Warning Horn Compatibility

[jmcgill]

If I want to use my 1977 control box with a 1985 VRO motor would I necessarily HAVE to replace the warning horn with a new one if everything is still functioning correctly? I'm just wanting to know if the older horns are capable of signaling the low oil or no oil from the VRO.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[seahorse5]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

1995 and older controls can use the same horn as long as it is operational. 1996 and later controls and motors use a different system.

The 1977 horn was a wierd sounding buzzer in a metal case if I remember correctly. In the mid '80's it was in a plasitc case with a loud electronic sound and later they added the self-test beep when turning the key on.

 

[jmcgill]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

Hey,

I don't care about the sound...as long as it will work with the VRO, I'm good.

Thanks.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

Not a bad idea to test the low oil switch in the VRO tank while you are working on the system.

With the tank empty, the horn should sound. Start pouring in oil and make sure the horn stays sounding while there is an inch or two of oil in the tank. After about 2 inches it should shut off.

The point of the test is to prove that the horn will sound when the oil is low, not empty, giving you ample warning to add oil.

 

[jmcgill]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

So the idea is to run pre-mix in the engine while testing the VRO tank's switch. I'll definitely do that once I'm all set up.

I gather that the testing for the warning horn is connecting the tan lead at the wiring harness to power and it should sound?

Thanks

 

[seahorse5]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

If you are testing the LOW OIL alarm, the horn only gives a short beep about every 20-40 seconds. Read your owners manual.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

Gee, you guys with your new-fangled equipment have all the fancy bells and whistles. My old control box and vro tank have none of the electronics. The float in the vro tank just triggers the horn. No intermittent beeps. just BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

 

[seahorse5]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

My old control box and vro tank have none of the electronics. The float in the vro tank just triggers the horn. No intermittent beeps. just BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

then you have the wrong oil tank on your motor, or the electronics inside the oil pickup assembly are faulty.

 

[iwombat]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

As long as we're on the subject . . .

What year did the self-test horns come out? I'd like to replace my old one with the self-test kind. (A part number would be even better!)

 

[seahorse5]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

As long as we're on the subject . . .

What year did the self-test horns come out? I'd like to replace my old one with the self-test kind. (A part number would be even better!)

part number 585992

If I remember correctly they were introduced about 1993.

 

[iwombat]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

Thanks for that, it's on the to-buy list.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

My old control box and vro tank have none of the electronics. The float in the vro tank just triggers the horn. No intermittent beeps. just BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

then you have the wrong oil tank on your motor, or the electronics inside the oil pickup assembly are faulty.

Well, the oil tank is matched to the control box. No "electronics" in these older units just on or off. The controls pre-date the motor by about 20 years or so.

At any rate, it is tested and working as designed. Can't ask for more than that!

 

[clanton]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

The differents signal are in the horn logic. You need the correct horn, the horn you are using is the incorrect horn. At least you are getting a signal, then you only have decide if no oil, low oil, over heat, or fuel restriction, depending on engine size. 1985 engine didnot have no oil alarm, unless pump upgraded.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: Warning Horn Compatibility

[

Well, the oil tank is matched to the control box. No "electronics" in these older units just on or off. The controls pre-date the motor by about 20 years or so.

At any rate, it is tested and working as designed. Can't ask for more than that!

Here's the deal. 1995 and earlier oil tanks had electronics inside the oil pickup assembly to give a beep every 20-40 seconds to alert the boat operator that the oil level is getting low.

In 1996, OMC came out with SystemCheck which had the 4 warning lites on the dash. The horn is different, the wiring is different and the oil tank is different as it only has an on-off switch to turn the dash lite on for LOW OIL, and a 10 second horn. It uses a different wiring connector to the motor, so if it was mistakeinly installed on an older motor, someone whould have had to cut off the connector and jury rig something. On an older motor it would give a continuous beep if the tank got low on oil. Very distracting and loud if you didn't have oil to add to it right away.

So unless you have an older oil tank with flakey electronics, then someone put the wrong tank or oil pickup in your boat.