GotMyAlly
Well-Known Member
I'm curious to see how many people follow the recommendations to have the injectors cleaned and tested every few years. I suspect most just run good gas and additives and don't worry about it......
Optimax Injector cleaning
- Thread starter GotMyAlly
- Start date
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
I have my engine serviced each fall by Don Weed at European marine, Greenville, SC while the wife and I are at Hartwell for our 2 week vacation. This past trip Don recommended I have my fuel rails and injectors serviced over the winter during my down time. I had 260 Hours on the motor at that time and it's a 2012. He showed me how to remove the fuel rails/fuel lines and injectors while at his shop so I could do it over the winter and send them to him. They are in his hands right now.
I could ask him over on BBC Neal if you like at what point he feels or Merc recommends they be done?
And yes, I run Quickleen and Quickcare in each and every tank of fuel. I also buy ethanol free whenever possible. I only have ethonal gas in my tank for a very short period of time right before the rally in June and then I fill up there and SC in the fall.
I could ask him over on BBC Neal if you like at what point he feels or Merc recommends they be done?
And yes, I run Quickleen and Quickcare in each and every tank of fuel. I also buy ethanol free whenever possible. I only have ethonal gas in my tank for a very short period of time right before the rally in June and then I fill up there and SC in the fall.
GotMyAlly
Well-Known Member
Sure, I'd be interested in hearing all opinions.......
Better have your serial number ready 
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
Yeah, serial number required for help on a specific topic which I understand gives him the correct info rather than shooting from the hip on advice. I'll ask him as a general idea.
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
OK, posted, now the wait
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
Ok, so here is Don's answer:
"I recommend 3 Years or 300 Hours, whichever occurs FIRST.
Mercury has never actually released a specific interval. They also don't cover damage done by dirty injectors.
"
"I recommend 3 Years or 300 Hours, whichever occurs FIRST.
Mercury has never actually released a specific interval. They also don't cover damage done by dirty injectors.
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
I just voted...once every three years!! haha
GotMyAlly
Well-Known Member
Good to know. Mine's about 4 yrs old. Not sure on hours. Just hate to mess with something that's not broke, but it's probably time....
mxzx
Active Member
My 200xs is 10 years old but only has 34hrs on it (bought it with 15hrs in the fall). I think it would be crazy to have my injectors checked just because it's past 3 years.
Who cleans Optimax injectors beside European Marine?
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
I don't know Kdawg? I know Tony Brucato does 2.5 L.....I never did ask Lee at Sanderson's but you could ask him on BBC?
skewby
Active Member
glenn does 3 liters at reynolds racing and marine
GotMyAlly
Well-Known Member
Just for conversation sake, why do the injectors in your car never need to be pulled and serviced? Seems like they outlast the car.....
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
That's a very good question Neal and I've asked myself that about a lot of things about an outboard engine vs a car engine, not just injectors. Obviously this is just my opinion and observation but we drive our (4 stroke) cars on a daily basis. Average miles per year between 12 and 20 grand. We use ethanol fuel and hit the gas pumps at least once a week thus burning fuel continuously thru the engine which I'm told helps clean the engine.
I have 265 hours on a 2012 250XS so that's 4 years of use. I idle around graphing and on occasion get to open it up when the opportunity presents itself. We inject oil and fuel into the cylinders mixed with additives to help clean our engines. I don't drive my boat every day and sometimes it sits for a few weeks during the season and several months during the winter. I winterize my motor by fogging the internals and lubricating the compressor.
I know it's not a technical answer that gives any merit as to "why" but that's all I got!!
I have 265 hours on a 2012 250XS so that's 4 years of use. I idle around graphing and on occasion get to open it up when the opportunity presents itself. We inject oil and fuel into the cylinders mixed with additives to help clean our engines. I don't drive my boat every day and sometimes it sits for a few weeks during the season and several months during the winter. I winterize my motor by fogging the internals and lubricating the compressor.
I know it's not a technical answer that gives any merit as to "why" but that's all I got!!
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Craig, the Fuelinjectorman seems to go against a lot of what BBC says. Who is really the knowledgeable one?
Why run that cocktail of cleaners?
Q - Does onboard fuel injector cleaning work ?
A - No ! Onboard cleaning systems only flush solvents through the injector system.
This cannot remove the deposits like Ultrasonic cleaning, and it does not replace the filter.
The injectors are not spray pattern tested and flow tested this way.
Q - Can Fuel Injector Man calibrate my injectors ?
A - Fuel injectors can not be calibrated ! This is misleading information that some injector service
shops want you to believe they can do. Fuel injectors are manufactured to put out a specific
amount of fuel @ a set pressure. The injectors are tested at the factory to be within 3% of
each other, most are within 1%. Servicing them will bring them back to factory specs.
Why run that cocktail of cleaners?
Q - Does onboard fuel injector cleaning work ?
A - No ! Onboard cleaning systems only flush solvents through the injector system.
This cannot remove the deposits like Ultrasonic cleaning, and it does not replace the filter.
The injectors are not spray pattern tested and flow tested this way.
Q - Can Fuel Injector Man calibrate my injectors ?
A - Fuel injectors can not be calibrated ! This is misleading information that some injector service
shops want you to believe they can do. Fuel injectors are manufactured to put out a specific
amount of fuel @ a set pressure. The injectors are tested at the factory to be within 3% of
each other, most are within 1%. Servicing them will bring them back to factory specs.
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
Dave, I interpret that first Q & A as aimed at products stating they are injector cleaning products like those found at NAPA etc. Keeping injectors, and all other internals including the fuel rails, in an outboard as clean as possible til it's time to remove and have them thoroughly cleaned etc. like what that man does, is what I am assuming the products made by Merc ie Quickleen and Quickcare does. Is it all necessary, who knows, but I do know that if proven at the time of a tear down of a blown outboard (merc XS for example) and it was determined that the products Merc states to be used and it is not, I don't want to void my warranty.
We change our oil in our cars, right? Isn't that like XS owners, for example, using the Merc products I mentioned as a preventative and a cleaner like a fresh oil change? I'm told those 2 products help to eliminate the soot build up in the 3 liter engines. I know my prop hub is quite clean.
We change our oil in our cars, right? Isn't that like XS owners, for example, using the Merc products I mentioned as a preventative and a cleaner like a fresh oil change? I'm told those 2 products help to eliminate the soot build up in the 3 liter engines. I know my prop hub is quite clean.
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GotMyAlly
Well-Known Member
^I run quickleen in every tank, Quickkare if I'm not going to burn it immediately, and ethanol-free gas whenever feasible (about 50% of the time).
I would be just a curious to know what to look for in a failing compressor. Seems like this is the number one thing I read about failing on the 3.0 motors. Once they go out the whole fuel system has to be serviced or that's what I have been told.
Allyfishing
Well-Known Member
That's a good question Kdawg. i've read about compressor failures a few times on the 3 liter forum on BBC and like you said the entire fuel system has to be serviced. It's in the sticky at the top if that page about maintenance and adding a few drops of oil in the compressor intake for lubrication and rust prohibiting for long down times.