2001 225 OX66 oil problem

[TexasSkeeter]

Had my engine rebuilt a couple years ago. Afterward, I Noticed that when oil tank got low, the buzzer sounded but the red light on dash did not come on anymore. Not a problem, I thought. (Don't have digital tach with alarm LEDs)

Recently motor made a increasingly loud clacking sound and quit when cruising at speed. It started back up and I went on and it did it again. *****ed in and found the motor oil reservoir was empty, but I had not got the buzzer sound! The clacking was apparently dry rings about to come apart.

The main oil reservoir in the transom was low, I filled it. Don't know if it was so low that it should have sounded alarm, if there is an alarm switch in the transom oil tank that is. Also raised the float switch up in the motor oil reservoir just to see what it looked like....only an inch or so. Couldn't tell anything so put it back in.

Launched boat, turned key on and buzzer alarm went off. Looked at motor oil reservoir and it was still low. Sat there buzzing and did not fill after a couple minutes, so pressed the toggle switch and it filled and buzzer went off. Again, red dash light never lit up.

Started motor and no blue smoke. Let it idle a couple minutes, still no smoke. Poured oil directly in gas tanks to make sure motor got oil. Eventually blue smoke and boat runs fine (thankfully).

I'm thinking the motor reservoir float switches did not work until I jogged them by raising the assembly an inch then reseating it. Alarm buzzed only after I'd done that.

What do I need to do to fix the oil system so that this doesn't happen again, and so the red light also lights (along with buzzer) when oil levels are low? Troubleshooting procedure would be greatly appreciated.

[boscoe99]

Had my engine rebuilt a couple years ago. Afterward, I Noticed that when oil tank got low, the buzzer sounded but the red light on dash did not come on anymore. Not a problem, I thought. (Don't have digital tach with alarm LEDs) What is the vintage of the tachometer? Early models used lamps that can be replaced if and when they burn out. For instance see item 7 at this link

1987 200ETXH Yamaha Outboard OPTIONAL GAUGES COMPONENTS 1 Diagram and Parts

Recently motor made a increasingly loud clacking sound and quit when cruising at speed. It started back up and I went on and it did it again. *****ed in and found the motor oil reservoir was empty, but I had not got the buzzer sound! The clacking was apparently dry rings about to come apart. When the bottom switch in the main oil tank sensor assembly closed due to the float lowering the alarm should have sounded and the motor should have gone into RPM reduction mode. Also, the red light on the tachometer should have illuminated. This should all have happened before the oil tank actually was out of oil. There is a safety margin built into the system

The main remote oil reservoir in the transom was low, I filled it. Don't know if it was so low that it should have sounded alarm, if there is an alarm switch in the transom oil tank that is. The remote boat mounted tank does not sound an alarm when it gets empty. It should have turned off the green light on the tachometer and turned on the yellow light on the tachometer. Also raised the float switch up in the motor oil reservoir just to see what it looked like....only an inch or so. Couldn't tell anything so put it back in.

Launched boat, turned key on and buzzer alarm went off. Looked at motor oil reservoir and it was still low. Sat there buzzing and did not fill after a couple minutes, so pressed the toggle switch and it filled and buzzer went off. Again, red dash light never lit up.

Started motor and no blue smoke. Let it idle a couple minutes, still no smoke. Poured oil directly in gas tanks to make sure motor got oil. Eventually blue smoke and boat runs fine (thankfully).

I'm thinking the motor reservoir float switches did not work until I jogged them by raising the assembly an inch then reseating it. Alarm buzzed only after I'd done that. Could be a sensor float switch problem, could be connectors in the wire harness, could be a wiring issue.

What do I need to do to fix the oil system so that this doesn't happen again, and so the red light also lights (along with buzzer) when oil levels are low? Troubleshooting procedure would be greatly appreciated.

Start by reading this post. http://www.yamahaoutboardparts.com/f...e-th25629.html

Go to your owner's manual and read further about the lights/icons on tachometers and what they mean relative to oil levels in the two oil tanks. Page 3-7 specifically plus other pages that relate to the tachometer.

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/assets/s...-04-23_718.pdf

Get the tachometer fixed (if doable) or replaced. Then, find and fix any other problems you may have. A yearly test of the complete system is easy and quick. Then has been mentioned many times here. If you don't know what it is then holler.

You might have dodged a bullet and not damaged the motor.

[TexasSkeeter]

my 2001 has a plain tach.....no warning lights. There is a red light on the console that is labeled "alarm" and a buzzer. no digital anything (just the way I like it!)

So in my arrangement, which switches would sound the alarm? both the main (motor mounted) tank switches AND the remote (transom) tank switch, or just one or the other? I will manually actuate them and see if the correct thing happens.

[boscoe99]

Go back and read the diagram again. The upper left hand part (and the only part) that talks about the bottom switch closing that causes the alarm to sound.

Then read it again.

Only the bottom switch (one of three) in the main engine mounted oil tank sensor assembly will sound the alarm. When the float drops to near the bottom of the sensor assembly the switch is closed, telling the motor "I am nearly out of oil".

The engines computer will then sound the alarm (buzzer), put the motor into RPM reduction mode and turn on the warning light if there is one.

Have you ever seen the red light come on?

Why did you not ask about testing the whole system to help you trouble shoot it?

[TexasSkeeter]

ok read your stuff, BOSCOE99, and cleaned connectors at both tanks. Both tanks full. Then I turned the key on and removed sump tube to drain engine tank to check switch operation. As level dropped neither did the transfer pump start nor the alarm sound as tank drained completely. I then pulled the engine tank switch assembly up from its seat and the alarm sounded. Fill pump still did not kick on. That makes me think the bottom switch is intermittently bad, or the outer tube in which the floats ride is holding oil (not draining when the surrounding level drops); it did appear full of oil when I removed it from the engine tank. the washer was on the bottom of that outer float tube as its supposed to be. I'm tempted to drill a hole in the bottom of that tube and retry.

With key off, I then removed the engine tank switch assembly (still plugged into elect connector) and held floats in their "up" or "high oil level" position. Turned key on and lowered top float to its lowest position. Fill pump on sub tank did not kick on. then lowered bottom float and alarm sounded as it should. That makes me think the bottom alarm switch is working when the float is allowed to lower. Why the float wont lower when installed in the tank may be due to the float tube not draining (above paragraph)...so I'm going to drill that drain hole in it.

Now why did the fill pump not kick on when I lowered the top float with key on?
a) does the engine have to be running for it to kick on? Please advise, my manual does not address that.
b) if not (a), then the sub tank switch could be open which according to your diagram would prevent the fill pump from energizing even with low engine tank level. since Sub tank was full, switch should be closed.
That makes me think sub tank switch is either stuck open or ground wire there is disconnected somewhere. Or A is true.

So please answer A for me and add any other info. Thanks!!!!

[TexasSkeeter]

update: bench tested both tank switches. all were OK. Reinstalled everything. With empty engine oil tank, turned on key, and voila, alarm sounded and oil fill pump filled her up. Then emptied tank with key on and alarm sounded when it should have.

Perhaps there was a dirty electrical connector, but actually I think its how you install the engine oil tank switch assembly. There is a rubber spacer at the bottom of the switch floats that tends to flex up when you shove the assembly in the float tube. I believe it could have interfered with the lower float being able to drop far enough to actuate the alarm switch. There are also arrows on the switch and tank that apparently need lined up when installing the switch.

I really wish Yamaha also used the sub tank low level switch to sound the low-oil alarm. That would provide 2 switches to prevent a no-oil condition. My experience shows that only having the one-switch alarm will ruin your engine if that switch fails to alarm as mine did. I guess the new tach with 3 lights does that, but my 2001 only has the single warning light.

[boscoe99]

update: bench tested both tank switches. all were OK. Reinstalled everything. With empty engine oil tank, turned on key, and voila, alarm sounded and oil fill pump filled her up. Then emptied tank with key on and alarm sounded when it should have.

Perhaps there was a dirty electrical connector, but actually I think its how you install the engine oil tank switch assembly. There is a rubber spacer at the bottom of the switch floats that tends to flex up when you shove the assembly in the float tube. I believe it could have interfered with the lower float being able to drop far enough to actuate the alarm switch. There are also arrows on the switch and tank that apparently need lined up when installing the switch.

I really wish Yamaha also used the sub tank low level switch to sound the low-oil alarm. That would provide 2 switches to prevent a no-oil condition. My experience shows that only having the one-switch alarm will ruin your engine if that switch fails to alarm as mine did. I guess the new tach with 3 lights does that, but my 2001 only has the single warning light.

This is why it is somewhat important to test the system yearly to verify that it is working as designed. And also to have the appropriate tachometer that lets you know what is going on.

Ignore the top part of the illustration below and look at how the service manual says the float assembly should be assembled.

[rodbolt17]

post a model number,
buy the correct tach.
the yellow lamp is CRITICAL in troubleshooting that system.
the 3.1L is a tad different than a 2.6L.

[boscoe99]

[TexasSkeeter]

Thanks for the illustration of correct installation. First time I've seen that, it's not in the manual I have. I'm going back to make sure I have the screen in correctly. Good grief, who'd think the installation requires such exact positioning! I would think Yamaha would put a notch in each piece that makes alignment foolproof; mine can go in any old way and result in complete engine failure if not done right....thanks again. This needs to be a sticky!