'07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm -SOLVED

[tal]

I was on vacation for 9 days and had to deal with this on a brand new boat (last 08 model). Luckily I was able to work around it without hurting the engine, but it's in the dealer who is covered by 30 boats (or so they say) at the moment so it looks like it might be awhile.

Here's how it goes. Launch the boat and idle out the harbor (about 8 minutes) with no problem. I gradually increase throttle (not WOT but enough for planing) and as I enter ~3300-3500 rpms the alarm sounds a constant tone and limits RPMs. I don't know how long this will happen for because as soon as I hear the tone I back the throttle down just a bit and the alarm goes away after about 5 seconds. I am then able to get on it either WOT or take my time accelerating. While all this is happening, both oil tanks are full and tight and there is a telltale which appears normal. It will do it in 2 feet or 20 feet of water. I should also note that if I just slam it WOT it doesn't do any of this. Now I know all I have to do is wait for them to hook their scanner up to it and tell me what's wrong but I've been waiting a week and I'm going back to the coast next week so I want to know if anyone has any ideas on what this is. Worst case scenario I pick the boat up (unfixed) and run it next weekend how I described above.

Here's what I've tried per two dealers' advice while on vacation. 1.) I was given a story about some reddish tabasco looking stuff in the compressor line that runs to the telltale outlet that needs to be blown out with compressed air. Neither the dealer or Mercury know where this stuff comes from but they claim 99% of the time it will cause my conditions. Well, I blew the line out with compressed air and nothing came out, clean as a whistle. 2.) I was at Chris's Marine in Aransas Pass and talked to the Foreman there who wanted to pinpoint it down to being a problem with the neutral safety switch malfunctioning causing guardian mode to come up at a certain RPM to protect the motor. This seems plausible since adjustments in throttle make it go away rather quickly.

Sorry to sound long winded but I just hate buying new **** and having problems with it right away (less than 20 hours) keeping me from using the dam thing. Does anyone with experience know what's going on here?

Ryan

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

Constant alarm could be a overheating.Does it pump out a lot of water at an idle?Then how much at a faster speed?
Have you ever (for just a bit) ran it without water ?
Just a bit can do real damage to your impeller.Just turning it over to make sure it starts in the drive before boating can ruin it.J

 

[tal]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

I can't ever recall running it with the engine out of the water, not even accidentally. I have started it with the engine trimmed up a little before but the gills are always under water and starts peeing after a couple seconds as it should.

It's peeing great at idle. The stream comes out nice and strong. When we're done in the salt I take it to the hose and screw on my low pressure fitting at the back and let it idle for a couple minutes to flush it out. It pees good. At higher speeds it appears to be peeing good as well as I can only glance back to look, but the stream still looks strong.

Someone at one of the dealers I talked to said the pee stream could be a little misleading on these optimaxes. I'm guessing it can have a pressure/water issue even though it appears to be peeing normal? Also, if it were overheating would it be normal to just back the throttle down a bit and the alarm disappear and not come back on? The first time it did this to us I ran it hard after the alarm disappeared and it never came back on until we started to leave our fishing hole again. Every other boat I've had in the past, the alarm would not just go off if the engine was overheating, it would stay on for a while.

 

[tal]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

Ok guys, got the boat back yesterday afternoon. Here's what I was told. The alarm was a low water pressure alarm, nothing ever overheated. The computer was sensing low water pressure because there was some blockage in the small gray line that connects up to the water pressure sensor. The mechanic told me he blew out the line with air, reinstalled, put in test tank and pressure was still reading a bit low. So he dropped the foot and put on a new impeller. He claims it was a "bit chewed up" and had a little sand/debris in it. Got charged $48 for the new impeller since Mercury doesn't do warranty work for water pumps.

I'm thinking this "bit chewed up" is a good line of crap, unless there was something wrong with it from the factory. This isn't my first rodeo and I have run boats in murky/sandy water before without the water pump ever getting "chewed up." Anyhow, he dropped the foot, installed the new pump and says the pressure is where it needs to be. I'll post some pics below to show the gray line, which in my opinion, was probably the only thing wrong with it having just a little piece of something keeping the sensor from reading correctly.
1st pic - engine view
2nd pic - top of gray hose at pressure sensor
3rd pic - bottom of gray hose at T fitting

 

[tbean]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

So did that fix the problem, mine is doing the exact same thing right now and the dealer has not figured it out?

 

[j_martin]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

Tal,
The mechanic should have shown you the old impeller.

It doesn't take much to tear em up. They can get pretty stale just sitting, even if brand new. I don't find any reason to disbelieve him unless he didn't fix it.

my 02
John

 

[tal]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm

tbean: The dealer ran the engine in the tank and claim it does not do it anymore. I won't have the boat on the water until next Friday to find out for sure. I would like to think they fixed it before they gave it back to me, hehe. Apparently this is fairly common around my area since all the lakes are low and people are mainly running around in local water. I happened to get the worst of it on vacation at the beach.

j_martin: I asked the foreman if they had the old one and he stammered around and stated he didn't know and he was going to pull the boat around. After that the mechanic came out and I talked with him but did not ask him for the old impeller. Truth is, he probably changed it or at least looked at it. I found dings on the lower unit where his wrench hit the black paint as he tightened/loosened the nuts. I honestly doubt it was eaten up enough to cause problems and I'm willing to bet the little line clogged was the biggest issue, but it is what it is.

What I know now is to be very careful with this finicky motor. I can say I don't run it up on sand bars like I see everyone else doing, sitting there bubbling the water for 10 minutes trying to get off the sand. I simply run in deep enough water where I can and if it's not deep enough to get up I trim up and putt out or use my troller.

 

[osprey52]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm -SOLVED

I have the exact same problem with my 2004, 150HP Optimax. The alarm goes off at about 2200 RPM. I can back down, get the power bach and push the throddle quickly past that RPM and no problem. Engine runs great except for this. No engine codes, no lights on the Smart Guages. I called Mercury and they said it sounds like the nuetral safety switch might be sticking. My mechanic checked it and it seems to work fine. I guess I'll have to check the gray line mentioned above.

Dave

 

[herb boughn]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm -SOLVED

tbean. Quote " The dealer can't figure it out" Boy, Where have I heard that before. I've got five dealers in the Des Moines area who sing the same song. It's because they hire mechanics who were working lawn mowers last month. Best fix for Optimax ??? Buy a Honda or Yamaha... I'd rather have good Japan stuff rather than cheap China parts. In case you didn't know it your good old USA MERCURY is full of foreign parts.

 

[herb boughn]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm -SOLVED

tal. Your mechanic wasn't in Des Moines was he? Had a joke from DM who changed out my impeller on a 06 Optimax because it was missing. It was a coil problem. He's now lead mechanic at Bass Pro shop.

 

[herb boughn]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm -SOLVED

see optimax rejects response

 

[herb boughn]

Re: '07/08 Optimax 200hp constant alarm -SOLVED

see optimam rejects response