2002 4.3 GXI-B Audible Alarm & Protection Mode

[jake7995]

I just purchased this boat. I haven't had it out on the water yet, but it runs perfect on muffs without a load. The previous owner said that it bogged down bad when trying to drive it on the water. I'm assuming it's in protection mode for some reason. The oil pressure gauge shows that it has good oil pressure and it increases when revving the engine. The ECT sensor ohms out correctly for ambient temperature. I think the only other thing that will trigger protection mode is the exhaust riser temperature sensors, but I don't know how to test them. The audible alarm beeps 2 times, pauses, beeps 2 times, pauses and so on. It starts beeping immediately when I turn on the key and never stops until the key is off. I have also pulled the codes by shorting the diagnostic connector and hooking up a light. The first time I pulled codes I got 12, 14, and 81. I cleared the codes and ran it on muffs. After running it I get code 81, which could be multiple things, but none of them would trigger the audible alarm. The alarm kept beeping even after clearing the codes. I don't have a scan tool, but I also don't want to be at the mercy of the dealer just yet. Does anybody have any suggestions? It seems that most posts I've seen about the alarm is that it doesn't beep until the engine is running, but mine does anytime the ECM has power.

 

[Fun Times]

Sounds like you've probably already seen past iboats member bladd48 of what was mentioned regarding some thoughts about code 81. Re-reading that topic for a memory check of code 81 there's a note taken out of a service type manual that mentions the use of the scan tool ought to help steer you in a better direction of what "that" code of 81 may mean for your situation.

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/eng...ves/655330-volvo-penta-5-7-gi-fuel-pump-relay

Should code # 14 (Coolant Sensor Voltage High) = (cold) be defective wiring/voltage wise then you'd set of a warning horn for sure or if the sensor was way out of range too....Was the coolant sensor disconnected at all for testing etc. etc.?

May as well start there to see if you can get code 14 removed for good.

Code 12 would be okay as that's saying the self diagnostic system is working correctly...

Upon the initial activation of the Code Mate’s test switch, the indicator light should flash Code 12 three times consecutively. This Code 12 sequence consists of a “Flash, pause, Flash-Flash, long pause" and is repeated two more times for a total of three readouts.
Code 12 indicates that the ECM’s diagnostic capabilities are working. Following the Code 12 sequence (Code 12 displayed 3 times), any stored trouble codes will be displayed in a similar manner.

 

[jake7995]

I have read many threads about code number 81. The thing that seems uncommon is that my audible alarm starts beeping the instant I turn on the key. The boat had the ECT code when I bought it, but I haven't gotten that code to come back. I plan to schedule an appointment to figure out what's causing the code this week. Has anybody experienced an audible alarm that doesn't clear when the codes clear and it's always on?

 

[jake7995]

I finally got the boat in to be scanned and it came back with injector a and b low/open. Time to start troubleshooting...any advice?

 

[jake7995]

Hey all,
I spent some time on the boat last night, and am unable to find anything apparently wrong. I tested the positive connection on the harness to all of the injectors, and they all read 12.3v while not running. Next I bridged some wires between the harness connectors and injectors, started the engine, and tested the signal with a test light. The test light blinked on all injectors. It’s a light that blinks red for negative and green for positive and it appeared that the red and green lights were both blinking. It was hard to tell because the pulses are quick. I checked injector supply voltage to ground while running the engine, and it read 14.2 volts at all 6 injectors.

I decided to check if the 3 ground wires to the ECM had good contact to ground. The ohm readings at connector J1 pins 13, 29, and 28 all read ~0.3 ohms, which I’m assuming would prove that the grounds are good. I took resistance readings between the pins on all of the injectors, and they read between 12.1 and 12.4 ohms.

I am trying to figure out what voltage the ECM looks at when determining of the voltage is correct in the injector circuit. I probed into the B+ circuit to the injectors at J2 – 19, and it reads battery voltage. I started the engine and probed into J2-31 to see if that was some type of feedback voltage to the ECM, and it reads 0.55V when running, but 0 volts with the key on engine off.

I’m planning to use a stethoscope to see if I can hear the solenoid click at all injectors while running, but I’m running out of ideas to try. Any help is greatly appreciated. The great state of North Dakota might not give me much more good weather to test out the boat!
Thanks,
Jake

 

[muc]

you don't post a serial number, so i cant be sure. but I'm guessing you should be using service manual 7742218
if you are that manual has a few problems, especially in the fuel injector pages.
might be good to get a copy of service bulletin 04-2-40 as that has the corrections
a "noid" light is recommended for trouble shooting.
not sure what wires you "bridged"
J1-11 and J1-26 are the grounds for the injectors
you don't say if you are still getting an alarm KOEO, if you are it would be best to resolve that problem first.
When you had codes pulled, did they run the engine and look at all the parameters?

 

[jake7995]

I'm not sure which serial number you are talking about. The engine tag shows 4 3GXI-B....4012071285....3869132. The ecm tag on back has these 2 sets of numbers 12569494...869494KA20380078. I ran wires from the injector wiring positive connector to the injector positive conector, and the negative wiring connector to the negative injector connector. I basically hard wired the injector without plugging it in so I could get to both positive and negative connections without plugging in the connector. I used a sensor safe 0.21mA test light to check pulse on all injectors because I don't have a noid light set. All injectors had pulse. I also listened to them with a stethoscope and they all click with the engine running.
I am still getting the alarm with the KOEO, they pulled the datastream with the engine both running (picture attached) and not running. There isn't anything that looKS alarming in the datastream, bit the only thing is shows for the injectors is fuel inj time which is 0.62ms on both a and b banks.
I have checked all inputs that would cause the audible alarm. Both of the exhaust riser temps are showing ground. The ect is reading normal resistance. The oil pressure grounds when the engine is running.

 

[89retta]

Have you had the boat in the water yourself to see how it performs ?

 

[jake7995]

No I havent. I have to drive over an hour to put it in the water so I'm trying everything I can to figure it out before I pull it to the lake.

 

[jake7995]

Kids hockey and soccer consume most of my life so time has to be used wisely!

 

[89retta]

Time is always precious. But it might be a good idea to take it out and lake test it

 

[jake7995]

Thanks for the advice, and I do plan to test it next weekend. In the meantime if anybody has any more suggestions on what to test for my codes it would be greatly appreciated! I'm starting to wonder if I have a bad ECM.

 

[muc]

4012071285 is your serial number, it really helps me look up your engine. Thanks

In 2002 the fuel cell was replaced under warranty. No other warranty repairs are listed.

The exhaust temp switch's should only show a ground on the electric connection during a overheat. I would disconnect them and see if the horn goes away. If they are bad I highly recommend replacement because they are one of the best early warnings of an overheat.

during your last scan did they give you any more info on the codes? Like freeze frame or fault seconds data?

 

[jake7995]

I wrote that incorrectly above. The oil pressure is grounded when not running but opens when I start it. The riser temps always read open to ground. The pictures above are the only data the shop gave me. They also printed master data which shows shift interrupt as enabled. I thought that was odd since the vp engines don't use an interrupt. Is there more information that can be pulled from the diagnostic port? He uses a cdi scanner.

 

[muc]

yes there is info missing from that report
don't know how good cdi scanner works with mefi4
shift interrupt enabled or active ----- does your trim gauge work, ive seen the trim sender plugged into the shift interrupt on these and cause an issue. volvo included shift interrupt in the program so the engine could be used as MCM alpha replacement.

the service manual and bulletin in post#6 are correct for you ----- you really need them to troubleshoot this.

when you get to the lake test. if engine has full power up to 2500 rpm then goes into reduction mode until rpms drop to 1200 rpm and resets. that will tell you are in reduction mode. I would expect that you are do to a constant soft alarm.

 

[jake7995]

I have the correct service manual with the service bulletin in the front of the manual. I was able to download it online when I first started troubleshooting this boat. I just purchased a Kent Moore J-39021 injector tester on Ebay as well as the connector for my injectors so I can test flow balance and each injector coil. Once I get those results i will post tbem. If they test good I don't think there is anything else other than the ECM that could be bad. I will test whether or not it's in limp mode this weekend. Does anynody know if the Diacom software give more information than my printouts show? I am considering purchasing this software as well. I have an OTC genisys automotive scan tool which works well, but I am blind in the marine diagnostic world!

 

[jake7995]

I took the boat out this last weekend and figured out that it’s not in protection mode. I can run the boat up to 4500 rpm and it will start popping and cutting out. I put a fuel pressure gauge on the high pressure side and it would run 60 psig at low rpm and stay at 60 until I hit ~4500 rpm. When the boat cut out the pressure dropped quickly and then jumped back up. If I stayed on the throttle the popping would get worse and pressure would drop to 50, then 40, and then 30 psig and the boat would run really rough. If I waited a while, the pressure would come back to 60 and the boat would run fine. Then I put the gauge on the return line from the regulator, that pressure read 60 psig all the time no matter how the boat was running. The next test was the low pressure pump test. At idle the boat ran ~5 psig. When I gave the boat full throttle the pressure would drop slowly to 0 psig. Even at 0 the boat ran fine for a while and then it would start popping.

I’m assuming the low pressure pump cannot keep up at the high flow rates or there is a restriction somewhere. It appears that the fuel tank vent is tied into the gas cap so I removed that and it didn’t help. Where do I start looking for issues? Is there a screen in the gas tank before the spin-on filter? Should I start disassembling the fuel cell to see if there is any blockage internally?

The other question is why am I getting the code 81 for injector A and B bank low voltage? Is that maybe a separate issue? The other thing I noticed is that the temperature gauge never moved off of cold. I’m assuming the gauge doesn’t work, but the transmitter works fine. Any guidance on how to test the temp gauge issue?

 

[muc]

You can T a vacuum gauge between the fuel cell and the tank, should be less then 1" of vacuum under load. There is sometimes a screen at the end of the fuel pickup tube. Also the anti-siphon valve can cause problems. If you have access to an outboard style fuel tank with 3/8" hose, you can hook that up to the fuel cell to eliminate the boats fuel system.

For the code 81. I would start with the fuel injector coil test on all 6 injectors (page 244). And then follow the tests that start on page 312. I'm guessing this is a separate issue.

The injector balance test is a tough one to do. You need a gauge that will allow you to see differences of 1/4 psi for valid test results. Iv'e never had much luck with this test and found its cheaper and faster to send the injectors out to a good marine fuel injector re builder

The temp gauge could be digital or analog and could use the one wire temp sender or the 2 wire sender that the ECM uses.When you first turn the key on, does the needle go full scale and then return to low scale?

Edit; forgot you have MEFI4. You will have analog gauges. Find the temp sender with the tan wire, remove the tan wire and short that to ground with the key in the on position. Gauge should read full scale while shorted to ground.

 

[DouglasW]

warnings of an overheat.

during your last scan did they give you any more info on the codes? Like freeze frame or fault seconds data?

As far as I know, no such data is supplied by the MEFI4.

For what it may be worth, I have just released a beta version of a free MEFI4 scan app for PC. You would need to build a simple cable however.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/b6r9npw2kvpcqh4/MEFI4.exe/file

 

[jake7995]

I did the coil test on the injectors with a Kent Moore tool referenced in the manual. They all tested good. Thanks for the info on the temp gauge, it goes to hot when grounded so the sender must be bad. I pulled the fuel cell out of the boat and disassembled it. I found some paint chips on the suction screen of the low pressure pump. Since I have it all apart I would like to flow test it. Does anybody know what that pump should flow? I plan to remove the paint in the fuel cell, but would like to replace the low pressure pump now if it's weak.