Help with issue with 250 Merc Optimax pro xs outboard

[Petew1971]

I have a 2004 Gambler with a 250 Merc Optimax pro xs outboard. Took it out the other day and the alarm on the merc smartcraft started going off while getting up to plane, the oil and engine pictures were flashing.

I just had the outboard serviced, the guy changed the lower unit oil and filled up my 2 cycle oil reservoir that sits inside the battery compartment.

The boat had also been sitting for a while at the shop, when I first hammered it out of the hole on the water it kinda lagged at first but then kicked in..it got better throughout the day but the alarm kept pinging so I took the boat in

Is this one of those thermostat poppet valve issues?? The boat ran fine and the alarm would sometimes go off but then would come back on.

Should I just take the boat to the shop, or is there something I can do myself?

Thanx,
Pete


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Modified by Petew1971 at 12:29 PM 6/7/2011


Modified by Petew1971 at 2:23 PM 6/7/2011

[hotrodelrod]

if there is an oil reservoir inside the cowling make sure it is full. my older 250 merc. has one and there is a sensor in the cap to make sure it stays full. Bet thats it!

[Petew1971]

Yeah there is a reservoir inside the cowling which obviously needs oil, the weird thing is that it looks like it has maybe a couple compartments inside the reservoir, it has never really looked full, its like half of the reservoir has oil in it and the side of the reservoir with the sensor is empty.

Since im new at the whole money pit boating thing, am I supposed to remove the sensor that has a couple screws in it and fill it from there? It has a little screw cap on the side that appears to have oil in it but the little screw cap doesnt come out all the way, after it unscrews it has like a stopper on the bottom, is this so when you fill it with oil, theres an air hole so it can be filled?

Isnt this reservoir supposed to suck oil from the large reservoir in the battery area? or does it need to be pumped in through this brass fitting?

Heres a couple pics






Modified by Petew1971 at 3:22 PM 6/7/2011

[Blue Steel]

The little cap is where you fill the tank, be Very careful unscrewing the cap as some folks have had issues with it breaking.Fill the small tank to the top.Post you same question at the link below,Don from European Marine may have a better answer for ya

http://www.bbcboards.net/zeroforum?id=227

[Petew1971]

Thanx but the little cap doesnt want to seem to come out of the hole after its unscrewed.

Ill post at the link you provided

[Fador]

hook your motor up to muffs. then take cap off, fire your motor up. the oil pump will fill your reservoir. make sure it's full to the top before putting the cap back on

[Petew1971]

I had the boat out the other day and the alarm start going off, should it have filled the reservoir then?

This is what im trippin on, am I supposed to fill it, or is there a pump thats supposed to fill it for me?

If theres a pump, its not working..did it not fill because the cap was on and not unscrewed?

[Fador]

theres pressure in the reservoir, so if you take the cap off it will pump the oil into the reservoir per my post above. Reason i know this is European Marine.

[Petew1971]

Awesome..I hope its that simple..thank you

[Fador]

heres ya a link
http://www.bbcboards.net/zerot...esent

[Petew1971]

Perfect, im getting on it now..thanx for everything

Pete

[Fador]

NP