HELP WRENCH

[TRRANGER]

Wrench, I am aware of your distaste for the "Black" motors but you have always been truthful and knowledgeable on such matters. I have a Ranger360V with an 87 Merc 175 that i have had for over 18 years and always run Quicksilver Oil in it through the oil system on the motor and tank in the bottom of boat. I have run 91 Premium Ethanol free fuel in this boat and never had problems. I am now the Proud owner of my 2nd Ranger Boat 2009 Z520 with an Optimax 250 that has 150 hours on the motor. This boat is equipped with a remote fill for the oil tank on the right rear corner close to the splash well to fill the tank in the bottom of the boat and fuel tank fills on the left side by passenger seat. for both tanks and a switch by the driver seat  for switching fuel tanks. This is where my question comes in ( sorry for the long winded story )    What oil do I need for this Mercury motor and what fuel should I be running, I am hearing so many different things, IE no 91 octane it will blow up and run hot, run this oil, run that oil I do not have a good source for trustworthy information and I TRUST you because you are willing to help people for free even though you get a lot of crap on here. Thank you Wrench    

RANGER.pdf

[nomolites]

If an Opti you likely need to run the Opti DFI oil.  Mine sips the stuff, a tank lasts quite a while.

Mike

[fishinwrench]

This is your recommended oil. 

 

As for fuel....

Regular 87% octane....as FRESH as you can get it.   Try to keep it less than 3 months old. 

[Flysmallie]

7 hours ago, TRRANGER said:

even though you get a lot of crap on here

All that is in love!

He's a good guy, just don't tell him I said that. 

[fishinwrench]

2 hours ago, Flysmallie said:

All that is in love!

 

Awe !!  🥰

[TRRANGER]

21 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

This is your recommended oil. 

 

As for fuel....

Regular 87% octane....as FRESH as you can get it.   Try to keep it less than 3 months old. 

Are they any additives that i should use 

Stabil  

Ethanol treatment 

[fishinwrench]

26 minutes ago, TRRANGER said:

Are they any additives that i should use 

Stabil  

Ethanol treatment 

 

Personally I don't like any additives, and I'll tell ya why.....

When tuning a carbureted engine where idle mixtures are adjusted, and there are additives in the fuel, it always takes 3/4 turn (or more) to make any difference.   But I can hook up a remote tank with fresh fuel.....and suddenly 1/4 turn (or less) makes a difference.    What does THAT tell you ?  

IMO the best recipe to feed your outboard is FRESH fuel. Nothing else. 

Plus, I've torn down hundreds of motors, including plenty where the owners used additives religiously, and there's never been a nickels worth of difference in the amount of carbon buildup, ect.  

[TRRANGER]

37 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

 

Personally I don't like any additives, and I'll tell ya why.....

When tuning a carbureted engine where idle mixtures are adjusted, and there are additives in the fuel, it always takes 3/4 turn (or more) to make any difference.   But I can hook up a remote tank with fresh fuel.....and suddenly 1/4 turn (or less) makes a difference.    What does THAT tell you ?  

IMO the best recipe to feed your outboard is FRESH fuel. Nothing else. 

Plus, I've torn down hundreds of motors, including plenty where the owners used additives religiously, and there's never been a nickels worth of difference in the amount of carbon buildup, ect.  

Thank you sir,  that's been my findings as well.  Appreciate all the great knowledge you give out for free.  

[fishinwrench]

The Achilles heel of the Optimax is the air compressor.  And it isn't a matter of whether it will fail or not ... It's a matter of when.  

And when it does..... it's a matter of how much shrapnel it deposits into the lines, and intake system. 

Sometimes you can just replace the compressor, tracker valve, and clean out the rails, and you're good to go for awhile.   Other times you can do all that and STILL blow the powerhead within 10-15 hours of a compressor failure.  

 

Never EVER buy an Optimax that just recently had a compressor replaced !!!!    Unless you are getting it at a drastically reduced price.