Re: Johnson 115 no oil noise?
So you think that getting some pre-mixed gas, and letting it use its normal Marine oil for some serious usage would show the oil being burned? The only reason I ask is dad said he didn't notice a drop of oil being burned compared to when the family of 4 use to go out on it and ski/tube all day..but then again were driving no where NEAR as much on the water as we did back then..I guess what I'm looking for is what would be indicitave or a motor not getting enough oil? I know I would first hear the oil whistle, but we have put probably 10-15 gallons of gas through it and dad doesn't seem think it is using any oil.
What can I look/listen for on a motor not getting enough oil short of it seizing? It runs strong and without any hesitation, were just worried to keep putting it in only to do more damage to it..The temp gauge shows normal operating temperature as well..
If your engine really wasn't getting any oil, it wouldn't take long for it to sieze up. I doubt if it would take more than 5-10 minutes? Certainly not 10-15 gallons. You'd probably hear unmistakable bad sounds from the engine. This is assuming your "no oil" alarm was not working.
The "no oil" alarm, as mentioned above, is a rapid on-off-on-off, urgent sounding alarm, the tones maybe 1/2 - 1 second apart. The sound (in my words) is a loud, shrill BEEP, the same sound that you hear when you first turn on the key, but louder and rapid pulse type thing. No missing it. I personally have never heard an alarm malfunction with the clicking sound you're talking about, but that's not to say it's not possible.
Again, if you're concerned about the oil usage, there's no need to gues or hypothesize, just measure it and run premix until you're sure. That's the standard procedure. In fact the owner's manual clearly instructs on this. It also instructs to run premix and measure oil consumption every time you service the oil tank/line/etc. and every time you disconnect and then prime and reconnect the oil line.
You can also test the alarm itself. Maybe do this before you test the consumption. Again, put pre-mix in the tank. Disconnect the oil line to the fuel pump and take the boat out for a spin, or even just sit idling it in the water or on the hose. The fuel pump is now not getting any oil, and this should set off the "no oil" alarm. It might take a while to suck up any oil left in the fuel pump system, but within a few minutes, it should give you the no oil alarm. The engine won't be harmed because in the mean time, you're using pre-mix fuel which is providing the lubrication needed.
Then hook everything back up, priming the oil line properly, and run the engine long enough to use 5-6 gallons of the (pre=mix) fuel which should pull a pint give or take out of the oil tank. Again, if the oiling system is not working, you won't harm your engine becaue the pre-mix is lubing it.
If you're more concerned about what that mystery clicking sound is, I can't help you, maybe someone else can.
), running premix and then determined the oil was being burned exactly right.