Optimax owners, clean your injectors

[Madtown]

So I purchased my used 2001 Optimax with little of 300 hours on it. Came from original owner that had it on bass boat. Kept really good care of it with all maint. records. I had no issues until half way through last season. Started to idle rough then it would stall. Local dealer diagnosed as stuck open direct injector. I replaced the injector but still had a rough idle at times after the repair. Decided to send out all 12 injectors to European Marine. Don the tech there is a Merc guru for sure. Got back to me today & said my direct injectors were near perfect. The fuel injectors were a different story. He says 4% variance in flow is max he likes to see after cleaning. Mine were at 7% at idle & 10% WOT after cleaning twice. Not good. So he has stock of cleaned used injectors that could be matched up with 3 of the good ones.

He has seen much worse than mine & that is not good on the powerhead. If I remember correct the Optimax has no way of telling if running lean correct. Dirty injectors could cause powerhead failure.

 

[SCT]

Mad town, did you ever run sea foam?

 

[Madtown]

Mad town, did you ever run sea foam?

Use Merc Quickclean which Don said works great. My fuel injectors were dirty but main issue was the variance in spray output even after cleaning. Don also informed me were I was getting fuel was high quality & to keep going there which is very helpful. Can not wait get boat finished & see how motor runs.

 

[SKATR186]

Is that all efi or just optimax? I never have cleaned mine at all with seafoam or other cleaners.

 

[Mark]

Is that all efi or just optimax? I never have cleaned mine at all with seafoam or other cleaners.

It is all injected motors. My 200 EFI had a low speed miss that drove me crazy. I tried everything including new reeds to get rid of it. Finally sent the injectors to Brucado to be flowed and cleaned. Had 3 bad ones that were replaced with used ones. Was still $560 total. But, problem solved. Tony Brucado said that guys who use Seafoam regularly rarely see clogged injectors. Been using the stuff in all my motors ever since.

 

[SKATR186]

It is all injected motors. My 200 EFI had a low speed miss that drove me crazy. I tried everything including new reeds to get rid of it. Finally sent the injectors to Brucado to be flowed and cleaned. Had 3 bad ones that were replaced with used ones. Was still $560 total. But, problem solved. Tony Brucado said that guys who use Seafoam regularly rarely see clogged injectors. Been using the stuff in all my motors ever since.

How do you typically use the seafoam? Like stabilizer so much a tank? I use marine ethanol stabilizer, curious if that's enough.

 

[Madtown]

How do you typically use the seafoam? Like stabilizer so much a tank? I use marine ethanol stabilizer, curious if that's enough.

I was told to use this from Don at European Marine.

"Mercury Component Cocktail" (Chemically, this works much the same as the below mentioned cocktail, and requires less components.) This is Don's Preferred "Cocktail":

-1oz Mercury QuickCare per 5 gallons fuel
-1oz Mercury QuickLeen per 5 gallons fuel
(If leaving fuel in boat for more than 30 days, be sure to also add Mercury QuickStor).
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"Alternate Cocktail" (IMO, this combination results in clean injectors, direct injectors and spark plugs):

-1oz Marine Stabil or Mercury QuickCare per 6 gallons fuel
-1oz Quickleen per 6 gallons fuel
-1-2oz SeaFoam per 6 gallons fuel

Eric

 

[Mark]

How do you typically use the seafoam? Like stabilizer so much a tank? I use marine ethanol stabilizer, curious if that's enough.

Yes. Seafoam is much better than stabilizer as it will actually prevent or remove carbon. On a carbed motor you would start with a shock treatment as the fuel goes through the throttle body. And then add to fuel regularly.

On a DFI the fuel goes straight into the cylinder and so a regular fuel treatment is the way to go. They recommend 1 oz per gallon or 1 pint for 8-25 gallons. Those are wildly varying and expensive rates. I use 1/3 can (about 5 oz) for every 10-15 gallons. I just want to keep the injectors clean and keep the motor from carboning up. You can tell if it working by checking the plugs every once and a while. If they are loaded with carbon increase the rate.

I used to foul plugs all the time on my 130 Yamaha. It uses a much higher oiling rate than it's 115 brother. I switched to a hotter plug and regular Seafoam and the plugs are never foul.