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Author Topic:   Mercury 60-HP: Alarm Signal at 3,100 RPM

chuck kuhn posted 08-21-2005 08:31 PM ET (US)
I have a 2003 Mercury 60-HP four-stroke on a Whaler 15 sport. [I experienced] no problems until recently.T he enginge started beeping at about 3,100 RPM just as the boat was getting on to plane. [There was] no debris or kelp. It would beep three times then stop, then not beep again until you slow down and then bring it back up to aproximately 3,100-RPM. My service man said to check the thermostat. I took it out. There was some small salt deposits. Clean it off. Put it in water 160 degrees to see that it sprang open. And once again beep three times. He then said try it witout the thermostat. I did that. And then it started beeping at about 4,000 RPM. Note: it just beeps three times and then that is it until you reach that RPM again. So I am lost for ideas here. Looks like I will have to take it in. But I would super appreciate any ideas so I am prepared for what the options are. It is spitting water fine and oil is fine. I am clueless. Thanks for any information
TRAFFICLAWYER posted 08-21-2005 08:42 PM ET (US)
Find a competent, certified MERC tech to take it to before you create a larger problem. Beeping generally denotes something amiss. You didnt say who the "He then said" was, but if you're relying on someone who said take it out, I'd find another tech.
TRAFFICLAWYER posted 08-21-2005 08:42 PM ET (US)
P.S. I have the same motor, albeit a 2005.
chuck kuhn posted 08-21-2005 09:00 PM ET (US)
Thanks it was a certified Mercury tech. Chuck
jimh posted 08-21-2005 10:38 PM ET (US)
How do you interpret the alarm signal? Is there some way to deduce what is signaling the alarm? I don't understand how you know it is temperature related.
Clark Roberts posted 08-22-2005 06:14 AM ET (US)
I believe that there are only two causes for an audible alarm on the Merc 4 strokers (my 115 has only two), high temp and low oil press. The high temp is a steady beep and the low oil press is a beep, beep, beep! Since the alarm goes away it is not possible to trouble shoot in a normal fashion and would guess that the problem is a faulty alarm module...maybe a vibration related loose connection or bad ground!? Oh yes, sometimes the horn itself can bo bad! I would unplug and reconnect all wiring (the main harness and the temp and oil sensors) and check for loose connections on the alarm module. I run a temp gauge, a water press gauge and an oil press gauge on my four stroker so I always know what's going on ... Am I a gauge freak or what?... beam me up... Clark... Spruce Creek Navy
Tom W Clark posted 08-22-2005 10:48 AM ET (US)
Chuck,
Clark really knows his stuff. I'd listen to him.
Please tell me you didn't take you boat to those idiots at Bay Marine in Miller Bay?
chuck kuhn posted 08-22-2005 11:37 AM ET (US)
Tom: No, I didn't take the boat to Bay Marine. I have heard numerous adverse stories from there. I have been taking it to Steve's Outboard Service down on Hood Canal. He has done a thorough job so far. Any service suggestions would be appreciated as I would imagine most places would be jammed now. I appreciate the ideas as to what it could be, thus I am not taking it in totally clueless. Thanks to everyone--Chuck
chuck kuhn posted 08-22-2005 11:39 AM ET (US)
Once again it is three beeps then it goes away until one slows down and then goes back up to 3300-RPM or higher. Chuck
Tom W Clark posted 08-22-2005 12:09 PM ET (US)
Chuck,
I don't know who to use on that side of the Sound. While I have a place on Bainbridge, I am Seattle based and use Ballard Marine for work on my Mercurys. Gary Creasey might know who is good on that side, and it may well be Steve's Outboard Service.
If your motor is beeping three times only, then I have to suspect that there is something causing the alarm system to "think" there is a low oil pressure condition at that rpm.
What would cause a fluctuation in oil pressure at a particular rpm?
Forgive me for asking the obvious, but you have checked the oil level, haven't you?
chuck kuhn posted 08-22-2005 02:54 PM ET (US)
Tom: thanks for the reply. I checked the oil level, it's fine. Of course everyone is booked up service wise until mid-September, but I am going to ideally haul it down to Steve's and have him put it on the computer to see what we can [come] up with. As with most things of this nature, one goes thru the whole hassle and you end up with [the cause being] some minor deal. Luckly it is still under warranty. It burns me that we don't have a fuel dock, haul out or engine service on the island. Someone could make some bucks with a van and some knowledge over here as there are a lot of outbards and al ot of Mercurys. Thanks again for your help, Chuck.
jimh posted 08-22-2005 10:02 PM ET (US)
Thanks to Clark for pointing out that the cadence of the alarm signal is important in interpreting the source of the alarm.
chuck kuhn posted 08-26-2005 07:20 PM ET (US)
Thanks to everyone for their input. The answer to the problem was the voltage regulator. It was over charging. Once replaced [the motor] ran as well as new. I guess it shows how much the electronics/electrical affect the engines now. Thanks, Chuck
jimh posted 08-26-2005 09:11 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the follow-up posting. Apparently the alarm system was triggered when the charging system forced the battery voltage above a certain point. Generally the charging system output increases with engine speed, so it sounds like in your case when the engine speed exceeded 3,100 RPM the unregulated charging output voltage became so high it caused a false alarm condition.
It seems unusual that the voltage regulator would fail on a relatively new (2003) engine. Was the repair and replacement of the voltage regulator covered under the warranty?
Had there been any unusual circumstances with the battery prior to the failure of the regulator such as having to use a jump start?
chuck kuhn posted 08-29-2005 12:10 PM ET (US)
there weren't any unusual circumstances before with the battery/charging or electrical.....but looking back there migth have been slight indications of something wrong....the tac would sometimes waver, so to speak not alot but a small amount....now the tack is steady at whatever speed etc...the engine to me never sounded like it was running bad or missing or anything....but i do notice now that the engine sounds like it just got a tune up etc....these 4 strokes are so quiet it is hard to tell...that would i presume be true as it has electronic fuel injection etc.....i photographed for ads and a tv commercial a norweigan guy roy karlsen whom took an 18 foot boat from norway to alsaka and was attempting to go around the world in it.....he had the same engine...2 years earlier model, never any problems.....the electrical in all this is just what it is now adays but it compounds trying to come up with answers when one is on the water.....my wife has a 2yr old passat wagon....and the tail lights won't go off unless the fuse is pulled....maybe we're in some sort of vortex here on the island......but i apreciate everyone's comments..and one of the gentleman mentioned having full gauges for the engine etc....which at this point seems like the only real way to go, to know what is functioning properly or not when you are on the water....as the buzzer system is good as a warning but soemtimes hard to narrow it down after that....so this spring when i take it in i think i will just spring to get a package of tem put on....so i really know what the voltage, oil pressure etc is running...thanks to everyone.....chuck

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Author	Topic: Mercury 60-HP: Alarm Signal at 3,100 RPM
chuck kuhn	posted 08-21-2005 08:31 PM ET (US) I have a 2003 Mercury 60-HP four-stroke on a Whaler 15 sport. [I experienced] no problems until recently.T he enginge started beeping at about 3,100 RPM just as the boat was getting on to plane. [There was] no debris or kelp. It would beep three times then stop, then not beep again until you slow down and then bring it back up to aproximately 3,100-RPM. My service man said to check the thermostat. I took it out. There was some small salt deposits. Clean it off. Put it in water 160 degrees to see that it sprang open. And once again beep three times. He then said try it witout the thermostat. I did that. And then it started beeping at about 4,000 RPM. Note: it just beeps three times and then that is it until you reach that RPM again. So I am lost for ideas here. Looks like I will have to take it in. But I would super appreciate any ideas so I am prepared for what the options are. It is spitting water fine and oil is fine. I am clueless. Thanks for any information
TRAFFICLAWYER	posted 08-21-2005 08:42 PM ET (US) Find a competent, certified MERC tech to take it to before you create a larger problem. Beeping generally denotes something amiss. You didnt say who the "He then said" was, but if you're relying on someone who said take it out, I'd find another tech.
TRAFFICLAWYER	posted 08-21-2005 08:42 PM ET (US) P.S. I have the same motor, albeit a 2005.
chuck kuhn	posted 08-21-2005 09:00 PM ET (US) Thanks it was a certified Mercury tech. Chuck
jimh	posted 08-21-2005 10:38 PM ET (US) How do you interpret the alarm signal? Is there some way to deduce what is signaling the alarm? I don't understand how you know it is temperature related.
Clark Roberts	posted 08-22-2005 06:14 AM ET (US) I believe that there are only two causes for an audible alarm on the Merc 4 strokers (my 115 has only two), high temp and low oil press. The high temp is a steady beep and the low oil press is a beep, beep, beep! Since the alarm goes away it is not possible to trouble shoot in a normal fashion and would guess that the problem is a faulty alarm module...maybe a vibration related loose connection or bad ground!? Oh yes, sometimes the horn itself can bo bad! I would unplug and reconnect all wiring (the main harness and the temp and oil sensors) and check for loose connections on the alarm module. I run a temp gauge, a water press gauge and an oil press gauge on my four stroker so I always know what's going on ... Am I a gauge freak or what?... beam me up... Clark... Spruce Creek Navy
Tom W Clark	posted 08-22-2005 10:48 AM ET (US) Chuck, Clark really knows his stuff. I'd listen to him. Please tell me you didn't take you boat to those idiots at Bay Marine in Miller Bay?
chuck kuhn	posted 08-22-2005 11:37 AM ET (US) Tom: No, I didn't take the boat to Bay Marine. I have heard numerous adverse stories from there. I have been taking it to Steve's Outboard Service down on Hood Canal. He has done a thorough job so far. Any service suggestions would be appreciated as I would imagine most places would be jammed now. I appreciate the ideas as to what it could be, thus I am not taking it in totally clueless. Thanks to everyone--Chuck
chuck kuhn	posted 08-22-2005 11:39 AM ET (US) Once again it is three beeps then it goes away until one slows down and then goes back up to 3300-RPM or higher. Chuck
Tom W Clark	posted 08-22-2005 12:09 PM ET (US) Chuck, I don't know who to use on that side of the Sound. While I have a place on Bainbridge, I am Seattle based and use Ballard Marine for work on my Mercurys. Gary Creasey might know who is good on that side, and it may well be Steve's Outboard Service. If your motor is beeping three times only, then I have to suspect that there is something causing the alarm system to "think" there is a low oil pressure condition at that rpm. What would cause a fluctuation in oil pressure at a particular rpm? Forgive me for asking the obvious, but you have checked the oil level, haven't you?
chuck kuhn	posted 08-22-2005 02:54 PM ET (US) Tom: thanks for the reply. I checked the oil level, it's fine. Of course everyone is booked up service wise until mid-September, but I am going to ideally haul it down to Steve's and have him put it on the computer to see what we can [come] up with. As with most things of this nature, one goes thru the whole hassle and you end up with [the cause being] some minor deal. Luckly it is still under warranty. It burns me that we don't have a fuel dock, haul out or engine service on the island. Someone could make some bucks with a van and some knowledge over here as there are a lot of outbards and al ot of Mercurys. Thanks again for your help, Chuck.
jimh	posted 08-22-2005 10:02 PM ET (US) Thanks to Clark for pointing out that the cadence of the alarm signal is important in interpreting the source of the alarm.
chuck kuhn	posted 08-26-2005 07:20 PM ET (US) Thanks to everyone for their input. The answer to the problem was the voltage regulator. It was over charging. Once replaced [the motor] ran as well as new. I guess it shows how much the electronics/electrical affect the engines now. Thanks, Chuck
jimh	posted 08-26-2005 09:11 PM ET (US) Thanks for the follow-up posting. Apparently the alarm system was triggered when the charging system forced the battery voltage above a certain point. Generally the charging system output increases with engine speed, so it sounds like in your case when the engine speed exceeded 3,100 RPM the unregulated charging output voltage became so high it caused a false alarm condition. It seems unusual that the voltage regulator would fail on a relatively new (2003) engine. Was the repair and replacement of the voltage regulator covered under the warranty? Had there been any unusual circumstances with the battery prior to the failure of the regulator such as having to use a jump start?
chuck kuhn	posted 08-29-2005 12:10 PM ET (US) there weren't any unusual circumstances before with the battery/charging or electrical.....but looking back there migth have been slight indications of something wrong....the tac would sometimes waver, so to speak not alot but a small amount....now the tack is steady at whatever speed etc...the engine to me never sounded like it was running bad or missing or anything....but i do notice now that the engine sounds like it just got a tune up etc....these 4 strokes are so quiet it is hard to tell...that would i presume be true as it has electronic fuel injection etc.....i photographed for ads and a tv commercial a norweigan guy roy karlsen whom took an 18 foot boat from norway to alsaka and was attempting to go around the world in it.....he had the same engine...2 years earlier model, never any problems.....the electrical in all this is just what it is now adays but it compounds trying to come up with answers when one is on the water.....my wife has a 2yr old passat wagon....and the tail lights won't go off unless the fuse is pulled....maybe we're in some sort of vortex here on the island......but i apreciate everyone's comments..and one of the gentleman mentioned having full gauges for the engine etc....which at this point seems like the only real way to go, to know what is functioning properly or not when you are on the water....as the buzzer system is good as a warning but soemtimes hard to narrow it down after that....so this spring when i take it in i think i will just spring to get a package of tem put on....so i really know what the voltage, oil pressure etc is running...thanks to everyone.....chuck