alarm sounded, what does it mean?

[airframer]

i have a 1986 johnson 90hp vro. i still use the vro and the don't pre mix. i repacked one of my carbs cause it leaked and when i ran it up in the yard it was a little tough to get it started. but once it did it wouldn't idle for the longest time, kept coughing out smoke and dying. but once it did idle after about five minutes a quiet alarm came on from the control box. it was constant. the cylinder head was hot but i could put my hand on it for a few seconds before burning myself. i killed the engine and let it cool down for awhile then ran it up again. as i let it idle and water flowing from the back was nice and cool but whenever the engine would cough out some smoke it got hot then back to cool. after a short while it wouldn't go back to cool and and the same quiet alarm would sound so i shut it off. someone mentioned the thermostat? sound right or could it be running fine and the alarm mean something else?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: alarm sounded, what does it mean?

Same response you got before. The alarm is telling you "I'm in trouble here". A steady horn is overheat and that would be indicated by the fact you could burn yourself in a few seconds. Hot it Hot. Put in a new thermostat. The tell tale stream merely tells you the water pump is working. Has nothing to do with engine temperature. Keep running it without repairing it and you will turn it into a good anchor.

 

[airframer]

Re: alarm sounded, what does it mean?

thanks for the advise, but my manual didn't come with the instructions on how to change it. where is it exactly? i can manage from there.

 

[ezeke]

Re: alarm sounded, what does it mean?

They are in the housing at the base of the block. The two larger hoses that run down from the bottoms of the cylinder heads run to them.

You will be ahead of the game if you get the parts diagram off the web site. It is shown on the midsection or exhaust housing diagram.

"http://shop2.evinrude.com/ext/index.aspx?s1=8dcb6c8c1adbf5ad955286e026c798c6"

 

[airframer]

Re: alarm sounded, what does it mean?

thanks a lot!

 

[ezeke]

Re: alarm sounded, what does it mean?

There is a good possibility that you have a water deflector out of place in the cylinder bank that is overheating. When you order the thermostat kit, you might want to get a head gasket or two and some water deflectors.

 

[airframer]

Re: alarm sounded, what does it mean?

i just purchased the kit actually. i went out to my boat and seen just how simple it was to access the thermostat. how would i be able to determine if the water deflectors are going bad? only if i opened the cylinder head? something to try if the thermos don't do the trick?

 

[ezeke]

Re: alarm sounded, what does it mean?

Any time you have an overheat, it is good shop practice to change head gaskets, clean everything up and torque the heads. Then run the engine a while and re-torque the heads.

It isn't just the deflectors in your situation, if you have a blown head gasket the damage is going to get a lot worse and there is no way that it can work itself out. Your engine needs you.

 

[airframer]

Re: alarm sounded, what does it mean?

i didn't see any foreign fluids coming from the exhaust, so i don't think i blew one but i'll take your advice. i work on aircraft and know how one thing can easily turn into another. thanks again, your advice is very much appericated!