1992 bass tracker alarm keeps going off

92basstracker

Recruit
Joined
Mar 19, 2024
Messages
5
I recently acquired a 1992 bass tracker and I've been having the issue of the boat alarm going off and a constant beep even when the motor is off. it stayed off for a couple days while I was working on it and today it came back on whenever the key ignition is turned on. I have researched and found that there is two reasons, one is overheated engine and second is low oil. neither of these are the case so I'm now stuck on what it could be. if anyone could give some information on it that would be helpful.
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
42,064
Welcome
What motor do you have?

The alarm works by a ground being applied by either the temp or oil switches. When key is turned ON power is applied to one side of the alarm.

Find the oil and temp switches and disconnect wires one at a time until the alarm stops.
 

Grub54891

Admiral
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
6,078
Had one at the shop several years ago, drove me nuts trying to figure it out. After testing and replacing mentioned parts, it was the alarm itself that was shorted. Weird causes sometimes.
 

92basstracker

Recruit
Joined
Mar 19, 2024
Messages
5
Welcome
What motor do you have?

The alarm works by a ground being applied by either the temp or oil switches. When key is turned ON power is applied to one side of the alarm.

Find the oil and temp switches and disconnect wires one at a time until the alarm stops.
I have a 92' 90hp johnson 2 stroke.
 

92basstracker

Recruit
Joined
Mar 19, 2024
Messages
5
Had one at the shop several years ago, drove me nuts trying to figure it out. After testing and replacing mentioned parts, it was the alarm itself that was shorted. Weird causes sometimes.
should I run through tests or start with replacing the horn itself?
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
42,064
should I run through tests or start with replacing the horn itself?
Do the simple stuff first. Find the 2 switches, turn key ON and with alarm sounding, unhook each switch one at a time.

Moved to johnson
 

92basstracker

Recruit
Joined
Mar 19, 2024
Messages
5
Do the simple stuff first. Find the 2 switches, turn key ON and with alarm sounding, unhook each switch one at a time.

Moved to johnson
which two switches are you referring to? also where would I find the temp sensor on the motor, I'm assuming the oil sensor is in the tank its self.
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
42,064
Temp will be a single wire switch (sensor) on the head. Oil should be on the tank and may have one or two wires, with one of the wires going to ground
 

Grub54891

Admiral
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
6,078
Did it ever run low on oil? sometimes the sensor gets stuck down in the oil tank.
 

92basstracker

Recruit
Joined
Mar 19, 2024
Messages
5
Did it ever run low on oil? sometimes the sensor gets stuck down in the oil tank.
no, full oil always. the beeping went away for a little bit but then came back on when I switched my cranking battery and has stayed on since. I haven't ran the motor once since I did this and it is still staying on.
 

Crosbyman

Vice Admiral
Joined
Nov 5, 2006
Messages
5,443
back to basics... buzzers buzz because they are defective (it happens) or they are told to buzz by wires being chaffed or by defective "sensors"... finally because a problem is not fixed (cooling oiling etc..) .

try to find the wiring diagram feeding the buzzer or trace the wires back to their origin (heat sensor oil sensor etc..)

by convention heat sensor wires are tan color on the power head... oil well maybe tan or 2 wires has suggested on a float switch (check float) or some oil pressure sensing switch

disconnect them individually to see if the problem goes away
if not possible wiring problem ... inspect closely incl any connectors

if the problem buzzing stops possible bad sensor needs replacing or sensors are OK and a true problem exists in the engine....(cooling/ oiling)
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
37,829
These buzzers have a wee circuit ( brain ) that sounds the alarm for 2/ 3 seconds when key is turned on.-----A self test so to speak.----That circuit can be defective.
 
Top