Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

[SuperNova]

I took out my little Checkmate for it's first run this weekend and it ran fine for the first 20 minutes, but then I started getting a steady beeping from the alarm horn after the engine was started. One beep every second or so. Checked both the oil resevoirs and they're both about 3/4 full. I let the engine sit and cool off for about an hour and it started beeping again as soon as it was started. The initial 3 or 4 beeps when you first turn the key on are still happening normally. The water tell-tale is putting out a good flow and it's not overly hot water, about what I would expect temp -wise. I turned the key on and turned the engine over enough to get the alarm to start, which it did, without starting the engine and the alarm just kept sounding until the key was turned off. Also the alarm doesn't sound just with the key on until you start or try to start the engine. It seems like it needs to see a certain amount of RPM to start the alarm beeping, but once it starts, the engine could not be running and as long as the key is on it will keeep beeping. I did pull the cap off the engine mounted resevoir and checked the level sensor, it slid up and down freely and I couldn't make the alarm turn off. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
--
Stan

 

[j_martin]

Re: Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

I took out my little Checkmate for it's first run this weekend and it ran fine for the first 20 minutes, but then I started getting a steady beeping from the alarm horn after the engine was started. One beep every second or so. Checked both the oil resevoirs and they're both about 3/4 full. I let the engine sit and cool off for about an hour and it started beeping again as soon as it was started. The initial 3 or 4 beeps when you first turn the key on are still happening normally. The water tell-tale is putting out a good flow and it's not overly hot water, about what I would expect temp -wise. I turned the key on and turned the engine over enough to get the alarm to start, which it did, without starting the engine and the alarm just kept sounding until the key was turned off. Also the alarm doesn't sound just with the key on until you start or try to start the engine. It seems like it needs to see a certain amount of RPM to start the alarm beeping, but once it starts, the engine could not be running and as long as the key is on it will keeep beeping. I did pull the cap off the engine mounted resevoir and checked the level sensor, it slid up and down freely and I couldn't make the alarm turn off. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
--
Stan

The engine resevoir should be plumb full tight. If it's down, it isn't getting oil from the boat tank for some reason. The alarm sounds as soon as it starts going down, giving you a half hour to get to safe harbor. You have to re-establish supply from the boat and loosten the cap on the engine tank till it fills up to the top, then tighten it.

You might have a pinched line, a loose cap on the boat tank, or a bad supply check valve (air supply) on the engine. I have also seen, more than once, one of those foil oil bottle seals in the oil tank stopping up the pickup screen.

hope it helps
John

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

Thanks, I wasn't sure at what point the oil alarm came on and the twin lines going down to the main tank do look like they may be impinged somewhat. It would also explain why the alarm didn't come on for the first bit of running. I will look at it as soon as we get some more clear weather. I guess if I just fill the engine resevoir manually that should turn the alarm off again to at least verify the oil is the cause of the alarm.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

Thanks, I wasn't sure at what point the oil alarm came on and the twin lines going down to the main tank do look like they may be impinged somewhat. It would also explain why the alarm didn't come on for the first bit of running. I will look at it as soon as we get some more clear weather. I guess if I just fill the engine resevoir manually that should turn the alarm off again to at least verify the oil is the cause of the alarm.

You can get it pretty full by pouring it in. The book says to idle the engine and loosten the cap, letting the system fill it until it overflows.

Until you're sure it's oiling, be sure to add oil to your main fuel tank.

hope it helps
John

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

You can get it pretty full by pouring it in. The book says to idle the engine and loosten the cap, letting the system fill it until it overflows.

Until you're sure it's oiling, be sure to add oil to your main fuel tank.

hope it helps
John

Will do. Thanks again.

 

[gss036]

Re: Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

DO NOT over tighten the cap on the engine tank. They have a bad habit of splitting at the top of the threads inside the cap. Apparently that is thinnest part of the cap. Tighten just enough to stopp any oil from leaking.
Like John said, check the screen on the boat pick up line. They have a tendancy to jell up and plug, even w/o the foil indie the tank.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

O.K., thanks for the tips, gss.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

I pulled the oil tank and checked it. No leaks and the pickup is clear. I found the hose that supplies air pressure broken off, I fixed that and still no oil coming up into the resevoir. Si I pulled the air hose off again and checked the pressure coming out of the block...there is NO air volume coming out of the fitting...it just kind of chuffs in and out. If you missed my other post, I pulled the reed plate and found #1 reed block wasn't sealed properly. Could these items be related?

 

[j_martin]

Re: Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

I pulled the oil tank and checked it. No leaks and the pickup is clear. I found the hose that supplies air pressure broken off, I fixed that and still no oil coming up into the resevoir. Si I pulled the air hose off again and checked the pressure coming out of the block...there is NO air volume coming out of the fitting...it just kind of chuffs in and out. If you missed my other post, I pulled the reed plate and found #1 reed block wasn't sealed properly. Could these items be related?

The fitting in the block is a check valve. It should puff and not suck. That's the problem. Runs of'n # 5 or # 6 crankcase anyway.

21-8781051 FITTING, CHECK VALVE (CRANKCASE)

hope it helps

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

That answered a couple of questions for me actually. I gotta tell you j, you really seem to know your outboards, you've ansered quite a few questions for me very accurately....thank you VERY much for your help. If i may ask, are you a tech? or just fool around with them a bunch?

 

[j_martin]

Re: Alarm on a 89 Mariner 150 beeping

That answered a couple of questions for me actually. I gotta tell you j, you really seem to know your outboards, you've ansered quite a few questions for me very accurately....thank you VERY much for your help. If i may ask, are you a tech? or just fool around with them a bunch?

Naw, I bought an old (1988) bass bote with an XR4 on it. At first it was pretty intimidating, but as I got into it, I found a few things not right. I just decided to rip into it and make it like it should be. Now I'm sharing the knowledge just like folks shared their knowledge and helped me. I've personally helped a few get their ship in shape. And others have invested many words and much time in helping me get my ship in shape. That's why this is a community.

I bought a 55 mph or so fishing bote with a few issues. It morphed into a pretty hot, and nice fishing boat. I enjoy it. The XR4 is indeed a very capable engine.

hope it helps
John