2006 Evinrude 115hp oil pressure problem

[epetes]

Hello. I have a 2006 115hp Evinrude and I just took it out for the 1st time for the season and when I start the engine it will give me a warning for No Oil within about 10 seconds and enter slow mode. So I started doing some troubleshooting. I pulled the return line and primed it with the ball and it comes out fine. I then started the engine with the return line connected to a bottle and I ran it and got plenty of oil out (about 10 oz within about 45 seconds). I tried to squeeze (pinch off) the return line while it was running and it still wouldn't make the light go out. I then took the pressure switch out and put air to it with an ohm meter and found that it was closing at 58 PSI and opening again at 54. My manual says it should close at 46-51 and open again at 38-42. So obviously it is quite a bit high, which I would think would cause the problem. I figured that I would just throw a new switch in and try it until I saw that they go for $150, and since pinching off the tube didn't make the light go out, I'm skeptical. What I'm wondering is, is it common for this switch to drift out of tolerance like that? Normally with my experience with that kind of switch is that they usually completely fail as opposed to going out of tolerance. Any other ideas what it could be? I'm going to buy the Evinrude diagnostic software this week but I am hoping to have the boat on the water this weekend so I might just end up taking it in and paying someone to figure this out (but I really hate doing that, because I'm a hard core DIY'er). Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions.

 

[boobie]

Got a model # ??

 

[epetes]

E115FSLSOD

 

[epetes]

I have another clue. I appear to have a fairly significant amount of oil running out of the exhaust. I am now going to pull the lower unit to track down the source.

 

[boobie]

From your model # it looks like a 2005 which should be no big deal. Let us know what you find.

 

[Faztbullet]

Oil lift pump or pressure regulator......

 

[epetes]

The saga continues. I took it in to an independent shop. The mechanic looked things over and re-installed the lower unit. When he ran it the "no oil" light was gone somehow so that problem appeared resolved. I'm assuming the last testing I did with the lower unit off must have "primed" the system. He did find a broken off bolt holding one of the injectors to the cylinder head which was preventing the injector from mating to it properly, which would cause a mist of fuel to shoot out. I fixed that and put it all back together. I ran it in the driveway and all was well. I took it to the river and ran it at idle for 10-15 minutes, then went out and would go about 500 RPMs higher in stages every minute or two to make sure things were going well. I went up to about 3000 RPMs and then the no oil light came back. So I floated back in, occasionally trying it and it would keep coming back.

Now that it ran properly for the first 20 minutes of operation, I am strongly leaning towards the oil pressure switch. Since it now only seems to come on when the engine is warmed up it seems like the mechanicals are working. From my testing before, since the switch is opening at 54 PSI when it is supposed to be 38-42, I'm thinking that the engine is warming up and the pressure is going into that range and cutting it out.

I'm am going to call the dealer tomorrow to see if they have a switch in stock (which I'm sure they won't). If they don't, I am going to order one, then remove the old switch and cut the "snout" of the switch off and hook a hose and gauge up to it and go run it and have someone watch what the real pressures are.