How do you winterize an Optimax motor?
 

Guys,

I have a 200 HP Optimax sportjet, the thing has the 2.5l block. The
time will come to winterize this thing. The manual says to put the
following in the fuel filter:

- DFI oil
- Merc Quickleen
- Merc Fuel stabilizer

The funny thing is that they DO NOT sell Quickleen (in Canada), so
what is the optimax owner supposed to do?

One dealer said to just prime the oil pump and hope the best, another
to spray fogging oil in the cylinders. Another said it shouldnt hurt
to spray fogging oil in the airintake when it runs as the fogging
stuff wont get in the injectors.

Merc however warns about useing any fogging stuff on this motor.

I heard about optimax rusting internally over the winter, so I wonder
what Merc expects one to do? Any ideas how to winterize these things?

Matt

On 10 Nov 2004 17:34:04 -0800, (Matt Lang) wrote:

(Matt Lang) wrote in message . com...
Guys,

I have a 200 HP Optimax sportjet, the thing has the 2.5l block. The
time will come to winterize this thing. The manual says to put the
following in the fuel filter:

- DFI oil
- Merc Quickleen
- Merc Fuel stabilizer

The funny thing is that they DO NOT sell Quickleen (in Canada), so
what is the optimax owner supposed to do?

One dealer said to just prime the oil pump and hope the best, another
to spray fogging oil in the cylinders. Another said it shouldnt hurt
to spray fogging oil in the airintake when it runs as the fogging
stuff wont get in the injectors.

Merc however warns about useing any fogging stuff on this motor.

I heard about optimax rusting internally over the winter, so I wonder
what Merc expects one to do? Any ideas how to winterize these things?

Matt

Come on folks! Nobody has an optimax?

As for the quickleen I think I will head across the border into the US
to grab a few bottles. Merc customer service INSISTS this motor
doesnt need anything else .. not even needs the quickleen that bad ..
makes me wonder why THIS motor shouldnt corrode internally.

I don't know much about Mercs, I'll be honest, but it would seem to me
that spraying down the cylinders with fogging oil, changing the gear
oil, greasing up the prop shaft, checking for seal damage (if you have
a pressure tester or access to one), changing the fuel/water separator
filter and changing plugs should just about take care of the
winterization process.

I'd do my own FICHTS, but they are a little more complicated to do and
I'd rather berate a dealer for making a mistake than swearing at
myself for doing the same. :)

Later,

Tom

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 01:41:51 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On 10 Nov 2004 17:34:04 -0800, (Matt Lang) wrote:

(Matt Lang) wrote in message . com...
Guys,

I have a 200 HP Optimax sportjet, the thing has the 2.5l block. The
time will come to winterize this thing. The manual says to put the
following in the fuel filter:

- DFI oil
- Merc Quickleen
- Merc Fuel stabilizer

The funny thing is that they DO NOT sell Quickleen (in Canada), so
what is the optimax owner supposed to do?

One dealer said to just prime the oil pump and hope the best, another
to spray fogging oil in the cylinders. Another said it shouldnt hurt
to spray fogging oil in the airintake when it runs as the fogging
stuff wont get in the injectors.

Merc however warns about useing any fogging stuff on this motor.

I heard about optimax rusting internally over the winter, so I wonder
what Merc expects one to do? Any ideas how to winterize these things?

Matt

Come on folks! Nobody has an optimax?

As for the quickleen I think I will head across the border into the US
to grab a few bottles. Merc customer service INSISTS this motor
doesnt need anything else .. not even needs the quickleen that bad ..
makes me wonder why THIS motor shouldnt corrode internally.

I don't know much about Mercs, I'll be honest, but it would seem to me
that spraying down the cylinders with fogging oil, changing the gear
oil, greasing up the prop shaft, checking for seal damage (if you have
a pressure tester or access to one), changing the fuel/water separator
filter and changing plugs should just about take care of the
winterization process.

I'd do my own FICHTS, but they are a little more complicated to do and
I'd rather berate a dealer for making a mistake than swearing at
myself for doing the same. :)

I just looked at my FICHT shop manual and it states that you should
make up a mix of gas and fuel stabilizer, run the engine for ten
minutes, then shut it down and leave it down. Makes sense to me.

The other thing in the FICHT manual says to do pretty much what I just
detailed.

Good luck.

Later,

Tom

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote in message . ..
On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 01:41:51 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On 10 Nov 2004 17:34:04 -0800, (Matt Lang) wrote:

(Matt Lang) wrote in message . com...
Guys,

I have a 200 HP Optimax sportjet, the thing has the 2.5l block. The
time will come to winterize this thing. The manual says to put the
following in the fuel filter:

- DFI oil
- Merc Quickleen
- Merc Fuel stabilizer

The funny thing is that they DO NOT sell Quickleen (in Canada), so
what is the optimax owner supposed to do?

One dealer said to just prime the oil pump and hope the best, another
to spray fogging oil in the cylinders. Another said it shouldnt hurt
to spray fogging oil in the airintake when it runs as the fogging
stuff wont get in the injectors.

Merc however warns about useing any fogging stuff on this motor.

I heard about optimax rusting internally over the winter, so I wonder
what Merc expects one to do? Any ideas how to winterize these things?

Matt

Come on folks! Nobody has an optimax?

As for the quickleen I think I will head across the border into the US
to grab a few bottles. Merc customer service INSISTS this motor
doesnt need anything else .. not even needs the quickleen that bad ..
makes me wonder why THIS motor shouldnt corrode internally.

I don't know much about Mercs, I'll be honest, but it would seem to me
that spraying down the cylinders with fogging oil, changing the gear
oil, greasing up the prop shaft, checking for seal damage (if you have
a pressure tester or access to one), changing the fuel/water separator
filter and changing plugs should just about take care of the
winterization process.

I'd do my own FICHTS, but they are a little more complicated to do and
I'd rather berate a dealer for making a mistake than swearing at
myself for doing the same. :)

I just looked at my FICHT shop manual and it states that you should
make up a mix of gas and fuel stabilizer, run the engine for ten
minutes, then shut it down and leave it down. Makes sense to me.

thats pretty much the merc recommendation, but i wonder if this is
enough? Will this stop the motor from rusting ...

I just treated all my small motors liberately with fogging oil and
felt good doing it :) It bothers me that my most expensive motor
shouldnt get any of this ...

Matt

I don't know much about Mercs, I'll be honest, but it would seem to me
that spraying down the cylinders with fogging oil, changing the gear
oil, greasing up the prop shaft, checking for seal damage (if you have
a pressure tester or access to one), changing the fuel/water separator
filter and changing plugs should just about take care of the
winterization process.


Yeah but the merc guy keeps (!) INSISTING not to use fogging oil ...
thats what I dont get ..

Gear/stator oil .. yep .. although its a jetdrive but same idea here.

Impeller shaft .. yep ... I will splurge mercs best on that!

seal damage .. nope ... no stupid seals on this thing :)

water/air/fuel filter ... yep ... will implant brand new ones

plugs ... nope ... they are good for 100 hours ... good, coz there is
NO more expensive plug to be found on this planet and they are a
little hard to get out :(



I'd do my own FICHTS, but they are a little more complicated to do and
I'd rather berate a dealer for making a mistake than swearing at
myself for doing the same. :)

I hear FICHTS selfdestruct anyways ... hahahah just teasing you ;)

Why dont you do the fichts? should be the same procedure, although i
am sure they dont want fogging oil in them either ...

Matt

On 11 Nov 2004 00:03:54 -0800, (Matt Lang) wrote:


I don't know much about Mercs, I'll be honest, but it would seem to me
that spraying down the cylinders with fogging oil, changing the gear
oil, greasing up the prop shaft, checking for seal damage (if you have
a pressure tester or access to one), changing the fuel/water separator
filter and changing plugs should just about take care of the
winterization process.

Yeah but the merc guy keeps (!) INSISTING not to use fogging oil ...
thats what I dont get ..

Gear/stator oil .. yep .. although its a jetdrive but same idea here.

Impeller shaft .. yep ... I will splurge mercs best on that!

seal damage .. nope ... no stupid seals on this thing :)

water/air/fuel filter ... yep ... will implant brand new ones

plugs ... nope ... they are good for 100 hours ... good, coz there is
NO more expensive plug to be found on this planet and they are a
little hard to get out :(

I'm sorry - I don't buy into this 100 hours or 100,000 mile deal with
spark plugs. I don't believe it, I won't believe it and I can't
believe it. :) New plugs every year.

Hey, everybody has to have a prejudice somewhere... :)

I'd do my own FICHTS, but they are a little more complicated to do and
I'd rather berate a dealer for making a mistake than swearing at
myself for doing the same. :)

I hear FICHTS selfdestruct anyways ... hahahah just teasing you ;)

Yeah, well one person here would have you believe that, but I have
three of them and if it wasn't for the fact that a friend of mine
wants to buy mine off the Contender for a boat he is having custom
built, I'd stick with them. As it is, I'm replacing those FICHTS with
E-TECs.

Why dont you do the fichts?

The main reason is that one of my extended family members is the
Service Manager of the place where I bought them and I get taken care
of quickly, quietly and without fuss or muss. Plus, I like to throw
my business his way anyway - young guy - he's just getting started 'ya
know? Help him out a little.

should be the same procedure, although i
am sure they dont want fogging oil in them either ...

Right in the manual - spray liberal amount of storage fogging oil into
the air baffles, remove the plugs and spray fogging oil into the
cylinders.

Why Merc doesn't want that to be the case with their engines, is
beyond me. Maybe they have some kind of alloy issues or something.

There are a couple of other things in the FICHT winterization process
that I try and avoid if possible - I could do it, it's just not
something that I want to do under the circumstances. I'd rather take
it right up to the last moment, then rush them in to get them done.
:)

Live long and prosper,

Tom

Optimax winterizing

Right in the manual - spray liberal amount of storage fogging oil into
the air baffles, remove the plugs and spray fogging oil into the
cylinders.



Merc has published a bulletin a while back and now recommends NOT using a
fogging oil, as it is made to stay tacky and it can make the Optimax
injectors stick. They now recommend using TC-W3 oil as a fogging oil.

Bill Grannis
service manager

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 12:13:13 GMT, "Billgran"
wrote:

Optimax winterizing

Right in the manual - spray liberal amount of storage fogging oil into
the air baffles, remove the plugs and spray fogging oil into the
cylinders.



Merc has published a bulletin a while back and now recommends NOT using a
fogging oil, as it is made to stay tacky and it can make the Optimax
injectors stick. They now recommend using TC-W3 oil as a fogging oil.

Hey Bill - long time.

There you go Matt - the answer.

Later,

Tom

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote in message . ..
On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 12:13:13 GMT, "Billgran"
wrote:

Optimax winterizing

Right in the manual - spray liberal amount of storage fogging oil into
the air baffles, remove the plugs and spray fogging oil into the
cylinders.



Merc has published a bulletin a while back and now recommends NOT using a
fogging oil, as it is made to stay tacky and it can make the Optimax
injectors stick. They now recommend using TC-W3 oil as a fogging oil.

Hey Bill - long time.

There you go Matt - the answer.

Later,

Tom


Yeah, this is consistant with what I found out. Just called Merc. They
say even little bits of fogging will kill the injectors...

Apparently for the 3l optimax the winterizing asks to put DFI oil in
the cylinder... Merc guy said that would be good for my 2.5l.
Probably even better than running oil through the injectors from a
fuel-oil mix

Matt