omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

Lavachild

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Jun 30, 2004
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motor is a 99' johnson V4 90hp. i have a warning buzzer that lasts 10 seconds and then stops but check engine light remains on. I have tried disconnecting the two tan wires going into the motor in between the plugs and also the vro harness and the alarm still sounds when key is turned. it IS peeing fine and getting oil. my system check has the low oil and no oil lights that come from the vro and tank so it is not related i do not think. it seems to run fine so I do not think a fuel restriction and pumping the bulb while running does not make the horn stop.<br /><br />my questions are: if I disconnect the tan wire at the horn and it still sounds it is likely a horn but will the check engine light still come on???<br /><br />if it was heat related wouldnt disconnecting the temp sensors make the alarm stop or am I doing it wrong???<br /><br />is there a fuel restriction sensor of some sort anywhere in the motor?<br /><br />what else should I try since my local dealer seems to want to rip me off???<br /><br /><br />also--- doesnt the overheat horn stay on all the time??? mine shuts off after 10 seconds.<br /><br />also--- it waits a few minutes when cold to trigger but then everytime I start engine it does it but when I let the engine cool down it will wait a few minutes....is it overheating???
 

DHPMARINE

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

Lavachid ... some more info is needed about your motor.If it is a Ficht,change the water/fuel filter under the cowl.<br /><br />I do wonder where you bought the boat,and why you don't take it back to him.Why do you feel your local dealer wants to rip you off?<br /><br />DHP
 

Lavachild

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

DHP, my local dealer wants $150 just to look at it. I do not have that kind of money just for them to tell me that it needs a bunch of stuff it probably doesn't. I bought the boat used and it has been running fine all summer until I took it on a weekend trip on a really weedy lake. It is possible I got something into the water pump/impeller but I am trying to figure out what is triggering this alarm. Nobody seems to know and nobody on this board seems to respond more than once ;(<br /><br />BTW-- What is a ficht?
 

JB

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

Lavachild.<br /><br />You don't seem to know what the alarm means. Have you a manual, Owner or Service? Either will explain the alarm codes for your engine.<br /><br />The $150 is not just to look at it. It is to know what to look for and know what that means, then tell you what else needs to be done. That takes some time and time is money.<br /><br />If you believe your dealer is dishonest go find one you trust.<br /><br />Helpers on this board will respond to what info you offer. No new info, no new response. Not enough info, no response at all is usual.<br /><br />Your whine about dealers wanting to get paid for work is unjustified. Your whine about (FREE) helpers on this board not offering magic answers to unclear problems is just plain bad manners.
 

rwise

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Jul 5, 2001
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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

LC<br />EDIT your first post in this thread, put the mod~ and ser~ numbers in it on the first line. Give more info on your engine so those that would/could help can help.
 

rickdb1boat

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Jan 23, 2002
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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

First thing I would do is check the water intakes on the side of the lower unit. There may be some debris that is clogging the water intakes from the weedy lake. If nothing is found there, I would drop the lower unit and check out the water pump and passages, to see if they are clogged. Since all was well before your last trip to the weedy lake, I would have to assume you have a water restriction somewhere in the cooling system...
 

Walker

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

My guess is you are getting a fuel restriction alarm. Replace your inline fuel filter.
 

Lavachild

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

I don't mean to whine but many responses on this board are not very helpful because people do not read earlier posts. As for the 150...it is now up to 220 at the only OMC dealer within a couple hundred miles where I have decided to take it. They found a few maintenance type things wrong with it and of course took it upon themselves to go ahead and fix them but never addressed the alarm issue for which I brought it in. Oh well I guess money grows on trees for some people. Thanks for all the help thus far. Sorry for the attitude.<br /><br />BTW...My motor model is J90PLEEB.
 

seahorse5

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Jan 24, 2002
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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

If the check engine lite is coming on with your V4 90hp, then the alarm wiring is crossed somewhere or your gauge is faulty. There is no CHECK ENGINE lite used on the V4 90 hp motors such as yours. It only uses the other 3 lites.
 

Lavachild

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

Seahorse, would crossed wiring also cause the 10 second steady horn I am getting? When cold the light/alarm won't sound right away but as heats up it does and then will not go away until the engine cools again. Dealer says it is NOT overheating but I am skeptical.
 

rickdb1boat

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

The thing is as I said before. It ran good until the running in the weeds. I still think that is the key to the problem.. And I do think it's an overheat situation in one form or another. Did you check out the things that were suggested by the posters?
 

Lavachild

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

Rick, I checked the intakes and have flushed the system. The dealer confirmed my waterpump is strong and working fine and they claim it is not overheating. I have been told that even a strong stream of water exiting the pisser doesnt mean water is getting everywhere it needs to be, but should I believe the dealer telling me all is working fine? Hate to take the risk of ruining my engine! They are going to put it in the river tomorrow and run it hard to see if they can get the alarm to sound...I will post back with what they find. Thanks!
 

Lavachild

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

Something I just remembered...<br /><br />There is a green wire (about 10gauge) leading down to the gas tank along with two much smaller wires a grey and black I think (they are taped to the green wire in several places...anyways this wire comes from the tank and has a ring terminal by the battery. It wasnt hooked up when I got the boat but it has come into contact with the positive terminal on the battery causing a spark. I think this wire is supposed to be grounded at the battery but doesn anyone know what this wire might be and what damgage might have been caused by it hitting the hot lead?
 

DHPMARINE

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

Lavachild/ are you aware that the alarm runs every time you turn the key on?I've never timed it,but I would guess just a beep.A steady beep is over heating.a slow beep is low oil,a quick beep is no oil at the pump.<br />DHP
 

DHPMARINE

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

Also I hope you can find a way that will work for you.<br /><br />reread your posts.Why are you critizing the people helping you?
 

clanton

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Jul 9, 2001
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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

Check the charging system output voltage, in spec, check warning system tan wire connectors on engine for water shorting the pins. If this is a cob up control wiring with a large red/black old style connector, check this also for water shorting the pins. Check tach connector pins. Look in manual for wire color for check engine light, trace wire, and check for short to ground. Light still lit, knock the light out, or replace the tach. Overheating: Must have the correct waterpump, the only way you can verify this is look at the waterpump housing. Match waterpump to engine by model number and oem part number. System Check only rings bell/horn for 10 seconds for all sensors and then turns red light on.
 

phatmanmike

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Re: omc dealer wants an arm & leg...please help

it could have sucked up some debri while in the weeds. i have a merc 115hp that had sucked up some sand and would still pee at low speeds, so when tested it seemed fine.100%.<br />but at higher speeds, the sand INSIDE the motor would block the waterflow and therefore cause an overheat situation.<br /><br />i would pull you cyl head covers and take a peak. worth a try, its FREE
 
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