If you own an Optimax.......

[MeMe]

....I hope you'll assist and answer the following concerns I have about a new RIB I'm looking at with a 2001 Mariner 135 Opti on the tail.

The current owner is being very straight with me and has advised of the following problems. Perhaps "the forum" could assist in eleviating my concerns.

This is what he's told me. It's a 2001 with 36 hours.

1. The water spout is very weak on tick over but like a jet wash under revs.
"should this concern me and if so, what is the remedy and the cost of the same"?

2. The instruments have several settings and read outs which appear to be out or sync' in that when it's full of oil it advises it's empty.
"With only 36 hours is this to be expected and again what is the remedy and cost of the same but perhaps more telling, may I ask why after only 36 hours has this occured"?

3. With the above in mind (3) what instruments would they be and what information would they adivse.

A lot of questions I know, however, I'm about to invest a tidy sum and would appreciate your assistance as I will be simply turning up with a bucket of notes and driving away a short while thereafter.

I'll chip his price a little for the cost of any repair / service required, however, I need the ammunition to assit in the same along with the confidence that it's not too much to worry about.

Finally, are these engines as quiet as a 4 stroke ?

Cheers.

[Rogue Wave]

I know the answers to these questions

[Nick Hearne]

WHAT
You Change your mined faster than a fast thing on a fast day!
So the TVR is on the back boiler?
Nick

[MeMe]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

I know the answers to these questions

........... the answers to these questions and I've PM'd you already. So come on, spill the beans.

[Pitkis]

Hi, I drove over 1000 miles with Optimax 135 last season and it worked fine. A nice engine. I can't answer to your questions, in our engine with 170 hours we had no similar problems with instruments. Water spout is not of concern I think, some engines just tend to work like that. But I would like to warn you about spark plugs. They are very expensive and have to be changed every 100 hours. Cost is high, I can't remember exactly but like 100 pounds each is close to correct. And if you don't buy those Iridium plugs and go for ordinary (=cheap) models instead, get ready to change a new plugset every 20 hours. Anyway, ask for your local Merc dealer for more info, they may have gotten some alternative plugs that might be long lasting and lower priced.

The engine ate a lot of oil also, after calculations a medium concentration was close to 3-4%. There were no problems still, just frequent oil refills. Final explanation for high oil consumption lacks still.

[MeMe]

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

WHAT
You Change your mined faster than a fast thing on a fast day!
So the TVR is on the back boiler?
Nick

.....I didn't want to increase my wrinkles with the constant factor a TVR would bring. If you've ever met Phil Davies you'd know where I was coming from.



Love ya really P.D Ain't it great when a well respected Forum such as this posts your own "smiley" look alike face ?

[MeMe]

Originally Posted by Pitkis

But I would like to warn you about spark plugs. They are very expensive and have to be changed every 100 hours. Cost is high, I can't remember exactly but like 100 pounds each is close to correct.

.............sure you don't mean 100 FIM ?

Thanks for the other feedback..

[MeMe]

[Rogue Wave]

Source your plugs from the states

Spout isn't anything to worry about it is a bit poor when ticking over, as long as the temperature is OK of the water and the block isn't too hot to touch.

most problems with spouts are sorted with a new impeller and thats a minimum cost.

Oil reading can be sorted by recalibrating the gauges, the manuals tell you how to and it's easy peasy. Unless you are in sales.

No new gauges needed,but I am a bit dubious on the 36 hours in 3 years, nobody buys an optimax and leaves it on the hard. one just can't stop driving em, 12 hours a year seems awfully light use. In fact it's still 64 hours of it's service and should be absolutely spotless and shiny.

What I think has happened is that it has had it's EUC replaced which has the wonderful effect of setting the trip to a big fat zero. It was quite a common thing for 2001 engines to have them replaced. I also have heard that the trim and tilt was faulty on that year.

go for it

.

[philip]

You can download the operating manuals from this website:
http://www.marinepower.com/

This tells you how to calibrate the smart craft gauges.
Trim reading on ours is a bit iffy sometimes.

Our Opti had only done 70 hrs in 4 years but the condition seemed to match that of the RIB (Immaculate) so I didn’t worry about it.

Put mine in for service and they replaced the spark plugs with cheaper ones – the philosophy being replace with cheaper every year or expensive (about £30 x6?) every 100 hours. The guy who did ours reckoned that the users who replaced every year thought they ran a bit smoother – dunno. Service including parts and labour was about £300 I expect you will probably get it cheaper where you are we get ripped off down here.

Nosier than a four stroke at idle? - Probably a bit but not obtrusive I was firmly in the four stroke camp until we got the Opti. Family can sleep next to it when we’re burbling up the river but the real point is the gorgeous sound it makes when you open it up – I’m grinning just thinking about it.


Tue on this forum has given me advice before I’m sure he will have something to ad.

(Wasn’t the Medline sale a fishing trip?)

Oh and agree with Mr Wave go for it

[MeMe]

Originally Posted by philip

(Wasn’t the Medline sale a fishing trip?)Oh and agree with Mr Wave go for it

........for the advice on here and that given by D.M and P D on the phone. Much appreciated. Any additional info would of course be appreciated.

"no it's not a fishing trip" but well spotted all the same ! The Medline is for sale on boatsandoutboardsand I have a chap coming on Sat to take a look. However, as soon as she's gone I'm hoping to replace her with a Med II. Fingers crossed.

[MeMe]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

I know the answers to these questions

.......your PM, in fact if D.M wishes I can furnish him with some of my own preffered sites !

In the meantime, your comments are still greatly anticipated !

[tue]

Originally Posted by MeMe

1. The water spout is very weak on tick over but like a jet wash under revs.
"should this concern me and if so, what is the remedy and the cost of the same"?Cheers.

Sounds like the impeller to me. About £22 plus gaskets and time so £70ish dependant on hourly rate

Originally Posted by MeMe

2. The instruments have several settings and read outs which appear to be out or sync' in that when it's full of oil it advises it's empty.
"With only 36 hours is this to be expected and again what is the remedy and cost of the same but perhaps more telling, may I ask why after only 36 hours has this occured"?

They will just need to be re-calibrated. If as said earlier it has had a new ECM this will upset the gauges too and may not have been calibrated when fitted. Maybe an hours job

Originally Posted by MeMe

3. With the above in mind (3) what instruments would they be and what information would they adivse.

The guages should be smart craft x2. 1 Tacho and 1 Speedo. Each also have a digital read out which will advise water pressure, air temp, trim height, amount of fuel, amount of oil, battery voltage,water temp,+a few more I can't think of right now

Originally Posted by MeMe

Finally, are these engines as quiet as a 4 stroke ?

Maybe just a little noiser at idle but when opened up the noise level is about the same but the actual sound is sooo nice .

Full list of information screens from smartcraft manual:
Engine hrs, Fuel used, PRM, Fuel flow, Trim position, Engine temp, Water pressure, Oil temp, Oil pressure, Battery voltage, Range, Water depth. This is the full list. Some screens will not apply to Opti's (oil pres/temp) and may need optional transducer (water depth).

[philip]

Originally Posted by tue

The guages should be smart craft x2. 1 Tacho and 1 Speedo. Each also have a digital read out which will advise water pressure, air temp, trim height, amount of fuel, amount of oil, battery voltage,water temp,+a few more I can't think of right now

Tachometer Display Screen:

Engine Temperature
Oil Psi
Trim and RPM
Trim and Water Pressure
Water Pressure
Battery Voltage and Engine Hours
Fuel Flow and Fuel Used
RPM
Speed / Sea temp

Speedometer Display Screen:
Speed
Fuel Used
COG/SOG – If there is a GPS Input
Distance and fuel to waypoint –
if waypoint programmed into
optional GPS
Clock – Air/Sea Temp
Inst. and Avg. Fuel Economy
Trip Odometer
Fuel Tank Levels
Oil Tank Levels
Fuel Range
Fuel Flow
Trip Odometer


And I'm sure I've seen barometric pressure somewhere - sometimes I even look up to see were I'm going

Gadget mans delight

[MeMe]

.......thanks a million, you guys obviously know your stuff. Well I have a chap coming to see my Med I on saturday so with a little luck he'll take her away. If so I'll bomd it down south to collect the Med II. Fingers X'ed.

Thanks again to all.

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by tue

Maybe just a little noiser at idle but when opened up the noise level is about the same but the actual sound is sooo nice .

I like this guy

[swginn]

Just thought I'd add my views as a new owner of a 150 Optimax. Got my engine 7 wks ago and have 46hrs on it already. It still puts a smile on my face every time I open up the throttle. Sounds sweet, especially when you get the prop out of the water (Did that a lot last wkend!! ) Definitely sounds strange to only have 36hrs on a 2001 engine though. I've heard people go on about problems they've had with yammys, hondas, evinrudes, but I've never heard anything negative about an Optimax, besides it throwing the occupants out of the boat . Smartcraft gauges make it one of the most user friendly engines around.

Pic explains why I might be a bit over enthusiastic. Had a great wkends boating in West Cork and the Fastnet

[Rogue Wave]

I think it's possible that people are so in love with the Opti's they forgive them the occasional indiscretion. The bigger Opti's are known to have problems with Power tilt and trim and I know of 4 engines which have popped the compressors.

The 150's had problems with injectors and it's not unheard of for the compresors to go on those. I am also hearing rather worryingly that you can over rev em!

[MeMe]

........concerns which, I would mirror - 36hours on a 3yr old boat. The owner who appears to be a pretty decent chap advises the RIB is kept at his holiday home in Spain where he uses it a couple or three times each year. Other than that what can I say. I've not seen it yet but as and when I do I'll only be able to judge it based on looks, sound and if it starts ok as I'm as useful with engines as I am at ironing shirts. I'll be checking the PTT, the temp of the block !!!!! and the strength of the water spout but other than that, I'm cluesless. I suppose I should get a survey but I won't ! Anyway, thanks for everyones imput, I'm now crossing my fingers that my Medline goes this weekend and I can hop in the car with a bucket of cash and buy the new one !

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by swginn

I've never heard anything negative about an Optimax, besides it throwing the occupants out of the boat .

Not sure i really have anything to add that has not been said, but if you want to know something specific pm me! I too have heard of problems, but you get that with everything in life. My trim sensor / display has never works correctly since about 10 hours (had new sender, still not fixed), which pisses me off but in reality the dealer is too busy and i don't want to part with the boat for very long. I'll get it fixed over the winter. I'm up to nearly 150hrs now in less than 11 months.

Go for it.