Hey guys, looking at upgrading my engine and I've found a 1999 150 Merc Optimax.
This is the ad as it looks on Craigslist...
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/boa/1038957667.html
1998 Merc 150 Opti max outboard. New impeller, plugs, gear oil, 2 TPS (old ones needed replacement $350 value), and brand new side mount controls ($500) new. Motor has been scanned and shows only 120 hours on it. This is a strong running motor with 140-150 psi on all 6 cylinders. This is a DFI motor and will blow any other fuel injected or carbed motor out of the water for fuel economy. This motor is extremely quiet and can handle long periods of idling without worry of fouling plugs as compared to carbed OBs. The price is $4200 as they list for upwards of $16000 new. Will sell without controls for $3800. Motor must be sold by Friday and all reasonable offers will be considered
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Here's some of the emails I've had with the seller, he runs a marine shop in town here....
It is a big advantage being fuel injected and electronically oil injected for both consumption reasons and safety reasons. The newer injected engines have safeguards in place which puts it into a limp mode to get you home and prevent further internal damage. This motor has spent alot of time sitting. The ECM Run time is only 117 hours ( I took pictures of this info when it was hooked to the scan tool). Extremely low hours. The fellow who had it before got it back in 2004 and I guess didnt put much time on it.. Its not recording hours unless the key is in the run position. I know when it came in last year for the TPS problems, I did numerous compression checks and it usually came in between 140 and 150 PSI which is close to what a new motor would come in at. (I can look back thru my records or do a comp test here with you)
The charging system on these outboards are 60 amp actual alternators running off of a serp belt (much like a newer vehicle) which is kick *** for running multiple batteries (a good idea when adding lights and other large draw acc.) and would handle a large stereo no problem . I just talked to the fellow who was wanting to buy it and I dont think he is going to do it as he is lacking the funds to pay for it in full.
I have owned this exact motor (one year newer) before and I loved it. It was extremely reliable, could be used to troll all day with, and had plenty of get up and go.
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I would stay away from the four stroke outboard myself. They are a lot heavier than their 2 stroke counter parts. You are getting the same prop shaft rated horsepower but with the additional weight of the 4-stk. The 150 Merc Optimax is almost identical fuel consumption, runs just as quiet as a 4 stroke (the Opti sounds like a sewing machine on steroids, and you do not have the worries of mixing fuel as it is electronically oil injected. They smoke very little at idle (a bit upon initial start up, but any engine will), but once the ECM takes over it will adjust mixtures as per ambient temperature.
The 150 Optis both meet and beat the EPA standards set in California as far as emissions go. This motor oils at a rate of 300-400 to 1 at idle (burning almost no oil at all) as opposed to 50 to 1 straight across the board and at wide open throttle oils at 60 to 1. This motor is Direct Fuel Injection meaning each cylinder has its own individual injector controlled by the ECM.
I dont blame you for not wanting a 2 cycle again after having a Force (originally a Chrysler, bought out by Merc in the 80's) A Force is probably the worst make of outboard going and does not surprise me you are
re-powering.
I'm not trying to sell you on this particular motor, but as far as four stroke outboards go, I think they suck. Heavy and dont wind out like a 2 cycle engine. I would never own a four stroke outboard, I would just as soon go to a straight inboard if I wanted a four cycle.
As far as weight goes the 150 2-stroke is 450 pounds. A similar outboard in four stroke say a 115, could easily weigh the same as the 2 stroke V6. If there are no transom stress cracks one could bolt on whatever OB they want. An 18 foot Maxum is easily capable of handling 150 hp. If the transom is questionable, I would get a 3/16 plate of aluminum and mount that with the outboard to help distribute the weight. Hope this is helpful
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If your interested in it still, let me know. This is a really good price for a 99 150 Hp Optimax. These are as fuel efficient as the new four strokes and run just as quiet. Thanks for the interest.
So I put it to the fine people of iboats. Your thoughts, experiences on this engine. I'm not sold on it yet, as I don't want to be stuck with something that won't get me home. It all sounds good, but again, this is a sale and I understand that. So if you have anything to share, the good, the bad, the ugly, particularly with this engine, size and brand, please share.
Thanks everyone;
Scott
This is the ad as it looks on Craigslist...
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/boa/1038957667.html
1998 Merc 150 Opti max outboard. New impeller, plugs, gear oil, 2 TPS (old ones needed replacement $350 value), and brand new side mount controls ($500) new. Motor has been scanned and shows only 120 hours on it. This is a strong running motor with 140-150 psi on all 6 cylinders. This is a DFI motor and will blow any other fuel injected or carbed motor out of the water for fuel economy. This motor is extremely quiet and can handle long periods of idling without worry of fouling plugs as compared to carbed OBs. The price is $4200 as they list for upwards of $16000 new. Will sell without controls for $3800. Motor must be sold by Friday and all reasonable offers will be considered
------------------------------------------
Here's some of the emails I've had with the seller, he runs a marine shop in town here....
It is a big advantage being fuel injected and electronically oil injected for both consumption reasons and safety reasons. The newer injected engines have safeguards in place which puts it into a limp mode to get you home and prevent further internal damage. This motor has spent alot of time sitting. The ECM Run time is only 117 hours ( I took pictures of this info when it was hooked to the scan tool). Extremely low hours. The fellow who had it before got it back in 2004 and I guess didnt put much time on it.. Its not recording hours unless the key is in the run position. I know when it came in last year for the TPS problems, I did numerous compression checks and it usually came in between 140 and 150 PSI which is close to what a new motor would come in at. (I can look back thru my records or do a comp test here with you)
The charging system on these outboards are 60 amp actual alternators running off of a serp belt (much like a newer vehicle) which is kick *** for running multiple batteries (a good idea when adding lights and other large draw acc.) and would handle a large stereo no problem . I just talked to the fellow who was wanting to buy it and I dont think he is going to do it as he is lacking the funds to pay for it in full.
I have owned this exact motor (one year newer) before and I loved it. It was extremely reliable, could be used to troll all day with, and had plenty of get up and go.
----------------------------------
I would stay away from the four stroke outboard myself. They are a lot heavier than their 2 stroke counter parts. You are getting the same prop shaft rated horsepower but with the additional weight of the 4-stk. The 150 Merc Optimax is almost identical fuel consumption, runs just as quiet as a 4 stroke (the Opti sounds like a sewing machine on steroids, and you do not have the worries of mixing fuel as it is electronically oil injected. They smoke very little at idle (a bit upon initial start up, but any engine will), but once the ECM takes over it will adjust mixtures as per ambient temperature.
The 150 Optis both meet and beat the EPA standards set in California as far as emissions go. This motor oils at a rate of 300-400 to 1 at idle (burning almost no oil at all) as opposed to 50 to 1 straight across the board and at wide open throttle oils at 60 to 1. This motor is Direct Fuel Injection meaning each cylinder has its own individual injector controlled by the ECM.
I dont blame you for not wanting a 2 cycle again after having a Force (originally a Chrysler, bought out by Merc in the 80's) A Force is probably the worst make of outboard going and does not surprise me you are
re-powering.
I'm not trying to sell you on this particular motor, but as far as four stroke outboards go, I think they suck. Heavy and dont wind out like a 2 cycle engine. I would never own a four stroke outboard, I would just as soon go to a straight inboard if I wanted a four cycle.
As far as weight goes the 150 2-stroke is 450 pounds. A similar outboard in four stroke say a 115, could easily weigh the same as the 2 stroke V6. If there are no transom stress cracks one could bolt on whatever OB they want. An 18 foot Maxum is easily capable of handling 150 hp. If the transom is questionable, I would get a 3/16 plate of aluminum and mount that with the outboard to help distribute the weight. Hope this is helpful
----------------------------------
If your interested in it still, let me know. This is a really good price for a 99 150 Hp Optimax. These are as fuel efficient as the new four strokes and run just as quiet. Thanks for the interest.
So I put it to the fine people of iboats. Your thoughts, experiences on this engine. I'm not sold on it yet, as I don't want to be stuck with something that won't get me home. It all sounds good, but again, this is a sale and I understand that. So if you have anything to share, the good, the bad, the ugly, particularly with this engine, size and brand, please share.
Thanks everyone;
Scott
Going to check it out tomorrow, watch it run, check out a couple of things. I understand the oil and spark plugs for this motor are up there, but that's the cost of doing business I guess.