Oil Alarm

[Klail]

Engine is a 1985 Johnson GT150, model # J150STLCO. With the help of the Pro's here, a service manual and a reliable local dealer this motor has been running great the last couple of years. Now a problem seems to be peaking up every once in a while. On the first run of the day I will get an alarm, short periodic beeps (beep, pause, beep). I take this to be the alarm for oil not pumping properly. The engine does have the updated OMS pump. When this beeping starts I can shut off the engine and refire with no more alarms. It just started doing this back around October and has only done it a total of three times. Seems it is usually after sitting for a couple weeks. Could the oil pump be losing prime? Is this an early warning for something starting to go bad? This old Johnson has been one tough engine with only one rebuild in it's 20+ years. I want to keep it that way.

[RUSTY63]

You can narrow it down by disconnecting the oil pump wires and running the motor, if you still get the horn reconnect the oil pump wires and disconnect the oil tank wires, if the horn now goes away you need a oil tank sensor.

[SEAHORSE]

The first thing to try is to squeeze the oil primer bulb firmly when the horn starts sounding and holding pressure on it. If the horn quits, then there was either an air leak in the line or the pump is weak on priming. Check the oil lines for bittleness. They shoud be the rubber factory oil lines with no splices from the primer ball to the pump inlet.

If the horn continues, remove the rubber connector at the pump assembly to see if the sound stops. Sometimes the "VRO" warning is faulty

If the pump still is the 3 wire version, it should be replaced as it is so old.

If that doesn't make a difference, then listen to Rusty and disconnect the oil tank wires as the electronics in the pickup and cause all kinds of weird signals when they go "belly up".

[Klail]

Thanks guys.The hoses seem very stiff. The only splice is where it passes through the cowling. My engine has the metal fittings here for the fuel and oil. I think I have found a complete pickup and hose assembly. I think I will replace them to be on the safe side.

However you have my curiosity up as my pump has four wires. This pump was replaced about four years ago. The original only had three wires. After the pump replacement I had an intermittent fuel restriction alarm. Had all fuel lines under the cowl replaced and cleared that situation up.

I have shut the engine down as soon as the beeping has started (within two or three beeps). I can immediately refire the engine and no alarm and run it like I stole it with no alarm. Only seems to set off the alarm if it sits more than a week. Almost as if the pump needed priming. After replacing the hoses and pick up I will let you know if that corrects the problem.

[SEAHORSE]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Klail &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Thanks guys.The hoses seem very stiff. The only splice is where it passes through the cowling. My engine has the metal fittings here for the fuel and oil. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Make sure also that there are no splices or plastic sight tubes inside the motor cover from the oil hose fitting to the pump.

[DoferGofer]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SEAHORSE &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Make sure also that there are no splices or plastic sight tubes inside the motor cover from the oil hose fitting to the pump.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I had the same intermittnting beeping problem with XP150 although, I still have the plastic sight tube. I did remove the little bitty cone filter inside the oil line just past the plastic sight tube.