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Laserman
05-20-2001, 06:55 AM
I have a 1988 200/2.4 Merc and the warning buzzer goes off periodically. It still has plenty of oil in the both reservoirs and still smokes like it's getting oil. What should I do to check the black box? What else could go wrong? Any help would be appreciated.

sosmerc
05-20-2001, 10:02 AM
Be sure that the ground wire for the warning module box is clean and secure. (Make sure all other leads are clean and secure). When the horn goes off is it beeping, or is it a steady tone? If it is beeping you most likely have a bad cap on the small reserve tank mounted on the motor. Other potential problems: low battery voltage (charging system working ok?), loss of coil output voltage on the green wire that goes into the warning box (but you would have lost spark on one cylinder if that is happening...motor still runs ok when the horn goes off?) Motion sensor giving faulty signal....or the oil pump driveshaft is not turning...in which case your motor is going to fry!) On a yearly basis you should remove and inspect the oil pump seal and also at this time you can turn the flywheel by hand and confirm oil pump driveshaft motion. I replace the oil pump seal every year no matter what it looks like...it is not expensive, it is easy to do. It is also possible that the oil warning module is bad, but usually when they go bad they do not sound the test beeps when you turn the key to the "run" position.
Without seeing your engine, my best guess is that your cap is bad. You did say that the oil level was staying full in that reserve tank, right?

ODDD1
05-20-2001, 05:55 PM
iNTERMITTENT OIL ALARMS are caused by these things...[in order of probability]....low oil in engine resivior....for earlier [pre 94] motors, oil control box....switch box dropping output causing alarm...and the WORST...a oil gear going down......i almost never change motion sensors or oilcaps......the boxes i always keep 2 in stock...when a oil gear goes down it will fire alarm once in a while and increase frequency rapidly.

Laserman
05-20-2001, 09:30 PM
Thanks for all the useful help. I'll try to get it in the water and check out all these items. It's funny but I did have a problem with the oil pickup in the remote tank but cleaned the whole system and it stopped last year. This year it will run fine until until I start idling around a while. I'll let you know what I find out.

Thanks again!