Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

[bradheil]

Could someone please answer this question. I have a 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro with only 15 original hours since it's purchase new this year. The other day I was about an hour out into the ocean when the buzzer started going off. I immediatly shut the engine down to look for the problem. Water was streaming out of the cooling tube with a healthy stream. The oil was not low however, to be safe, I poured oil directly into the fuel in case the pump had stopped working. The engine did not seem hot and the overheat light never did come on. Finally I pulled the fuel filter off of the front of the engine to check for dirt, water, and fuel flow. I found no dirt, no water, and fuel flow was great. Being this far out into the ocean I decided I had better get back in so I had to run the engine, with the buzzer running, for an hour to get back to the ramp. I pulled the boat home and reinspected for any problems. Again everything checked fine. The very next day I went out, turned the key to the on position, and immediatly the buzzer started going off. I am stumped, after sitting for 24hrs. the engine could not be hot, there was no need for fuel flow, water flow, or oil flow, since I did not start the engine I only turned the key to the on position. Does anyone have any suggestions? By the way this is a caburated model, 6cyl. 6 Carbs. Please help.<br />Brad Heil<br />bradheil@dmv.com

 

[almost retired again]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Hi Brad,<br />Need a little more information. Is the horn continious, ever 1/2 second, or ever half minuit or so? If it's continious it could be one of two things. An over heat condition, or fuel restriction. Approx. ever 1/2 second is no oil, longer intervals is low oil. Let us know what the alarm sounds like then maybe one of us can help locate the problem.

 

[almost retired again]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

After re-reading your post it's probly an over heat alarm. Try to isolate this by disconnecting the senders one at a time that is located at the top of each head (the wires will be tan in color). Once you find out which head that the alarm is associated with, then you can start isolating the problem. Maybe a stuck thermostat,bad poppet valve,bad sender, or a restriction. If the engine was bought this year, and only has 15 hrs. it seems to like it should still be in warranty, if so take it back to the dealer.<br />Hope this helps

 

[bradheil]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

The buzzer is continuos. I cannot describe too much about the buzzer itself. I purchased the engine directly from Bombardier with no warranty. After recieving it I had to purchase a new wiring harness to allow my old harness to still be used. No one told me at the time of purchasing the new harness that I could have gotten a harness with the gauge on it also, and I didn't know to ask. So the buzzer is the original one that came with the original engine which was a 1976 150hp Evenrude. On reading your replies I could understand if a sensor went bad, such as the temp sensor. That would explain why the buzzer goes off after sitting for more than 5 days (I went out today to investigate further). Part of the problem with my diagnosis is my wife e-bay'd my owners manual to someone!!!! so I am flying in the dark for the present time. Thanks for your replies. I hope to get a little more info if you can

 

[Reel Appeal]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Hi Brad,<br /> Is your motor equipped with System Check?<br />If so,you SHOULD have a 4 light warning guage installed.You can also get a tach with the warning lights.Is that old buzzer compatible with the new motor?Did you use your old temp sending unit in the new motor.If so,Don't!.<br />Do you have a battery diconnect?If not,disconnect the battery(s) neg. terminal,then reconnect(as a reset).See what happens.<br /><br />Sometimes those sending units do go bad after being exposed to high heat.Could be defective.<br />Also,check for blue smoke at idle to check VRO operation.

 

[bradheil]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

After I read your messages something occured to me that I may misunderstand. Does each cylinder have it's own seperate temperature sending unit? If so and the sender is not faulty this sounds like it could prove costly.

 

[bradheil]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

As I said in my one reply I did not get the system check. I was not aware that it could be an option for me with my old wireing harness. I would assume the old buzzer to be compatible with the new engine. For the first 14 hours everything seemed to work properly. On start-up there is plenty of smoke even before adding the oil to the fuel tank. Also as I was returning from the ocean I did not notice any performance problems or engine fluctuation

 

[Reel Appeal]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Hi Brad,<br /> Each Bank of cylinders has a temperature switch(sender).So you have two...<br />Should be a single wire(coming out)on starboard/right side.Port/left side(of boat)may have 2 wires.Both are at the top near thermostats.<br />Check those connections first....

 

[bradheil]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

That sounds a bit better than six sending units (although six units would further isolate the problem) Still a bit stumped to why the buzzer would continue to go off after the engine has been sitting for so long though. I will investigate further tommorrow but would like to know one more thing if someone could answer this. Almost Retired responded by saying the Stat could be stuck, bad poppet valve, blockage of sort. If the engine has been sitting for this amount of time would a blockage still cause the the buzzer to go off with no need for water flow? Just want to be sure I understand everything before I go too far into investigation. Thank you all for your response.

 

[Reel Appeal]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Brad, <br /> If you want to take the time you can test the thermostats in a Pyrex(brown glass)pan.You will need to know what temp they open-up at and a high temperature cooking thermometer.Remove them and heat in water(pyrex).Watch thermometer to see if they open at temperature.<br />I still think one of those senders went bad because you said you made it back in with no problem(except alarm noise).Your pumping water and have sufficient oil.Another idea,Ignition timing that is too far advanced may cause overheating.Also,I use OMC or Penzoil 2 cycle oil only.(high quality)<br /> Does the Alarm sound immediatly upon starting or does it take a little while?If its immediately,replace both senders...If not immediately,thermostats/poppet valve or some type of cooling obstruction.HeY! Are the water intake strainers there on the lower unit?If not you may have inhaled some flotsam causing restriction. <br /><br />Give Almost Retired a Kudo's!

 

[Hooty]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Disconnect both hi-temp switches. If the horn continues to sound, problem is in the horn or the wiring to it. The only thing the hi-temp switches do is close and complete circuit to ground.<br /><br />c/6<br /><br />Hooty

 

[bradheil]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Hello,<br />I checked the lower unit strainers for blockage and found nothing. Today I will pull the leads off of the stats, one at a time, and check the buzzer for noise, of course you cannot help but hear it. After testing this way I will pull the stats if necessary and put them in water to test for there opening under temperature. The buzzer itself should not be bad, if this were so then it would not sound at all. For the buzzer to sound a circuit has to be closed somewhere. While testing the stats for high temp opening I can put my fluke meter across the stat to be sure of a complete opening. I will let you all know what I find out today. Thank you for your input, and keep it coming if you will.

 

[DIRTPOORE96]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Hey Brad, I had the same problems as you. I have twin 175 ocean pros & I have had all kinds of alarm problems also. As soon as I would turn the key the alarm would sound, continuosly. I tried everything I could think of to stop the alarm, nothing worked. New stats, new senders, new fuel filers, you name it I tried it. I finally called a friend who works on these motors for a dealer. He said,"if the alarm sounds when the key is turned to the on position, with the motor not running, you have a ground problem". So I proceeded to take every ground wire connection on the boat apart, sand the terminals & reinstalled on clean posts. Even the sender units can cause this problem if they are not making a good connection. So check everything you can think of. Pull the purple wires off the horn itself & sand & clean them also, that could be it. My motors have been fine ever since I've done this. I hope this can solve your problems. If not then I can give you some other suggestions. Just let us know.

 

[clanton]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

You need a different warning horn. If you are using the 1976 control harness with an adapter to make the connections, the adapter ties all of the sensors wire to one tan wire that runs to control. The correct horn will have circuit to id which sensor is sending signal. 2 different remote oil tank sensors, which one do you have?

 

[haycord]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Brad, let me first say that I am on the bottom of the list of guys with knowledege on outboards, but I will tell you how I found the answer to the same problem (with help from guys on this board).<br /><br />My Johnson 150 would sound the continuous alarm sitting on the trailer and not running.<br /><br />I unhooked the tan wire on the buzzer and put an ohmmeter between the tan wire and ground. Unhook each sensor until the meter shows "no ground". The five sensors I have are: 2 temps, Fuel Restriction, VRO Pump, Oil Level. My culprit was the Oil Level switch flaked out. Hope this helps.

 

[bradheil]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

O.K. Gentleman, Let me try to explain as best I can. Standing outside of the boat, at the stern, facing the bow, I have between the top 2 cyl. on the left bank 2 wires, 1 tan, 1 white. I disconnected this terminal and turned the key to the ON position. The buzzer still went off. On the right bank in the same position I have, 1 tan wire. After re-connecting the left bank I disconnected this right bank wire and still the buzzer sounded. I then proceeded to disconnect both banks at the same time. The buzzer sounded for a few seconds and then quit. After reconnecting both sensors again and turning the key to the ON position the buzzer sounded briefly and then shut off. turning the key OFF and then back to ON brought no buzzer on three attempts. I will now try the ground problem. This seems very feasible to me, being an electrician. However I encourage any and all feedback that anyone would give. I am open to all possible suggestions and I thank all of you for your help.<br />Brad

 

[bradheil]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Just thought I would let you all know, and whoever monitors this site. I found this site by accident, I'm very glad I did. When doing a search, this site was not readily recognizable as a help site. However now that I have it I will make more use of it. I see, by some of the responses I have recieved, that there are professional's, as well as amature's giving advice on this site. The saying "Two heads are better than one" is very appropriate here. All the advice I have gotten has been very well thought out and thorough. Thanks to you all

 

[bradheil]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Well now I can't get the buzzer to go off at all. I know this should be a good sign, however I am wondering what will happen when I put the boat in the water. I suppose I will stay very close to shore for a while. Let's hope for the best. Again I would like to thank everyone for the advice given to me. <br />Brad Heil

 

[almost retired again]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

Hi Brad'<br />I'm glad to hear that you have got that buzzer silenced. You have evidently found the solution, but now you have to find the cause. As Hooty said that temp sender only completes a ckt. to ground. So what caused it to go to ground in the first place?<br />You can test the alarm ckt. by grounding that tan wire from either side, or both. The white wire with a black stripe is the control for quick start, that will be on the port bank standing at the back of the engine looking fwd.<br />Let us know what the cause was, it might help someone else in the future.<br />Good luck

 

[bradheil]

Re: Warning Buzzer 1999 150hp Johnson OceanPro

To everyone, Almost Retired, Reel Appeal, Hooty, DirtPoore, Clanton, and Haycord, I thank you. I will not be able to look at the boat until Wed. afternoon now, however as soon as I find the problem I will most certainly let you all know what it is that I find. There is one thing I would like to understand a little better. On both banks of cylinders, above the uppermost plugs, there is, I would call it, a plastic screw-in freeze plug. I unscrewed both of these and found the water jacket to be perfectly clean. With only 15 hrs. I really didn't expect to find it any different but, you never know. What is a little puzzleing though is, What are the springs inside of these freeze plugs for. Also where is the POPPET VALVE, and what does it do?