2000 optimax 200hp ran out of fuel and will not start now

[Tall]

Help-no water flowing, I let it run out of fuel and having priming problems now trying to get water to flow.

I have a 2000 opitmax 200 HP. Problem #1 when I started it after setting since early last summer, it did not flow water using muffs. I have used them for a couple years without a problem. A couple poster on the ~ BassFishin.Com site under the boat forum stated they were told you had to use a rubber stopper on the low intake. I purchased this from a State Trooper a couple years ago and did not get a manual for the motor.

I had a new water pump installed in the spring of last year and used it three days on Lake Ouachita and it ran fine then. It has set since. I flushed it out with a hose and water ran out everywhere including the pee hole, but problem #2 cropped up when I guess I let it run out of gas before I could see if flushing it out worked. The gas gauge is not the best. I did a lot of research and have read to turn the key on 3 seconds and then off and pump the bulb. I have done that 15 times or more and I finially have the hose staying hard but it will try to start and die immediately, over and over. I read where I can turn the key on and put it in gear 3 times and that will keep the fuel pump running. (I did see where I poster stated you are putting it in the break in mode when you do that) and it will use twice as much oil till X amount of hours is on the motor. I don't use it all that much so maybe the extra oil would be good for it.

Have I missed something to bleed to get air out? I took the hose loose after the bulb and that is when it primed.

I guess I need to purchase a manual for the motor. I have found so many things that have gone wrong with optimax owners searching the net, but most are simple fixes (expensive) but many have got angry when they take it in and the mechanic does not know what it is if it does not have a code (for an inexperienced mechanic). I have saved several of the hard to find poblems (for some). I do see where I need to let it warm up to 120* ( I have now read a service advisor to change out the thermostat to 130*) before hitting it hard so some thinks, but I dont have smart guages that has a read out. Some thinks that may have caused several power heads to blow on some of their buddies motor by not letting it warm up.

I have a 2000 Ranger 488VS. How much are the smart gauges that reads everything out? I just have the standard warning Beep.

I guess first things first is to get it running. Money does not grow as on a tree on a firefighter salary.

Thanks for any replies on here.

[boats.net]

Check to see if have water in fuel, if do drain filters and fuel vapor tank. See if can hear fuel pump running when first turn key on, if not may need a new fuel pump.

[Tall]

Yes, the fuel pump comes on when the key is turned on. I even put it in break in mode and let the fuel pump run for a minute or longer trying to get air out if that is the problem, but same thing. It tries to start and then dies immediatly. I advanced the throttle and keep it choked but same thing. I took it to the shop this afternoon. I give up.

[Tall]

It was just the vapor seperator tank (VSP) vlave that was stopped up causing it not to start. When I flushed the system good, water flowed fine.

[PEACE OUT]

I realize this is late in response but I just joined this forum site.

If the vapor separator valve gets clogged, then you probably have bad gas. If you haven't ran it in awhile, it is advisable to have the fuel tank drained and cleaned out. This new ethanol fuel is a lot worse than people think on fuel tanks when it sits for awhile. I'd also recommend an external fuel filter like the RaCOR type that has a see-thru bowl beneath it so you can see the bad stuff AND DRAIN IT before it hits the internals of your motor. And the replacement filters for the RaCOR are a lot cheaper than the internal fuel filters for an Optimax.

The SmartCraft gauge is roughly $500 and that might be the best money I've spent on the boat. It has a read-out for any and all alarms, all your motor's vitals, and my favorite is that it tells me how much fuel I've burned. My old fuel gauge was like a windshield washer in a rain storm...back & forth, back & forth...never knew how much fuel I had.