200 HP optimax 2000-no water flowing out

[Tall]

I had a new water pump installed last spring and have used it a couple times since then late last spring. It has set in my shop since. I ran it a couple of times at a minute or so each time but no water flow. I had a hose and muffs hooked to it.

I called the shop that did the repair and he said it may take 4 to 5 minutes. So I started it up again with him on the phone and after a couple minutes nothing, and asked if I idle it up whould help and he said it probably would. I put it in gear and rev it up for another minute or so when an alarm came on and it went in a guardian mode and self went to a idle. So I shut it off. I only have a horn and not the upgraded gauges that read out.

I tried to back blow it with air. Should not be any dirt doppers nest in it. Maybe thermostat problem.

Any suggestions to try to problem solve before I take it to a shop.?

[nofearengineer]

The place I have service my outboard tells me if you don't have a lot of water pressure in your hose, it can take a minute to fill up the bottom of the outboard enough for the water pump pickup to start getting water. That might explain the first few times, but certainly not the 4-5 minutes one.

Not speaking from experience here, but from doing a ton of reading. That sounds like a possible bad thermostat, yes.

[lilmule]

Mine was barely peeing out the back and was replaced a few months ago the air trick you mentioned cured it,suspect it was fine grass as run mine shallow and have a nose cone on it.Even cold it should pea,from the very moment it starts,its not a thermostat.
Id try the air again as sounds like its stopped up.

[Tall]

Originally Posted by lilmule

Mine was barely peeing out the back and was replaced a few months ago the air trick you mentioned cured it,suspect it was fine grass as run mine shallow and have a nose cone on it.Even cold it should pea,from the very moment it starts,its not a thermostat.
Id try the air again as sounds like its stopped up.

OK, it will be above freezing in a little while and I think I let my hose lay where it will drain. If not I may haft to wait. I have a habit of letting it drain for use in an emergency. I had a firefighter buddy have is really nice cabin burn down in the Ozark Mtns where I went up and Turkey hunted because his garden hose was froze up. I just seem to always want to drain mine just in case.

[Captmikestarrett]

I think the thermostats are frozen or bad. Or it was dry started.

I got these little stickers from a repair shop that tell you the temp on each head. Very handy.

Capt Mike

[Tall]

Capt Mike I am the only one that has the key to the boat so I know it has not been dry started.

Well I will try to get water through it tomorrow. I let it run out of fuel and I am having a hard time getting it primed.

I have read by searching to turn the key on to get the fuel pump to come on and then back off and pump till hose hard again. I have done that 20 times or so. I have at least got the hose hard now but it still tries to start and then dies.

I will charge the battery tonight to make sure it is hot. I think I read they may not start under 10.5 amp.

Then when I get it started I will work on the water flow. I did flush it out and water seem to come out everywhere when I screwed the hose into the flush out.

Any suggestion on getting it primed or maybe something else I need to do.

I did run my 15 Suzuki, 25 Yamaha and 50 Murcury today. Every thing ran fine except I need to clean the brushes on the power trim on the 50. I have had to do that since I bought the boat and motor new in 1978. A few things marked off the list anyway.

Now if I could just get the 200 optimax up and going I would head down to Lake Monticello for some big Gals before they spawn. I would like to try out some ideas out of the Big Bass Zone book and Tracking Trophies book.

[carolina-rig-01]

That Optimax has a low water pick up doesn't it? I am 99% sure that you can't just hook up earmuffs and start it, I think there is a rubber piece that you have to strap over the low water pick up before you start it. Anyways that is what the dealership told me when I bought my Optimax and it is a 200 hp too.

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by carolina-rig-01

That Optimax has a low water pick up doesn't it? I am 99% sure that you can't just hook up earmuffs and start it, I think there is a rubber piece that you have to strap over the low water pick up before you start it. Anyways that is what the dealership told me when I bought my Optimax and it is a 200 hp too.

You're right about that, Kory. Even my 115 Opti has that. The guy at the marine place told me that's why I was having the same exact problem getting a ton of water pressure on the muffs.

[Tall]

I do not understand about the low pickup. I have ran it for a couple years at times with the muffs but not once since the new water pump was installed last spring.

I will do a search and see if I can find what you are talking about so I can do it properly. I bought this used a couple of years ago and do not have a manual for the motor. I may call Murcury and see what I need to do to run it with muffs. I do not want to damage anything. I think it would go in guardian mode before I do any damage to the motor but may still damage the water pump.

Well I need to get it started first. I wonder if I need to take the hose off near the fuel pumps and pump the bulb to make sure all the air is out to that point.

[carolina-rig-01]

Call a Mercury dealer or certified Mercury mechanic and tell them that you are wanting to start an Optimax on earmuffs and tell them you heard about a rubber piece that straps over the low water pickup. I can't find one on the internet but I was going to post a picture of one for you. When I bought my boat the dealer told me "whatever you do, never start an Optimax on earmuffs without using this rubber piece to cover the low water pickup".

[lilmule]

Hmm having a bobs nosecone on both my boats the bobs fresh water fllusher comes in handy-29.95 http://www.bobsmachine.com/

[bamabassman]

Tall..SOMETHING is clogging up the pee hole. Has to be pal. NO FUNNY REMARKS EITHER GANG, LOL.

Either that or the pump is bad to begine with. That happens too.

[Rebbasser]

I'm with Bama on this one-sounds like the water intake is clogged. Maybe something got sucked up into it and is blocking it.

[Tall]

Thanks for all the replies.

I will call a Merc mechanic next week. One PM also stated try to post on the Mercury site for answers. I will try that as well.

I sure have learned a lot about bugs that have happened to owners of the optimax's in my e-net searches. Makes you want to warm it up good (120*) and cross your fingures when you take off now. Maybe I need to up grade to the new read out gauges. A bell going off just makes you want to pucker at both ends and you do not know what is going on. I bet the new gauges are not cheap.

[lilmule]

Nothing in boating is cheap,ignoring an alarm certainly isnt.
Boat stands for -BUST OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND.

[Tall]

I take it, that the low water intake is the holes on the front of of the foot that needs to have a cover on them. The only way I got water to come out while flushing or using the muffs is by air pressure added to the water, but I see where more pressure can build up using muffs and not allowing any air to pass out the holes-four of them.

I am gong to take it to a Mechanic in the next week or so or Doc will have all the big girls sore jawed by the time I get down there.

[carolina-rig-01]

Yeah Tall those holes are the low water pickup. Let us know what you find out, inquiring minds want to know.

[Captmikestarrett]

Tall I have a few questions to hopefully help you.

The horn sounds one beep after you turn the key?
You push the key in to choke it?
After it starts does the horn beep steady or a couple of beeps in a row?
Does the fuel bulb ever get full.?

Thanks

Capt Mike

[Tall]

When I turn the key on one beep. The fuel pump runs a couple three seconds then shut off. I have did a lot of research and found where you can pump the bulb up, then turn the key on till fuel pump goes off, then turn key off and pump it up and start over. I have done that 15 to 20 times. I finially took the hose off after the bulb and got it to prime to there. It has stayed primed every since.

I read where you can turn the key on and put it in gear three times within 10 seconds and the primer will stay on. It worked and it does but will still not start. (I then found a post that states when you do that you put it in break in mode and it will use twice the oil till X numbers of hours are reached) that is ok because I don't use it that much and the extra oil may be good for the time delays in between uses.

It tries to start and immediately dies over and over and over. I feel if I took something loose around the fuel pump are after it, it may get air out of the line if that is what is wrong. I have let the pump run up to a minute, but that is appariantly not going to solve the problem. I thought about cracking the fuel filter to let air out or see if it is full of fuel but I decided I have tooooo much money at stake to keep scratching my head and not really knowing what I am doing. Motor has about 110-115 hours on it. It had 107 last spring and I have only used it turkey hunting and fishing on lake Ouachita in April last year.

To answer your questions
1.Yes it beeps once when you turn the key on and then goes off. I can't answer if it will come on and stay when running because it dies as soon as it tries to start. I keep the charger on it while trying to start it and it spun the motor fast (in case the battery was not putting the 1000CCa) but same thing, dies as soon as it farts as to start and the starter stops turning the motor.
2. Yes, I have pushed the key in to choke it many times, but same results.
3. Can't answer about the running CUZZZZZ I can't get it started.
4. Yes the fuel bulb stays hard. I continually check it and try to pump it in between every starting tries but it stays hard now every time I check.

Originally Posted by Captmikestarrett

Tall I have a few questions to hopefully help you.

The horn sounds one beep after you turn the key?
You push the key in to choke it?
After it starts does the horn beep steady or a couple of beeps in a row?
Does the fuel bulb ever get full.?

Thanks

Capt Mike

[Captmikestarrett]

Ok Tall thanks for the info..

It is sounding like a fuel delivery issue. I have run in to a simular issue before on an older Mercury 200. I had to place the shifter in nuetral push the button and give it full throttle. Turn the key while choke (push in) till it fired up.

Back to just above nuetral and no choke. It managed to get the air out of the lines.

See, I had run out of gas and it sucked a lot of oil into the engine.

Worth a try...

Capt Mike

[Tall]

Thanks for all the info. Captmike and others. I tried the move the throttle foward to try to get it started but the same thing. It tried to start and died time after and time.

I pulled it to the shop this afternoon. He will try to work my boat in this week. He had a motor sent to him and he has to try to match the pistons and cylinders up to another motor he has in his shop. He is going to work on that tomorrow. He bores his on blocks so he gets motors sent to him and stays busy doing that, as well as work on motors. So maybe end of the week I will get it back.

I will let ya know what he finds. He thinks I have an air pocket in the line that he will trace out and find as for as the starting issue. We will see on the water issue when he gets it running.

[Tall]

Problem 1 not starting - It was just my VST valve stopped up.

Problem 2 no water flowing out- When I flushed it out it solved the water flow problem. I have it in break in mode now for 10 hours or so but that is ok. It shows 100.3 hours now on the motor.

I put it in forward three times after turning the key on to keep the fuel pump running but that did not solve the problem and it put it on break in mode as I had already read. So, I am ready to go get the big girls. A guide reported that Greers Ferry is two weeks behind normal due to the cold weather we are having so maybe they are a little behind on moving up down South East too.

[bamabassman]

Great news tall. Glad you got everything going now. Now...........post pics ok? lol

[doc]

Originally Posted by Tall

Problem 1 not starting - It was just my VST valve stopped up.

Problem 2 no water flowing out- When I flushed it out it solved the water flow problem. I have it in break in mode now for 10 hours or so but that is ok. It shows 100.3 hours now on the motor.

I put it in forward three times after turning the key on to keep the fuel pump running but that did not solve the problem and it put it on break in mode as I had already read. So, I am ready to go get the big girls. A guide reported that Greers Ferry is two weeks behind normal due to the cold weather we are having so maybe they are a little behind on moving up down South East too.

Yes they are Tall. Me and lowrider went to monticello last sunday and met 42 degree water, a full 10+ degrees lower than it was at this time last year. My guess is it'll be the 2nd week in march before things pick up.

[1FASTLASER]

Tall ....a little FYI on the VST........is this the first time you have had this problem??? I have rad all the replies to your post and I was headed to fuel pressure sensor but see that you have it licked FOR NOW.......If that VST failed once it WILL fail again ....I can assure you of this.......As all the guys have stated water pressure from muffs is enough to crank and idle but NEVER NEVER raise rpms on a hose........As you have already experienced it only takes a minute and the motor or yours will go into guardian......older non=gaurdiean motors ....welll it could be too late. One other thing...That mechamic that told you it may take 4=5 minutes could have cost you a power head. When u hook up muffs let them run a few minutes then crank.....if water doesnt show up QUICKLY whether on the gauge or tattle tail hole something is amiss and needs attention.

By the way I fish monticello frequently gimme a holler maybe we can hook up.