Merc 4.5L alarms-gctid826098

[Dutchman62]

Need a little help here or more of a confirmation. I have no dealers around to go visit, so hoping this will work.

I have a 2016 4.5L that is new this year. Last couple times out, I've heard the odd alarm going off. It's the 6 chirps in a row and then goes away. happens at random.

The Merc manual says this is a caution alert, not a bad do or die thing. However the manual does not explain where these alarms come from. There is a sticker beside my throttle that says alarm for engine temp or oil pressure (which are fine according the gauges). My last boat had an alarm for the gear lube monitor. I did check the jug and it was a tiny bit low (it was never full), and I could see float, so I topped it up to the full level. Have not run the boat since, but hoping that was what the alarm was for.

So the big question is, does the Merc alarm system monitor those 3 things, engine temp, oil pressure, and gear lube??

[Redwngr]

Yes it does.

Mine was alarming on the gear lube level.

Long story, by the hose from the tank was not connected to the drive, but tucked back up into engine. End of tube was high enough that at rest, the tank would not drain out -- but every time boat tent nose up when going from rest to plane it would leak a little lube out. Eventually low enough that it caused alarm.

[Redwngr]

Additional info.

Turns out there is/was an update for the ecm to deal with faulty alarms for water pressure - at least for the 4.5.

I don't know if the programming issue occurs on other applications.

[Download_Complete]

I strongly suggest, given the remoteness of your boat, that you invest in the VesselView Mobile module and Mobile App so you can get some engine diagnostics on your smartphone.

[rgs2horses]

The first year with my VR5 with the 4.5 engine I had these alarms quite often (before VVM was available). When I took it in for service at the end of the season the mechanic checked the alarms - turned out most were shifting delays - moving it into forward or reverse too slowly. Now I shift quickly and have not had the alarms anymore.

[Dutchman62]

good day all..........figured time for an update.

First off, the Mercruiser system does cover the 3 items, oil pressure, engine temp and drive lube.

After topping off the lube jug, the alarm was still going off. Every so often it would chirp 6 times.

So I was fooling around under the hood and touched a wire connector plug (those male/female plugs) and it came apart. Hey, these wires go to the lube monitor. I snapped the plug back together but had no way to test run engine.

This week I had the boat into the dealer for a few misc warranty adjustments, and they confirm that all alarms are now good.

Frick, so all this time it was a simple plastic plug that was not snapped together. Even looking, the connection looked ok, but without it being locked into place, that's why it was intermittent.

I guess lesson learned, with anything new, check all these simple little things first. Plug was similar to this.


Attached files

[Dutchman62]

good day all..........figured time for an update.

First off, the Mercruiser system does cover the 3 items, oil pressure, engine temp and drive lube.

After topping off the lube jug, the alarm was still going off. Every so often it would chirp 6 times.

So I was fooling around under the hood and touched a wire connector plug (those male/female plugs) and it came apart. Hey, these wires go to the lube monitor. I snapped the plug back together but had no way to test run engine.

This week I had the boat into the dealer for a few misc warranty adjustments, and they confirm that all alarms are now good.

Frick, so all this time it was a simple plastic plug that was not snapped together. Even looking, the connection looked ok, but without it being locked into place, that's why it was intermittent.

I guess lesson learned, with anything new, check all these simple little things first. Plug was similar to this.


Attached files

[Redwngr]

There was also an ECM update for at least some of the 2016 4.5 200's. to correct unnecessary alarm issues.

Mine was done when we sent it back in (again) for alarm diagnosis middle of this season