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Author Topic:   Mercury 135 Optimax reliability?

LKD posted 08-15-2006 05:55 PM ET (US)
I am considering a 1999 BW Ventura with a 135 Optimax. I have never owned a Mercury and would appreciate your experiences with this engine. Thanks, Keith.
Lars Simonsen posted 08-15-2006 07:23 PM ET (US)
If it has had all the upgrades, it is a very reliable motor. The earlier optimaxes (1998 & 1999), particularly the 225 hp, and some of the 135s (including mine) had major problems. My 1998 135 powerhead blew at 60 hours. However, I was the second owner, and the boat had been rarely used by the previous owner (hence the 60 hours at 4 years old). I think the low hours may have contributed to the failure. Despite the motor being out of warranty (and me being the second owner), Mercury gave me a new factory remanufactured powerhead. I just had to pay the shipping and installation. The new powerhead has been flawless and very reliable. I would suggest that before you buy it, you have the motor checked out by a mechanic who knows optimaxes (my mechanic is a mercury master mechanic and definitely knows his way around these motors).
You'll find people who have very strong opinions about the motor (folks who've had problems and don't feel they were treated right by mercury). I was treated right by mercury, and I've gotten a lot of trouble free (other than regular maintenance and some very minor issues) hours out of my motor.
The non-routine maintenance I've had to do in the last 4 years are:
1. Replaced all the lower unit seals due to a leak. Cost around $260.00. This included replacing the water pump.
2. Replaced the idler pulley several times. It turns out it wasn't that the idler pulley that was wearing out, it was that the whole idler pulley tensioner mechanism (I'm not positive what it's actually called) had worn out the mount, so it held the idler pulley at a very slight angle, causing the pulley to wear unevenly. This caused the belt to "ride up" on the pulley, so that it rubbed on the bottom of the flywheel, which caused lots of black rubber dust on the motor. I was always concerned that this dust, if ingested into the engine, could cause major problems. I fixed this problem by removing the whole tensioner, and using JB Weld to repair the facing where the tensioner mounted on the motor. This has held for two years, and I haven't had to replace the pulley since. Cost was negligible (I did replace the pulley itself with a metal pulley I bought from Advance Auto; the OEM part is some sort of plastic). I also bought a new belt, but I just have that as a spare in my boat, as the original belt is still in perfect shape (despite having its upper edge worn a bit by rubbing on the flywheel whenever the idler pulley wore out).
3. I had to replace the alternator (a $550 part, ouch). I probably could have gotten it rebuilt for less.
4. The decals on the cowling are peeling off. No big deal to me. My boat is a fishing boat, and it's not that I don't care about how it looks, but it's 8 years old, and I've never failed to catch a fish due to peeling decals.
All in all, I'm very pleased with the motor. I wish it were quieter, but it's very powerful, and very fuel efficient.
TRAFFICLAWYER posted 08-15-2006 08:51 PM ET (US)
I would suggest a repower, my 135 optischmutz [1998] on my 18' Ventura blew after 20 hours.
Royboy posted 08-15-2006 09:54 PM ET (US)
Mine runs great. It's a 1999 and it's had all of the upgrades (your Mercury Dealer can tell you this with nothing more than a serial number). It had 125 hours on it when I bought it in April of this year (2006), and I've roughly doubled that this Summer fishing the Great Lakes.
Do a search on this site and you'll find (on balance) a lot of good reviews on this engine. The lion's share of the early problems (and I believe these were pre-1999) were with the big guns, 200 + hp. Of course, a search on any engine will turn up some bad experiences as well. Bear in mind that people are much more likely to post a negative experience than a good one. If everything is working good, heck, let's go fishin'!
Having said all of that, it's a complicated machine and needs care and maintenace commensurate with its complexity. Mine gets 89 octane gasoline with Quickclean per the manual. Nothing but Merc DFI oil goes in my oil tank. I plan to meet or exceed Mercury's maintenance schedule, and generally treat this engine as best I know how. I have a kicker for trolling when the conditions allow it, although the big girl trolls just fine too.
It performs great on my 17 Outrage II. It has power to spare and launches this boat onto plane with authority. It trolls down to 2 mph without so much as a whisper of smoke, and sips gas and oil.
I've got no complaints.
Roy
jimh posted 08-15-2006 11:27 PM ET (US)
Is a Mercury OptiMax a reliable engine? It depends on who you ask.
bsmotril posted 08-15-2006 11:42 PM ET (US)
Just under 800 combined hours on a pair of 1998 135s. 2 minor problems; cracked cap on oil resevoir leaked oil, intermittent check engine light that diagnosed as a throttle position sensor error. Replaced TPS under warranty, no more problems. Great economy and power, but loud. BillS
highanddry posted 08-16-2006 05:28 AM ET (US)
First they say it is and then they say it ain't. They extoll it's virtues and take pictures of black Mercury engines with a US flag in the back ground and go on about being union built in the USA. Then they say it is loud but test data shows different. Then they say it is not efficient but facts are that it is. Then they say the OptiMax is hated world wide but it wins the JD Powers award.
It is like this among boat people I have learned, whatever thwey got is better than what you got, especially if it is older, cheaper or classic or a Lund.
OK, now the facts, the OptiMax is a fine engine, more now than ever, it is not any louder than any other "classic" engine and only in the last few years has anything been quieter. It is also likely the most efficient range of engines on the market and highly relaible.
Another fact, nothing on or about a boat should be considered reliable, that is why people fondly refer to them as a hole in the water into which you dump money unless of course you wisely keep it highanddry on a trailer.
Good luck.
bsmotril posted 08-16-2006 09:39 AM ET (US)
My comments were with respect to 1998 model motors, and they were loud with a pronounced intake resonance from 3000-3500 rpms. Above that, they sound like any other two stroke of similar power and size. At idle, the air compressor inside made them sound like a diesel, albeit a nice smooth idling one. That noise is distinct and different than any conventional two stroke of similar power and size. It is only recently that Merc has said the new Optis are quiet. Since he is looking at 1999 model year motors, I think my comments have relevance.
prm1177 posted 08-16-2006 10:17 AM ET (US)
I have Bill's boat now with the twin Opti 135's. I've put about another 60 hours each on them in 1 1/2 seasons. My previous Whaler was an Outrage 17 with an Opti 135. Had that one for 3 season and like the engine. It's one of the reasons I bought Bill's boat. I agree with his comments about the sound signature and, while I'd prefer a quieter engine, the SPL of the pre-2006 Opti 135 isn't disagreeable.
sosmerc posted 08-16-2006 10:47 PM ET (US)
I agree withi bsmotril...they have a distinctive and irritating (to me) resonance between 3-3600 rpm. I have a used 1998 135 Optimax on a 1998 18ft. Ventura. The engine has good power and is very fuel efficient. I have done all the updates on mine and it gets a full time diet of Quickleen and mid-grade fuel. It does not idle as smooth as I would like, and sometimes, especially when cold, will just shut down. But it re-starts and will then continue to run fine. I hope to upgrade to the "next generation" Optimax when they become available...I look forward to a more refined, quiet motor. It is my hope and desire that Merc will continue to refine the Optimax...I have not been impressed with ANYONE's 4 strokes yet. And my boat WILL NOT properly handle anything heavier.
bsmotril posted 08-16-2006 10:50 PM ET (US)
I learned to appreciate the song of the Opti. She was telling me she was running at her most efficient power setting. It's even better in stereo when she brings her sister along for the ride. BillS

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Author	Topic: Mercury 135 Optimax reliability?
LKD	posted 08-15-2006 05:55 PM ET (US) I am considering a 1999 BW Ventura with a 135 Optimax. I have never owned a Mercury and would appreciate your experiences with this engine. Thanks, Keith.
Lars Simonsen	posted 08-15-2006 07:23 PM ET (US) If it has had all the upgrades, it is a very reliable motor. The earlier optimaxes (1998 & 1999), particularly the 225 hp, and some of the 135s (including mine) had major problems. My 1998 135 powerhead blew at 60 hours. However, I was the second owner, and the boat had been rarely used by the previous owner (hence the 60 hours at 4 years old). I think the low hours may have contributed to the failure. Despite the motor being out of warranty (and me being the second owner), Mercury gave me a new factory remanufactured powerhead. I just had to pay the shipping and installation. The new powerhead has been flawless and very reliable. I would suggest that before you buy it, you have the motor checked out by a mechanic who knows optimaxes (my mechanic is a mercury master mechanic and definitely knows his way around these motors). You'll find people who have very strong opinions about the motor (folks who've had problems and don't feel they were treated right by mercury). I was treated right by mercury, and I've gotten a lot of trouble free (other than regular maintenance and some very minor issues) hours out of my motor. The non-routine maintenance I've had to do in the last 4 years are: 1. Replaced all the lower unit seals due to a leak. Cost around $260.00. This included replacing the water pump. 2. Replaced the idler pulley several times. It turns out it wasn't that the idler pulley that was wearing out, it was that the whole idler pulley tensioner mechanism (I'm not positive what it's actually called) had worn out the mount, so it held the idler pulley at a very slight angle, causing the pulley to wear unevenly. This caused the belt to "ride up" on the pulley, so that it rubbed on the bottom of the flywheel, which caused lots of black rubber dust on the motor. I was always concerned that this dust, if ingested into the engine, could cause major problems. I fixed this problem by removing the whole tensioner, and using JB Weld to repair the facing where the tensioner mounted on the motor. This has held for two years, and I haven't had to replace the pulley since. Cost was negligible (I did replace the pulley itself with a metal pulley I bought from Advance Auto; the OEM part is some sort of plastic). I also bought a new belt, but I just have that as a spare in my boat, as the original belt is still in perfect shape (despite having its upper edge worn a bit by rubbing on the flywheel whenever the idler pulley wore out). 3. I had to replace the alternator (a $550 part, ouch). I probably could have gotten it rebuilt for less. 4. The decals on the cowling are peeling off. No big deal to me. My boat is a fishing boat, and it's not that I don't care about how it looks, but it's 8 years old, and I've never failed to catch a fish due to peeling decals. All in all, I'm very pleased with the motor. I wish it were quieter, but it's very powerful, and very fuel efficient.
TRAFFICLAWYER	posted 08-15-2006 08:51 PM ET (US) I would suggest a repower, my 135 optischmutz [1998] on my 18' Ventura blew after 20 hours.
Royboy	posted 08-15-2006 09:54 PM ET (US) Mine runs great. It's a 1999 and it's had all of the upgrades (your Mercury Dealer can tell you this with nothing more than a serial number). It had 125 hours on it when I bought it in April of this year (2006), and I've roughly doubled that this Summer fishing the Great Lakes. Do a search on this site and you'll find (on balance) a lot of good reviews on this engine. The lion's share of the early problems (and I believe these were pre-1999) were with the big guns, 200 + hp. Of course, a search on any engine will turn up some bad experiences as well. Bear in mind that people are much more likely to post a negative experience than a good one. If everything is working good, heck, let's go fishin'! Having said all of that, it's a complicated machine and needs care and maintenace commensurate with its complexity. Mine gets 89 octane gasoline with Quickclean per the manual. Nothing but Merc DFI oil goes in my oil tank. I plan to meet or exceed Mercury's maintenance schedule, and generally treat this engine as best I know how. I have a kicker for trolling when the conditions allow it, although the big girl trolls just fine too. It performs great on my 17 Outrage II. It has power to spare and launches this boat onto plane with authority. It trolls down to 2 mph without so much as a whisper of smoke, and sips gas and oil. I've got no complaints. Roy
jimh	posted 08-15-2006 11:27 PM ET (US) Is a Mercury OptiMax a reliable engine? It depends on who you ask.
bsmotril	posted 08-15-2006 11:42 PM ET (US) Just under 800 combined hours on a pair of 1998 135s. 2 minor problems; cracked cap on oil resevoir leaked oil, intermittent check engine light that diagnosed as a throttle position sensor error. Replaced TPS under warranty, no more problems. Great economy and power, but loud. BillS
highanddry	posted 08-16-2006 05:28 AM ET (US) First they say it is and then they say it ain't. They extoll it's virtues and take pictures of black Mercury engines with a US flag in the back ground and go on about being union built in the USA. Then they say it is loud but test data shows different. Then they say it is not efficient but facts are that it is. Then they say the OptiMax is hated world wide but it wins the JD Powers award. It is like this among boat people I have learned, whatever thwey got is better than what you got, especially if it is older, cheaper or classic or a Lund. OK, now the facts, the OptiMax is a fine engine, more now than ever, it is not any louder than any other "classic" engine and only in the last few years has anything been quieter. It is also likely the most efficient range of engines on the market and highly relaible. Another fact, nothing on or about a boat should be considered reliable, that is why people fondly refer to them as a hole in the water into which you dump money unless of course you wisely keep it highanddry on a trailer. Good luck.
bsmotril	posted 08-16-2006 09:39 AM ET (US) My comments were with respect to 1998 model motors, and they were loud with a pronounced intake resonance from 3000-3500 rpms. Above that, they sound like any other two stroke of similar power and size. At idle, the air compressor inside made them sound like a diesel, albeit a nice smooth idling one. That noise is distinct and different than any conventional two stroke of similar power and size. It is only recently that Merc has said the new Optis are quiet. Since he is looking at 1999 model year motors, I think my comments have relevance.
prm1177	posted 08-16-2006 10:17 AM ET (US) I have Bill's boat now with the twin Opti 135's. I've put about another 60 hours each on them in 1 1/2 seasons. My previous Whaler was an Outrage 17 with an Opti 135. Had that one for 3 season and like the engine. It's one of the reasons I bought Bill's boat. I agree with his comments about the sound signature and, while I'd prefer a quieter engine, the SPL of the pre-2006 Opti 135 isn't disagreeable.
sosmerc	posted 08-16-2006 10:47 PM ET (US) I agree withi bsmotril...they have a distinctive and irritating (to me) resonance between 3-3600 rpm. I have a used 1998 135 Optimax on a 1998 18ft. Ventura. The engine has good power and is very fuel efficient. I have done all the updates on mine and it gets a full time diet of Quickleen and mid-grade fuel. It does not idle as smooth as I would like, and sometimes, especially when cold, will just shut down. But it re-starts and will then continue to run fine. I hope to upgrade to the "next generation" Optimax when they become available...I look forward to a more refined, quiet motor. It is my hope and desire that Merc will continue to refine the Optimax...I have not been impressed with ANYONE's 4 strokes yet. And my boat WILL NOT properly handle anything heavier.
bsmotril	posted 08-16-2006 10:50 PM ET (US) I learned to appreciate the song of the Opti. She was telling me she was running at her most efficient power setting. It's even better in stereo when she brings her sister along for the ride. BillS