3.0 liter, did the 2.5s compressor ever get a revision or is the "new style" compressor only a 3 liter deal.

my understanding is the early ones only use one bearing vs supported on both sides of the crank. When looking id like to try and be sure I end up newer then the single bearing units.

I also noticed that I'm coming across some 175 and 200hp "verados"... I didn't realized they had a supercharged 4 banger with a verado badge on it for a few years there. Are these motors essentially the same thing as the 3.0 4 cylinder 150s but with a blower? they seem to run about the same price as the 150s. Although it doesn't really matter for a fishing boat, and the 4 stroke will probably be nicer, quieter, etc... I got to just say it already... god damn are they butt ass ugly, am I insane or do they look like a toy version of an outboard motor lol.

[PanRonnie]

They redesigned the compressor for all optimaxes

I would go for the simplist engine " less expensive parts to replace"
That would be the 3 liter 150 fourstroke

[chevy355mark]

Well we bought a pair of 2009 175 optimaxs, Hondas are being offloaded today.

I appreciate all the input. It just wasn't in the budget to spend 20k on used 4 stroke outboards to potentially save a couple thousand on maintenance over the course of the next decade. Should have repowered with merc 4 strokes back in 05 when he went with the Hondas and this thread would have never had existed lol.