Alarm after maintenance work

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Just finished bellows replacement along with water hose, nipple, impeller replacement on my new to me Chaparral. Put drive back on, double checked everything and fired her up. Started right up but I’m getting an alarm - one beep every few seconds. Water is being pumped fine although I’m seeing water come through the holes of the plate between the upper and lower - see link for video. So two questions... what’s the alarm about? And is the water coming out at the player between the upper and lower normal? Didn’t let it run for too long cause I was worried about the alarm.

https://youtu.be/cHxCnWeTfvI

 

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Forgot to add that after I brought the boat home, I took the outdrive off and found gear oil in the bellows. Removed vent plug and outdrive was overfilled with oil. Drained it all, pressure and vacuum test both passed. After reinstalling the outdrive, I refilled with gear oil the proper way up until oil cane out of the vent hole. Not sure if the alarm has anything to do with the gear oil issue but figured I’d add this info.
Thanks

 

[BRICH1260]

Alarm won’t have anything to do with drive at all. Does the alarm sound right away after starting or after it has ran for a bit? Looks like your getting good water flow. Take an IR thermometer and take readings on the block and thermo housing to confirm or rule out overheating. Is your fuel tank low? Could it be a low fuel alarm? Oil pressure good?

 

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Alarm won’t have anything to do with drive at all. Does the alarm sound right away after starting or after it has ran for a bit? Looks like your getting good water flow. Take an IR thermometer and take readings on the block and thermo housing to confirm or rule out overheating. Is your fuel tank low? Could it be a low fuel alarm? Oil pressure good?

When I turn the key, I get the usual two beeps, motor starts good and idles fine. Beep starts within a few seconds or less and is constant every few seconds.
I only let it run for a couple mins, not nearly enough to warm up. Temp didn’t budge and oil pressure looked fine. Oil level is good and I didn’t touch anything with the motor except the water pump impeller. Plenty of fuel.
Outdrive water flow looks normal? I don’t remember having water come through little holes between the upper and lower in my previous SX outdrive.

 

[kenny nunez]

On the video I could not see water coming out of the propeller, you may not have the water tube from the pump to the water pocket cover connected. Are you getting water to the thermostat housing?

 

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On the video I could not see water coming out of the propeller, you may not have the water tube from the pump to the water pocket cover connected. Are you getting water to the thermostat housing?

Can u clarify which tube u are referring to? I did replace the water tube on the transom and a new nipple that goes into the bell housing. Didn’t touch any water tubes internal to the motor other than the inlet and outlet at the water pump

 

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On the video I could not see water coming out of the propeller, you may not have the water tube from the pump to the water pocket cover connected. Are you getting water to the thermostat housing?

Crap! Ur right there is no water coming out of the prop!!! What would cause that?? Ughhhh

 

[BRICH1260]

Crap! Ur right there is no water coming out of the prop!!! What would cause that?? Ughhhh

I wouldn’t worry so much about that, not that unusual for a engine at low rpm and out of the water. There is no low water flow alarm. The alarm is heat, oil, fuel or charging related.

 

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I wouldn’t worry so much about that, not that unusual for a engine at low rpm and out of the water. There is no low water flow alarm. The alarm is heat, oil, fuel or charging related.

Ok thanks! Good to know. I’ve been working on upgrading the stereo as well and ran new wires to the battery so maybe something was knocked loose. Will go through it all.

 

[89retta]

Do you have a Faria depth gauge ? If you do I believe the beep is coming from that as its not reading any depth as its out of water.

 

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Do you have a Faria depth gauge ? If you do I believe the beep is coming from that as its not reading any depth as its out of water.

Yeah thought about that possibility last night after I put everything away and covered up the boat. I do have that depth gauge but it turns on with a rocker switch and I could’ve sworn it was off. Don’t think that alarm works if the rocker is in the off position? Or does it?

 

[kenny nunez]

My bad on the “water tube” statement, I forgot that this was the Volvo section and not the Mercruiser section. Maybe it was the depth alarm beeping.

 

[89retta]

Yeah thought about that possibility last night after I put everything away and covered up the boat. I do have that depth gauge but it turns on with a rocker switch and I could’ve sworn it was off. Don’t think that alarm works if the rocker is in the off position? Or does it?

Not sure how yours is wired. Easy way to find out is to pull the gauge and unhook the wires.

 

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So tried it again tonight after work. It’s not the depth gauge. Water pumping real well. Taking a while to warm up so it’s not a temp issue. I did notice that the voltmeter was reading under 13 volts at idle. Thought it should be more.... tested at with my meter at the alternator and getting 13.6 at the alternator so it’s not that. Any ideas? I’m also installing a new stereo and ran new power and ground cables to the switch but didn’t touch anything else. Here’s another video.

https://youtu.be/rtyjOYEz1CA

 

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One other note... when I had it running earlier tonight, put it in fast Idle and increased rpms, the motor seemed to bog down... maybe in safe mode?

 

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Update... figured it out. It’s the damn oil pressure alarm. Wire was likely pulled off by the PO and while I was climbing around in the bilge doing other stuff I noticed it was off and thought I pulled it off inadvertently so I put it back on. Pulled it off and ran the boat... no alarm and all good. Guess I’ll be replacing an oil pressure alarm sensor.
Thanks for all the advice.