Low oil in Reservoir Fault

[Keith A]

Good evening,

I'm up here in Maine and just took my boat out for the first time since last fall. About halfway through the day I got a solid beeeeeep, and turned the outboard off. I checked my Vessel View mobile to see if it threw a code and it did for low oil in reservoir. I think I got another code for guardian mode. I made it back to the ramp, but my outboard was acting off power wise taking off(taking it easy), and when I got home just turning the key on without starting generated the same beeeeep. My oil in the boat tank was at least 3/4 full and the reservoir on the motor was at about half when I checked it on the water. I'm thinking this is supposed to be full to prevent air? I'm guessing where it not being in use for around 4 months is a clue? FYI, the tank in the boat is original to the boat, which is a 1998 model. Any help on checking things before I go out in the garage and waste time is appreciated.

2015 Pro XS 200
Serial number: 2B124899

Thanks!

-Keith A

[EuropeanAM]

Engine tank should be 100% full with no air space present.

See the FAQ Section "Bleeding air from the Engine-Mounted Oil Tank" provided you have at least 1.5" of oil in the engine-mounted tank. If oil level is LOW, you will need assistance to perform an oil pump prime.

[Keith A]

Thanks for the advice! Boat tank pickup screen was clogged as well as pump that needed a new o ring as well(leaking). Boat was sitting unused for 4-5 months(Maine winter).

[EuropeanAM]

"Pump that needed a new O-ring"? What about the other 14 o-rings in there?

[Tarponstalker]

I've been hearing a lot of people with optimax/dfi oil gelling in the tank clogging the oil pickup. That was my issue when my engine alarm started going off about 30 seconds after I cranked the engine. It always went off after a few seconds though. My engine mounted oil tank would only fill halfway

[SilverFox579]

One commonality among the many recent posts on this also includes a deck fill.

[JOE54]

One commonality among the many recent posts on this also includes a deck fill.

i hate um , seen several powerheads lost from h2o in oil tank , be warned

[EuropeanAM]

i hate um , seen several powerheads lost from h2o in oil tank , be warned

+1... though usually combined with some level of ignoring signs and warnings that a problem is there (NOT always, however).

Knock on oil drums... only problems I've seen locally were two that were water-induced (and really wouldn't matter WHAT oil it was running, water and oil don't mix very well).

[Keith A]

I was going to start a new thread, but I figured last years information might be useful. I ran my boat every weekend last year with no issues after fixing it after the first trip out last year. Winter is now over and I went out 2 weeks ago with no issues. Yesterday I got the solid beep again with a "low oil in engine mounted tank," fault. I checked the screen on the pick up tube in the boat oil tank and it was clogged with sludge like material. I cleaned the pick up screen really well and made sure it was free of debris. I also made sure there was nothing in the tank that would cause a blockage. The oil tank on the motor was about 7/8 full. I marked a line on the tank and unscrewed the top cap to bleed the air while idling, but it stayed pretty much level to slightly above the line I marked. After running for about 10 minutes I shut off the outboard. I read about putting it in gear 3-5 times with the key on and a pump noise came on and the oil dropped in the motor tank quit a bit, so I turned the key off. I tried to prime again with the engine running and motor tank cap unscrewed, but it will not fill, it just stays level. Any thoughts on what I should do next? Check valve maybe?

[Savage]

You have mistakenly put the motor in "Break-in Mode". The motor is now going to consume DOUBLE the amount of oil that it should.

You needed to bleed the oil tank. Follow this link >>>>>How to BLEED the ENGINE MOUNTED OIL TANK when AIR IS PRESENT

[Keith A]

You have mistakenly put the motor in "Break-in Mode". The motor is now going to consume DOUBLE the amount of oil that it should.

You needed to bleed the oil tank. Follow this link >>>>>How to BLEED the ENGINE MOUNTED OIL TANK when AIR IS PRESENT

How did I put it in break in mode? Is there a way to set it back? I have around 250 hours on the motor, so I don't want it to double the oil. I already performed the bleeding instruction on your link and the oil level on the engine mounted tank stays level, it doesn't come out of the cap. So I'm guessing there is an air leak somewhere or the check valve needs to be replaced, but I figured I'd ask hear before chasing the problem. FYI, like last years problem it's right after I took the boat out of winter storage. Is there another filter screen besides the one on the boat oil tank pick up that might be clogged?

[Savage]

How did I put it in break in mode? Is there a way to set it back? I have around 250 hours on the motor, so I don't want it to double the oil. I already performed the bleeding instruction on your link and the oil level on the engine mounted tank stays level, it doesn't come out of the cap. So I'm guessing there is an air leak somewhere or the check valve needs to be replaced, but I figured I'd ask hear before chasing the problem. FYI, like last years problem it's right after I took the boat out of winter storage. Is there another filter screen besides the one on the boat oil tank pick up that might be clogged?

I was going to start a new thread, but I figured last years information might be useful. I ran my boat every weekend last year with no issues after fixing it after the first trip out last year. Winter is now over and I went out 2 weeks ago with no issues. Yesterday I got the solid beep again with a "low oil in engine mounted tank," fault. I checked the screen on the pick up tube in the boat oil tank and it was clogged with sludge like material. I cleaned the pick up screen really well and made sure it was free of debris. I also made sure there was nothing in the tank that would cause a blockage. The oil tank on the motor was about 7/8 full. I marked a line on the tank and unscrewed the top cap to bleed the air while idling, but it stayed pretty much level to slightly above the line I marked. After running for about 10 minutes I shut off the outboard. I read about putting it in gear 3-5 times with the key on and a pump noise came on and the oil dropped in the motor tank quit a bit, so I turned the key off. I tried to prime again with the engine running and motor tank cap unscrewed, but it will not fill, it just stays level. Any thoughts on what I should do next? Check valve maybe?

Read your comments highlighted in red. The second quote is how you put the motor in Break-in-mode.

[JOE54]

should be one in the oil supply hose just inside cowling

[EuropeanAM]

And in some cases, I've seen "clots" form in the hose that would barely flow with NO filter present.

[toonedin]

My buddy just had this on our last trip.
He has beeb using merc dfi..... badly gelled ( clogged pick up) cleaned and blew it out)
Blew out hose and small filter before the motor tank...
Found small air leak at boat tank ( cleaned AIR/Oil SIDE AND REplaced)
Still boat tank not filling, put in New filter, still tank not filling.
Took that little filter out and Boat tank filled just fine.
Just our experience.....

[EuropeanAM]

Savage is correct- if you did what you said, you reset break-in and the ONLY way to turn it off is to run the engine at level or below trim, loaded down and at a minimum of 3500 RPM's (and run time differing from these criteria does not count towards the 120 minute break-in clock).

Refill your remote oil tank regularly- you WILL use TWICE AS MUCH OIL.

My buddy just had this on our last trip.
He has beeb using merc dfi..... badly gelled ( clogged pick up) cleaned and blew it out)
Blew out hose and small filter before the motor tank...
Found small air leak at boat tank ( cleaned AIR/Oil SIDE AND REplaced)
Still boat tank not filling, put in New filter, still tank not filling.
Took that little filter out and Boat tank filled just fine.
Just our experience.....

Sounds like congealing/potentially-defective oil. Separate thread/post since it's a separate engine/poster/topic.

[Keith A]

So I drained the oil and it looked good. Blew out the oil line, replaced the in line filter, and soaked the 90 degree brass valve with quikleen and gas by the remote tank. Hooked everything back up and ran it for 10 minutes and it stayed at the same level maybe filled a little bit. When it was running I checked for leaks with soapy water and nothing bubbled. Should I replace the brass coupler in the picture? Does this have a check valve in it? Also the air side that c20250425_165534.jpgonnects to the block has a brass fitting directly to the block. Should I replace that too?

[SilverFox579]

Should I replace the brass coupler in the picture? Does this have a check valve in it?

That is the check valve.

[JOE54]

no check valve for oil flow just venting , replace one on side of block

[Keith A]

I blew out all the lines, replaced the small filter by the reserve tank, soaked the oil line coupler as well as air check valve(those 4 lower cowling bolts are not easy to get to) in qucikleen/gas then blew them out clean, and checked for leaks(soapy water) at all connections(including caps) with soapy water. FYI, I shook the air check valve and could here the ball moving back and forth. It still would not prime with the vent cap open on the reserve tank. I then talked to a veteran service tech. at a marine parts store, who would not sell me a check valve(the oil side one that is apparently not a check valve-thank you JOE54) before I completely drained the oil in the boat tank($140 gone), clean it really well, and add new oil($70 a gallon now). Once I cleaned the boat tank and added new oil it did prime(on muffs), but very slowly. I took my boat on the water yesterday, made a couple very small runs and it was filling more than on the muffs, but still seemed slow. Should I just run it more and monitor the reserve tank until it completely fills? It went from about 2" below full to about 3/4".