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Author Topic:   Mercury 225 Oil Reservoir Air

rperry posted 05-31-2004 04:29 PM ET (US)
I'm having a problem with my 1995 225HP Merc Offshore. The engine mounted oil resevoir either does not fill correctly or is filling with air. Not sure which. After running for an hour or so my oil tank is 1/4 empty. If I take the cap off of the reservoir, the tank fills. I checked for loose caps and kinked lines between the remote reservior and the engine mounted one. All looks okay. I read in the Mercury service manual that the "4 PSI Check Valve" may stick open causing air to get sucked into the resevoir. Does anyone know how to check the check valve?
IS it a common problem?
Should I just change it? To complicate matters my warning alarm does not appear to be working.
Anyone familiar with cause for alarm failure? I'm told by friends that they fail all the time. Usually just the alarm horn under the console. Any opions out there?
Any help is really appreciated. Besides these problems my 1995 Outrage 21 is absolutely great. What a boat!! I hate to bring the boat in to the shop this time of year if it's something simple...
Best,
Rick
Clark Roberts posted 05-31-2004 05:26 PM ET (US)
Rick, if the alarm for low "ready tank" level doesn't work how did you discover the low oil level? Did you just happen to take off cowling and notice that it was low? As to your friends telling you that these systems fail all the time well, in my experience this is not true. I have had maybe maybe 15 Merc V6's and never a problem in this reguard and never heard of anyone else with this problem. A loose cap on the remote reservoir tank can cause the ready tank to not refill properly due to loss of air pressure to push refresh oil into tank. And your ready tank replenishes when you loosen its cap? This signifies that there is pressure in the remote tank and that the feeder line and pressure line are clear, as it should be. Suggest you get that motor into a service shop and have the problem diagnosed and have it (and the alarm warning for low oil level) fixed before you toast that engine. Something about this that I don't get... but that's not new! Happy Whalin'... Clark... Spruce Creek Navy
jimh posted 05-31-2004 10:26 PM ET (US)
[Administrative post]
AQUANUT posted 06-01-2004 09:34 AM ET (US)
this is a potentially serious problem that could cause you loss of 1000's of dollars...get it to a mercury certified tech soonest!
rperry posted 06-01-2004 12:04 PM ET (US)
Thanks guys,
I do realize how critical this is.... I noticed the problem the first time I took the boat out this year.... I took off the Cowl to make sure things were okay after my first 30 minute run.... The resivoir was only about 80% filled....I removed the cap and the oil resivior filled up.... Ran boat again.... same issue... Looking through the service manuals made me think that it was either air in the system or a bad check valve... (sorry to repeat myself).... If I stick my finger on the open end of the checkvalse I feel a bit of sucking... I'm thinking this is not normal....I've since ordered a new check valve ($22) and audio warning kit ($110) from Merc... SHould have it within a day or so.... Do you guys think it's likely to be something more... The oil system doesn't look to complex... It's just tough to get a mechanic to look at anything this time of the year in New York since all the summer boaters are all rushing to get in the water this month.... Really wanted to save some time...but I don't want to risk my engine!
BW23 posted 06-01-2004 01:44 PM ET (US)
Clark gave you some good info.
My 97 225 EFI sounded an alarm last year that required troubleshooting. The float sessor in the kidney oil tank became hung up. (low level position)
I removed the cap and float sensor assembly and moved it up and down while visually checking the dash warning lamp and listening for the alarm. Has operated fine for the past 75 hours.
I have heard else where that it is quite common to overtighten and crack the cap.

gss036 posted 06-01-2004 08:29 PM ET (US)
I have had the cap on my 200 break a couple of times. The issue there is that the system is pressurized at that point and you get an overflow of oil all over the engine compartment. I am thinking there is something else going on here. If there is a vaccum(sucking) fell somewhere?(I am not familiar w/the 225 system) I would supect a leak in the system allowing a reverse flow. The low oil alarm is suppose to go off when you only have a 20 minutes of oil left,so there may now be anything wrong with the send at all. Being 80% full may not be low enough. I would try to figure out where the oil, if any, is going. Maybe I am all wet w/this theory? Just my way of thinking.
gss036 posted 06-01-2004 08:33 PM ET (US)
I can not figure out how to edit my previous post. I meant to say in the post that there may NOT be anything wrong with the low warning system at all w/ being 20% low.
jimh posted 06-02-2004 01:51 AM ET (US)
Nota Bene for gss036: I'll edit your post for you later. That's when I also change all occurrences of the word "issue" to "problem." :-)
rperry posted 06-02-2004 11:24 AM ET (US)
Thanks for all the feedback... I'm going to recheck the caps for a hairline crack tonight..I would be surprised if I missed it the first time..but you never know..
During my investigation a Merc approved dealer told me to ground the tan and bleu wire coming of of the alarm modue to test the alarm.... ....It should sound when grounded...He also mentioned the caps and check valve as being likely causes.... So I do have a few avenues to take...
Question for Jim... SHould I have posted this in repairs instead of performamce forums???
Best,
Rick
rperry posted 06-18-2004 09:34 PM ET (US)
Hi guys,
Thought you may like an update... I changed the check valve 2 weeks ago... Problem solved... No more air in the local oil reserve tank....
Thanks for all the feedback,
Rick

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Author	Topic: Mercury 225 Oil Reservoir Air
rperry	posted 05-31-2004 04:29 PM ET (US) I'm having a problem with my 1995 225HP Merc Offshore. The engine mounted oil resevoir either does not fill correctly or is filling with air. Not sure which. After running for an hour or so my oil tank is 1/4 empty. If I take the cap off of the reservoir, the tank fills. I checked for loose caps and kinked lines between the remote reservior and the engine mounted one. All looks okay. I read in the Mercury service manual that the "4 PSI Check Valve" may stick open causing air to get sucked into the resevoir. Does anyone know how to check the check valve? IS it a common problem? Should I just change it? To complicate matters my warning alarm does not appear to be working. Anyone familiar with cause for alarm failure? I'm told by friends that they fail all the time. Usually just the alarm horn under the console. Any opions out there? Any help is really appreciated. Besides these problems my 1995 Outrage 21 is absolutely great. What a boat!! I hate to bring the boat in to the shop this time of year if it's something simple... Best, Rick
Clark Roberts	posted 05-31-2004 05:26 PM ET (US) Rick, if the alarm for low "ready tank" level doesn't work how did you discover the low oil level? Did you just happen to take off cowling and notice that it was low? As to your friends telling you that these systems fail all the time well, in my experience this is not true. I have had maybe maybe 15 Merc V6's and never a problem in this reguard and never heard of anyone else with this problem. A loose cap on the remote reservoir tank can cause the ready tank to not refill properly due to loss of air pressure to push refresh oil into tank. And your ready tank replenishes when you loosen its cap? This signifies that there is pressure in the remote tank and that the feeder line and pressure line are clear, as it should be. Suggest you get that motor into a service shop and have the problem diagnosed and have it (and the alarm warning for low oil level) fixed before you toast that engine. Something about this that I don't get... but that's not new! Happy Whalin'... Clark... Spruce Creek Navy
jimh	posted 05-31-2004 10:26 PM ET (US) [Administrative post]
AQUANUT	posted 06-01-2004 09:34 AM ET (US) this is a potentially serious problem that could cause you loss of 1000's of dollars...get it to a mercury certified tech soonest!
rperry	posted 06-01-2004 12:04 PM ET (US) Thanks guys, I do realize how critical this is.... I noticed the problem the first time I took the boat out this year.... I took off the Cowl to make sure things were okay after my first 30 minute run.... The resivoir was only about 80% filled....I removed the cap and the oil resivior filled up.... Ran boat again.... same issue... Looking through the service manuals made me think that it was either air in the system or a bad check valve... (sorry to repeat myself).... If I stick my finger on the open end of the checkvalse I feel a bit of sucking... I'm thinking this is not normal....I've since ordered a new check valve ($22) and audio warning kit ($110) from Merc... SHould have it within a day or so.... Do you guys think it's likely to be something more... The oil system doesn't look to complex... It's just tough to get a mechanic to look at anything this time of the year in New York since all the summer boaters are all rushing to get in the water this month.... Really wanted to save some time...but I don't want to risk my engine!
BW23	posted 06-01-2004 01:44 PM ET (US) Clark gave you some good info. My 97 225 EFI sounded an alarm last year that required troubleshooting. The float sessor in the kidney oil tank became hung up. (low level position) I removed the cap and float sensor assembly and moved it up and down while visually checking the dash warning lamp and listening for the alarm. Has operated fine for the past 75 hours. I have heard else where that it is quite common to overtighten and crack the cap.
gss036	posted 06-01-2004 08:29 PM ET (US) I have had the cap on my 200 break a couple of times. The issue there is that the system is pressurized at that point and you get an overflow of oil all over the engine compartment. I am thinking there is something else going on here. If there is a vaccum(sucking) fell somewhere?(I am not familiar w/the 225 system) I would supect a leak in the system allowing a reverse flow. The low oil alarm is suppose to go off when you only have a 20 minutes of oil left,so there may now be anything wrong with the send at all. Being 80% full may not be low enough. I would try to figure out where the oil, if any, is going. Maybe I am all wet w/this theory? Just my way of thinking.
gss036	posted 06-01-2004 08:33 PM ET (US) I can not figure out how to edit my previous post. I meant to say in the post that there may NOT be anything wrong with the low warning system at all w/ being 20% low.
jimh	posted 06-02-2004 01:51 AM ET (US) Nota Bene for gss036: I'll edit your post for you later. That's when I also change all occurrences of the word "issue" to "problem." :-)
rperry	posted 06-02-2004 11:24 AM ET (US) Thanks for all the feedback... I'm going to recheck the caps for a hairline crack tonight..I would be surprised if I missed it the first time..but you never know.. During my investigation a Merc approved dealer told me to ground the tan and bleu wire coming of of the alarm modue to test the alarm.... ....It should sound when grounded...He also mentioned the caps and check valve as being likely causes.... So I do have a few avenues to take... Question for Jim... SHould I have posted this in repairs instead of performamce forums??? Best, Rick
rperry	posted 06-18-2004 09:34 PM ET (US) Hi guys, Thought you may like an update... I changed the check valve 2 weeks ago... Problem solved... No more air in the local oil reserve tank.... Thanks for all the feedback, Rick