88' Johnson GT 150 alarm buzzer

[hill392]

My alarm went off yesterday after switching tanks, stayed on until i got it back to the marina. I can see no obvious problem, still runs great. It's actually went off a few times before. First time was after my regulator burned up. Then it went off a couple of weeks ago idleing but didn't stay on so, i checked the water stream, then made sure i had oil. The 2 cycle was around a 1/4 tank, so i topped it off to be on the safe side. It came on again yesterday after i switched tanks. This time it stayed on. I would just like to know if there is a check list to go down when it sounds. So far i'm thinking it sounds when the 2 cycle is low or VRO is not recieving oil or there is a problem with the motor cooling. All this is just speculation though. I'm curious if it is covered in the owners manual or possibly a Johnson/Evinrude shop manual? Could someone shed some light on this buzzer?

[Fishaholic]

Low oil - the horn will sound once every 20 seconds
No Oil Flow - The horn will sound continuous short pulses.
Overheating - the horn will sound continuously

Stop and turn off the motor to reset the horn.

This info comes from my owners manual. 1988 Johnson 120

[ChampioNman]

Alarm conditions are in your owners manual but short and sweet, the causes for alarms are overtemp (will put the motor into SLOW), low oil short beeps no SLOW mode, NO OIL SLOW mode and fuel starvation comes on at WOT and no SLOW mode solid alarm. Pull your tan wires on the sensors to find the culprit.

[hill392]

Thanks for the replys. So if i understand it correctly i'm checking the fuel sensor, oil (VRO) sensor, temps sensor.. What exactly is meant by " putting the motor into SLOW mode " and " fuel starvation comes on at WOT " and where might a guy find all these sensors too? Sorry i'm new to these high power boats. I still get a solid buzzer when I turn the key. So i'm off to look for these sensors and pull those tan wires..

[Fishaholic]

Slow mode - The revs are automatically limited to somewhere around 2500rpms.
Fuel starvation comes on at WOT - I think this means that if a fuel restriction is detected the horn will sound at wide open throttle. Good luck finding those sensors, I can't help ya there.

[hill392]

Thanks for clearing that up. I was kind of thinking it was along those lines. I'll get those sensors tracked down tommorow.

[hill392]

OK so I found the sensor wires and it seems my problem is with VRO / fuel pump. Is it possible that this sensor is stuck? It did shut off once but it's now on all the time. Should the alarm sound even if the motor is not running?

[ChampioNman]

If the key is on the circut is armed. Try pumping the oil tank primer bulb and see if it helps. If not and you don't want to spend the money on a new OMS you can disconnect the VRO harness, cap the oil inlet fitting and plug to oil line. Then mix oil to the gas tank at a ratio of 50:1 or 1 pint to every six gallons of gas.

[hill392]

Thanks Champman. It's nice to get some input . I'll give the the bulb a couple good squeezes and see if that will do it. What an expensive summer, I have been through a regulator, trim unit, and trolling motor

[SEAHORSE]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hill392 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> It did shut off once but it's now on all the time. Should the alarm sound even if the motor is not running? </TD></TR></TABLE>


If the keyswitch is ON with the motor not running and the alarm is sounding, most likely the LOW OIL sensor in the tank is acting up. Trace the wires from the oil tank and disconnect them at the motor to see if the alarm quits. If so you can leave them disconnected and just keep and eye on the oil periodically.

For service literature and owners manuals contact the Ken Cook Company at (414) 466-6060 or http://www.outboardbooks.com/

[hill392]

Took the VRO off, plugged it in, turned the key. The alarm was still on, so I gave it a tap on the sensor. I heard a metal click and the alarm went off. So I'm thinking that it was just a stuck sensor. I was just scared that the VRO would stop pumping oil and blow the motor. Looks like if it stop pumping oil then it would stop pumping gas as well seeing as it's all one unit. Anyone ever blow a motor from a VRO going out or does the motor just stop from lack of fuel? Anyhow it's going back on, I still have some fishin to do.