Boat Alarm is Going off!!!

[badbass25]

Went out saturday to the delta with nickthelittlestick (had a great time by the way, nothing big, but had fun) fished from 6 to 3:30 or 4:00. Some time during the day I notice my RPM guage wasn't working and then noticed the voltage gauge was well above 16 volts, basically maxxed out. Well I didn't really think much of it because I had just put the boat in the shop In march to fix a short causing the main fuse to blow... when the main fuse blew the RPM gauge wouldn't work and Neither would the trim... Saturday the RPM Guage didn't work but the trim did... As we got ready to leave I turned the key and the continuous beeeeeeeeeeeeep started... Prior to leaving we got blown onto the rip rap rocks when i went to retie... and one of those big cruiser boats came stroling by with its big wakes and pushed us further up the bank... I had to get out and litterally try to pick the boat up/push it off of the bank... When i went to start the boat, the beep started and the boat wouldn't fire up for nothing (it did start eventually, but took and awful long time) It would crank over and over like it was cold (which it wasn't). I tried for Like 2-3 maybe 5 minutes before it actually would start. Now that I'm Home I thought it might be the cranking battery... so it hooked it up to my trolling motor battery... same thing...beeeeeeep!!!! I don't know what it could be. Maybe blown fuses....? I don't know.... Is the alternator bad? I can't afford to just put it in the shop again... Is there anything I can check/test/change myself before having to put it in the shop... I did lift the motor out of the water a few times and start it, but only long enough to realize it was out and shut it off. I hope I didn't screw up... Any input Is appreciated...
Wes
P.S. Boat is a 88 tx17 bass tracker with a 45horse Mariner... I have taken the boat out a few times since I got the boat out in March.

[FRANK D. LOZANO]

BadBass,
Sounds like you have 2 unrelated problems. The first problem with your volt gauge reading over 16 volts and the tach not reading most likely indicates that your voltage regulator is bad, probably caused from the short you had.

The second problem that is causing your alarm to go off and the start up problem is most likely from a overheat condition or a low oil condition or bad low oil sensor. I suspect your motor is overheating. If the low oil or O/Heat was bad it, would not have any hard starting symptoms, just an alarm. Unless you were completely out of oil.

Does the alarms go off immediately with key on or does it need to run for a while?
When is the last time you had the impeller replaced?
Check your oil level. Un plug the oil sensor and turn the key on.

Take 2 aspirin and call me in the morning.

Good luck

[RichThiel]

Frank,

Quote> "Take two asparins and call me in the morn'in".......Your scar'in the hell of the poor Guy

or go to WEB MD Health.

Rich

[kopper_bass]

Mr Badass,
Dont know if this will help any, but i used to have a mariner and had the alarm go off. i checked everything (oil, waterpump) but coudnt figure it out. took it in to the dealer and they knew immediately.

The mariner's have a sensor on the water filter for the gas line. if you get too much water in the line, it senses it and shuts down the boat and sets off the alarm.

try and find that water filter, dump it out, and then retry it.

Good luck,

Kopper_Bass

[FRANK D. LOZANO]

Hey Kopper,

The 45hp's don't have one.


Frank

[MN]

Frank may I ask a question.I have a 2000 200hp Ficht,the last time i went out I fished for about 4 hour's and everything was fine.Boat ran normal but after about four hour's I was going to troll for Striper's and my no oil alarm went off.

I checked the resovoir and it had oil in it.So I fired it up to come in and the boat ran fine and no oil alarm never went off until i was idleing in the five mile zone and off it went again.I have parked ever since but the place I take it to cant get me in until July 3rd.

Any idea what would cause this and surley i shouldnt use it until i can get it looked at.

Thank's for any response.

[rexford]

Guys,

If you have an alarm you can not ignore it. Although
they fail sometimes the majority of the time it is doing
its job and alerting you that things are going to get
serious if you don't shut me down. Mine have saved
my power head 3 times as I have one of the Mercs
with poor oil injection. Just because the oil pick up
res. is full does not mean oil is being pulled into
the engine. Matter of fact the alarm will go off if
the upper res. is to full as that means your internal
pump is not keeping up for some reason. My
mechanic tells me 1/2 his business is due to people
thinking the alarm is faulty not something else.

If you have to run it with an oil alarm I would suggest
calling your mechanic and asking him if you could
premix your gas just to get you back to the dock.

Sounds like you guys did all the right things. Hope
all ends well.

Thanks,
M

[badbass25]

The first problem with your volt gauge reading over 16 volts and the tach not reading most likely indicates that your voltage regulator is bad, probably caused from the short you had.

The Short has been fixed.....

The second problem that is causing your alarm to go off and the start up problem is most likely from a overheat condition or a low oil condition or bad low oil sensor. I suspect your motor is overheating. If the low oil or O/Heat was bad it, would not have any hard starting symptoms, just an alarm. Unless you were completely out of oil.

It's a two stroke and the Oil Mixer thing has been removed so I mix it myself...

Does the alarms go off immediately with key on or does it need to run for a while?

As soon as I turn the key it starts

When is the last time you had the impeller replaced?

Not sure... I know I need to get it replaced/changed, but won't get it done until I know that everything else is fine.

Check your oil level. Un plug the oil sensor and turn the key on.

Do I still need to check my oil and Unplug the sensor since I mix it myself?

Thanks for you help!
Wes

[badbass25]

bump

[Lee In Mountain View]

badass25,

You might want to go to www.iboats.com and post in the forums there. Lots of good diagnostic help. They helped me diagnose a bad voltage regulator and it solved all of my electrical problems.

Check 'em out! Good luck!

Lee

[MikeD]

even if the short has been fixed a reading of 16v is way too high, and it does indicate that the voltage reg is no good.

Do I still need to check my oil and Unplug the sensor since I mix it myself?

if you are premixing then I'd think not

the suggestion for iboats is a good one, lots of good info there.

[MikeD]

how's it coming along, any new updates?

[badbass25]

On a whim decided to go fishing on friday night...was gonna just put the boat in and use the trolling motor. I went to the boat was loading it up and thought I would turn the key...No BEEP!!! So I thought wow! Maybe no problem... So I went to tulloch and put it in and put the trolling motor down and the prop pen was broke (now i have to get another...any suggestions?) So I started the big motor to get out of the way at the launch and it started and ran fine. I couldn't use trolling motor so I putted and then drifted around the docks... I don't know what caused the alarm to go off intially but it seems to be fine... Maybe it was a fluke??
Wes