Mercury Optimax "oil pump output" alarm

I bought A used boat last year that has a 2005 225 OPTi max that only had 240 hours on it. Midseason an alarm went off and I took it to the local mechanic. After they did a lot of research they decided to replace the oil pump because the "oil pump output" alarm went off. The factory and others said that they had never heard of this code before. It was a $1,500 repair.

I've probably put 5 hours on the motor since the repair. My boat went down in a tournament last week with the same issues. They hooked it up to the computer and it is still throwing the same code. They are now saying it could be the harness or the brain, possibly sensor related.

Have any of you heard of issues like this?

Check the float in the small oil tank on the motor. That float sticks, alarm goes off, and after a few minutes, you are in idle shut down mode.

Happened to me. 750 to repair, same motor.

They couldn't get the float to function, so replacement was only option.

I've got a 2004 OPTI and my alarm went off last year with the same approx. hours. Mine was the oil sensor in the tank on the motor. Had to replace the tank since the sensor was built into the tank on my year model.

Sounds similar. Do you know what code it kicked out?

This is it, happened to my Mercury Opti Max 250 last year. You can check for sure by unplugging the sensor on the small oil tank on the motor and jump a wire/ paper clip on the connector, start the motor and if the engine does not alarm, then there's your problem. Get it fixed as soon as possible.

Make sure its not the fuel separator... There is a drain screw on the bottom of each side that can drain off the water

I have a 2002 225 Opti Max with same problem a few years ago, replaced the oil tank with sensor on the motor. Replace it yourself for a lot less money. I'm sure you can find a go by on youtube.

I agree with most others who have commented. I recently had same issue and fixed with new motor mounted oil reservoir. I have a 150 Opti and it is a fairly simple repair. Reservoir cost me just under 150$.

I have the same issue. My opti max is a 2006 225. So while replacing the fuel position sensor I noticed the wire that connects to the oil sensor was unplugged. The person who I bought the boat from had taken a small piece of wire and jumped the connections as to bypass the sensor inside the oil tank on the motor. When I reconnected it my alarm starting going off. I bought a brand new sensor for the oil tank and when I hooked it up my alarm started going off. Put the jumper wire back in and it stopped. My question is, is this something that when installed the computer has to be reset to accept it or should it be as simple as plug and play?

two common problems on opti
engine mount oil tank float bad ---i replaced mine because it leaked like crazy-- ss valdez oil slick --150.00 and 1 hour work
they also go into safegaurd for temperature at high idle -not low idle--not on plane
this is also easy fix by placing restriction in coolant return line that goes to top of engine

I've got an update from the mechanic. The code was specific to the oil pump output and was relating to the oil pump. That's why he replaced it last year after running a jumper past the oil pump. He spent a few hours chasing the code yesterday and running tests and basically determined nothing was wrong.

He stepped back to think about it for a minute and realized that I have a deep cycle group 27 battery with 650 cold cranking amps as my cranking battery. There's a sticker on the battery compartment that states Opti's need a "non-deep cycle" battery with 1,000 cold cranking amps. His theory is that the voltage would get low and not charge very well when started. The low voltage is throwing "ghost codes". I've done more research and a lot of guys say that Opti's get weird and have electrical problems when they don't have the correct battery.

I'm hoping a $100 battery will solve my problem but I sure wish they would have discovered this BEFORE I dropped $1,500 on replacing the oil pump that may have been perfectly fine.

Go with the Deka battery 1000 plus CA.

so, if you run your electronics from your cranking battery, and its not deep cycle, wont it run down quicker. Or can you get a 1000 plus CA battery that is deep cycle?

I would look for a new mechanic.........

Yeah..what cranking amps are your trolling batteries? Maybe you can switch one out if they are bigger.you'd get a low voltage alarm at start up with too small of battery I'd think. one extra beep

Its your battery. I had same problem last month. A buddy told me it's the battery. Repair guy said I've never heard of getting an alarm due to battery. Guess what it's was the battery.