Most Common Problems with Mercury Optimax 225
Direct fuel-injected two-stroke outboard motors are popular among boat owners. And, Mercury Optimax 225 has a good reputation in this category.
However, lots of users complain about the outboard motor for some issues.
Such problems with Mercury Optimax 225 are also common with some other popular brands. Now, let’s talk about those in detail.
1. Idle Start Problem
The engine starts fine but quitting after a minute is the nature of this problem.
Optimax 225 owner who faces the issue told that he had to use the hotfoot for starting and hold it approximately quarter throttle. And, slowly lifting it up would warm up the motor a little for uninterrupted running.
It can occur again and again. So, fixing the issue immediately is a must.
After hearing about the problem, Mercury assumed that the problem is in the fuel injectors. They may be dirty.
According to the complainee cleaning air and fuel injector, and fuel rail for over 600 bucks couldn’t solve the issue.
Another customer mentioned that the diaphragm in the fuel system was the cause in his case. His mechanic could trace it by checking the air pressure in the system.
2. Overheating Problem
You may face the issue while cruising at about 50 or 55 miles per hour. The engine can lose power all of a sudden and there would be red light continuously beeping on the gauge.
It is not like the four beeps that indicate low oil. Even after a guardian reset, you will see the problem at higher speeds.
All those symptoms indicate overheating problem unless the sensor has become faulty somehow.
After confirming the sensors are working perfectly, you have to perform other troubleshooting steps.
On the port side of the engine, there is an adapter plate with 2 nipples; one brass and one while plastic.
The brass one is your air dump and the other one is the water filter screen. Sometimes the filters get clogged with pee gravel, grass, and moss.
The clogged filters cause air compressors to overheat turning on the alarm. You should remove the hose from those nipples, unscrew them, and check for blockage.
Another possible reason for the problem to occur is the half-full motor oil reservoir. In case enough oil is not being fed to the motor tank, the beeping can occur.
3. Sudden Loss in RPM Problem
After a few months into the storage, taking out the boat, and running it for the first time can show some problems.
Among them, sudden loss of power is very common.
One customer mentioned that he was running the boat for about 4500 RPM and something suddenly decreased the speed; not electrical power.
It bounced between 2500 to 4500 RPM but didn’t stable or came back up.
He changed the entire fuel line, replaced the bulb, and the water separator filter. While doing this, he noticed that the fuel line began to break down.
In other comments, some users are saying that you should check the battery terminal first before taking such drastic measurements.
Always start with simpler steps and then move up to the complex ones.
Furthermore, one should check the VST filter to make sure of proper functioning.
4. Shifting Problem
Once you have come off the plane, you can face some problems. The control box lever can be problematic.
One owner mentioned that he heard a loud clinking noise after pulling the lever and shut the engine off.
Opening the control box, he noticed that the forward gear wasn’t completely engaging. And, it would pop out in the forward detent position.
Furthermore, the shift cable located on the engine side didn’t go all the way forward at low idle speed.
Sometimes, he saw it locked into forward. After some thorough investigation, he found out the problem. It is because of the improper engine shifter mount which makes it extremely hard to put into gear.
Another person replied that one should make sure of the plastic washer going between the shift cable and linkage.
Also, the bushing under the powerhead where the shift rod goes through can make the task difficult.
5. Fuel Problem
The problem with the fuel line can be identified once you have realized that there is no fuel left after idling the engine for 5 minutes or more.
After squeezing the primer bulb, you may hear the sound of fuel filling the water separator canister.
When the bulb becomes firm once again, you can try and start the engine successfully. In this particular case, the motor won’t show any sign at low, mid, or upper-speed range.
The only issue is in the idle condition. You can safely assume that RPMs over 1000 show no fuel issues.
I have seen that some owners are fighting with the issue for a long time.
What Majority of the Users Feel About Mercury Optimax 225?
I have seen some opposing comments on the problems mentioned above. Lots of people are running the motor without any of the issues.
As the engines consist of hundreds of different parts and components, it is common for some to be faulty over time.
Also, the earlier models have lots of issues. You can’t distinguish between ghost alarms and the real ones.
However, the newer units in the production are more stable and reliable.
Regular maintenance and health checkups by professionals will increase the longevity of the motor.
Customers who are following those steps are happy with boating, fishing, and other recreational activities.
Final Thought
Going through the different comments and threads, you will see both positive and negative things about this model.
I am not denying the common problems with Mercury Optimax 225. Check out with your dealer and mechanic to get a full review and decide.