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Muskie Fishing -> Muskie Boats and Motors -> optimax wont start.. need help
 
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Message Subject: optimax wont start.. need help
Dre322
Posted 12/24/2007 9:40 AM (#290379)
Subject: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 117


Hey guys,
Trying to get my 135 Merc optimax motor started. have not ran it in 2 months. I put the water muffs on the intake and tried to start. no dice. Batteries looked low so did a good charge overnight. Next day the charger was in the green and tried to start and still no dice..
Pulled the cowl and the belt guard from top. gave a listen..
Now bear with me guys, i aint a motor mechanic but i am a compressor mechanic so bear with the termonoligy here.
squeezed prime bulb and feels firm, when i turn the key to the first position i get all 4 lights lit up with the beep and then they go out (this is normal). I also hear a whining sound for appox 2 seconds. (i think thats normal) I turn the key to start position and i hear a click and i see what looks like a vertically mounted hydraulic cylinder with a small brass gear spin i still hear a ticking sound but motor wont start. and there are no alarm codes duiring the start.
I had someone else operate the key while i was listening and tapping. The initial tick i hear is coming from what looks like a coil maybe a solenoid valve, brown in color its a hard tick so i figure its working. all 4, 20amp fuses look good. no loose connections were found.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
H2O
Posted 12/24/2007 9:59 AM (#290384 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: RE: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 63


Location: Maribel WI
"i see what looks like a vertically mounted hydraulic cylinder with a small brass gear spin"

Im no expert, but sounds like the starter engaging but not turning the motor over. Either Battery bad (or battery connections), starter bad, or motor siezed. If the motor ran fine when you put it away I doubt its the motor.
Dre322
Posted 12/24/2007 10:12 AM (#290386 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: RE: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 117


the brass gear does spin but is not engaged to the flywheel. i think a piston has to engage that brass piece to move it up to the flywheel... again "I think". I dont think its the motor seized or anything like that
TJ DeVoe
Posted 12/24/2007 10:27 AM (#290389 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: Re: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 2323


Location: Stevens Point, WI
Two simple questions to start with. These may sound very stupid, but after working with people and renting boats all last summer, this problem sounds like one of two things.

1). Do you have the boat in neutral? The boat won't turn over if it's not in neutral.

2). Is your safety switch(also known as a kill switch to some) hooked up? This may sound stupid, but I can't tell you how many service calls I made due to this problem. If the motor is turning over, and it ran when you put it away, I bet this could be your problem!
H2O
Posted 12/24/2007 10:35 AM (#290392 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: RE: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 63


Location: Maribel WI
If the gear is spinning and not engaged its the starter. That gear needs to pop up to turn the flywheel.
Dre322
Posted 12/24/2007 10:41 AM (#290395 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: Re: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 117


Merckid-it is in neutral Safety lanyard switch is engaged

H2O_ thats what i think too but it aint popping up to engage the flywheel

still at a loss here
hodaghawg
Posted 12/24/2007 1:59 PM (#290415 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: Re: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 202


Location: Rhinelander
so help me along here, the motor is not turning over when you try. By this I mean it never gets to the point where it is cranking over and trying to start the engine?
Dre322
Posted 12/24/2007 2:54 PM (#290418 - in reply to #290415)
Subject: Re: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 117


hodaghawg - 12/24/2007 1:59 PM

so help me along here, the motor is not turning over when you try. By this I mean it never gets to the point where it is cranking over and trying to start the engine?



That is correct... no strarting noise like the motor is trying to start.
TJ DeVoe
Posted 12/24/2007 3:10 PM (#290421 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: RE: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 2323


Location: Stevens Point, WI
Ok, you have checked and double checked your connections to you battery? Also, I imagine you have other accessories hooked up to your battery. Do you have your motor connection on the battery terminal posts first? Make sure your motor connections are on the battery first.
sworrall
Posted 12/24/2007 3:35 PM (#290423 - in reply to #290421)
Subject: RE: optimax wont start.. need help





Posts: 32935


Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Not enough juice, it sounds like to me. Had that on a 200 last year; the battery was bad.
Guest
Posted 12/24/2007 8:02 PM (#290434 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: RE: optimax wont start.. need help


You have to have a full charged 1100 CCA battery to get an Opti to start properly . I would try another battery, then I would check that gear and see what is keeping it from popping up and engaging the flywheel. If that doesn't work, next question I have, is it possible your motor is frozen? Did you drain ALL of the water before you put her away last time?
jonnysled
Posted 12/24/2007 8:09 PM (#290435 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: Re: optimax wont start.. need help





Posts: 13688


Location: minocqua, wi.
same thing happened to bigmo's motor this summer ... on his it was the battery
muskyone
Posted 12/25/2007 8:18 AM (#290471 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: RE: optimax wont start.. need help





Posts: 1536


Location: God's Country......USA..... Western Wisconsin
Sounds to me like the starter drive, "bendix" is not engaging. Could possibly be a battery issue but more than likely is a lubrication problem. Put a little grease on that shaft with the gear on it and see what happens. Pretty common issue with the Optis that the starter drive shaft is dry and the starter gear does not get all the way up to the ring gear on the fly wheel. Just lube that shaft up first and try it.
Guest
Posted 12/25/2007 8:43 AM (#290474 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: RE: optimax wont start.. need help


thanks guys merry christmas... ill give this a try and see what hapens. thanks for all your attempts to solve this one.
Troyz.
Posted 12/26/2007 9:21 AM (#290563 - in reply to #290474)
Subject: RE: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 734


Location: Watertown, MN
I would guess your battery is done, had this happen on the big motor this summer. One way to check to see if the motor is siezed, use your pull chord to see if the motor turns over. I pulled started the 225 HO this summer when my battery went dead. Also were is you boat stored, this could be part of your starter problem if it has been stored outside in the cold.

Troyz
Dre322
Posted 12/26/2007 8:51 PM (#290640 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: Re: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 117


thanks for the insite guys... i think this is a bad battery issue. Thanks to all and have a happy new year!
TJ DeVoe
Posted 12/26/2007 9:41 PM (#290650 - in reply to #290640)
Subject: Re: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 2323


Location: Stevens Point, WI
Keep us up to date with what you find out. I would be curious to know if it really is a battery issue.
Dre322
Posted 12/27/2007 4:45 PM (#290741 - in reply to #290379)
Subject: Re: optimax wont start.. need help




Posts: 117


it was a bettery issue... replaced it today and it turned over well. bought a Duramax starting battery at auto zone. it hold for now.
Thanks again guys!
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