Opti water leak

[woundup]

Today my engine started surging on the way back to the dock. It would go from 3400 rpm to 5500 RPM constantly at full throttle. I noticed water comming out of the front lower cowling ( where the controll cables exit. Futher inspection, I noticed that #6 spark plug wire was cracked. I think that water would get in the wire and short it out, causing the rpm drop. Well anyway, I found the part that was leaking but I don't know what it is. By the Pictures in the manual which are really bad I think it's the poppet valve that controls water pressure at high rpms. I'll try to attach the pictures. If anyone knows what this is could you please let me know. thanks.<br />It's a 1999 200HP opti Max.

 

[The Marine Doctor]

Re: Opti water leak

That should be the location of the Poppet valve.<br /><br />TMD

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Opti water leak

That is definately the poppet valve.. split the lower cowl (thats the hard part) and change it out..<br />

 

[woundup]

Re: Opti water leak

Thanks, a million. I think I can get it without spliting the cowling. New gaskets and plug wires and I should be back in the water. Thanks again the picture was perfect.

 

[BRIAN03]

Re: Opti water leak

The bypass valve is a common failure on this engine. The other way water will come in the engine pan. There are two drains in the back of the engine pan. There is check valves in the bottom of them and the ball in them falls out. All the time the engine is underway the water is coming up thru the drain tubes. Some times they get clogged and wont let the engine pan drain. We change the bypass valves every 200 to 250 hours.

 

[woundup]

Re: Opti water leak

I checked the drain holes, they seem to work ok. With the hose connected to the engine (engine not running) there was no leak. Starting the engine, the water would gradually appear under the poppet valve once it warmed up and the thermostats opened. I just glad it's not that serious. Running back to the dock I only saw dollar signes in my head for 10 miles.

 

[woundup]

Re: Opti water leak

Just to update, I pulled the poppet valve this morning, the diaphram had a one inch cut in it. I was able to remove it fairly easily with the pan cowling still installed. Thanks again for the help.

 

[BRIAN03]

Re: Opti water leak

I have seen a bad bypass valve fill the bottom two cylinders up with water thru the air in take on the front of the engine. The bypass valve will not come off the seat all idle. It will only leak out the little holes in the bypass cover with the rpms above 1000 rpms. There are two different diaphrams for the bypass valve make sure you get the correct one. The opti use a thicker one than the lower horse power models. The service intervial on the bypass diaphram is 200 to 250 hours. Make sure you run this engine in case you injested any water, when the bypass valve was leaking into the engine pan.