Warning siren - 2015 Mercury Pro XS 200HP

[Guest]

Yesterday, the Warning siren - 2015 Mercury Pro XS 200HP started beeping within 2 minutes of run time at idle speed. I killed the engine, because this happened to me in 1995 when the oil injector failed & it burned up the 50hp Johnson.  It Cost $5k to fix it. So I'm super anxious when I hear a horn going off.  I decided to google it & determined that it was a series of beeps not a continuous beep? The manual says its either low on oil (I topped off the oil tank last week, maybe over filled thou?) The other reason was its got water in the fuel.

This got me to thinking. We ran the motor at idle speed 3 times for an hour each time, during January & February. Then forgot to top off the fuel tank because we only got on plane twice for 1/4 mile. I didn't think about it burning fuel. This likely created an air gap in the fuel tank, resulting in condensation from the below freezing weeks followed by 60 degree weeks.

Here's my question: How can I trouble shoot this problem myself without voiding the warranty? Should I disconnect the fuel line from the carburetor & pump the bulb? Pouring the fuel into a glass mason jar? I don't think this motor has a female adapter down stream of the bulb. Also, do I need a fuel filter & where does it need to go in the fuel line assembly? 

[Guest]

[fishinwrench]

The fact that you just said carburetor indicates that you should go no further with your troubleshooting.   Take it to a good tech.

Odds are the engine mounted oil tank will need to be replaced.  There's a sensor built into it that is prone to fail about every 3-5 years.  The adhesive used to hold a washer to the float deteriorates, the washer falls down and triggers the low oil warning system. 

Mercury thinks this is funny so they do nothing to better attach the magnetic washer to the float.  This has been going on for decades.  A .03 cent tie strap would stop it from happening, but Merc would rather keep selling oil reservoirs.

[Guest]

Ouch,

Do parts & labor fall under warranty? I'm asking because I am no mechanic. 

[Smalls21]

if it's a 2015 engine, it should still fall under MFG. 3yr warranty

[fishinwrench]

6 hours ago, TrophyFishR said:

Ouch,

Do parts & labor fall under warranty? I'm asking because I am no mechanic. 

Yes, and it only takes about 30 minutes to swap it out and purge the O/I system.  This is assuming that it is indeed the problem.  They'll have to troubleshoot it to be sure.

[Ketchup]

On 3/2/2018 at 1:47 PM, fishinwrench said:

The fact that you just said carburetor indicates that you should go no further with your troubleshooting.   Take it to a good tech.

Odds are the engine mounted oil tank will need to be replaced.  There's a sensor built into it that is prone to fail about every 3-5 years.  The adhesive used to hold a washer to the float deteriorates, the washer falls down and triggers the low oil warning system. 

Mercury thinks this is funny so they do nothing to better attach the magnetic washer to the float.  This has been going on for decades.  A .03 cent tie strap would stop it from happening, but Merc would rather keep selling oil reservoirs.

Had this happen. Watched a few Youtube videos and some guys got in there and reset the washer, using epoxy to make ita perm. fix. 

[fishinwrench]

Originally (with the old Black Max, and others) they were designed that way so that if fuel backed up into the oil reservoir and diluted the oil, the fuel would dissolve the adhesive and set the alarm off.  So Merc's adhesive idea actually did have a purpose.....back in the day.

Fuel can't get there in a Optimax, but for some reason (sense of humor?)  they kept on with the adhesive.  

[Guest]

There was trash in the cooling system (floating debris from the floods), so I'm glad you advised me to take it into the shop. Plus there was an active recall on the reeds in the air compressor? I got the lower unit serviced while it was there. Boat ran like a scalded dog on Saturday. 

[fishinwrench]

Good deal.  

Odd though, because you said it was doing the "beep beep beep beep" instead of the "Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep".  The intermittent beep is oil/fuel sensors, and the continuous beep is the Overheat sensor.

Just for future knowledge, the smallest passageways in the cooling system are the water intake holes and the pisser outlet.    If nothing is blocking the intakes....and there's a pee stream coming out, then there's likely no debris "clogging the cooling system".