Optimax 115-Water in Injector Oil

[Muskoka17]

I recently had to replace the power head on my 2004 Optimax 115. It had 700 hours on it. The mechanic told me that when he took it apart the injector oil was full of water. I asked him how he thought it got there and he said the only thing he could think of was rain water leaking down into the reservoir. We've had a ton of rain this year but it seems a little odd to me. Has anyone else heard of this?

 

[flyingscott]

Yes a bad cap will allow water into the reservoir after it rains.

 

[ajgraz]

The oil reservoir cap on my Optimax likes to screw on crooked. Got to be very careful with it. I won't mess with that cap unless I take the entire hood off, no way to see if it's been put back on correctly otherwise.

Like the 99.999% failure rate on the oil level sensors in the reservoirs, another thing Mercury dropped the ball (cheaped out) on.

 

[Johnson110]

Just for thought, I read on internet a guy got a rubber cap for PVC pipe took the oil reservoir cap off and used the rubber cap on the tank with a clamp which Is what I did to my engine. You can now tilt the motor up with no leaks it does work!