1987 Johnson VRO70 Model # J70TLCUR Alarm staying on

FiddleFaddle

Cadet
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Messages
27
I have a 1987 Johnson VRO70 model # J70TLCUR. I found the original high temp alarm in the control box burnt out. I replaced the alarm and now the alarm beeps on and off immediately once the ignition is turned on and I get a constant 12 volts to the alarm. I checked the oil tank sensor and the high temp sensor and both appear to be good (not closed or grounded) Any help would be appreciated.
 

saltchuckmatt

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
2,588
Oil alarm does two things, low oil bottle, (test that the plunger is working correctly) and two low pressure.

Your vro pump may have failed.
Racerone can tell you what you need to do. (Inexpensive rubber diaphragm).
 

saltchuckmatt

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
2,588
Use a portable tank with 75 to 1 to diagnose the vro.

Best to keep the vro in my opinion.

Seems like the alarm is possibly working as it should.
 

FiddleFaddle

Cadet
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Messages
27
Oil alarm does two things, low oil bottle, (test that the plunger is working correctly) and two low pressure.

Your vro pump may have failed.
Racerone can tell you what you need to do. (Inexpensive rubber diaphragm).
Im assuming the oil plunger is like a float ?? When I disconnect and ohm out the two wires going to the tank it is open (no continuity)
 

saltchuckmatt

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
2,588
I forget whether it's normally open or closed but does it affect the alarm?

The other is pressure and I don't know how to test....others will know just be patient
 

FiddleFaddle

Cadet
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Messages
27
I forget whether it's normally open or closed but does it affect the alarm?

The other is pressure and I don't know how to test....others will know just be patient

I believe the tank float/sensor is normally open and closes when low to complete the ground to activate the alarm similar to the high temp alarm.
 

saltchuckmatt

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
2,588
I believe the tank float/sensor is normally open and closes when low to complete the ground to activate the alarm similar to the high temp alarm.
I would agree.

What's interesting is no one is chiming in on how to test the pressure side. I know what my 80's series 110 bubble back had issues, I took it in to the dealer and they replaced the vro pump. That was many years ago and because I did that right away no damage was done to the engine.

Your sounds more like you have a bad wire somewhere that's causing it to go off.

At the very least I would pull the oil line off the pump and purge out any air in the line, check the status of the oil line itself and possibly rebuild the pump.... according to Race it's inexpensive and easy. All the dealers I know replace the entire assembly.
 

FiddleFaddle

Cadet
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Messages
27
I would agree.

What's interesting is no one is chiming in on how to test the pressure side. I know what my 80's series 110 bubble back had issues, I took it in to the dealer and they replaced the vro pump. That was many years ago and because I did that right away no damage was done to the engine.

Your sounds more like you have a bad wire somewhere that's causing it to go off.

At the very least I would pull the oil line off the pump and purge out any air in the line, check the status of the oil line itself and possibly rebuild the pump.... according to Race it's inexpensive and easy. All the dealers I know replace the entire assembly.

I have 120-125psig on all 3 cylinders so motor the motor is good, if the VRO has failed it did so not long ago. Im going to mix a half tank at 50:1 and keep the VRO hooked up and see if the oil tank goes down.
 

ct1762@gmail.com

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 17, 2019
Messages
855
does your control box have a rubber sleeve thats supposed to go over the terminals on your buzzer? if you leave it out it will go to ground usually as soon as the key is turned, setting the alarm off.
 

FiddleFaddle

Cadet
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Messages
27
I would agree.

What's interesting is no one is chiming in on how to test the pressure side. I know what my 80's series 110 bubble back had issues, I took it in to the dealer and they replaced the vro pump. That was many years ago and because I did that right away no damage was done to the engine.

Your sounds more like you have a bad wire somewhere that's causing it to go off.

At the very least I would pull the oil line off the pump and purge out any air in the line, check the status of the oil line itself and possibly rebuild the pump.... according to Race it's inexpensive and easy. All the dealers I know replace the entire assembly.
appears to be a problem with the fuel/oil pump, I put a 50:1 mix in the tank to be safe while testing. Went through a tank of fuel and the oil tank did not drop and the oil tank primer bulb remains rock hard, once I disconnected the oil line from the motor the primer bulb is soft and will pump oil from the tank.
 

Crosbyman

Vice Admiral
Joined
Nov 5, 2006
Messages
5,410
is there a vent on the oil tank.. disconnecting the line seems to have rendered the primer bulb soft again ??
 

saltchuckmatt

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
2,588
Is the primer bulb so old that it's harder than a rock? I've seen that.

Might be more than one thing going on.
 

flyingscott

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
8,086
where did you get the new horn from? OMS pumps do not measure oil pressure. they only detect flow.
 
Top