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Basstar.
I do not mean to ruffle any feathers by asking this question. Neither myself nor any family members have ever owned a Mercury motor. I know they are now as competitive a motor as any other brand out there, and have a very loyal following. I have been looking at a lot of used BassCats and a lot of them have Mercury Optimaxs. My question is….in what years did they inherit the nickname “Opti-pops”? Was this really that big of a problem or was it blown (no pun intended) out of proportion? Any information would be greatly appreciated.Jim EbarbMany, LA (Toledo Bend Lake)2004 Cougar/ 225 OptimaxHumminbird Helix 12 Chirp SI on BalzOut Mount at bowLowrance HDS 7 at bowHumminbird Helix 12 Mega SI on Ram Mount at ConsoleLowrance HDS 8 in dash at console
98-01 the earlier they were the worse they were. Having said that they were about like all the others HPDI, Ficht…the good ones were/are really good but the bad ones will make you come up with nicknames like Opti-pop. If they had the updates done to them and are still running today the odds are they were one of the good ones. Good luck. Judd Lasiter
Thanks, Judd. Ive been on this site for a little while and I have found that you know whereof you speak. I trust you and your opinion. I am not planning on going that far back into the late 90s or early 2000s in my search. Im trying to stay 2004 or newer. Im also trying to stay with a Pro XS if I go the Mercury route. I feel a little safer now even if I do go for the Optimax. Thanks again.Jim EbarbMany, LA (Toledo Bend Lake)2004 Cougar/ 225 OptimaxHumminbird Helix 12 Chirp SI on BalzOut Mount at bowLowrance HDS 7 at bowHumminbird Helix 12 Mega SI on Ram Mount at ConsoleLowrance HDS 8 in dash at console
Across the board the ProXS seemed to have proven to be as good as they can be. Definitely not of the Opti-pop orgin . I have owned 2 of the ProXS and ran a 05 225 ProXS and it had almost 100 hours on it and it ran like my 07 and 08s have without the infamous 250 rattle. The rattle hasnt bothered me but it does exist but nothing to be concerned about. Good luck and thanks for the kind words, I try not to over step my knowledge and when I do we have other great people on this board who are nice enough to correct me. I think it happens to us all at one time or another. Good luck in your search and you will be very happy with a 04 or later Opti. JL
Judd, YOU DA MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Opti Pop was only a term applied to Mercury Optimax in the late 90s and up to 2002-2003. The rush to new technology (DFI) was the culprit of the many engine failures back then. OMC was the first with DFI engines (around 1997 w/ Ficht) and Mercury soon there after with the Optimax. OMCs Ficht (Evinrude/Johnson) helped put OMC out of business! The Optimax forced Mercury to shutdown production lines back then if Im not mistaken until most of the problems could be corrected. Since 2003, the Mercury Optimax has been as reliable as any engine ever built. Ive owned 5 Optimax engines and have had at least 65 hours use on each. Not one has blown and not one has given one bit of trouble. Yamahas HPDI and Bombardiers Evinrude are later. If youre skeptical about an Optimax, then you shouldnt be. It is the most proven DFI two stroke engine on the market today!
Thanks to you too, Phil. I knew Id get some education on the matter from you guys. I will not have any reservations about buying a newer used Cat with an Optimax. I know research and development takes time and even after being introduced into the market there are still some things to be worked out. I feel a lot more at ease that those things have been taken care of. Thanks guys.Jim EbarbMany, LA (Toledo Bend Lake)2004 Cougar/ 225 OptimaxHumminbird Helix 12 Chirp SI on BalzOut Mount at bowLowrance HDS 7 at bowHumminbird Helix 12 Mega SI on Ram Mount at ConsoleLowrance HDS 8 in dash at console
Back when I ordered my PII in 97, the dealership said they would recommend a 200 EFI over the 200 Opti as the Optimax was just hitting the market. The dealership already had two of the early Optimax with blown power heads in shop. As Phil stated, they rushed the product out but then had the foresight to correct the problems and make the Opti even better than expected. I have only seen one Optimax engine fail while on the water, and it was in the late 90s time period, Arkansas River at Pine Bluffs Slackwater Harbor. I have been around several since then with zero problems. New technology sometimes needs improvements while still on the run………ETEC is at that stage now with their lower unit issues. The Optimax has been around for a while and is the most proven performer of the DFI market. IMHO96 Eyra/12 Mercury 175 Pro XS with 2015 single axle trailer2017 Victory Gunner
Judd Im looking for a used Basscat & finances dictate that it will probably be a 2000 – 2002 vintage. What updates should I be looking for & how can I verify they have been installed? I have a friend who works on OMCs who can verify work done on that brand of motor if supplied with the serial #. Do you know if something similar can be done with Mercs? Im probably going to have to travel a bit when I find my boat and may not be able to get it into a dealer to be checked out. Thanks in advance. Pete
Only a personal opinion, but if I were buying 2003 or older, I would look for an EFI engine. I realize that there are several good Opti-Pop or as I also heard them called Pop-Ti-Max engines out there and also realize that the EFI engines will consume a bit more fuel, but I would just have more peace of mind.
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