E-TEC Sounds NO-OIL Alarm - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Whaler Performance
  E-TEC Sounds NO-OIL Alarm

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   E-TEC Sounds NO-OIL Alarm

fwalker5 posted 04-07-2006 08:15 AM ET (US)
I have just purchased an E-TEC 90-HP for my new pontoon boat. It was delivered Friday, 31 March 2006, and, due to high wind, has only been out twice for a total of perhaps one hour. The only other time on this motor that I know of was a test ride we took in Feb 2006. The second time out I check the oil, warm it up and go out of the marina to work with the boat. This is my first pontoon and I find that I am having difficulty getting into and out of my slip. I just need a little practice with no wind to get the feel of boat. I am out less than 30 minutes doing practice touch-and-go's on one of the spare docks when I get a "NO OIL" alarm. I putter back to slip in less than 5 minutes and shut it down. Call dealer.
This is where I am now. Waiting for the [mechanic] to come out and see what the problem is.
Is this typical? Have others experienced this during the break in period? What is the most likely answer to this problem? Faulty sensor? Or something more difficult to deal with? I would appreciate hearing from anyone that has had this or similar problems so I can get feeling for what should be done and to discover if I am having a mechanic problem as well as a motor probelm.
seahorse posted 04-07-2006 08:46 AM ET (US)
A bad oil sensor does happen, but it is very rare. More likely the dealer did not bleed the air out of the oil system completely like the book says to.
For a quick check, as long as there is oil in the tank, read the owners manual about winterizing the engine. Run the procedure, which runs extra oil thru the lines and into the engine for corrosion protection, and it also helps bleed the oil system. Then run your boat again, I'll bet your motor will be fine.
That is the one re-occuring comment because many dealers are not bleeding the oil system completely like they should.
Peter posted 04-07-2006 08:49 AM ET (US)
I'm going to guess, and this is only a guess, that the oil system hasn't been bled properly by the dealer to get the air bubbles out of the oil system. It could be a faulty sensor but because its a new motor I'm guessing that it hasn't been initialized properly.
In any event, you should contact BRP Customer Support Services at 847-689-7090. They seem to be quite helpful.
jimh posted 04-07-2006 09:40 AM ET (US)
[Separated from another dicsussion.]
fwalker5 posted 04-07-2006 03:43 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the insight... I should find out Monday and will post developments.
fwalker5 posted 04-11-2006 11:43 AM ET (US)
Just as you suspected there were oil bubbles in the lines. After the Mech checked to ensure that there wasn't any loose oil line connections, we ran the motor at 1500 RPM as indicated in the storage/winterizing procedure and this cleared up the problem. Just something else to think about when purchasing a boat.
Buckda posted 04-11-2006 12:10 PM ET (US)
When I had my E-TECs checked out last Saturday, Doug Zammit, the master BRP Mechanic, spent extra time making sure that the oil lines were bled properly. He said the motors have to be run for at least 90 seconds in whatever "mode" he had them in, in order to properly prime the oil system. He mentioned that if he didn't do it, I'd have no oil alarms.
I remember as we were idling out of the harbor on Saturday for the test runs for propeller selection, the port motor gave one "bip" on the system check tach for a no-oil alarm. It turned off almost as fast as it turned on. I looked at Doug who was piloting the boat at the time and he just nodded and smiled. It did not reoccur the rest of the day, and we were running those motors pretty hard.
Glad it was such an easy fix for you too!
dave
ratherwhalering posted 04-11-2006 12:36 PM ET (US)
FYI guys, I still get an occasional blip from the "Low Oil" alarm, but only when the tank is about 1/3 full, and I'm going too fast through short, steep seas. I've learned that this is the oil level sensor triggering when there are too many sloshes.
--Rob-- (2004 E-TEC 90)
crabby posted 04-12-2006 12:31 PM ET (US)
Also for everyone's info, the past two mornings I have started my motor in roughly 50 degree temps and had the no oil alarm sound after about two minutes of idling. One time it stopped on it's own and the other time it I shut down and restarted without incident. (My oil tank is more than half full.)
PM (2004 90hp e-tec on 1985 Montauk)
seahorse posted 04-12-2006 07:24 PM ET (US)
There has been an updated software version that helps eliminate that problem. Ask your dealer which software version number is in your EMM and we can see if it is the latest one. It is printed on the "computer history readout" or can be seen while the laptop or PDA is hooked up.

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: E-TEC Sounds NO-OIL Alarm
fwalker5	posted 04-07-2006 08:15 AM ET (US) I have just purchased an E-TEC 90-HP for my new pontoon boat. It was delivered Friday, 31 March 2006, and, due to high wind, has only been out twice for a total of perhaps one hour. The only other time on this motor that I know of was a test ride we took in Feb 2006. The second time out I check the oil, warm it up and go out of the marina to work with the boat. This is my first pontoon and I find that I am having difficulty getting into and out of my slip. I just need a little practice with no wind to get the feel of boat. I am out less than 30 minutes doing practice touch-and-go's on one of the spare docks when I get a "NO OIL" alarm. I putter back to slip in less than 5 minutes and shut it down. Call dealer. This is where I am now. Waiting for the [mechanic] to come out and see what the problem is. Is this typical? Have others experienced this during the break in period? What is the most likely answer to this problem? Faulty sensor? Or something more difficult to deal with? I would appreciate hearing from anyone that has had this or similar problems so I can get feeling for what should be done and to discover if I am having a mechanic problem as well as a motor probelm.
seahorse	posted 04-07-2006 08:46 AM ET (US) A bad oil sensor does happen, but it is very rare. More likely the dealer did not bleed the air out of the oil system completely like the book says to. For a quick check, as long as there is oil in the tank, read the owners manual about winterizing the engine. Run the procedure, which runs extra oil thru the lines and into the engine for corrosion protection, and it also helps bleed the oil system. Then run your boat again, I'll bet your motor will be fine. That is the one re-occuring comment because many dealers are not bleeding the oil system completely like they should.
Peter	posted 04-07-2006 08:49 AM ET (US) I'm going to guess, and this is only a guess, that the oil system hasn't been bled properly by the dealer to get the air bubbles out of the oil system. It could be a faulty sensor but because its a new motor I'm guessing that it hasn't been initialized properly. In any event, you should contact BRP Customer Support Services at 847-689-7090. They seem to be quite helpful.
jimh	posted 04-07-2006 09:40 AM ET (US) [Separated from another dicsussion.]
fwalker5	posted 04-07-2006 03:43 PM ET (US) Thanks for the insight... I should find out Monday and will post developments.
fwalker5	posted 04-11-2006 11:43 AM ET (US) Just as you suspected there were oil bubbles in the lines. After the Mech checked to ensure that there wasn't any loose oil line connections, we ran the motor at 1500 RPM as indicated in the storage/winterizing procedure and this cleared up the problem. Just something else to think about when purchasing a boat.
Buckda	posted 04-11-2006 12:10 PM ET (US) When I had my E-TECs checked out last Saturday, Doug Zammit, the master BRP Mechanic, spent extra time making sure that the oil lines were bled properly. He said the motors have to be run for at least 90 seconds in whatever "mode" he had them in, in order to properly prime the oil system. He mentioned that if he didn't do it, I'd have no oil alarms. I remember as we were idling out of the harbor on Saturday for the test runs for propeller selection, the port motor gave one "bip" on the system check tach for a no-oil alarm. It turned off almost as fast as it turned on. I looked at Doug who was piloting the boat at the time and he just nodded and smiled. It did not reoccur the rest of the day, and we were running those motors pretty hard. Glad it was such an easy fix for you too! dave
ratherwhalering	posted 04-11-2006 12:36 PM ET (US) FYI guys, I still get an occasional blip from the "Low Oil" alarm, but only when the tank is about 1/3 full, and I'm going too fast through short, steep seas. I've learned that this is the oil level sensor triggering when there are too many sloshes. --Rob-- (2004 E-TEC 90)
crabby	posted 04-12-2006 12:31 PM ET (US) Also for everyone's info, the past two mornings I have started my motor in roughly 50 degree temps and had the no oil alarm sound after about two minutes of idling. One time it stopped on it's own and the other time it I shut down and restarted without incident. (My oil tank is more than half full.) PM (2004 90hp e-tec on 1985 Montauk)
seahorse	posted 04-12-2006 07:24 PM ET (US) There has been an updated software version that helps eliminate that problem. Ask your dealer which software version number is in your EMM and we can see if it is the latest one. It is printed on the "computer history readout" or can be seen while the laptop or PDA is hooked up.