optimax or EFI

[coachallen]

I blew my engine on my 150 efi.. I have two dealers say it will cost me $5000 to fix..I can get a rebuilt one for cheaper. My question is should I go with a 200 efi or a 200 opti max? IS one better than the other?..They are about the same price... with the optimax I get a 1 year warranty and with the EFI I get 6 months.
but the EFI is $300 cheaper.

The EFI is a 97
The Optimax is 1999 or 2000

I know my EFI ran good for a long time but I know very little about Optimax's


Thoughts? ANy info would be a great help

[Whiteboat]

EFI is probably safer bet as the Optimax compressor will eventually go unless low hours.

You should be able to get hours off of Optimax

[M-D]

My vote is for the EFI

[BassinR83]

I had the opposite experience. Never had a problem with the Optimax but blew my "bullet proof" EFI. Now I'm in a four stroke and couldn't be happier.

[jarhead175]

Keep your motor and call Jay Smith (832) 597-2603 you can thank me later.

[coachallen]

EFI is probably safer bet as the Optimax compressor will eventually go unless low hours.

You should be able to get hours off of Optimax

Both are rebuilt motors

[coachallen]

I heard the Optimax was a better motor... Is that wrong?

[jarhead175]

Call Jay he is in Texas he will guide you the right way.

[Steve@BMS]

fuel economy much better in optimax in my experience

[BroWhoop]

EFI is good motor, the Opti is a good motor. The Opti will use a lot less oil and gas.

[bass2dy]

Optimax oil gas use pays for itself no brainer, it’s mostly what you can afford to do on front end to save you more on backend on oil and fuel

[BassinR83]

Optimax oil gas use pays for itself no brainer, it’s mostly what you can afford to do on front end to save you more on backend on oil and fuel

Yup, my EFI was the most inefficient motor I've ever owner hands down.

[n2ratfishin]

EFI is good motor, the Opti is a good motor. The Opti will use a lot less oil and gas.

I didn’t find this to be true. Yes they are more fuel efficient. But, when I factored in compressor maintenance or replacement,getting fuel rails cleaned, constantly messing with thermostats, etc...the savings in fuel were quickly eroded. Im in a 4 stroke now. I did the annual service the first two years myself on my little 115 4 stroke. The third year I took it to the dealer for service, mainly to keep my warranty entact the next four years without questions. The bill for routine service was 750.00. Take a big Opti for routine maintenance...be sitting down when they give you a total. I’ve owned two of them.

Seems like getting a dealer dealer to do 100 hour service on my 225 Opti plus swapping out the steel reeds for Boysen Reeds was about 2,000.00.

[coachallen]

I had a friend say the same thing.. The Optimax will cost you more in service than an EFI... He had a problem and it cost him $5000.. He finally got rid of it due to high cost of service... I am going with the EFI...

[Keystonekiller]

EFI!!! Opti's are over engineered turds. Way too many delicate components. I'd rather spend more on fuel and oil for the life of the EFI engine than pay one compressor failure bill on an optimax.

[idratherbeefishin]

Save your money on both and go 4 stroke.

[Dan21XRS]

What's all this "service" you guys have paid to have done on your Opti's???... I've own 4 and have never paid anyone to service my engines. I change lower unit oil once a year (the shop I go to charges 1/2 hr plus oil, couldn't be more that $75), I change the impeller every 3 years and spark plugs every 2 years. Other than a couple of coils, a head and gaskets, all which were covered under warranty I've never paid to have any service done... Now the thermostats clogging, that's an issue I like to talk to a Mercury engineer about... Dan

[idratherbeefishin]

What's all this "service" you guys have paid to have done on your Opti's???... I've own 4 and have never paid anyone to service my engines. I change lower unit oil once a year (the shop I go to charges 1/2 hr plus oil, couldn't be more that $75), I change the impeller every 3 years and spark plugs every 2 years. Other than a couple of coils, a head and gaskets, all which were covered under warranty I've never paid to have any service done... Now the thermostats clogging, that's an issue I like to talk to a Mercury engineer about... Dan

The thermostats clogging has nothing to do with Mercury it has to do with the water you run . If you run shallow dirty water their is more sediment in shallow water, therefore you're going to pick up more debris and the smallest Pebble can clog the thermostat. If you've never had a compressor failure which I know three people that have and they were out of warranty you're looking at a minimum of 1200 to $1,500. Every engine has its own set of issues but the market is going to 4 stroke it makes more power it is somewhat just as fuel efficient and the plus is you don't have to buy oil but once a year.

[MikeT@1954]

What about the 1992 Mercury XRI is it a strong motor if cared for

[buster502]

is the efi engine a 2.5 engine and the opimax a 3.0 engine