Soft Audio Alarm

[chill zone]

I have twin 5.0L Mercs. Was out on Lake Michigan for a cruise and on the way back I heard two short beeps, every 1 + minutes coming from the audio alarm. All gauges were good. I got back in the slip, turned engines off and I can hear what sounds like a small motor running on the port side of the port engine. I turned the batt switch off and it stopped. The fuel booster pump felt warm to me.
What could this be? We want to go out this labor weekend. Thanks

 

[alldodge]

I have twin 5.0L Mercs. Was out on Lake Michigan for a cruise and on the way back I heard two short beeps, every 1 + minutes coming from the audio alarm. All gauges were good. I got back in the slip, turned engines off and I can hear what sounds like a small motor running on the port side of the port engine. I turned the batt switch off and it stopped. The fuel booster pump felt warm to me.
What could this be? We want to go out this labor weekend. Thanks

Howdy

Ya know they have made a hole lot of 5.0 motors over the years, and have change many things about those motors during those years. We need serial numbers to help find answers, or at least get us close with a year. Kinda like asking about a chevy without mentioning the model and year.

Since your beeping it could be many things, and being low and on the port side that is in the location of many of the earlier model cool fuel. You are probably fuel injected (TBI/MPI). Maybe you have TKS, just don't know right now. The fuel pump in most cases is controlled by the computer which activates a relay.

More info please

 

[Fun Times]

Hi there, welcome to iboats!

What year is the boat/engine in question? Serial number handy by chance?

Typically on stern drive engine models the low pressure fuel booster pump is found on the starboard (right) side of the boat if facing the bow of the boat.... Now If you turn around facing the engine it becomes your left side but still would/should be considered the starboard side as facing forward towards the bow is the starting point. If the boat is a V drive with the front of the engine facing the stern (rear) of the boat than yes the low pressure fuel pump is typically found more to the port side of the boat/engine. Some of the MPI fuel systems have the high pressure fuel pump located down low next to the oil pan area behind a motor mount.

You may have a relay typically found on top of the engine stuck "on"....Sometimes tapping on the relay with the power turned on may unstick it. Also swapping the relays may help as a test to see if something changes status being on a different circuit.


Hope it's an easy one to repair for you, good luck.

 

[chill zone]

Howdy

Ya know they have made a hole lot of 5.0 motors over the years, and have change many things about those motors during those years. We need serial numbers to help find answers, or at least get us close with a year. Kinda like asking about a chevy without mentioning the model and year.

Since your beeping it could be many things, and being low and on the port side that is in the location of many of the earlier model cool fuel. You are probably fuel injected (TBI/MPI). Maybe you have TKS, just don't know right now. The fuel pump in most cases is controlled by the computer which activates a relay.

More info please

Its a 2003 Rinker 310, port engine serial is #OM535910. Yes it is MPI. I replaced the fuel booster pump, which is on the starboard side of the engine. It felt warm when I was in the slip. Is there another fuel pump on the port side (cool fuel box)?

 

[chill zone]

Hi there, welcome to iboats!

What year is the boat/engine in question? Serial number handy by chance?

Typically on stern drive engine models the low pressure fuel booster pump is found on the starboard (right) side of the boat if facing the bow of the boat.... Now If you turn around facing the engine it becomes your left side but still would/should be considered the starboard side as facing forward towards the bow is the starting point. If the boat is a V drive with the front of the engine facing the stern (rear) of the boat than yes the low pressure fuel pump is typically found more to the port side of the boat/engine. Some of the MPI fuel systems have the high pressure fuel pump located down low next to the oil pan area behind a motor mount.

You may have a relay typically found on top of the engine stuck "on"....Sometimes tapping on the relay with the power turned on may unstick it. Also swapping the relays may help as a test to see if something changes status being on a different circuit.


Hope it's an easy one to repair for you, good luck.

Hi there,
Its a 2003 Rinker 310, port engine serial #OM535910. MPI. When I came into the slip and shut off the engines, the fuel booster pump seemed warm to the touch. Is there another fuel pump in the Cool Fuel box on the port side?

 

[alldodge]

Its a 2003 Rinker 310, port engine serial is #OM535910. Yes it is MPI. I replaced the fuel booster pump, which is on the starboard side of the engine. It felt warm when I was in the slip. Is there another fuel pump on the port side (cool fuel box)?

Sounds good, and yes the cool fuel (high pressure) module and pump is on the port side of the engine, and as FT mentioned is controlled by the relay on top the engine. There are two relays up there, main power and fuel pump, and both can be swapped with each other for testing.

 

[chill zone]

Sounds promising. I am somewhat mechanically capable, but how do I trace these relays out. I have the Seloc book and cant find these relays shown.

 

[alldodge]

They are item 16 in the link below, and the item 15 (look like 1 1/4 inch black or gray squares mounted on the plate that holds ECM item 5) is a cover which has 3 - 20amp fuses under it. You didn't blow a fuse because the engine wouldn't run.

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...inbr=7585&bnbr=30&bdesc=Electrical+Components

 

[chill zone]

Disregard,
I found it in Seloc. I will try this and hope it works. looks like a simple fix.
Thank you both.

 

[chill zone]

Ok One more question.
is there a second fuel pump? All I can remember was the fuel line coming from the tank to an in line filter, then to the water/fuel separator then to the electric fuel booster pump and that's where I left it. I'm assuming the line goes right to the fuel cooler and then to the fuel rail, correct?

 

[alldodge]

Ok One more question.
is there a second fuel pump? All I can remember was the fuel line coming from the tank to an in line filter, then to the water/fuel separator then to the electric fuel booster pump and that's where I left it. I'm assuming the line goes right to the fuel cooler and then to the fuel rail, correct?

Yes, the cool fuel module is mounted to the port side of the engine on the motor mount. It has a plastic removable cover on it, held on by plastic spring clips. See link below

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...=7585&bnbr=50&bdesc=Fuel+Pump+And+Fuel+Cooler

 

[chill zone]

So if its not the relay, then more than likely the pump needs to be replaced.

 

[alldodge]

So if its not the relay, then more than likely the pump needs to be replaced.

No..... if it wasn't the relay causing a fault then it could be some other things, and there is a list of them. Most often the 2 beeps turn into the sea pump pressure switch but not always. Do the relay check and let us know if that has not fixed it. So many of these new engines require a scantool to read the code, but might be able to narrow it down with more testing

 

[chill zone]

Did not work

 

[chill zone]

Audio beeps is behind the dash somewhete

 

[chill zone]

Help

 

[alldodge]

Here is the list of faults which can show up. The one most common is the seawater PSI low, and if this happens then is a 10% reduction in power. You have twin engines so I don't know if you noticed a reduction in power. Is there any other things you noticed about the operation?

 

[Fun Times]

Unfortunately like you see in the chart above, the warning horn can be a number of things on an MPI like yours and to remove the number of guesses, a scan tool would be needed.

If you're going to trying repairing it yourself then you'll want to consider getting yourself a marine scan tool either like this one,http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scanner-too...hash=item4aefed8c8a&item=321852902538&vxp=mtr

Or opted for the newer designed Tech Mate Pro like these http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...scan+tool.TRS0&_nkw=marine+scan+tool&_sacat=0
But for the older version linked first above, you would also need to buy a rind technologies adapter for the 2001 - Up (PCM-555 / ECM-555) Adapter part number 94006 to fit your data link connector as the one that comes in the first link above fits/plugs into a Volvo engine model but it will read all other engine brands the same with the correct adaptor. You can order directly from the company.

The first scan tool linked above is an okay price as they sold for $400.00+ but that model scan tool has just recently became no longer available form Rind Tech as they now have the newer design at a higher cost....So the only way to get a lower cost is to watch EBay for used ones.

Since you have two engines, you could try testing the problem engine ECM on the good engine to see if the problem/s follow.

Did you notice if the running motor stopped when disconnecting the relays?

Yes the warning horn for the engine is located at the helm/dash area.

Since you have a running motor and a warning horn, it sounds like you may have an electrical issue possibly with a slight corrosion buildup allowing some wires to touch each other someplace. If so you'll need to carefully unplug some connectors, relays, wiggle wires, etc. and have a look around the best you can.

The only sensor you can unplug for a test to see if the horn stops is the gear lube oil reservoir...It'll have "two" wires near the bottom of the bottle you can unplug.

 

[alldodge]

The only sensor you can unplug for a test to see if the horn stops is the gear lube oil reservoir...

Disagree, the OP has 2 beeps every minute, the drive lube would be a solid beep (alarm) and would set a code 12.

 

[Fun Times]

Disagree, the OP has 2 beeps every minute, the drive lube would be a solid beep (alarm) and would set a code 12.

Sorry AD, but fault code 12 is for the engine oil system (low oil psi)...153 is for the gear lube reservoir and while yes it also says severe warning horn which makes for an constant alarm there are times it depends on what the RPM is running at as a 2 beep horn could turn into a constant alarm sometimes referred to as an soft alarm and hard alarm and sometimes called a level alarm. Soft/level 1 = 2 beeps while hard/level 2 = continuous beep. Depending on the severity of the situation programmed into the ECM, the switch from soft to hard alarms varies in higher RPM ranges but may start as low as 1200 RPM on up but more common for it to start around 2800 RPM on up. < The unofficial list is widespread.

The gear reservoir actually has a switch vs a sensor so the ECM is looking for ground, non ground change vs a variable resistor type change of a sensor such as engine temp, etc. so just disconnecting the two wires from the bottle, the ECM wouldn't see a change because it would/should think the float switch is in the up floating position due to the correct amount of oil is floating the float switch upwards like it should when/if "working correctly"....Should the float drop or become defective then it would ground the two wires together sounding the horn. If someone was to disconnect the two wires from the bottle then connect the engine side wires back together then yes the horn should sound.

Shepherd is a chaparral/Merc tech,
http://forum.chaparralboats.com/index.php?showtopic=15440
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-q/312114-mercruiser-fault-codes.html#post4120095

chill zone, Please keep in mind that with all this mentioned, we're not saying you have a reservoir problem, just a quick easy test to eliminate one potential alarm without the use of a scan tool.