Optimax service recommendations - please

RidgeRunner

RidgeRunner

God
2003 250XS Optimax-
Service recommendations?

So far I have the basics:
Water pump
Gear lube
Fuel filters
Grease

Then a few more things:
New Compressor/Alternator Belt
Clean anything that needs cleaning
Then, Checking the little screen on the water line going to the compressor for debris?
I figured on checking all connectors for corrosion and give it a good looking over.

What am I missing?
Ferm,Spare,Skools, Capt. Pete? Anyone else?
 
whenever i do a water pump. i also change the tstats & poppet valve. probably not neccessary, but if ignored, a pia when they do go bad.
 
Good info, Thanks Phatdaddy. I forget T-stats.
That is a big one right there. It looks like the fuel rail comes off to do those on this one. Damn. It shall be done.
Poppet, I have done two on Opti's now. I waited until the diaphram bit the dust and flooded the cowl with salty H2O on the first one.. Second one was done as a preventative measure.

Anyone else,

I certainly didn't mean to limit the field on this inquiry. I know there are some brilliant folks here beyond those mentioned. LOL

Thanks in advance..
 
If you wanna go all out you could send the injectors(all 12) out to BROCATO for cleaning and flow testing. And not sure on the OPTI, but I know on most dry throttle bodies you should clean it out as well as the IAC every so often.
 
Motor is still running like a top. Injectors, air/fuel, that would be a winter job. This thing has IAC? I bet you are correct about the dry intake with reeds it will be gummy on the backside of the throttle plate. I will look into it. I have been hesitating to do anything except put fuel and oil to her. I hear the TPS is a joke and cannot/will not take even so much as a drop of water.
Scallop season is on us, vacation too, don't want to get too involved. Can't afford the down time. I was thinking of pulling the VST for a good cleaning and do a decarb. Still running ringfree, and 93 or 91 recreation..

Thanks again
 
lower unit oil, ck the trim oil, take prop off and grease the splines, sounds like you got the rest, i was going to also say t stats but phat beat me to it!!
 
just do the basics, put a new water pump in it(mercury brand only), make sure the oil line to the compressor is clear. I'd look hard at the VST unless you knew wildman was already in there. Look at the thermostats and keep on running it.
 
Thanks and thanks.
Just returned from the Mercman getting place. No t-stats on the shelf, recommended I take a peek. Tomorrow morning I will jam on it.
 
There is an inline oil filter before the oil tank on the motor. also two comming off the compressor. At least my motor has them,not sure about the xs. My motor also has an air filter for the compressor. How old are the plugs? Everything else has already been mentioned.
 
OOOps. I didn't get the message until now Spare, I will call you when I think your outta bed. LOL.

I have a Coors Light available Hedge, but not before coffee.

Capt. Pete, I got the filters, three in all. Plus the long one that goes in the exhaust adapter for the water feed to compressor.
The XS did away with the air filter, the 225 had one.
Plugs, I had a set of old stock new on the shelf for the 225, I hope the plugs are the same, they were pricey 10 years ago. I just checked and they are not the same..

My Mercman said if I was paying them for a powerhead service it would run $350 with parts, due to the somewhat difficult access to the little parts and the pricey t-stats..
 
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The platinum plugs originally used for the Optimax were very expensive. Now they use an iridium plug that is cheaper and back fits all Opti's.
 
captpete13 said:
The platinum plugs originally used for the Optimax were very expensive. Now they use an iridium plug that is cheaper and back fits all Opti's.
Click to expand...

There's some good news for the Opti!!...Nick had a pair of 200s on Phat Kat...probably had 2,000 hrs on 'em by time he died...gobbs of power across the curve and fuel economy w/out equal...2 hrs to Gulf Stream, troll all day and 2 hrs back at 26 kts...on 90 gals fuel...nobody could match that back then...:beer:
 
I will post up some pics tomorrow, no problem on the 1/2 service. (filters and fuel system check complete. I will put-off t-stats, plugs, and poppet valve for another day. I did open the VST and take a look inside. Very clean. Nothing detected on the screen at the bottom of the fuel pump, zero debris, zero water.
Shift linkage at the motor needed a little shot of grease, along with the belt tensioner, tilt tube, swivel and latch mechanism. (4 zerks in all) Plus about a half dozen more places to dab a little grease.
So after a couple hours of messing with it, I put it all together and tested on the hose. Found two water leaks under the cowl. One was the water tube for the water pressure gauge, a real gusher and the other a dripping plastic fitting off the top of the block. Both would make a real mess if left unattended.
Went and used the boat.. It runs great. The entire family had a great time and will do it again soon..
 
water pressure hoses and senders are for fresh water people, not worth the risk in salt water. BTW, those water pressure sensors fail with great regularity, you may want to keep a spare on hand, or a resistor to fool the ecm into thinking you have presure
 
Not even hooked up to my knowledge. I will need to look into that one. Perhaps a different sensor than the one I am thinking of.
 
it should have a water pressure sensor, look for a three wire sensor hooked to a piece of that spaghetti hose. There will be one for the pitot(speed) and one for water pressure.
 
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