Motor Rebuild

[BHardy448]

Hello all, I recently purchased this 1999 Sprint 207 DC. I was and am aware of 0 compression in cylinder #2. I am looking for direction in having this Merc 225 rebuilt, or a remanufactured powerhead. I am located near Dayton, Ohio, and am looking for a well known and respected dealer or mechanic that stand behind their work! Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you ladies and gentleman!

[A-Jay]

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

Good Luck with your rebuild.

A-Jay

[Way2slow]

Wow, that was brave.  Sure hope you got one hellava deal.  With labor, a power head can cost close to $5,000 to replace.

 

This is one time I'm going to recommend you posting your question on the WEB site Scream & Fly in their technical forum.  Most of the Mercury engine builders and racers in the country hang out there.  That's mostly mechanics, this one is mostly into fishing.

http://www.screamandfly.com/forumdisplay.php?20-Technical-Discussion&s=57df6361b0933066cd727efb4393c1ab

[BHardy448]

I'm not so sure there's ever a helluva deal on a boat but I got it for around 4, and think if I can stay under 6 on rebuild I'll still be sitting in good range of what it's worth. Thank you for the link, I appreciate the help! 

[Way2slow]

I wonder if he knows that was the generation of Opti-Max's that gave them the nickname "OPTI-POPS".  They have ECM problems that can blow an new powerhead about as fast as you can stick one on.   Even knowing how to build them, I've turned down several good deals on them.

[BHardy448]

I actually was unaware of the 99-01 issues they had. I am definetly open to finding an 02+ motor. But right now it's becoming very tough to find a well reputable mechanic that will stand behind their warranty. And actually the link you had given me, sure opened my eyes of the 15 threads on just this year of motor! So thank you for that, I think! Lol

[A-Jay]

This might apply.

Mercury Seeks To Settle Class Action Suit

Mercury Seeks To Settle Class Action Suit Outboard engine manufacturer Mercury Marine has proposed to settle a class action lawsuit filed against it in spring 2003 by owners of 2.5- and 3.0-liter OptiMax engines from model years 2000, 2001 and 2002, reported Steve Fleming, Mercury Marine director of communications, in an interview yesterday.

 

6/15/2004 -- FOND DU LAC, Wis. - Outboard engine manufacturer Mercury Marine has proposed to settle a class action lawsuit filed against it in spring 2003 by owners of 2.5- and 3.0-liter OptiMax engines from model years 2000, 2001 and 2002, reported Steve Fleming, Mercury Marine director of communications, in an interview yesterday.
  Those who filed the suit - Lazo vs. Mercury - allege that these engines contain fuel injection and power head component defects, according to a legal notice Mercury Marine plans to post in Field & Stream magazine next month.
  Through the proposed settlement, "settlement class members" may be eligible for an extended warranty on the direct fuel injection and power head components. Those members who paid for repairs of the components and/or whose engines required three or more warranty repairs of the components may be eligible for rebates on the purchase of Mercury and Quicksilver parts and accessories and on the purchase of a new OptiMax engine, the legal notice stated.
  The proposed settlement is not an admission of guilt on the part of Mercury, Fleming said.
  "We feel that Optimax has performed spectacularly in recent years, and will be in our product line for years to come," commented Fleming. "It performed well as a new product, though not as well during the years in question. And it has performed extremely well since then."
  A settlement hearing is scheduled to take place at the Miami-Dade County Courthouse in Miami, Fla. on September 9 at 10:30 am. During the hearing, it will be determined: "1. whether the proposed settlement of these actions is fair, reasonable, and adequate; 2. whether a final judgment should be entered dismissing the litigation on the merits as to the manufacturers of the OptiMax engines; and 3. whether applications to be made by class counsel for payment of fees and reimbursement of expenses and an incentive fee award to plaintiffs should be approved by the court," according to the legal notice.
  Fleming said Mercury expects the proposed settlement to be approved. The company chose not to comment on the monetary value of the settlement nor the number of engine owners involved in the lawsuit.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/mercury_lawsuit.html

 

MERCURY SERVICE BULLETIN #2001-01
2000 115hp through 150hp 2.5L Optimax outboards & 2001 135hp
through 225hp 2.5L & 3.0L Optimax outboards. Some direct air injectors could fail: internal part could break, resulting in hard starting, poor engine operation & possibly internal engine damage. Engines that were reworked will be marked w/ blue dot near/on serial number label or near direct injector. Injector may also have a blue plastic part. Mercury will install upgraded injectors no charge & add 3 mos to factory warranty if engines were registered before 2/1/01. Manufacturer set up special "Direct Injector Assistance Team" to handle complaints, 800-309-4743. Manufacturer sent notices to all registered owners.

 

A-Jay

[BHardy448]

Thank you for that! Won't hurt to give them a call and see if the motor still falls under this program! Apparently they were as bad as I have heard ..

[Way2slow]

Yep, you might have a problem there.  A lot of the good ones that know them try to shy away from them.  It has been a long time since I've kept up on those but even five or six years back when I was a little more involved than now, they would update the ECM, injectors and a few other things and the repair bills could run $7,000

Like I said, it has been several years and they may have some sure cure fixes for them now, I don't know.  However, if they do, it's going to be expensive.

 

When I was into it pretty heavy, Tony Brucato  http://www.brucatosvs.com/ was doing a lot of research and development on the Mercs injection system.  More so with the ProMax than Opti-Max but a phone call there might be worth it.  There's was tons of support and stuff for the ProMax but they shied away from the Opt-Pops.

 

I've got a couple JohnyRud's I was working on that would have made that boat fly, one was going to be a 450+hp 3.3L monster with about 390 pounds of torque, but Basal joint surgery on my hand has shut that down for probably a year, and the surgeon says it may be forever.  I was hoping to have them done before having the surgery but long hours of using a die grinder is what was causing most of my problems and it just got too painful to keep going.   

[Hez]

8 hours ago, A-Jay said:

This might apply.

Mercury Seeks To Settle Class Action Suit

Mercury Seeks To Settle Class Action Suit Outboard engine manufacturer Mercury Marine has proposed to settle a class action lawsuit filed against it in spring 2003 by owners of 2.5- and 3.0-liter OptiMax engines from model years 2000, 2001 and 2002, reported Steve Fleming, Mercury Marine director of communications, in an interview yesterday.

 

6/15/2004 -- FOND DU LAC, Wis. - Outboard engine manufacturer Mercury Marine has proposed to settle a class action lawsuit filed against it in spring 2003 by owners of 2.5- and 3.0-liter OptiMax engines from model years 2000, 2001 and 2002, reported Steve Fleming, Mercury Marine director of communications, in an interview yesterday.
  Those who filed the suit - Lazo vs. Mercury - allege that these engines contain fuel injection and power head component defects, according to a legal notice Mercury Marine plans to post in Field & Stream magazine next month.
  Through the proposed settlement, "settlement class members" may be eligible for an extended warranty on the direct fuel injection and power head components. Those members who paid for repairs of the components and/or whose engines required three or more warranty repairs of the components may be eligible for rebates on the purchase of Mercury and Quicksilver parts and accessories and on the purchase of a new OptiMax engine, the legal notice stated.
  The proposed settlement is not an admission of guilt on the part of Mercury, Fleming said.
  "We feel that Optimax has performed spectacularly in recent years, and will be in our product line for years to come," commented Fleming. "It performed well as a new product, though not as well during the years in question. And it has performed extremely well since then."
  A settlement hearing is scheduled to take place at the Miami-Dade County Courthouse in Miami, Fla. on September 9 at 10:30 am. During the hearing, it will be determined: "1. whether the proposed settlement of these actions is fair, reasonable, and adequate; 2. whether a final judgment should be entered dismissing the litigation on the merits as to the manufacturers of the OptiMax engines; and 3. whether applications to be made by class counsel for payment of fees and reimbursement of expenses and an incentive fee award to plaintiffs should be approved by the court," according to the legal notice.
  Fleming said Mercury expects the proposed settlement to be approved. The company chose not to comment on the monetary value of the settlement nor the number of engine owners involved in the lawsuit.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/mercury_lawsuit.html

 

MERCURY SERVICE BULLETIN #2001-01
2000 115hp through 150hp 2.5L Optimax outboards & 2001 135hp
through 225hp 2.5L & 3.0L Optimax outboards. Some direct air injectors could fail: internal part could break, resulting in hard starting, poor engine operation & possibly internal engine damage. Engines that were reworked will be marked w/ blue dot near/on serial number label or near direct injector. Injector may also have a blue plastic part. Mercury will install upgraded injectors no charge & add 3 mos to factory warranty if engines were registered before 2/1/01. Manufacturer set up special "Direct Injector Assistance Team" to handle complaints, 800-309-4743. Manufacturer sent notices to all registered owners.

 

A-Jay

 

Great find A-Jay

 

 

I believe you must have a Masters degree in Google Searchologies  

 

[BHardy448]

Well thank you guys for all the help. I have found a dealer that is willing to rebuild for $4,500, new powerhead for $5,000, or sell me a 2004 225 for $7,000, And they will give me $1,000 for my motor. 

[Way2slow]

Problem with rebuilding yours or a new powerhead, that does nothing for what causes them to blow.  The motors are good motors, it's the injection system and ECM that's the problem.  Put a new powehead on and you are still running with a ticking time bomb. 

Now, one of the problems is people didn't warm them up good before they went hauling a** down lake.  An injectors leans out get that sickening sound a piston makes when the dome in it lets go (if you are lucky).  Sometimes they swell, stick, break the rod and saws the motor in half, or breaks the piston and sticks the rod through the block.  Either way, it's not even good for an anchor then.

 

I call it consumer engineering.  DFI was the hot ticket back then and everybody was wanting to rush theirs to market with not much more than a proto type and let the consumer do the development testing and they just start re-engineering what's breaking.  The consumer gets stuck with paying for all the development cost in repair bills, unless they happen to be lucky enough it's still under full warranty. 

OMC did that with their ficht's about the same time and that was the final straw that closed their doors.

[Way2slow]

One other option.  I don't know what kind of a mechanic you are, but have you pulled the head off and looked at it.  If the sleeve is not screwed up too bad, you might just be able to throw another piston in that one and have it running for a few hundred bucks.  Pulling the head and putting it back on is is a very basic procedure, even my granddaughter can do that.  The OMC/BRP 3.0 you can replace a piston without having to tear it down, not sure about those Black motors.

[BHardy448]

I have not pulled the head, I have checked inside cylinder and it shows some very bad scoring on inside. There was a mechanic quote that came in the boat which said "Owner says 60 mph across lake, heard loud crash and banking from motor. Towed back to dock. Cylinder #2 reads 0 compression. All other cylinders okay" The motor read the same for us.

[Way2slow]

Ouch, loud crash and bang is usually more than just popping a piston.  You will probably want to pull the head and check it if you plan to get that one rebuilt or another power head.  They all have that stipulation it has to be a buildable core or you don't get your core charge back.  If it broke a rod and busted the piston, it may have damaged the block.  If it did, they usually claim its not buildable.  Damaged block or damaged crank and they usually consider it not buildable.  

 

Now, if it did just melt the top out of it and it was the molten metal hammering between the head and piston, many times, what lucks like a badly scored sleeve is just the aluminum built up on it.   I've cleaned some pretty ugly cylinders with muriatic acid (it eats the aluminum) and they end up just having a few minor scratches in the actual sleeve.