Mercury Oil Tank Level Sensor - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Whaler Repairs/Mods
  Mercury Oil Tank Level Sensor

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Mercury Oil Tank Level Sensor

bill705 posted 10-19-2006 08:34 PM ET (US)
I replaced the under-cowling oil reservoir tank on my 1991 100-HP Mercury. I cut the old one out to look at it. Here are a few pictures of it
http://www.nikonians-images.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=66536
The ring magnet came loose from the float. Bill
jimh posted 10-19-2006 11:39 PM ET (US)
Bill--Thanks for those great pictures. It took me a minute to figure out what your caption meant: The magnet has separated from the float. Therefore, the magnet does not rise with the float as the oil level rises. It must have been giving you a LOW-OIL alarm all the time.
As I mentioned earlier, I think that Mercury had a good idea by using a magnetic float and a magnetically operated reed relay that was kept out of the oil reservoir interior.
bill705 posted 10-20-2006 02:36 PM ET (US)
Jim:
As it turned out, all three parts involved were bad. It never really gave the "beep beep beep" like it should have but it started to sort of chirp and tic or come on steady at half the volume or come on steady at full volume for ten or fifteen seconds and then clear up. I put the water temp sensor in a pan of water with a thermometer and it checked out ok and the oil sensor seemed to be ok. When I would short the leads for the oil sensor it would just beep once and quit, not the "beep beep beep" like it should have so that meant the module was defective and I replaced it and had the correct "beep beep beep" when I would short the leads. Next time out it did the same thing so I got a new reed switch and as soon as I replaced it I had the "beep beep beep" constantly as if it was out of oil so I drained the tank and could see the loose magnet.
The original reed switch had a high resistance when it should have been making continuity and that's why it acted so wierd.
The new tank was somewhat different as it had some internal braces that the old one didn't.
Bill

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Mercury Oil Tank Level Sensor
bill705	posted 10-19-2006 08:34 PM ET (US) I replaced the under-cowling oil reservoir tank on my 1991 100-HP Mercury. I cut the old one out to look at it. Here are a few pictures of it http://www.nikonians-images.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=66536 The ring magnet came loose from the float. Bill
jimh	posted 10-19-2006 11:39 PM ET (US) Bill--Thanks for those great pictures. It took me a minute to figure out what your caption meant: The magnet has separated from the float. Therefore, the magnet does not rise with the float as the oil level rises. It must have been giving you a LOW-OIL alarm all the time. As I mentioned earlier, I think that Mercury had a good idea by using a magnetic float and a magnetically operated reed relay that was kept out of the oil reservoir interior.
bill705	posted 10-20-2006 02:36 PM ET (US) Jim: As it turned out, all three parts involved were bad. It never really gave the "beep beep beep" like it should have but it started to sort of chirp and tic or come on steady at half the volume or come on steady at full volume for ten or fifteen seconds and then clear up. I put the water temp sensor in a pan of water with a thermometer and it checked out ok and the oil sensor seemed to be ok. When I would short the leads for the oil sensor it would just beep once and quit, not the "beep beep beep" like it should have so that meant the module was defective and I replaced it and had the correct "beep beep beep" when I would short the leads. Next time out it did the same thing so I got a new reed switch and as soon as I replaced it I had the "beep beep beep" constantly as if it was out of oil so I drained the tank and could see the loose magnet. The original reed switch had a high resistance when it should have been making continuity and that's why it acted so wierd. The new tank was somewhat different as it had some internal braces that the old one didn't. Bill