250 ProXs 2 Stroke - Popcorn

[bhmsupra]

My Motor serial number is 2B527855
2018 250 ProXS

These things are popping like popcorn....especially fresh out of warranty or around the 300 hour mark. If I'm honest, it reminds me of the Evinrude Ficht disaster from the 90's.
Why does Merc seem to get a PASS here? The failure rates are astronomical IMO.
I am not here to FLAME Mercury Marine. I am not here to goad the Mercury guys either..I am one. I've been a mercury customer my entire life.

Any maintenance tips post platinum warranty is over?

New Injectors or Aftermarket Injectors?
New Pump or Aftermarket Injectors?

I am meticulous and have my annual maintenance done every November.

Just concerned for next year when the warranty expires in 2023.
A $10k powerhead rebuild is not really something I planned on, but IT IS WHAT IT IS I suppose.

[leonreno]

Go through the FAQ at the top of the forum and make sure you are doing annual maintenance and also adding fuel cocktail and the oil for the compressor. Follow warm up and cool down procedures. That would be my thoughts. And try not to run full tilt all the time, etc.

[bhmsupra]

Go through the FAQ at the top of the forum and make sure you are doing annual maintenance and also adding fuel cocktail and the oil for the compressor. Follow warm up and cool down procedures. That would be my thoughts. And try not to run full tilt all the time, etc.

I do all the things you mentioned....A-L-L !!
I have friends who also maintain their motors to a high degree. ...and they pop to a degree that is unacceptable IMO.

[Bob G.]

Do they have Merc Monitors installed to ensure that the water temp is over 120*F before putting the hammer down to get on plane?

[EuropeanAM]

These things are popping like popcorn....especially fresh out of warranty. It reminds me of the Evinrude Ficht from the 90's.
Why does Merc seem to get a PASS here. The failure rates are astronomical IMO.
I am not here to FLAME Mercury Marine.

Any maintenance tips post platinum warranty is over?

New Injectors or Aftermarket Injectors?
New Pump or Aftermarket Injectors?

I am meticulous and have my annual maint done every November.

Just concerned for next year when the warranty expires in 2023.
A $10k powerhead rebuild is not really something I planned on, but IT IS WHAT IT IS I suppose.

Patrick: Please take a moment to review the Announcements at the top of the Forum, and be sure to provide the Required Information (serial number(s)) when posting. Thanks.

Recommendations for Maintenance are, and have been, in the FAQ Section at the top of this forum.

So my question is: Did YOU have an engine/powerhead fail, or are there a couple hundred of them in your local fishing group that failed in the last month (roughly equal to a 100 cal. bag of popcorn)?

If yours failed- what CYLINDER and what was the determined CAUSE of the failure?

[bhmsupra]

Patrick: Please take a moment to review the Announcements at the top of the Forum, and be sure to provide the Required Information (serial number(s)) when posting. Thanks.

Recommendations for Maintenance are, and have been, in the FAQ Section at the top of this forum.

So my question is: Did YOU have an engine/powerhead fail, or are there a couple hundred of them in your local fishing group that failed in the last month (roughly equal to a 100 cal. bag of popcorn)?

If yours failed- what CYLINDER and what was the determined CAUSE of the failure?

Ok Mr. Moderator. - I added my SN and specs to my OP.
No, I have not had a failure.
My question is more about the unacceptable reliability of the later Model 2 Stroke Mercury ProXS 250s.
MSRP on that motor was $19,999 back then. I'd like to have a premium quality experience with my motor long term, god knows I paid a premium price. Also paid a premium price for the warranty.

I'm just an old hack. I have been around the industry for ABOUT 40 years. Owned the XR6 from the late 80s / early 90s- Bulletproof. Owned the OptiMax from 2002, 2003, 2005 time period, it's bulletproof too and legendary in reliability. I associate myself with many mercury mechanics and weekend warrior tournament anglers around Birmingham and the popular opinion is that the later model ProXs is as bad or worse than the Ficht from the late 90's. At least Evinrude revised that problem, had a recall and made corrections. It was the beginning of the end for Evinruide IMO....but that's another topic.

My question is, when or if Mercury going to have a re-call or make a revision so that these things will run reliably, long term?
How does the failure rates of late model ProXs compare to the other Mercury motors I mentioned above?

The increasing pricing pattern of the Platinum Warranty correlated directly to economics or the claims and issues inherent with this engine. I'd bet money on it. Said another way, the rate of the warranty over 4 years has increased at a rate greater than new 2 stroke engine prices. Am I wrong?

So, respectfully come back with some statistics and actual content about my concerns.
WHY ARE THEY POPPING AT AN ALARMING RATE AND WHAT IS MERCURY GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

If you'd rather me move this post it to the BBC Lounge, I'd be glad to.

Thanks

[06 SB]

How about YOU provide some statistics since your are the one making the accusation. I have had great reliability from Mercury DFI motors.

[Jamesmatt2928]

Biggest thing I have see that kills these motors is cold seizure. Everytime I am on the water this time of year I cringe at the people who just fire their motor up and hammer to the next stop. Also, if you aren't running smartcraft to montior temps, you are running blind. A small piece of wood could cost you 10k.

[bhmsupra]

How about YOU provide some statistics since your are the one making the accusation. I have had great reliability from Mercury DFI motors.

Ok Buddy....
7 of the 10 folks I know that currently own or formerly own late model 2 Stroke 250 ProXs blew. One is on his third powerhead.
At the the biggest Mercury dealer in town, ~70% of the 250s were 2 Stroke Pro XS that had blown. That was my observation back in May of this year. If I remember, I counted about 17 of them.

[Stroker3.2XS]

More than one engine manufacturer, buy one of those if you're so concerned

[lpugh]

Ok Buddy....
7 of the 10 folks I know that currently own or formerly own late model 2 Stroke 250 ProXs blew. One is on his third powerhead.
At the the biggest Mercury dealer in town, ~70% of the 250s were 2 Stroke Pro XS that had blown. That was my observation back in May of this year. If I remember, I counted about 17 of them.

I call BS on this one, in the last year I have seen four blown 2 strokes, one Yamaha, one EFI and 2 early Optimax motors a 200 and a 225. Yamaha from a overheat, EFI from serious lack of Maintenace causing injector failure and 200 Opti from cold seize, 225 Lack of Maintenace, direct injector failure. I feel they very low failure rates when serviced properly and using high quality fuel with quickleen and premium plus added to the gas. Maybe this is because of me educating them on caring for these motors and the information get passed on to others
Injectors do need to be Flow tested, cleaned and calibrated, I recommend at 500 hours, and this cannot be done by just dropping them into an ultra-sonic cleaner

[1ranger487vs]

I add oil to the gas but what about the air injectors

[DewRonInc]

I have a 2008 300xs, have about 185 hours. Most of issues I have had are as follows, dirt dauber, ingested into compressor. Dust went into rails, replaced compressor, rails and injectors cleaned. Yearly I replace check valve on number 6. I clean an or replace strainer regularly, mostly clean, yearly replace belt and place old one in box, replace plugs and all oil filters yearly, do oil prime, gear oil replaced two times a year, always run additives, 4 strokes are much easier

[DewRonInc]

Let’s not forget cleaning thermostats everytime u see a temp change or spike

[DewRonInc]

Haven’t seen many pop around here lately except ones that do nothing except run the snot out of them and hammer them cold

[leonreno]

Ok Buddy....
7 of the 10 folks I know that currently own or formerly own late model 2 Stroke 250 ProXs blew. One is on his third powerhead.
At the the biggest Mercury dealer in town, ~70% of the 250s were 2 Stroke Pro XS that had blown. That was my observation back in May of this year. If I remember, I counted about 17 of them.

well, first, do you know the cause of failure for each of those seven motors? Be interesting to know that. Second, I would have to guess that right now, on bass boats, I would think ProXS 2S are the predominant motor consisting of maybe 70% of the installed motors in the recent past, those that would be 4-8 years old. And those motors are getting older and more prone to failures due to wear and tear. More prone to failure than other motors of that time, maybe, maybe not. I would say the completion would be ETECs or Yamaha four strokes. ETECs sold so little not really a data point. Failures compared to Yamaha, would be interesting to know but that would be hard data to come by, and I have heard of the SHOs popping power heads consistently in the past too. I really think a lot of the failure rates, especially in the bass boat crowd, is they only know idle and WOT, and many don’t warm and cool it as needed.

[SilverFox579]

My question is, when or if Mercury going to have a re-call or make a revision so that these things will run reliably, long term?
How does the failure rates of late model ProXs compare to the other Mercury motors I mentioned above?

Considering the Optimax was discontinued in 2018, the answer to your question is most likely never. Late model ProXS outboards are 4-strokes.

[bb45]

1270 hrs on my 2012 200 pro xs. All orginal. Replaced all coil even though only 2 failed. A few diaphragms on the regulators. Normal maintenance, etc. DFI oil is the only cost I get aggravated about. Its went up $15, in the past year.

[SAL321]

Biggest thing I have see that kills these motors is cold seizure. Everytime I am on the water this time of year I cringe at the people who just fire their motor up and hammer to the next stop. Also, if you aren't running smartcraft to montior temps, you are running blind. A small piece of wood could cost you 10k.

Up in the north the early spring and late fall scare the hell out of me. We always have VVM up watching those temps. Its a few minutes out of a long day. We also know these engines love to be pushed hard. Any chance we get we let er' rip...always us the cocktail and any annual maintenance. Treat it better than my kids and over 400 hours strong.

[angle iron]

Meticulous maintenance required for longevity which is why this forum is so helpful. Thanks Don and Joe54!!