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CaptinAcademy · Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 1:20 pm Post subject: Boat engine alarm issues

If anyone has any experience here, would be helpful.
A couple of months ago I started getting an intermittent engine alarm on my 2003 Seafox with a 2003 Merc SW 150.
I changed water pump and thermostats due to the right head being hot to the touch.

The alarm only goes off when I hit a "bump".
Started occasional, but now unless I'm running down wave, it does it with every small wave.

Oil pump confirmed working, engine not hot and is peeing just fine.

I've been assuming a loose connection somewhere, question is where.

Question I came up with looking through the engine manual is, apparently there is a low fuel alarm as well.
I know my fuel gauge is not very reliable...
Is it "possible" the fuel sending unit could be sending this alarm that might be triggered by hitting now even small waves?

It does not sounds like an actual, real alarm condition, just a "beep"

I've had Gunvordahl look at it but it's getting expensive shotgunning things...

Other option I suppose is to completely re-wire the dash as this seems to have started somewhere around the last time I pulled the dash plate off to fix the live-well switch?

Gunvordahl also said the key switch is what controls the little alarm horn wired directly to it.

The boat and engine are functional, I just want an alarm that works when it's supposed to and not just basically an annoyance that I ignore.

Could get me in trouble later on...

Thanks in advance for help narrowing it down.

Steve
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Steve-O
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My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it. ~Koos Brandt

BayFly · Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 5:07 pm Post subject:

Captin, I think you are trending the right direction by going back over what you had done about the time it first started. I've learned the hard way to always go back over what procedures I last did when a problem shows up. My analysis is:roll: a loose connection somewhere, and probably where you had worked on the wiring under the console. Good luck and be patient!

Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3967

captin, you might also have some water jackets and passage ways in your right head clogged with something or just plain old saltwater corrosion that eventually eats everything....

you could use one of those little cameras and look in your thermostat and see what it looks like, or risk taking a water jacket off that side and see how gummed up it is....you could try using something like SaltTerminator, or I occasionally use muriatic acid through a flush cycle....

you can check your thermo stat on the stove in a pan of water and see if it's opening at the correct temperature as well...

good luck
becky
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speckled.trout · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 30 Aug 2012 Posts: 1190

This might help. If it's not one of these....you have a short.

https://www.perfprotech.com/blog/marine-outboard-motors/mercury-marine-smartcraft-and-guardian-system-warning-horn-alarms

ST

CaptinAcademy · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 6:08 pm Post subject:

CaptinAcademy · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2022 4:16 pm Post subject:

Update on my issue (sorry so long, trying to sort this out):
I've gotten to the point where I've been able to figure out more of my problem here. I've finally got it to fail on the trailer in storage and not on the water so much easier to figure out.
It is now sending a consistent, single beep every second or so.
I've proved that it is the float switch in the upper oil tank setting off the alarm by disconnecting it and the beep went away.
Removing the cap/float switch assembly and turning it upside down puts the switch in the correct position and also shuts off the alarm.
The upper oil tank is in fact only about half full, which correctly is setting off the alarm.
The lower tank was low so put another gallon in it to make sure that's not the issue.
oil pickup in the tank doesn't look gunked up or anything.

So I think this leaves me with either a failing but not dead yet oil pump, air getting into the hoses somewhere or the lower tank isn't sealing correctly preventing it from being pressurized.

My questions for S.T. and other with experience with this type of problems are:
-Is there any way to test an oil pump?
-How do you guys open and close those caps on the lower oil tanks? They are always a bear to get open and to get closed back up tightly enough to not leak. I had to get a pipe wrench on the cap with the oil lines to get it to break free.
-How can you test the lower oil tank to be sure it's sealing up properly?

Really hope it's not the oil pump as that part looks to be ~$375.00 and where it's located, I don't think I'll be able to change it myself...

Of course I still have the option to disconnect all the oil pump stuff and just mix fuel/oil in the tank, but not sure how to safely do that and disable the associated alarm components.

Thanks in advance for any experience or advice here.

Steve
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Steve-O
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My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it. ~Koos Brandt

Southeast Of Disorder · Horse Mullet Joined: 31 Oct 2019 Posts: 241

I was loaded up the other day, and decided to hook up water and start real quick before i hit the ramp.

Then here comes the BEEP - BEEP - BEEP, Dang to it to Chris at Gulf Coast Marine and found out it was the balancer going out.
They had it replaced in a week.

Engine is a Yamaha 4-stroke with 172 hours on it.

Rxfire · Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:16 am Post subject:

What horsepower Yamaha? And year?
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"In your guts you know he's nuts"

speckled.trout · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 30 Aug 2012 Posts: 1190

speckled.trout · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 30 Aug 2012 Posts: 1190

Hey CA have you watched this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waX1WimhCtU
seems to be pretty good for problems to look for type video. I'm not a Merc. person so I can tell you I don't know a lot about them.

ST

CaptinAcademy · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2022 5:30 pm Post subject:

CaptinAcademy · Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2022 10:23 am Post subject:

Thanks ST,
From watching that I have a little better understanding of how the system is "supposed" to work.
Since my "main tank" on top of the motor is not filling all the way, the easiest and least expensive place to start is the O-rings on the oil caps.
I've noticed that they are very hard to get on and off, so possible the O-rings are largely gone...

Again, appreciate it.

Steve
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Steve-O
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My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it. ~Koos Brandt

Hoggeman · Posted: Sun May 01, 2022 12:08 pm Post subject:

replace your thermostats
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Fin in the wind

speckled.trout · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 30 Aug 2012 Posts: 1190

Well CA, have you been able to determine the problem and repair it?

ST

CaptinAcademy · Posted: Wed May 04, 2022 5:28 pm Post subject:

Had to go out of town for the Mom's Bday and Mother's Day, gonna go get tank O-rings tomorrow.
I'll post up if I have any updates
Thanks for asking!
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Steve-O
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My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it. ~Koos Brandt