Author
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Topic: What To Do When Your Outboard Motor Makes Warning Beeps
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leroy hagy |
posted 04-17-2010 03:33 PM ET (US)
[M]y 2006 [M]ercury 50-HP [EFI FOURSTROKE outboard motor] gave me three beeps in a row and then [dropped] the [engine speed]. [W]hat should [I] look at?
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jimh
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posted 04-17-2010 03:49 PM ET (US)
Look at your owner's manual. Every outboard motor has an owner's manual. In the outboard owner's manual you will find a description of the engine warning system. The manual will explain the various alarm signals, what they mean, and what an owner should do when the alarm condition is present. |
jimh
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posted 04-17-2010 03:54 PM ET (US)
There is no guarantee that the alarm is due to an electrical system problem. Once you interpret the meaning of the alarm signal, you will probably be guided to one of the engine systems. Follow-up with an inquiry in the REPAIRS/MODS discussion, unless the meaning of the alarm is interpreted to be a problem with the engine's electrical system. |
leroy hagy
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posted 04-18-2010 01:06 PM ET (US)
THANKS THE MANUAL TELLS YOU TO CONTACT YOUR DEALER. MY DEALER CAN NOT LOOK AT IT FOR OVER THREE WEEKS THEY ARE VERY BUSY. I WANT TO GO FISHING. |
jimh
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posted 04-18-2010 01:32 PM ET (US)
It is unfortunate that the owner's manual for your Mercury outboard motor contains such poor advice regarding the meaning of this alarm signal or any action to be taken by the owner. We must reasonably assume that the total lack of information in the owner's manual regarding this alarm is due to the extremely low probability that an owner could make any sort of effective remedy to the problem.One alternative to just taking your motor to a Mercury dealer for service: purchase the OEM factory service manual for your outboard motor. The OEM service manuals will typically contain a great deal of diagnostic information and advice that is specific to your outboard motor. Read the service manual and learn more about your motor. You may become aware of the meaning of the alarm signal as a result. If you do, please let us know what it means so that in the future owners of this model Mercury motor won't be held hostage. |
leroy hagy
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posted 04-18-2010 10:09 PM ET (US)
Thanks, ordered one on line today. Will post what i learn from it.Thanks again for your time. |
jimh
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posted 04-19-2010 08:53 AM ET (US)
Generally speaking, if an outboard motor responds to an alarm condition by reducing the operating speed of the motor by its own action, it is reasonable to assume that the condition that caused the alarm is capable of causing permanent damage to the motor if the motor continues to run at normal speeds, and the reduction in speed is intended to permit a limp-home or get-home mode of operation which is just to get you back to the dock without blowing up the motor.I am very surprised that the owner's manual for this Mercury FOURSTROKE engine contains so little information about the operation of the motor when a particular alarm occurs. This 2006 Mercury motor is from the era when Mercury purchased most all of their four-cycle motors from Yamaha, changed the color to black, and sold them as Mercury-brand motors. Perhaps the technical writing staff at Mercury had trouble reading the operator's manual from Yamaha, and they couldn't translate what it said about alarms. |
number9
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posted 04-19-2010 10:06 AM ET (US)
Not only does the owner's manual offer little info you may find a lack of info in the maintenance manual as well. I don't have the Mercury 50/60 4-stroke MM but do have one for the 76/90 motors. Couldn't find anything of help in it either. Also looked at their Rigging Manual that has good info on the 2-stroke warning system but none on the 4-strokes. Apparently Mercury decided to just give the info out to their techs. |
leroy hagy
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posted 04-21-2010 08:18 PM ET (US)
Was sent a print out from a local dealer on warning horn/guardian system operation. Three beeps every four minutes. None of the conditions related to the three beep warning horn would activate the power limiting process. The only horn that activates the limited power is a continuous beep. The dealer also said they would only be able to log continuous beep problems as they set a hard code for trouble shooting. Next step now trying to contact mercury and hope what a pain in the butt. |