Overheat false alarm stuck on

[alanfox55]

1993 Johnson 70 hp model J70TLET with VRO disconnected. Overheat warning tone is always on while motor is running. I disconnected the tan with blue stripe and white with black stripe wires at the sender, still runs good horn still on. The two wires go into two separate tan wires then into the harness. I did a look see at all the tan wires around the engine I could fine, didn't see anything amiss. Next step was to take apart the control but can't until I get a friend to hold the bolt while I unscrew the nut. Sounds like the making of a how many people does it take joke ha ha. Can't wait to hear friends response when I ask him to come over and hold a nut for me! Any who I'm looking for some advise,suggestions, direction on where I might find and what might be the problem. Thanks for any help.

 

[Bosunsmate]

sounds like a short to ground.
i use a plumbers wrench as my friend, i live rural and only know local non mechanical minded woman around here

 

[alanfox55]

I'll try that thanks

 

[Chris1956]

Also check engine harness for melted wires.

 

[alanfox55]

Just saw the post on a similar problem as mine so a little more info from me might me in order. I have a cyl head temp gauge that reads 140 degrees while motoring on the lake and a little under that on muffs. Compared the temp gauge with a heat gun and it was right on. I get one steady tone as soon as I start up even cold. Had it on the lake for a couple of hours last week,used three gallons of gas and it ran good with lots of power. I would think it wouldn't run good with a fuel restriction?

 

[Rustywrench]

Your motor doesn't have a fuel restriction device. If all of your warning wires were unhooked for your VRO (low oil sensor, no oil sensor) & you have unhooked your temp sensor that should indicate a bad horn? That is short of a grounded brown wire somewhere. When you get inside the control box disconnect the brown wire from the horn only. If it still blows, it's the horn.

 

[alanfox55]

So I get into the control box and disconnect the brown wire but horn still blows when started. That same day I wanted to do some carb adjusting while in a tub of water rather then muffs. I wore ear muffs so my ears didn't get blasted from the loud horn so I couldn't hear the horn while at the engine only when I got back to the control box. Now after I adjusted the carbs to a richer sitting than what they had been the horn turned off. When I leaned it out it came back on though I'm not positive that's what happened. So now the question is will the horn come on when the motor is running too lean and do it with all the wires I disconnected. If so then problem solved and I'm a happy camper. Thanks

 

[Bosunsmate]

A lean motor runs hot

 

[alanfox55]

That's what I was thinking but my cyl head temp is 130 on muffs or in a tub and 140 on the lake. So then removing the brown wire and the horn still goes off means the horn is bad as Rustywrench has already said? Guess I just answered my own question. Thanks for the help.