99 Ficht Oiling Problem

urugol

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Messages
47
Hi all,

I have rebuilt this 99 Ficht to spec and today I started it up for the first time without any problems at all with the exception of the oiling system not working properly. I am not seeing any oil come through the nipples, the oil injector is brand new. When I run the engine using diagnostics it tells me that I have a fault "Oil Fault" but there is no specific code that it leaves behind. The static oil injector test makes the injector click, there is return pressure on the oil tank as the oil is returning as well. I tried the service manual procedure as well which requires blocking off the return and running the engine. I ran it for a couple of minutes but yet no oil comes from the nipples. So I'm looking for a sure fire way of purging, if the problem is indeed air bubbles. Any suggestions???

thank you.
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

Try pinching off the oil return line a little longer with a pliers when you have it idling and see what happens. Did you bleed all of the air out of oil line from the tank before hooking it up.
 
Last edited:

woody66912

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
Messages
690
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

If your not seeing any oil at the nipples, Do what boobie says, but may i add, i would keep spraying fog oil into the intakes just to keep things lubed. And on a side note. check to make sure you don't have the oil injector harness plugged into the trim sender harness. I think it's possible on this engine.
 

urugol

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Messages
47
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

Thanks guys. I have since run the engine longer and done some more oil injector testing with the return closed. I am now seeing oil come through though at idle it trickles so slow that its like 1 pulse every 30 seconds or so, does that sound right? On the injector test it pulses much more.

The other unresolved issue I have is that the diagnostics "Oil Fault" on the monitoring screen is still active. I'm wondering if this maybe reporting a low oil state, since the sender is broken on the external oil tank there is one disconnected plug which is the tanblack/black wire which according to the manual is the oil sender. If anyone knows the low/high resistance of the sender I could wire a resistor to that plug to verify (couldn't find in the manual).

The OMC tacho with the engine warning lights does not display "low oil" or "no oil" at any time and the beeper does not go off. I'm wondering if I should just call it good and go for a ride now :)
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
39,453
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

I think you need to investigate and make 100 percent sure that lubrication is in order.-------Otherwise the motor may come to a dynamic halt again.
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

When you say "on the injector test it pulses much more", is this with the return line pinched off ??
 

urugol

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Messages
47
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

When you say "on the injector test it pulses much more", is this with the return line pinched off ??

Yes that's right. I don't have much information on the Evinrude Diags but when I hit the F1 help function and search on Monitoring Oil Fault it says that is a function supported on ETEC not DI models. So I wonder if its a false alarm maybe it can't read pressure like it can on the ETEC? If there is a hard fault it would be recorded against the fault history but its not so its weird.
 

urugol

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Nov 11, 2012
Messages
47
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

Just for clarity, I'm adding some screen captures of the diags. So the concern is the oil fault on the monitoring screen. There are no active faults though so no codes are registering. When I get help from the software it tells me that on the monitoring screen the Oil Fault function is not supported on the DI model which is what I have. I'm wondering if this is an issue with my software version.....
 

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urugol

Seaman Apprentice
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Nov 11, 2012
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47
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

So I decided to get the upgrade for the diags and ran up version 5.1 and now I have an "Oil Pressure Fault" on the monitoring screen. That's at least a bit more info and I will check the pump pressures to see how it goes. Hopefully I don't need a new pump!
 

aerobat

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
847
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

when you fire up the engine with the return line removed there should be a solid flush of oil coming out of this line. is that the case?

if yes check the oil supply line very carefully for being tight on the clamps and undamaged. i once ran into a "no oil " warning and the engine in SLOW mode on a 150hp V6 and it turned out to be a very minor leak on the supply oil line at the clamp - that was enough the electronics realized the fault. ( but this was a ficht ram with the improved watercooled EMM )
 

urugol

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Nov 11, 2012
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Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

The oil doesn't gush out of the return it does come out but not what you would probably call a solid flush - I need to take another look at it in the morning to verify (its 1am in Sydney) I don't think the neighbors would appreciate an engine start at this hour :)

I have since followed the testing procedure for the Oil Pressure Switch as a starting point. Can someone verify I have done this correctly (pic)? I rigged up the switch to a carb pop off tester and pumped 20psi in the hole and allowed it to settle back down to 0psi noting that at no point did I have continuity. Does this imply a faulty switch?
 

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urugol

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Nov 11, 2012
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47
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

Performed a pressure test on the oil pump this morning. Test result is within spec 6-20psi plenty of oil gushes out of the pressure switch hole. I have ordered a new pressure switch as I think that might be the problem.
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 5, 2009
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20,826
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

I have heard of those pressure switches being bad.
 

urugol

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Nov 11, 2012
Messages
47
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

The new oil pressure switch didn't fix the error. I have since replaced every line and all of the restrictors and pressure tested them all as well as the lift pump. I still get the oil pressure fault on the monitoring screen but no active faults or codes recorded to the emm. Plenty of oil in the throttle bodies now and little smoke from the exhaust. I think I'm chasing a false positive here. Time for a water test.
 

aerobat

Master Chief Petty Officer
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Jun 1, 2011
Messages
847
Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

like said previously - when firing it up with return line removed you must see a solid flush of oil out this line , definitivly not only some droplets or a small pouring . ( at least on a modified post 2000 V6 , i must admit i never tested this with my own hands on a pre 2000 engine but assume its the same ). if thats not the case you have to chase down if its a weak pump or a blocking somewhere in the system.

it looks like your engine actually gets oil but the oil pressure is too weak.

what engine do you have ? V4 , V6 ?
 

urugol

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Nov 11, 2012
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Re: 99 Ficht Oiling Problem

what engine do you have ? V4 , V6 ?

V4 115 HP. Like I mentioned I tested the pressure at the oil pump its between 10-20psi as per the manual. Its driving me mad this thing.
 
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