Same Old oil pressure alarm!

[2000fourwinns]

Hey All,

I have read several threads about this problem, but still have a few questions. I changed from Mobil 1 15W-50 to Volvo 30wt oil this season and I still have the alarm going off. Actually, I think it is worse this year. After a pretty good run, the oil pressure gauge drops very low, the "oil light" comes on, and the alarm starts annoying everyone on the lake. I am wanting to put a mechanical gauge on it and would like to do it permanately on the engine so I can keep an eye on it. I dont like the idea though of adding something else to break or go wrong, so I am still not sold on adding it permanately.

Anyway, I have read that it could be some gunk built up in one of the senders, but I find it hard to believe it is both. I mean the alarm goes off AND it shows low oil pressure on the gauge. My question is, which part should I replace first? The oil pressure sender or the oil pressure alarm switch? Also, where is the best place to hook up a mechanical gauge? I can not get the alarm to go off in the driveway on muffs. I think the water is too cold to get the oil thinned enough. So I need the gauge to be on there while out on the lake.

Thanks for the help

Will

 

[Don S]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

If the gauge shows low, and the alarm goes off, and check it with a mechanical gauge at the same time and if it shows low, then you have low oil pressure in the engine for some reason. No reason to start throwing sender and switches at it. Verify, and fix what's bad.

 

[2000fourwinns]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

Where is the best place to attach the mechanical gauge?

 

[Don S]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

Where the oil sender is.

 

[2000fourwinns]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

Just a small update. Went to the lake on Saturday. The alarm wasnt too bad until half way through the day. I quickly reached back next to the oil filter and unplugged what I thought was the "alarm switch", but it did not stop the alarm. I am wondering if the alarm will sound if the gauge shows low pressure as well as the switch? It was showing pretty low on the gauge. Having time to trouble shoot is killing me but I hope to put my mechanical gauge on it before this weekend and know what the pressure is. I just thought that unplugging the switch would have stopped the alarm from sounding, but apparantly not.

 

[Mey]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

Well, I used to have the same problem. I have a 2000 Four Winns Sundowner 5.0L GI. On on runs of 15 mins. or more the alarm would sound after idling down. I checked and rechecked the oil. Then I change the sending unit on top of the engine next to the distributor. $40.00 and alarm is gone. Belive me I know what you are going through.

 

[Don S]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

Did your gauge also show low oil pressure at the same time the alarm went off?

 

[Mey]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

Well, I used to have the same problem. I have a 2000 Four Winns Sundowner 5.0L GI. On on runs of 15 mins. or more the alarm would sound after idling down. I checked and rechecked the oil. Then I change the sending unit on top of the engine next to the distributor. $40.00 and alarm is gone. Belive me I know what you are going through.

Yes, it did Don. The only way that I could get the alarm to stop was to increase RPMs just out of the red. Two years of frustration.

 

[2000fourwinns]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

Yes, my gauge also shows low when the alarm goes off. If it had not been for all the problems I have heard of from this problem, I would say I have no oil pressure at idle when it is warm, because of the gauge showing low and the light coming on, and the alarm going off. But I have found countless other people having the same problem and it was either the alarm switch or the sender. Problem is I have not been able to verify good oil pressure with a mechanical gauge, but I plan on doing that by the weekend.

Anyway, from what I had read, the alarm switch is the one that gives the alarm at low pressure. But I disconnected it and still had the alarm. So I think the gauge will also send an alarm if it shows low.

 

[Don S]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

the alarm switch is the one that gives the alarm at low pressure. But I disconnected it and still had the alarm. So I think the gauge will also send an alarm if it shows low.

The gauge will NOT set off the alarm. Are you sure you had the oil pressure alarm switch and not the overtemp switch?

What is the full model number of your engine? Serial number will also work.

 

[2000fourwinns]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

5.0 GI PWTR
4110198273
3868945

The one I unplugged is very near the oil filter

 

[Don S]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

Should have a tan/black stripe wire going to it.

 

[2000fourwinns]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

I dont know what color the wire is. It will be a few days before I can get back to it. Thanks

 

[2000fourwinns]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

I was finally able to put my mechanical gauge on it last night after breaking one of the brass fitting and trying to get it out of the stainless fitting that goes into the block. Anyway, I get 50psi at idle when cold and 60+psi when reved up. Because of cold water on the muffs, I never can get it warm enough to set off the alarm in the driveway. I let ut run for at least 20 minutes while periodically reving it up. The worst oil pressure was about 28psi at idle. I have left the gauge on it and we are going to the lake today, so I will definately find out the oil pressure when the alarm is going off.

The wire I disconnected last time does look tan with black tracer (or white with black tracer). I took it off again and also tried grounding it out to the exhaust manifold and nothing changed. No alarm.

One thing I am now quesitoning is my oil level. I have a vacume pump I use when changing the oil. I thought this engine held 6 quarts with a filter change so that is what I put back in it. I looked at the manual yesterday and noticed it says 5.5 quarts with filter change. Something I did not think of was the possibility of not getting out all the oil and actually having it overfilled. Each time I check the oil, it is showing over filled, but I have never known what the level of the boat is supposed to be to check it properly. Is the boat supposed to be sitting as it would in the water or is the engine supposed to be level? I am wondering now if it may be over filled and the oil if frothing because of the crankshaft stirring it up?

Thanks for the help.

Will

 

[Don S]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

The oil level needs to be between the add and full marks, never over full. The level should be checked when the engine is approximately level. When sitting in the water is the best time to check the level, but it should be about level at that point too.
When overfilled, the crankshaft can hit the oil, and this causes the oil to become aerated. When that happens you will not read proper pressure because the air in the oil compresses.

 

[2000fourwinns]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

I am going to take my vacume pump with me to the lake in a few minutes and pump a little out at a time. My driveway is not level and people are already here to go to the lake. Since I will be standing next to the engine checking the oil, should I have someone stand at the bow to even it out or does it really not matter?

If it is over filled much at all, than that means my vacume pump is not getting close to all of it out. I cant imagine that half a quart full would cause that much problem, especially running at 3k RPM when a good portion of the oil is not in the pan.

 

[2000fourwinns]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

I took what looks like at least a quart and half of oil out of the engine. I have the level at the lower side of the range on the dip stick. I never did get the alarm today even with running it hard and actually trying to. The lowest the oil pressure got was 18psi at 600 to 800 RPM. It looks like the only problem I have been having was having too much oil all this time. I am going back on Monday and will watch it again.

Thanks for all the help.

Will

 

[Don S]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

I took what looks like at least a quart and half of oil out of the engine

.

No wonder you had an alarm

 

[2000fourwinns]

Re: Same Old oil pressure alarm!

Well we went back to the lake yesterday (Monday) and no alarm again! Awesome! I ran it hard doing some "extreme tubing" and it still never got below about 16psi at 600 to 800 RPM. Looks like too much oil was the problem. I will have to really watch it when doing oil changes from now on for the boat. I knew I probably was not getting ALL the oil out, but I thought it was at least close. I will report back when I figure out how to measure the oil I took out.

Thanks

Will

 

[2000fourwinns]

UPDATE

I still got the alarm every now and then so I replaced the oil pressure sending unit. I bought it at NAPA and found out the automotive sender was 0-60psi and the Volvo sender was 0-80psi so I ordered the 0-80 one. I replaced it and it shows a lot better oil pressure and works great, EXCEPT, every time I start it for the first time that day, sometime between a couple of minutes or several minutes, the gauge will drop to zero and the cluster alarm goes off. After a few seconds, it jumps back up and doesn't do it again all day. I have checked the connection and it is tight. When I replaced it I sanded down the ring lug, nut, and washer then sprayed anti corrosion spray on it afterwards. I don't think it is the sender unless using Teflon tape is causing it to not make a good connection. But then why would it only do it once the whole day?

Any thoughts?