I am voting for "NO" you won't regret it. All the 150HP owners I have spoken to at the ramps love it.
Hi All,
I have ordered a 150hp Merc 4 stroke moving from an 135 Optimax. Looked at many engines but decided this choice was best from my boat as weight was important and this was lighter than most others. Has anybody made a similar decision and if so are you regretting it.
Too late now to change now but interested if anybody has made a similar decision or comments on other owners of these engines.
Brett
I am voting for "NO" you won't regret it. All the 150HP owners I have spoken to at the ramps love it.
Why do you think you will regret it?
From a power perspective and economy nothing wrong with the opti so not expecting much of a change. I hear the 4 stroke is only on par with the opti in economy. One thing I will not regret is another snapped alternator bolt on the opti which happened twice. My engine was 19 years old so time for a change just seems most dealers are pushing the 4 stroke
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Don't believe everything you read about 4 stroke power, you will not be disappointed, and might even be pleasantly surprised.
You will love it.
you will find the torque, hole shot. top end. fuel economy will all improve. some a lot.. some a little, though it will also be a crazy amount quieter.
good choice
I hope you are right I will you know in 10 weeks
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Thanks I now hope to be able to talk on the radio whilst on the move. The opti was a little too noisy but otherwise served me well
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Had an Opti 150 on my Cruise Craft 550 Outsider now a 150 Mercury Four Stroke on my 565L Haines Hunter. You will notice slower get up and go, fuel economy much the same. Four Strokes definitely quieter, Four Strokes heavier, propeller pitch size 2" smaller on Four Stroke, WOT on Four 5,500, no fumes, running about two hundred revs higher than Opti at cruising speed about 26 knots 4,000 revs but happy with the Four Stroke. Did have a problem with TPI sensor with the Four causing it to surge and sort of missing but once they replaced the TPI all good. I've done about 160 hours. My two bobs worth..
Duck
Thanks Duck appreciate this. My thoughts prior to trading in the Opti were similar. I loved the get up and go of the 2 stroke, hated the noise and being an older version just starting to loose a little confidence being 30km out offshore. The Opti had its gremlins in the end so time to move on.
Brett
Good decision. Had similar problems with the Opti, both Throttle Position Indicators sensors, had the same problem twice, then they dont miss you when servicing the motor. Didn't have a problem with the bolts but have others who have. What sort of a boat is the motor going on?
Haines Signature 550C (220Kg weight limit) Had the Throttle sensors issues happen on me too. Had a little annoying habit that it would occasionally idle up for no reason. Did it to me one day whilst driving the boat on the trailer not too impressed. It came and went and Mercury could never find out why. Brett
Make sure you get the motor propped right. Reckon a 17" pitch Enertia would be a good starting point. Had a 18" prop but could only get 5,200 WOT but the 17 " much better 5,400/5,500 and much better hole shot. Made the boat whole lot better.
I recently changed the motor on my sig 543rf from a zuk 140 to the Merc 150 four. I have also had a 135 opti the past on a different boat. Agree with all the comments above, the four is a lot quieter than the opti ( although I did love that v6 howl ), fuel economy very similar, mid-range torque of the four is actually quite surprising. Don’t miss the 2stroke smell of the DI oil in the opti. The four is not a lot heavier than the opti ( 192 v 211kg in xl I think ).
I run a 18” enertia, revs out to 5500/40kts. Slow cruise 24kts/20 l/h( approx 3500rpm) , fast cruise 32kts/33 l/h ( 4300rpm). Has transformed the boat love the motor.
Note: make sure you get the flow-torqueIII shock absorbing hub otherwise you get an annoying prop rattle at idle in-gear.
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