Sluggish optimax

[cneubass79]

Got my boat out for the first time and my hole shot is very sluggish. My boat usually hops right out if the hole and off I go but not now. I push the hot foot and it just seems very sluggish. I can only get to about 5,000 rpms with the motor trimmed up and the pedal smashed, usually at that height I'm chine walking and running over 65 now I'm hitting 55. It's almost like its starving for fuel. The primer bulb isn't hard when I push on it. It gets hard and goes soft, not sure if that is the problem. Could the bulb be bad possibly. I've never had one go bad. 200 optimax 2013.

[Savage]

Primer bulb should get hard while pumping with the motor off IF the bulb is vertical while pumping.

While the motor is running the bulb wont be hard, because fuel is sucking through it.

[cneubass79]

Got it. I think a cylinder is missing now actually. I think I am about done with Cabelas in Hoffman estates. They winterized it last year it had to go back in the spring because they over filled the lower unit and they winterized it last fall and now I have a problem first trip this season.

[Rip Bass]

If that was the first trip after winterizing,you may have fouled a plug due to the extra oil in the cylinders. Have you tried a new set of plugs yet?

[cneubass79]

If that was the first trip after winterizing,you may have fouled a plug due to the extra oil in the cylinders. Have you tried a new set of plugs yet?

I will try that next week. This has been an awful trip for mechanical issues. My 2013 Tahoe left us stranded on I-57 near Mt. Vernon. The transmission pump blew up causing the torque converter to stall the engine and now my optimax is giving me problems. I have to leave the boat here in Kentucky and come back and get it after I get the truck next weekend. The plugs have only been used for one season.

[SilverFox579]

Recommendation is to replace plugs annually or 100hrs whichever comes first - Recommended Annual Maintenance or Winterization for Optimax Engines

[cneubass79]

Here is my serial # 1B961472
200 pro xs

Guys would this method in the video be logical for diagnosing my problem. It seems logical to me but just wanted to be sure.

I am heading back to Kentucky and I will be there on the lake and figured I might as well get this diagnosed and possibly fixed.

I popped the cowling off on Sunday and noticed one of the direct injectors wasn't seated all the way. Guessing the tech knocked it loose when the plug was removed for winterization. I re-seated with no change.

If it's a coil pack I can change this weekend, they seem fairly cheap and a plug is easy enough but if it is a direct injector I will take it in to have it replaced. Pretty sure it's not a fuel injector or the cylinder would be toast.

I don't trust Cabelas working on my stuff anymore. Very conflicting info compared to what I hear on here. The shop foreman looked at me like I was crazy when I asked him about a cold seize, said he had never heard of such a thing and told me it wasn't possible to overfill a lower unit even though they did mine and blew a seal. It's hard to find a good shop around me. I would rather know the problem before it goes in for repair or just fix it myself.

[ts01fan]

Could also be a bad coil.

[Savage]

DO NOT USE THIS METHOD.......It will cause faults to be set in the computer. Use a timing light.

[cneubass79]

DO NOT USE THIS METHOD.......It will cause faults to be set in the computer. Use a timing light.

Ok, just checking. Got a timing light and ordering a coil just in case and taking a new set of plugs as well.

[booter]

I'd also check your fuel lines as well. Even though primer bulb would get hard and everything else, once I got on plane, my boat's RPM's would drop from 5K to 4K and the throttle was non responsive after sitting all winter. I pulled my fuel lines at the bulb and realized that the membrane on the fuel lines was starting to collapse on itself. I replaced the fuel lines and primer bulb and the problems went away.

[cneubass79]

I'd also check your fuel lines as well. Even though primer bulb would get hard and everything else, once I got on plane, my boat's RPM's would drop from 5K to 4K and the throttle was non responsive after sitting all winter. I pulled my fuel lines at the bulb and realized that the membrane on the fuel lines was starting to collapse on itself. I replaced the fuel lines and primer bulb and the problems went away.

Thanks for the info. I have replaced the gray hose once but it's been awhile. I might as well get a new bulb and a new fuel line and do that along with the plugs.

[leonreno]

I would also check the hot foot throttle cable make sure it's adjusted correctly on both sides.

[berudd]

Mine acted like that when a coil went bad. Also, in regards to using a timing light I did that and it indicated the bad cylinder was firing. The tech that ultimately found the bad coil said that was not uncommon. That it was probably firing intermittently. I suppose that if your is completely dead and not firing at all that would work so if you already have a timing light it worth trying. I didn't watch the video but the Mercury tech that did mine said I could test it by disconnecting spark plug wires. The motor was idling very rough so if you remove a wire and it gets worse, that one is fine. Put it back and remove a different one and there is no change then you've found the bad coil. He explained that was what his laptop was doing when he connected it to more motor. The could tell the ECU to not fire each cylinder and then he looked for the same results. He told me which one was bad (which I already suspected based on plug color). I bought two, one to replace the bad one and one just in case, and now all is well.

[cneubass79]

Update-

Hooked timing light up to each cylinder and #5 had no pulse at all. I switched the coil and same thing no light. I pulled the plug and it was completely carbed up. Changed the plug and solved the problem.

I got home today and tore off the bottom cowling so I could get at #6. I gappeed all the plugs to .042-.044 and torqued them to 20 ft lbs. I just started it up and I can't believe how smooth it sounds at idle. I checked the gap on all the plugs that I took out and they were all .030 or lower. I had a certified Mercury dealer change them the last time. I was under the assumption that this was a Mercury standard and so was the 20 ft lbs. My dealer says they don't take the cowling off to change the plugs so I am assuming they don't to torque them properly either.

[EuropeanAM]

Good catch- and a perfect example of a timing light informing you that a SPARK IS, OR IS NOT BRIDGING THE GAP TO GROUND.

It does NOT necessarily mean a coil is bad!

I didn't watch the video but the Mercury tech that did mine said I could test it by disconnecting spark plug wires. The motor was idling very rough so if you remove a wire and it gets worse, that one is fine. Put it back and remove a different one and there is no change then you've found the bad coil. He explained that was what his laptop was doing when he connected it to more motor. The could tell the ECU to not fire each cylinder and then he looked for the same results.

Just a quick note/observation on this statement. Whoever explained this to you does not have an accurate understanding of the functions of the CDS.

At idle, the CDS adds fuel to cause a misfire. It only removes SPARK at higher RPM's (approximately 1/2 throttle or above) in a misfire test.