96 mariner 200 offshore warning buzzer

I was out on the water this weekend. and the warning buzzer started to go off. It was very erratic. So I slowed the boat to six knots and it would stop. I took the boat into a marina to eat and let it sit for about 4 hours. know I had to figure out how to get home. When I went back to the boat to start it it was hard to start, I had to pump the fuel to get it started it ran for about 2 min then shut off (no buzzer) hard to start again but I finally got it running still no buzzer. Got out in open waters, got the boat on plane and in about a min the buzzer started again but was very erratic (not constant like a over heat) went back to six knots it would stop. stayed a six knots to get home. about half way through the trip the buzzer stated again but very erratic. after about another 15 min it became more constant (beep beep beep) so I shut it down and got towed in. When back at the pier I started it again (once again very hard to start) but this time as soon as it fired up the buzzer when off (beep beep beep beep). I belive it has something to do with the oil injection but I don't know were to start. All the tanks have oil in them.
and when it does start it blows smoke (its always done this) like its burning the oil. Any help will be appreciated, thanks.

Re: 96 mariner 200 offshore warning buzzer

If you have any notion that you might be having an oiling problem, don't run the engine without first transferring enough oil from the oil tank to the main fuel tank to make it about 50:1 mixture. You probably will be running double oil, but that's a lot better than running no oil.

If it was actually running out of oil, you hurt your engine big time.

Check the compression (after prayer) . If it's good, go to the next step.

Now, to your set of symptoms. The oil alert gets it's signal the engine is running from the ignition system. It sounds like your ignition went intermittent about the same time the oil alert sounded. It probably is an ignition problem.

First place I'd look is this. Take the kill switch wires off the switchboxes and measure from there to ground with the ignition switch on. It should be open. Chances are a mouse made a resistance path to ground for you somewhere in the kill circuit.

Next is DVA tests on stator at the switchboxes.

There's a formal set of testing in the manual for the oiler.

Of course I'm assuming all your connections, especially grounds, are clean and tight.

hope it helps
John

Re: 96 mariner 200 offshore warning buzzer

ok I will test the compression. hope thats good!! and then the switchbox wires. Probley won't get to it untill monday because its suppose to rain all weekend here. thanks

Re: 96 mariner 200 offshore warning buzzer

ok I did a compression test that checked out 120psi all cyl. (plugs covered in oil, I think from idling so long) Checked the switchbox wires all open, and did the dva test. I don't think its ignition problem. I noticed that the reservoir on the motor was only about half full.
started the motor (had blue smoke) and pulled the cap off, lifed the float and the buzzer when off. but reservoir did not fill. I check the crankcase pressure at the reservoir under dash and its good. I tried to suck oil threw the hose and it came but not easy. But I belive that conector at the dash has check valves in it? does it ? and what does the brass fitting with the open end under the motor reservoir do, can that go bad ?

Re: 96 mariner 200 offshore warning buzzer

The valve with the dangle hose is a 2 lb relief valve that allows air to get into that line if the line to the boat tank gets clogged or pinched off in some way. Then the VRO pump can pull the last quart out of the engine tank. If the valve were stuck open, you'd have oil all over from the dangling line. If it were stuck shut, there would be no air in the engine tank. It sounds like it's operating normally to me.

A couple of pounds of crankcase pressure on the boat tank will force the oil up to the engine reserve tank. It's not real fast, takes several minutes to fill the tank. If the line is plugged, or pinched the oil can't get there. It sounds like that is what is happening.

I believe there is a screen in the oil pickup line in the tank. I've seen them get plugged with the foil off an oil bottle. The oil can also develop sludge over time if there's a small amount of water in it, and it will plug the screen.

The problem is somewhere between the bottom of the boat oil tank and the relief valve going to the engine tank.

hope it helps
John

Re: 96 mariner 200 offshore warning buzzer

thats exactly what happend, the screen in the reserve tank was clogged with sludge not allowing oil to reach the motor tank. thanks for your help. boat runs great, no buzzer and I learned alot about the warning system.

Re: 96 mariner 200 offshore warning buzzer

Good show. Tight lines to ya.