2002 Merc 50 HP - 4 str ......."event log"

I have been told that my 2002 Merc 50 hp 4 str (EFI) has an onboard computer of sorts that you should be able to "plug" into and get a log of recent alarms, events, etc. I know that the higher end Opti's have such abilities but I cannot confirm (or deny) what my 50 hp can do. I have had a few recent alarms that I think was a bad battery connection, as it now seems stabilized. Anybody know if and how I can access any "event" log as described?? thanks....Bill

Re: 2002 Merc 50 HP - 4 str ......."event log"

Yes you can. $700+ for the DDT and $ 130 for the software for your engine and if you decide to udgrade in the next year or so you'll need to upgrade that cartridge again.From a small dealers perspective ,these guys are killing us.

Re: 2002 Merc 50 HP - 4 str ......."event log"

That's Cheap! Just wait til you see the pricetag of the CDS systems that are coming out to replace the DDT which will become obsolete.

Re: 2002 Merc 50 HP - 4 str ......."event log"

Is this getting insane or what?Gone are the days of the nice Ma & Pa bait and tackle or marina at the lake shops that only sell their 15 9.9s to maintain the dealership and make a couple bucks on parts.Seems to me Merc would be looking hard at what happened to their local competitor,weighing in the others and making nicey nice with the people that have been there with them awhile.We used to have a Merc DSM that knew me, my boss ,the shop layout,had advice to give.Happy retirement Mark .I sure miss you.

Re: 2002 Merc 50 HP - 4 str ......."event log"

The computer is pretty inaccessible to anybody without the equipment, BillWpg. EFIs are incredibly dependent on having a good strong battery with good clean and tight connections. Many EFI problems can be traced to inadequate batteries or bad battery connections. In most cases, that's all it is.<br /><br />Just did one yesterday. The customer had been having problems since day one, four years ago. The selling dealer never found the problem, so he brought it to us in frustration. I found it right away. He had the wrong battery. It was too small and couldn't handle the load. With an EFI, you almost can't have too big of a battery.

Re: 2002 Merc 50 HP - 4 str ......."event log"

Yikes.....BIG price tag just to get a bit on info out of my Merc <br /><br />I guess I have to drag it to my local dealer to see if he can extract any alarm and event info.....at a reasonable price.<br /><br />Anybody just what info can in fact be gathered??<br /><br />Also, thanks for the insight on the need for a strong and good battery. I do think that was my problem (a poor conection that is). I had heard that the EFI's were battery demanding, and I guess now that is true. I did read in the manual that if your battery is low, the engine turns down the power to 50-75%.......or "off" if too low or a bad connection!<br /><br />Nice motor for sure, but it seems I will have \to baby ad tolerate it's "hih tech mood" alot more than I did my last engine which was a Merc Classic 50 HP - 4 cylinder. Now that was a great beast that ran all day and never complained!!!<br /><br />Thanks to all for the advice and education.