"Oil Low" warning beep won't shut off!

[DEM]

Fished with my son-in-law this week end. He has a 70 hp Mercury approx 1997. Engine began emiting a "beep" approximately every second. Sounds like the noise our garbage truck makes when it is backing up. The manual clearly says that this means low oil so and the reservoir was low so he did fill it but the beep continues.<br />He ran it all week end, perhaps an hour total in many small trips, and it runs fine. <br />Is this an electrical glitch? Perhaps a mechanical float in the reservoir that is stuck? or does this indicate an oil pressure problem?

 

[BJM]

Re: "Oil Low" warning beep won't shut off!

On my 115, the module that connects to the low oil sensor also signals for overheating. On mine the module failed. Use a continuity tester on the two leads coming from the oil level sensor in the bottom of the oil reservioir to see if the sensor is working. I siphoned out the oil and checked the sensor and then tested it while I filled it up again.

 

[CU2NITE]

Re: "Oil Low" warning beep won't shut off!

Don't run the motor with the horn sounding!!! If it is an oil problem it will cause damage to your motor. Check your sensors, oil pump and module. If all else fails pre-mix. Good luck.<br />CU<br /><br />RUNNING THE MOTOR WHILE LISTENING TO THE HORN WILL MAKE YOU MORN!

 

[jkering66]

Re: "Oil Low" warning beep won't shut off!

Similar issue. 1988 175 Mercury Outboard. Oil tank ran low last week, to about 1/4 full. Started getting low oil alarm, beep, beep, beep.<br /><br />Filled up the oil tank, beep will not go away. It is very intermittent, beeps for 10 seconds, goes away for 30 seconds, then comes back for 20 seconds. Engine runs great.<br /><br />Purchased a Manual, lots of things to check. I am hoping my case is need to bleed the lines to ensure no air got in the lines.<br /><br />People mention for a $20.00 dollar fix, mix your own. Is there a written procedure for what you need to perform to mix your own.<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[DEM]

Re: "Oil Low" warning beep won't shut off!

Hey, thanks alot all, for the thoughtful comments on the beeping oil warning indicator. I like the idea of mixing some oil with the 6 gallon gas tank. Seems like there would be little harm in that, then getting it in to be examined by Marine repair...I am not going to be up there the rest of the summer (4 hours away) and my son-in-law probably isn't as experienced in these things as it sounds like several of you are. Helps to get some feedback.

 

[jkering66]

Re: "Oil Low" warning beep won't shut off!

I not familar with your engine, but mine has an oil tank in the boat and a small tank on the engine. Big one feeds the little one.<br /><br />The one on the engine must have gotten some air in the tank when the big tank ran low, 3 inches of air at top.<br /><br />I followed the manual, and bled the air out of the little oil tank on the engine and it fixed the problem, no more alarm. Ran the boat last night for 2 hours, idle to WOT 10 times.<br /><br />You cannot have any air/space on the tank attached to the engine because the sensor is at the very top of the tank, actualy on the cap of the engine oil tank.<br /><br />-Jack-

 

[sharkcat]

Re: "Oil Low" warning beep won't shut off!

You say you ran it for an hour with the alarm going off.If there was a problem with the oil feed you wouldnt have an engine now.It wiould have seized.The problem is probably the sender in the oil reservoir.There will be 2 wires coming from the bottom of the reservoir start the motor & discnnect the wires if the alarm stops youve found the problem.Unfortunately the solution is a new oil tank as mercury in their wisdom made this a sealed unit.If you in any doubt about the oil injection working run it on 50:1 pre mix,the extra oil will give you piece of mind & maybe a fouled plug or two but if the oil level in the tank is going down as you run the engine you have no worries hope this helps

 

[Hemlock]

Re: "Oil Low" warning beep won't shut off!

I did the same thing Jack66 had. Take the shroud off and bleed out the oil resevoir by running the motor, unscrewing the top screw in the tank, and watch the oil rise. Tighten screw after you've bled out the airl. Have a rag handy, as it took me a few seconds to tighten the bleeder screw. This happened to us on a 150 opti that ran low on oil. Easy, cheap fix.