Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

[astropluto]

1994 Johnson 200, The warning horn is chirping and I can't find out why. It is chirping at the same interval that the hour meter clicks which is very fast. I have tested the warning horns for no oil, low oil, overheat and fluel restriction and all seem to work properly. Any ideas would be great. thanks

 

[ezeke]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

The source of the pulse is the gray pulse wire that branches off the gray tachometer wire; it is the gray 'C' wire that enters the four pin VRO plug. The signal is routed to the tan "A" wire on the VRO Plug when the "NO OIL" switch closes. No Oil is the warning that you are receiving.

 

[astropluto]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

OK, sounds logical. I Ran the motor on premix with the oil line diconnected and got a much longer warning tone when it finally ran out of oil. the chirp is about 4 or 5 chirps per second even without the engine running. It chirps at low speeds when it's running, but when I open it up say 3000 rpm or higher it doesn't chirp. I changed my VRO pump, is it possible to have gotten a bad one? At least the electrical side anyway. If I diconnect the VRO pump electrical connector shouldn't the chirp go away, engine running or not. Should the chirp go away if I squeeze the oil primer bulb?
Thanks

 

[ezeke]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

If you diconnect the oil hose at the pump, elevate it and squeeze the bulb, you can get most of the air out of the hose before you reconnect it.

If you want to run strictly premix, you have to disconnect the 3 or four wire harness that runs from the pump to the main harness - that should stop all warnings except for the constant overheat alarm.

If you are using the old oil tank, be sure to put a new oil filter in it.

 

[astropluto]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

I disconnected the 4 wire harness from the VRO. It's still chirping 4 or 5 chirps a second.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

Could be a bad horn....

 

[seahorse5]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

1994 Johnson 200, The warning horn is chirping and I can't find out why. It is chirping at the same interval that the hour meter clicks which is very fast.

Most likely the electronics inside the oil tank pickup are flakey and generating the weird signal tone. It is very common in pre-1996 tanks.

Trace the wires from the tank and disconnect them inside the motor. I'll bet your sound wil disappear.

 

[gejandsons]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

Try turning the oil tank upside down so the float will go to the top, It'll think it is full of oil instead of empty.
Just "Brain Storming"

 

[astropluto]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

I disconnected a 2 lead connector (tan & black wire) that I believe is the oil tank connector and yes the beeeping stopped. But doesn't that connector disconnect the entire worning system?

 

[ezeke]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

One tan wire runs through the main harness to the horn. Anything that grounds the tan wire sounds the horn.

There are two temperature switches in the cylinder heads; each has a tan lead connected to the tan wire in the main harness. If either cylinder bank overheats the switch closes, grounding the circuit and sounding the horn continuously.

The oil tank also has a connection to the tan wire.

The VRO has another connection to the tan wire running through the 4 pin plug.

The V6 engines have a vacuum switch that signals a fuel blockage and also sounds a constant horn.

There is a blocking diode in the harness preventing the VRO system's signals from traveling back to the powerpack and the temp switches.

Consequently, when running premix, you can disconnect all of the VRO systems wires and still have QuikStart, S.L.O.W. and a overheat warning horn.

​

 

[seahorse5]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

I disconnected a 2 lead connector (tan & black wire) that I believe is the oil tank connector and yes the beeeping stopped. But doesn't that connector disconnect the entire worning system?

Those 2 wires only tell the warning system that the oil level is getting low, about 1 beep every 20-40 seconds. Those are the electronics that get flakey. Just leave it disconnected and visually inspect the oil level each time you fill up.

 

[astropluto]

Re: Johnson Warning Horn Chirping

Great seahorse5, that is what i am actually hoping for. As long as the rest of the system will still work I'm happy with that, at least until i get a new oil tank levle sensor. I was actually looking to add an oil level guage to my sparse helm setup, does anyone know of a good setup.
thanks