200hp mercury optimax wont spit water immediately

[PittsburghBass87]

My opti max takes about 15-20 seconds to start pumping water most of the time if not all the time. Twice now i have trolled with my motor down and then i try to go and the pump wont spit anything. I give it gas hoping to break up whatever is stuck and it still doesnt. Then i put a baffle on it and blow on the pee hole with an air hose and now its spitting better than ever. Any thoughts on why it doesnt start up right away?? Thanks

[Savage]

Yes, your compressor strainer is plugging up. When was the last time the strainer was removed and cleaned?

[PittsburghBass87]

I havent checked it ever. I recently just bought my ranger from a local fisherman who was the boats first owner and had already been doing tourneys all year with it. Im new to big motors too so I was unaware if it needed time or something was wrong. Is that compressor hard to get at or can I do it myself?

[Z518 Comanche]

I would clean it. Compressor STRAINER Cleaning:
http://www.bbcboards.net/mercury-3-l...50-pro-xs.html

[PittsburghBass87]

Thanks! Ill clean it tomorrow and see how it runs for my Monday night tourney.

[EuropeanAM]

While you're at cleaning the strainer (which should be part of your ANNUAL Maintenance):

http://www.bbcboards.net/mercury-3-l...x-engines.html

[SilverFox579]

While you're at cleaning the strainer (which should be part of your ANNUAL Maintenance):

http://www.bbcboards.net/mercury-3-l...x-engines.html

+1. Something to keep in mind, it is not abnormal to not see a telltale immediately on startup, especially if you drop your engine and drain the cooling system every time you come off the water. It will take 10 - 20 seconds to fill the cooling system and build enough pressure to produce a telltale stream. If you don't have a telltale in 15 - 20 seconds, you need to shut the engine down and find out why. I say this so you don't panic after cleaning the strainer, ensuring all annual maintenance requirements have been completed, and find it still takes 10 - 20 seconds for the telltale to appear.