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  Change 150-HP Mercury EFI to OptiMax or Verado

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Author Topic:   Change 150-HP Mercury EFI to OptiMax or Verado
tillerwiller posted 12-14-2005 10:40 AM ET (US)   Profile for tillerwiller   Send Email to tillerwiller  
I have twin 150-HP Mercury two-stroke EFI Saltwater motors on my 2000 23 Outrage. It was hurt in the hurricane and I am thinking of re-powering with OptiMax or Verado. I am most concerned about fuel consumption, then performance, then noise.

Will I see a substantial DECREASE in fuel consumption jumping to one of these motors?

I read other threads of OptiMax vs Verado and think I know the answer to which one of these to choose, especially with $10,000 difference in price with rigging.

Thanks

Buckda posted 12-14-2005 10:51 AM ET (US)     Profile for Buckda  Send Email to Buckda     
My understanding is that the EFI's you have are excellent motors. That said, I think that you will see an INCREASE in FUEL ECONOMY with the OptiMax or the VERADO. With VERADO, you will also benefit from a significant reduction in noise levels; however you will have to deal with additional weight, which may not be a problem with your hull.

My personal choice if I were you would be to go with the OptiMax, with the DTS/Smartcraft instrumentation and controls upgrade. If possible, I'd use the money that would be tied up in a VERADO to increase to 175 HP or even 200 HP engines.

TRAFFICLAWYER posted 12-14-2005 01:01 PM ET (US)     Profile for TRAFFICLAWYER    
You should strongly consider a pair of 150 Yamaha 4 strokers. These motors are bullet-proof, fuel efficient and probably easier to install than Verados. Use same mount hole configuration, guages and controls.
Peter posted 12-14-2005 01:14 PM ET (US)     Profile for Peter  Send Email to Peter     
Check with Whaler on whether the 2000 23 Outrage can handle the weight of twin Verados. My recollection is someone reported here recently that Whaler advised that twin 4 cylinder Verados were too heavy for the 23 Conquest.
bsmotril posted 12-14-2005 04:29 PM ET (US)     Profile for bsmotril  Send Email to bsmotril     
I'd be concerned about static trim on the Conquest 23 with Verados. The Conquest already sat a bit stern heavy with Twin Opti 150/135s, and it had that cabin in front to offset the weight of the motors in the back. I think Verados would be pushing it. The Optis would perform excellent on that hull, right around 50 mph and a slow plane of around 3500 rpm and 25 mph. BillS
prm1177 posted 12-14-2005 05:28 PM ET (US)     Profile for prm1177  Send Email to prm1177     
Bill's right. I bought his 23 CONQUEST. When I contacted the Boston Whaler boat company about the suitability of the small block Verados (135-150), they expressed concern that the hull might porpoise with that much weight on the stern.
jimh posted 12-14-2005 08:26 PM ET (US)     Profile for jimh  Send Email to jimh     
Changing to either a four-stroke or a direct-injection two-stroke motor from a conventional two-stroke motor with throttle-body fuel injection should produce an improvement in fuel economy of at least 30-percent less consumption.

I do not anticipate there would be a big change in the performance with either the OptiMax or the Verado, nor will either be a big leap from the current engines.

I expect the Verado engines would operate at lower noise levels compared to either your current engines or OptiMax engines.

sosmerc posted 12-14-2005 08:41 PM ET (US)     Profile for sosmerc  Send Email to sosmerc     
Just some thoughts....
The Verado will make for a cleaner installation in that you will not need (2) 3 gallon oil tanks in your boat or the hoses that attach them to the engines. Also, you will not have 4 control cables to route. Assuming you currently have hydraulic steering...it should be adaptable to the Verado without much difficulty. The 4 cylinder Verado does not require a pump assembly in the boat like the 6 cylinder Verado. There is also potential for simplifying your dash layout in that (2) System Monitors could give you just about all the engine data you need. (even they are not required) No gauges are required for that matter, but most of us want to at least monitor RPM. Will would be required to change over to a DTS control if going the Verado route....but it's a slick operating control and after using it, you'll wonder how we ever tolerated the sometimes stiff and jerky controls and cables of the past.
I have been a 2 stroke fan all my working career as a Merc technician (over 25 years) yet, if it were me and I could afford it....Verado would be my choice in your application.
It's only money.
sosmerc posted 12-14-2005 08:43 PM ET (US)     Profile for sosmerc  Send Email to sosmerc     
P.S.....almost forgot to answer your main concern....yes, you will be able to run on regular fuel without fear, and you fuel bill will be much lower due to the superior fuel consumption of these new engines at low speed and mid-range. At wide open throttle, the Verado does have a hefty appetite!
LHG posted 12-14-2005 08:51 PM ET (US)     Profile for LHG    
If the boat will handle it, I would go Verado, a whole new generation of high tech engine. The Optimax technology is 8 years old, and built on an engine block that is basically 30 years old. There are questions as to how much longer Mercury needs to keep it around. See the link on CW to the Verado production facility, headline thread. That alone should sell you.

My dealer has quoted the 150 Verado at only $500 more than a 150 Opti, even to my surprise. You will only need the DTS dual control, two little Smartcraft square gauges to receive all of the data and fault messages, and a new ignition/data cables. Your existing analog gauges can still be used. Nor do you need a steering upgrade, as the Teleflex hydraulic will work. The engine control provides automatic engine synchronization, trolling speed, etc. Engine weight difference is 75# per engine. Have a 150# person stand on the transom of your boat, and see how the extra weight affects trim.

How cool would these look on your Whaler? Nothing else out there that even comes close, IN MY OPINION.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v429/lgoltz/Verados/?action=view& current=7269006-R1-048-22A.jpg .

If you want to get away from Mercury, as mentioned the 4-stroke Yamaha 150's are excellent, and the Suzuki's are starting to get some attention also

sosmerc posted 12-14-2005 09:16 PM ET (US)     Profile for sosmerc  Send Email to sosmerc     
The first time I ever got a look at the Verado...well, I thought they were butt ugly. Looked like a "giant shrimp"......but ya know....they sort of grow on ya....I think they look pretty cool now!
tombro posted 12-15-2005 07:57 AM ET (US)     Profile for tombro  Send Email to tombro     
I think Larry makes the best point regarding the extra weight. If your Outrage passes the person-on-the-transom test, the Verado swap is a slam-dunk, IMO. Love my 225 Verado/Ventura combo!
Backlash posted 12-16-2005 08:21 AM ET (US)     Profile for Backlash  Send Email to Backlash     
A good friend of mine recently re-powered with a 150 HP OptiMax and I was surprised (actually shocked) at how noisey it was at cruising speeds and WOT. LHG's twin 200 HP EFI's are much quieter.

I too think the Verados are a better choice than the OptiMax if the additional weight is not an issue.

Peter posted 12-16-2005 08:37 AM ET (US)     Profile for Peter  Send Email to Peter     
For the weight and cost of the 150 Verados, one could over power like Larry does by going with a pair of 200 Optimaxes and run them slower. At least five benefits come from that: (1) they would be quieter than the 150 Optimaxes, (2) there would be more reserve power, (3) they would, in theory, last longer, (4) fuel economy at the maximum speed that the 150 Verados could achieve would be better and (5) many more places to have an Optimax serviced than a Verado. Down side is minimum trolling speed would be faster due to the use of higher pitch propellers.
sosmerc posted 12-16-2005 11:15 AM ET (US)     Profile for sosmerc  Send Email to sosmerc     
Peter...you forgot to mention that the 3.0 litre Optimax has an option for DTS just like the Verado.
From my experience, the 3.0 litre Optimax has a more pleasant tone to it than the 2.5 litre models.
But if one were to take a blindfolded test in similar boats with Optimax vs. Verado....I'm betting the vast majority of folks would pick the Verado for its uncanny smoothness and quietness at low speed and mid-range.
Whalerific posted 12-16-2005 12:59 PM ET (US)     Profile for Whalerific  Send Email to Whalerific     
I thought the weight difference between Verado 150 and OptiMax 150 is closer to 100 lbs. per motor. OptiMax 150s in the 3000-3400 range are particularly obnoxiously loud.
Peter posted 12-16-2005 01:05 PM ET (US)     Profile for Peter  Send Email to Peter     
I didn't know you could get DTS on the 200 Optimax. I thought it was only on the 225.
linust posted 12-16-2005 01:24 PM ET (US)     Profile for linust  Send Email to linust     
The Verado is an L6 (inline). This configuration is known to be one of the most pleasing, harmonically, of internal combustion engines. BMW and Mercedes used it for years--just not efficient for packaging. How does the L4 Verado (135-150-175) compare? Four cylinder 4-stroke engines are known to get buzzy at high rpms (thus the Mitsubishi balance shaft technology)

FWIW, I find the 225 Opti much quieter than the 220 EFI. Of course, you're also talking about 10+ years difference in cowling design (clamshell in '88 vs heavy one-piece in '02).

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