Restarting After Outdrive Lube Warning.

howabouttheiris · Addict Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 677 City: Austin, TX

On the way in last night, I got the loud double alarm about 200 yards from my dock. As I slowed for the no wake zone, the boat stalled.

Rewind 2 years..... I had a similar thing happen. Alarm went off, boat stalled. I do my 2c diags and find the outdrive lube is not empty, but below the sensor. I fill it and it starts immediately.

I open the engine compartment and sure enought there is lube in the reserve, but it is just below the sensor. So I did not have any with me at the time, but we paddled in. I go to the local boat shop and get some Mercruiser lube (it is a 2004 Tahoe Q7, 5.0MPI with Mercruiser IO) and go to the boat tonight.

I top up the reserve, but the boat continues to turn over on the key, but never start.

I check the normal culprit for this behavior, the kill switch, but it is ok. I cycle the outdrive up and down, incase there needs to be a "return to home base" for it to work, but no luck. I unplug the battery, to try to clear the code, but it did not help.

I really suspect that the beep code had something to do with the drive lube. I really suspect that the failure to start is also related, as it has always jumped at the 1st click of the key.

If I take it out of gear, and give it additional gas, it will start and work, but will not return to idle without stalling. While running I will get the 2 loud alarms.

Any guesses before I just turn it over to the shop?

As always, your feedback is appreciated.

Rhawn · Posted: Oct 01, 2007 7:35 pm Post subject:

The site below is a very good forum for I/O type help. Alot of those dudes know their stuff. Slow reply times though, might take a few days.

http://www.goboatingamerica.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi

howabouttheiris · Addict Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 677 City: Austin, TX

OK here is the deal..... as told by my mechanic.

1. Audible alarm was not low outdrive fluid, but bad air fuel mixture. I probably had another 2-3 outings on the outdrive fluid level.... Smile

2. No start was faulty Idle Air Control switch. (Apparently went down sometime between starting and stalling on the lake.) Codes showed air/fuel issues quickly resolved to IAC.

Part replaced and boat is back to starting 1st click.

Fluid being low was just a distraction to the real problem. Stall was a stall, not a "shutdown" due to fatal code.

I am now that much wiser, and $200. less wealthy.

Red57Bird · Soul Rider Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 316 City: Raleigh

LAMPSKIES · Newbie Joined: 05 Jun 2012 Posts: 4 City: CROWN POINT

Thanks guys! My Tahoe q7 was doing the same thing, just two warning beeps randomly! It is an 04 also that I purchased new and I have meticulously maintained in myself......we live on a small private late and she gets used a lot. I change all fluids and filters in the beginning of the season April......middle July and again when it come out...oct-nov....never an issue.....I took her out of storage, put the muffs on and as usual she fired on the first turn, I let her run to get temps up, shut her down and changed all fluids. Dumped her in the lake and after a couple laps headed to my shore station. When I pulled back to neutral she shut down and wouldn't fire. Idle was too low. I figured I'd stretched the cable....bound to happen with age......and turned the idle screw up a few turns......it idled but the two solid beeps started happening.....checked all fluids and temps and oil preassure just like manual said and everything was ok. I called the marina I purchased it and all maintenance materials from and I got the "we need to scan it and it's probably a sencor, bring it in, we cant promise when but we are backed up 3 weeks". Really? Just to scan it? That's where I found this post....no where in any manual does it say that thev idle sensor causes beeping......I we to the marina and said, I'd like to buy all sencors and the Idle switch......figured with the meticulous maintenance I do might as well replace them all......all they had was idle fuel switch.....I took it, installed it in about 10 minutes 8 looking for the right size Allen wrench fired her up and bingo.....no beeps! I had to readjust the idle and linkage again but she is purring perfect!.......thanks guys!

pet575 · Posted: Jun 07, 2012 7:21 am Post subject:

$200 is CHEAP man!

Break
Out
Another
Thousand

Is that an Alpha drive or a Bravo 2 or 3?

pat8839 · Outlaw Joined: 18 Mar 2010 Posts: 106

I had my IAC vavle go bad this year. Scared me because it was the first big thing wrong with my boat. I was able to fix it thankfully without a hitch. I think it was $20 shipped to my house?

Glad you're back on the water!

LAMPSKIES · Newbie Joined: 05 Jun 2012 Posts: 4 City: CROWN POINT

3MileBayWaker · Posted: Jun 11, 2012 2:18 am Post subject:

LAMPSKIES · Newbie Joined: 05 Jun 2012 Posts: 4 City: CROWN POINT

LAMPSKIES · Newbie Joined: 05 Jun 2012 Posts: 4 City: CROWN POINT

Hey all, back again......well things are fine, except........every once in a while in rough water while pulling a boarder the boat will randomly shut down......sometimes it will throw the warning beep sometimes it just shut down, sometimes it will shut off sometimes just shut down......I'm thinking a carroded wire on oil preassure switch? The stern drive warning makes sense due to the boat rocking and pounding a bit when it shuts down.....I'm gonna change water separator filter this morning.....I didn't do it this spring for the first time ever with my spring maintenance (marina was out) any ideas other than taking it out and getting it scanned?