98 Mercury 150 efi - Oil Alarms

[jerms01]

Hey Guys,
A few weeks ago my alert system started sounding intermittently when the key is in the on position and while running. This started after I found the reservoir cap was cracked. I tried to repair for the time being but have ordered a replacement with float sensor which should be here today soon. Now sometimes the alarm beeps with key in on position to lets me know its working other times no sounds at all. I am no longer getting alerts while the engine is running and the reservoir did fill as expected after repairing. This sparked a few questions for me and I wanted to test this out a little more thoroughly just to educate myself on how this should work. When should I hear a sound when shouldn't I etc...

I removed the oil cap and let the float sensor drop to the bottom but got no alarm.
Q1. Should I have got an alarm or is that just a trigger for the oil pump to fill the top reservoir?

If so then I am going to leave the old cap in place but hook up the new sensor with it dry and in the down position to see if that trips the alarm. This should let me know the old sensor is bad.
Q2. If it doesn't trip I am going to assume its a bad alarm module?

Q3. If that is not the alert I heard while running is there another sensor for low oil that trips the alert system?
As soon as the top reservoir filled the alarms did shut off.

Engine Serial: 0G749932

TIA,
Jeremy

[Wildcat Dude]

Welcome to the BBC see this thread and let us know what exactly you heard http://www.bbcboards.net/mercury-3-l...beep-beep.html Don can comment more

[jerms01]

Sorry should've included that. It was the intermittent 4 beeps. I know what the issue was it was a cracked cap. My questions are more out of curiosity and further testing of the module itself.

[EuropeanAM]

Jeremy:

If that cap was damaged... don't trust it for warning purposes, either. REPLACE IT.

You should be hearing a "beep-de-de-beep" each time the key is turned on (test beep sequence).

Once the engine starts, you should not be hearing ANY beeps or beeping. If you do, something is wrong.

[jerms01]

Thank you I have already ordered a replacment but still had questions on testing.

I removed the oil cap and let the float sensor drop to the bottom but got no alarm.
Q1. Should I have got an alarm or is that just a trigger for the oil pump to fill the top reservoir?

If so then I am going to leave the old cap in place but hook up the new sensor with it dry and in the down position to see if that trips the alarm. This should let me know the old sensor is bad.
Q2. If it doesn't trip I am going to assume its a bad alarm module?

[Wildcat Dude]

http://www.bbcboards.net/mercury-mot...al-number.html

[jerms01]

I did please see 1st post. People on this forum have a real challenge with reading.

[Wildcat Dude]

yes WE do

[RiverRatMD]

Got a nice chuckle out of that one Wildcat.

[jerms01]

LOL, Ok well just replaced cap and float sensor with the new one and my questions still stand. I get NO beep when key is in ON position to tell me the alert system is working. Why would the alert module be intermittent? One time I turn the key it beeps to let me know its working and the next time nothing?

[EuropeanAM]

LOL, Ok well just replaced cap and float sensor with the new one and my questions still stand. I get NO beep when key is in ON position to tell me the alert system is working. Why would the alert module be intermittent? One time I turn the key it beeps to let me know its working and the next time nothing?

To answer your earlier question: The float switch in the ENGINE mounted oil tank is simply an open/closed switch that signals the Oil Warning Module of a low-oil level condition (the module then triggers the alarm).

Failure of the alarm to activate/trigger can be caused by (in order of most common to least common):

-Poor ground for oil warning module

-Disconnected or loose wiring/connections

-Faulty or Intermittent WARNING HORN (test it on a 12V battery at least a dozen times)

-Faulty Warning Module.

[Wildcat Dude]

loose wire is one thing that comes to mind, Don will have more

[jerms01]

Awesome thank you that helps out tremendously this is exactly what I needed! I will get started as soon as I get out of work today.

[jerms01]

Sorry 1 more question before I get started tonight. I really want to test to make sure the engine is getting oil. If I disconnect the hose from the oil pump to the block (running on premix) and I see oil coming out of the hose. Is it safe to assume it's getting oil? I hear horror stories of a nylon gear that breaks and causes no oil to get to the engine. Is this gear in the pump and what moves the oil into the block or is it in the block and responsible for distributing to the engine it self?

Got a trip to the lake planned for this weekend and if I am confident the block is getting oil I will risk not hearing the alarm for a weekend. If this is not a sure thing I will wait.

Thanks again!

[Wildcat Dude]

IF your alarm isn't working correctly then your trip could be a disaster, you have to be patient and perform the tests Don outlined before you can procede. There are more things to do than just disconnect a hose.

[jerms01]

Such as?

[EuropeanAM]

The oil line does not "go to the block". Pressure from the block pressurizes a REMOTE oil tank, which in turn forces oil to the Engine Mounted Tank.

Oil gravity feeds from the Engine-mounted tank (under pressure) to the Oil Pump. The oil pump (when being driven by the Drive/Driven Gear set inside the engine) then pumps oil through a check valve in the VST assembly, mixing oil with the fuel inside the VST.

I would strongly suggest you stick with the warning horn situation for now. DON'T open the oil injection system until, or unless, you have a Mercury Service Manual to use as your guide, and are 110% confident in your ability to accurately follow the steps show in the manual.

[jerms01]

Understood. Thank you!

[jerms01]

Ok I checked connections and all look good visually, connected, not lose etc... Hooked up a multimeter to the purple wire leading into the Alarm Module and when grounded to the same ground point the module is I am getting 12.6v. I am not sure how to check the tan/blue wire which is supposed to close the circuit. There are no voltage readings and when monitoring ohms it jumps from -1 to .2. Not sure if that is good or bad. I followed the wires to the ignition module all connections their look sturdy. I found the Piezo alarm and tried to test that by tan/blue to negative and purple battery and get no sound. Also hooked up to my stereo still no sound. Could it be as simple as the Piezo alarm? Not sure if I should get sound just because I connected + and - any thoughts?

[jerms01]

Damn piezo buzzer went bad. $2.97 at frys electronics and I am back in the water. Lesson to be learned. Start simple!