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Vintage 2000 Mercury OptiMax 200 hp Cold Start Starting Issues
Hello all. My 2000 200 HP Opti's have been giving me cold starting issues only in the hot and humid weather. After conducting some of my own tests, I found bubbles in the fuel lines on the engines near VST, pulse pump, and high/low-pressure pumps, and found vapor locking. To eliminate possible boat fuel tank issues, I've ran each engine on a brand new three-gallon remote fuel tank with treated fuel, new fuel lines, and primer bulbs. Still the same issue. Once the engines are warmed up, they start right up. To all vintage OptiMax owners, what did you do to remedy fuel vapor locking in hot weather? Yes, I've done it all from replacing sensors, plugs, filters, rebuilt pulse pumps, primer bulbs, fuel lines, tracker valve/ fuel regulator diaphragms, air/ fuel injectors professionally cleaned, decarbs, etc.
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Are you pumping the primer bulb before EACH AND EVERY START?
If so, are you holding it so that the flow arrow is pointing UP?
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Mercury 3L/4 Stroke/Verado Moderator
Good question. 
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Yes, I am. Sent injectors to Brucato for a cleaning. Had to replace 5 air injectors between the two engines (ouch my wallet!). Significant improvements but nothing near where it should be. I'm narrowing it down to vaporized and aerated fuel on the starboard side. New tracker and fuel regulator diaphragm unfortunately did not fix the issue. I also have a fuel pressure leakdown after 5, 10, 15 seconds after shutdown. When I swapped the rails, the problem stayed with the rail. Both rails on both engines do it, the port engine is worse hence the starting being worse as well on that engine. Don Weed, has been working tirelessly with me trying to help me figure it out. Therefore, I'm going to send my fuel rails/ injectors to him in the winter when he's not too backed up. Anyone else ever experience this issue? Please let me know what the remedy was. Thank you!
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