Uncle Fred

I have a 2002 - 200 Optimax on a Triton SF19. Only had one problem shortly after buying it and that was one oil line chaffed and leaked. BUT - I launched the boat the other day,
it started immediatly. Let it warm up for a couple of minutes then backed off the trailer.
Being a cool day I let it idle while I parked the truck'n trailer. Just as I set foot on the
fwd deck it died. Wouldn't re-start. Had 1/4 tank of fuel & plenty of oil in both reservoirs.
Checked the fuses, all okay. Got it back home and the first thing I did was pull the fuel filter and check it for water. Filter replaced early May. Fuel nice and clean but had a slight tint of yellow. In another container I put a cup of fuel which was crystal clear then
added about a teaspoon of the Optimax oil. Turned the same color. Pulled a sparkplug wire and plug then grounded the plug and turned the engine over. Plenty of spark but
noticed the plug was dry as a bone and I tried using the choke on the second or third try
at the lake. Plug did have what I would say was a bit of excess carbon on it. Okay, so
I've got spark and what appears to be NO FUEL. On the left (facing from rear) injector
fuel res (I guess you can call it that) I removed the tang holding the fuel line in it then slowly lifted the line out. PFOOF! Fuel began to spray out. So there's pressure.
That's where I stopped. Seems to me there's something preventing the injectors from
admitting fuel.
Anyone else have this problem?

Uncle Fred

BigPumper

Check all the fuel line inside the cowl. as soon as the line comes into the engine it goes to the crankcase mounted pump. Check all connections. I had the same problem, it was pulling air at a bad connection and pressurizing the rail with part air and fuel-the opti will not run if there is any air in the fuel rail. I think you have a small fuel delivery issue rather than an injector failure. I had the same problem with my opti. Look for connections on the fuel supply that have screw type stainless clamps- people tend to over tighten them and they cut the lines. Cut off a 1/2'' of line on each possible bad connection and reconnect. If thats not the problem check your fuel pressure regulator on the starboard side of the fuel rail. Also try to pump the bulb until it gets hard- if it does not get hard that means there is a breach in the fuel line between the bulb and engine.

Uncle Fred

Hi Pumper, Appreciate your input. Will check those items tomorrow (saturday). Maybe you can add
something else to 'my thought'. IF the pump was "sucking air", why would I get a spray of gasoline
out of the top of the rail? Not doubting you one bit, but being knowlegeable in hydraulics and pnuematics it seems to me I would've got a "HISS" when the O-ring released it's seal on the top of the rail instead of having liquid come spraying out. Secondly, if it had (as you suggested) an injector failure
(meaning - singular) wouldn't it fire on the other 5 or 4? These are just questions as I'm new to analyzing outboard problems, but not new to it in the refrigeration, heating, air compressor and hydraulic end of things. Please, bear with me. Am always willing to learn something new.

Uncle Fred

BigPumper

You would get spray from the leftover fuel in the rail... That means if there is a leak, it is before the high pressure pumps. Possibly near or before the crank case mounted fuel pump. The high pressure pumps will pump air as a priority over fuel.... It will pressurize the fuel rail with air and when you press the valve it will blow air and fuel out.... unless it was a hard stream of fuel?

As far as the injectors go, if one fails the others will continue to work, however if the engine is running hard without fuel being delivered to a cylinder, you will burn that cylinder due to lack of lubrication.

I never said anything about an injector failing.. I meant you could back the boat down into a launch crank it and put a load on it to about 2500 rpm and remove the injector wire to see if there is a change in the sound of the motor. If there is a change in sound from removing a injector wire, that cylinder is firing. Is there is no change in sound when the injector wire is removed, that could indicate a failure in spark on that cylinder.

Id think your air injectors would go before anything else, as i have had to replace mine. It would only idle with bad air injectors. There are 2 sets of injectors on the optimax- red ones on top of the rail which are fuel injectors. On the underside of the rail there are black injectors which are the air injectors. The blue air injectors are the updated ones. You will also want to check the fuel rail for air pressure.. If there is no air pressure I dont think the engine will start at all.

Get a manual for the engine.

Uncle Fred

Thanx again Pumper. Will follow your suggestions including getting a manual. Suprized I don't have
one as I do for the vehicles, tractors, ATV and all powertools.
One more question: After it died and I kept turning it over I noticed the tach kept going around and around clockwise. Never noticed it before and it don't start quickly when cold. :^) Always something.

Fred

BigPumper

Charge your batteries. Opti will not run on a partially discharged battery. Also the battery must be 1000 marine cranking amps.

Uncle Fred

Yeah, how well I know it. 3 years ago the original died wayyy up in Maine at Moosehead
Lake. Best I could get was a NAPA 750. The Opti killed it before the season ran out.
Boat now has 3 Sears platinum 1150 CCA jobbers. 2 for the electric. Last year I spent 4-1/2 days at the Black River in NY for Salmon. Used the electric a lot and right up to leaving
it still had plenty of 'OOMPH' without any re-charging. Got 2 feeding the big F350's 7.3 diesel also. Again, thanx. Might look at the engine later today. Busy cutting firewood.

U.F.