4.3L MPI 2007 Searay Sport 185. Single Alarm at 20 RPMs and higher

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Nord2903

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Ok. Just read the rest of what has been mentioned just recently. So just to be clear. Is it that it is limiting to 2000 rpm or so when you rev it in neutral ? Or when in gear and underway? Because these 4.3 mpi have an rpm limiter in neutral that won’t allow you to Rev the engine above a capped rpm. It’s around or just over 2000 rpm or close. Can’t remember, but that age of mpi 4.3 definitely won’t Rev above a certain revs for sure, in neutral.
Both, In gear or in neutral (tried it both ways), when I get to the 2000 rpm mark, the engine alarm beeps and goes into guardian mode.
 

QBhoy

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Both, In gear or in neutral (tried it both ways), when I get to the 2000 rpm mark, the engine alarm beeps and goes into guardian mode.
Ok. So given what you’ve said so far. I’m thinking this is a sea water pressure sensor issue or a genuine low water pressure or overheat as a result of. Look at the vessel view indications when it’s running. Check the water pressure and temperature reading. Check all readings. If one of them is not showing or showing out of the acceptable range…that’s the issue.
 

achris

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I did. My newest issue is finding the serial number for the engine cause it did not recognize it and adding it to vesselview.
Serial numbers start with a number (up to about 2008 it was '0', after that it was a '1', not sure when they got to '2')...

A lot of people put in (for example) 'W753178', and it gets rejected where '0W753178' would be accepted.

... Because these 4.3 mpi have an rpm limiter in neutral that won’t allow you to Rev the engine above a capped rpm. It’s around or just over 2000 rpm or close. Can’t remember, ...
3,000rpm.

Chris...
 

achris

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I have made a video of some tests and also attached an edited copy of the Error codes and RPM history for my engine. Hopefully this will help you find a solution to your problem.

The edits were to remove extraneous and irrelevant data lines.

Here's the video.... (sorry it's a bit long, 10 minutes)


Chris.......
 

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Nord2903

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I have made a video of some tests and also attached an edited copy of the Error codes and RPM history for my engine. Hopefully this will help you find a solution to your problem.

The edits were to remove extraneous and irrelevant data lines.

Here's the video.... (sorry it's a bit long, 10 minutes)


Chris.......
Chris much appreciated with the video. I also thank everyone else who assisted. Just wanted to provide an update. I spoke with my mechanic and decided to change the impeller, but it was in perfect condition and was not the issue. I also used half of a 55 gallon plastic drum to submerge the lower unit it to see if it was possible that it was because I was running it on muffs. Unfortunately, the same issue happened around 2500 rpms this time. As much as I was determined to fix this issue on my own, especially with the help of a great community like this, I think I may have to have a marine mechanic hook up their laptop to my engine as I am beaten, broken, and defeated lol. I am hopeful he's going to come back and say its something inexpensive such as spark plugs. The last question I had for you guys if anyone could provide their expertise is, would I receive an error code on the vessel view mobile, if the cap and distributor were not working correctly? Cause truly that my last guess.
 

Nord2903

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Chris much appreciated with the video. I also thank everyone else who assisted. Just wanted to provide an update. I spoke with my mechanic and decided to change the impeller, but it was in perfect condition and was not the issue. I also used half of a 55 gallon plastic drum to submerge the lower unit it to see if it was possible that it was because I was running it on muffs. Unfortunately, the same issue happened around 2500 rpms this time. As much as I was determined to fix this issue on my own, especially with the help of a great community like this, I think I may have to have a marine mechanic hook up their laptop to my engine as I am beaten, broken, and defeated lol. I am hopeful he's going to come back and say its something inexpensive such as spark plugs. The last question I had for you guys if anyone could provide their expertise is, would I receive an error code on the vessel view mobile, if the cap and distributor were not working correctly? Cause truly that my last guess.
One other question, which I dont think will cause it to do what it is doing is, I changed the IAC valve, and removed the muffler from within the throttle body (little white piece of sponge, which was black as the ace of spades) and never replaced it.
 

QBhoy

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Chris much appreciated with the video. I also thank everyone else who assisted. Just wanted to provide an update. I spoke with my mechanic and decided to change the impeller, but it was in perfect condition and was not the issue. I also used half of a 55 gallon plastic drum to submerge the lower unit it to see if it was possible that it was because I was running it on muffs. Unfortunately, the same issue happened around 2500 rpms this time. As much as I was determined to fix this issue on my own, especially with the help of a great community like this, I think I may have to have a marine mechanic hook up their laptop to my engine as I am beaten, broken, and defeated lol. I am hopeful he's going to come back and say its something inexpensive such as spark plugs. The last question I had for you guys if anyone could provide their expertise is, would I receive an error code on the vessel view mobile, if the cap and distributor were not working correctly? Cause truly that my last guess.
Not sure if I mentioned it earlier in the post…because I go on about it all the time…but the diz cap on these are famous for messing things up…and don’t show anything in terms of faults usually. I’ve had 5 of them mess things up on my mpi. Can do anything from not start randomly…to just not performing at all. Absolutely thee most common cause of bother for an mpi cleaning them up can get you out of trouble short term, if you’re very lucky…but ultimately they need replaced often. They especially show their hand at the start of the season after winter storage. So common.
 

alldodge

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We need to know what is causing the alarm, and so far what we/you have available is not providing the info needed, so we continue to guess
 

Nord2903

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Not sure if I mentioned it earlier in the post…because I go on about it all the time…but the diz cap on these are famous for messing things up…and don’t show anything in terms of faults usually. I’ve had 5 of them mess things up on my mpi. Can do anything from not start randomly…to just not performing at all. Absolutely thee most common cause of bother for an mpi cleaning them up can get you out of trouble short term, if you’re very lucky…but ultimately they need replaced often. They especially show their hand at the start of the season after winter storage. So common.
But to go into guardian mode? I’ve had trouble with it once in the past, but didn’t go into guardian mode.
 

Nord2903

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We need to know what is causing the alarm, and so far what we/you have available is not providing the info needed, so we continue to guess
Yea it’s going to the mechanic next week to have it hooked up to the computer
 

QBhoy

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But to go into guardian mode? I’ve had trouble with it once in the past, but didn’t go into guardian mode.
Is it not varying in rpms this time around. Up to 2500 ?
Did you have a look at all the readings on the vessel view ? You can create your own selection of read outs. Press the screen on the rpms readout then it goes into a menu with a few basic read outs like oil pressure. Select to create you’re own new page and tick all the boxes available to you. You can then see lots of additional read outs fr the engine. Have a look and see if anything is abnormal or fluctuating. Like water pressure or anything else.
The diz cap can cause engine miss fires that can alarm as a beep. Happened to mine once. But slightly higher rpm.
 

Nord2903

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Wait, I can do that? I read the vessel view manual and what your saying was not in there.
 

nola mike

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Is there a way to tell whether the pcm is in guardian mode, vs just running poorly?
 

achris

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Is there a way to tell whether the pcm is in guardian mode, vs just running poorly?
A series of beeps. Sometimes the beep code will point you in the right direction... Or it could lead you up the garden path. 🤦

Chris..
 

Nord2903

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So I do have a trim sender and trim limit on my sterndrive. The gauge is not working, would this cause me to go into guardian mode?
 

nola mike

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A series of beeps. Sometimes the beep code will point you in the right direction... Or it could lead you up the garden path. 🤦

Chris..
My thinking is that if the pcm is responsible for the low rpms, it's responding to sensor input. Any grown up pcm *should* throw a code, but there are few enough sensors that they should be able to have their values monitored manually in live view. How about knock sensor? Have we checked spark advance?
 

Nord2903

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I used the info provided to get other readings from the vessel view. I have posted them below. To be honest, I have not researched what normal readings should be, but any input you have please let me know. The last screen shot is right before the boat when into guardian mode.
 

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nola mike

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I used the info provided to get other readings from the vessel view. I have posted them below. To be honest, I have not researched what normal readings should be, but any input you have please let me know. The last screen shot is right before the boat when into guardian mode.
I'd be interested to see spark advance pre and post guardian mode at similar rpms. Most of that info isn't particularly interesting. What's the value below oil pressure? Water pressure? Was the boat warmed up? Water temp is cold and didn't rise.
 
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