# Which motor is more fuel efficient?



## aquasport24 (Sep 6, 2011)

I am looking at 2 motors and trying to decide which 1 to buy for my 24ft aquasport. Which motor would get better fuel milage?

1st motor: 2002 Mercury Optimax 225 saltwater series

2nd motor: 2000 Yamaha ox66 250 EFI saltwater series.


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## JoshH (Sep 28, 2007)

if its actually an opti max and not a saltwater series, the optimax would get better mpg by a little bit. i would worry more about the hours on the motor and the condition its in. ox66s are great motors and would take the reliability game. see which you can get a better deal on..


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

Agree with above. Optis are known to be quite efficient moreso than the OX66 but the OX66 isn't bad if you keep it under 4500rpm. Reliability goes to Yamaha hands down IMO.


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## aquasport24 (Sep 6, 2011)

Both motors are the same price and come with all controls.. I usually drive the boat at around 4000-4200rpms now. I currently have a 200 on it. What is typically the fuel burn on those 2 motors? mpg or gallons per hour?


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## inshorecatch (Oct 1, 2007)

I would go with the yamaha


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## Comfortably Numb (Oct 1, 2007)

The ox66 was one of the better ones made. I would always take reliability over fuel milage. Fuel is cheap compared to major repair bills at $100 hour.


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

aquasport24 said:


> Both motors are the same price and come with all controls.. I usually drive the boat at around 4000-4200rpms now. I currently have a 200 on it. What is typically the fuel burn on those 2 motors? mpg or gallons per hour?


I had a 225 Yamaha OX66 (same block) on a 21 Cape Horn. It would spin up to 5500rpm wide open lite and trimmed out. At 4000 it burned about 11GPH at 4500 is was about 13.5GPH. I have no personal experience with the Opti but a guess would be to shave about 1 GPH off those numbers. The OX will also burn 1-1.5GPH at idle which is going to be more than the Opti. If it were me I would take the Yamaha, but that is also what I am most familiar with.


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## aquasport24 (Sep 6, 2011)

What speeds did you see with the 225 yamaha on your cape horn?


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

Pretty much take what the tach says and knock off 9 or 10. 4000rpm was about 30-31mph. 4500 was 35-36mph and 5500 was 45mph. Good weather, I would spend most of my time around 4200-4300 and 33mph. If I was in a hurry then I would run 4500rpm and 35-36mph. All my numbers are digital tach and GPS. I ran a 17 pitch prop.


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## aquasport24 (Sep 6, 2011)

how heavy was your cape horn?


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

Never weighed it. It was the biggest 21 footer I have been on though.


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## bayougrande (Oct 4, 2007)

hands down...yamaha :thumbsup:....that merc. is known as OPTI-POP! 
(aka powerhead)


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## mitch mako 21 (May 30, 2009)

I always heard the Optis were better than the OX66 on fuel. That being said, I own a 2001 225 OX66.


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## bayougrande (Oct 4, 2007)

Ya their better on fuel alright.....lean................................pop!...


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## jhall (Oct 8, 2007)

I've owned both. First had an optimax and then went to a yamaha vmax which was an ox66. Then went to a fourstroke and loved it but the weight and perfomance wasnt the same as the 2 stroke. Now I'm back to another vmax. Wont ever go back to the optimax. Ever. I'd rather burn an extra gallon here and there then to spend all that money at the shop and get to fish a 1/4 of the time cause the damn thing is in the shop all the time. Just my opinion.
PS. all these motors werent all on the same boat.


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