Here we go again... Motor cuts out momentarily, long beep and keeps on truckin..

J3ff

So lets chat about beeps and such.

383 Mercruiser..

When I turn the key to the "on" position before starting.. I get a Loud 1 or 2 second beep.  When moved to the start position, while the motor is starting it makes another 1 second quieter beep.  Is that normal?  Doesn't matter how long you wait to start it, the smaller beep is there, while the motor is cranking.  Could be the depth finder maybe? not sure.

Anyway, the motor has 88 hours on it and wouldn't you know it, I was just thinking how nice it's been to have it be trouble free.... and after running it today, sitting on the hook for 90 mins and coming in...after slowing down for the harbor ride, TWICE in about 5 minutes it "stuttered" going along fine, RPMS Drop, appears to lose power, loud beep like when you turn the key to ON and after that 1 terrifying second is over, it goes back to normal.  

I did mess with my vesselview/smartcraft connection today, going to head back down there tomorrow and make sure it's all tight.  

Not good before a trip where the boat is your sleeping spot!!

reneechris14

Did you sucking up some thing to make it over heat for a second.this has happened to me several times, seaweed going slow gets around the drive.

Wildboating

I do not get a quieter second beep.   Water in impeller would cause overheating but the boggling down???    Fuel pumps losing power?  

J3ff

- First thing I did was check gauges and then check vessel view.. everything reporting normal temp/pressure. 

- Opened up the hatch, looked for anything unusual, did not hear anything out of the ordinary, didn't see anything out of the ordinary.  

- I've always gotten a second quieter beep... it's weird that it does it while the engine is still in the middle of starting.. which is why I assumed it might be the depth gauge or something. 

reneechris14

Don't forget when you go down turn battery off for min to let it reset.

J3ff

I also get these three faults every time I've used Vessel View mobile


Sorry they are so big.. pain to resize them on a mac.. 

Cableguy Greg

Those 3 faults are normal since you don't have the digital sender on the gas tank, the pitot sensor isn't connected and the trim is analog. I blocked them on my VVM app so I don't see them anymore.

J3ff

Well, out sitting near an island having lunch, boat made it out without issue, lets hope that was just some kind of ghost in the machine event yesterday!

Willhound

@J3ff I had the same issue when I first took possession of the boat this spring. It had sat for a year with just under a quarter of a tank of fuel. Instead of emptying it out, the dealer topped up the tank and delivered it. Same as you describe.  Engine would cut out for just a split second, loud beep and then continue on fine. Almost like somebody just cut the ignition for a second. Was so bad the first few trips out I threatened to return the boat to the dealer. We suspected bad gas and crud in the tank. After changing out the fuel filter, water separator and burning through some of the gas and refilling, it stopped and has been running great since. That is, until yesterday when I let the tank get below 1/4 again, topped it up and on the run back to my marina it did it again. So my plan is to run it down in the fall and have the tank pumped out and flushed. 
Long way of saying you maybe just sucked up a bit of crud in the fuel. If it happens again, check your filters. 
Oh, the other thing we also did was clean up the distributor cap.

J3ff

Thanks for the advice.. it seemed to be fine yesterday and Today, we'll see!! Going to top off the gas tomorrow!

69fastback

Mine was doing the EXACT same thing you describe, minus the beep while cranking. I changed the ignition switch, and it hasn't happened again since. 

J3ff

Will add that to my list to order tomorrow, might as well have an extra for the trip.. 

Willhound

69fastback said:

Mine was doing the EXACT same thing you describe, minus the beep while cranking. I changed the ignition switch, and it hasn't happened again since. 

I have had the same thought, that maybe the switch is cutting out for a split second. If it happens again I'll do the same and try it.

J3ff

Burned 1/4 tank today going to various locations, no problems UNTILL.....the end of the day, on the ride in, SAME exact spot (hmm wonder if it has to do with time for some reason)  2 times it did the same exact thing.. I have witnesses..  Going to fill it up with some gas tomorrow.  Planning to use the boat almost EVERYDAY for the next 8 days. We'll see what happens.  I jiggled the key, didn't seem to have any effect, also plugged in a digital voltmeter, everything looked fine.. 

Willhound

Happened again to me too yesterday. Going to try the ignition, but it only happened when I tried to open her up past 4000 rpm after cruising for a time at 3400, so I still suspect a fuel issue. Runs all day from idle to 34-3600 without a burp.

J3ff

It's just so weird how there's no error code or anything.. 

Willhound

I'm in the dark anyway. My 2000 too old for Vessel View or Smartcraft or any if it.

Cableguy Greg

Willhound said:

I'm in the dark anyway. My 2000 too old for Vessel View or Smartcraft or any if it.

A code reader will read it for you. I believe that the module can be read back to the Thunderbolt V ignition module.

J3ff

Filled up with fresh gas.. went in and out 4 times today at low speed, happend ONE time. one of the trips was all low speed and it didn't.  Very confused. 

Willhound

@J3ff, have you tried changing out the fuel filter/ water separator cartridge? For under $10 and relatively easy to do it might be worth trying. Although I did mine earlier in the year I'm going to do it again as I'm convinced there's junk in the tank causing inadequate fuel flow at higher rpm.

J3ff

I have not, would have have been part of installing a new engine?  

69fastback

If you're getting the same beep that you get when you turn the key on, I can't imagine it would be something like bad gas, which would cause poor combustion or a misfire. That's why I replaced the ignition switch, because the beep was telling me it was turning off and back on, almost instantly. My next place to look was going to be the kill switch. 

J3ff

Alright, that's exactly what's happening, will replace as soon as it gets here

@69fastback  I ordered this one, https://www.amazon.com/Sierra-MP41040-Ignition-Switch-Acc-Off-Run-Start/dp/B0000AXQN1 - is that good? What'd you get?

69fastback

J3ff said:

Alright, that's exactly what's happening, will replace as soon as it gets here

@69fastback  I ordered this one, https://www.amazon.com/Sierra-MP41040-Ignition-Switch-Acc-Off-Run-Start/dp/B0000AXQN1 - is that good? What'd you get?

I'm not sure if that's the exact one, but yes, something like that one. 

J3ff

Happened 3 times in 1 min today, scary s*@#, always at low speed, then it proceeded to work FINE for 45 mins of slow travel...25 of at speed and then 45 again at slow.. makes no sense..  oh well, guess that's why I paid for boatus

Willhound

69fastback said:

If you're getting the same beep that you get when you turn the key on, I can't imagine it would be something like bad gas, which would cause poor combustion or a misfire. That's why I replaced the ignition switch, because the beep was telling me it was turning off and back on, almost instantly. My next place to look was going to be the kill switch. 

Does make sense @69fastback  and for around $20 worth a try. Going to get one and try it today.
I did change my fuel filter and rotor and cap yesterday. The cap and rotor needed it for sure. Although the engine ran better I still got the beep and cut-out a few times coming back off the lake. Why I was concentrating on fuel was because after changing out the filter the first time and running fresh gas, the issue stopped. And then started again. My experience with electrical issues has been that they don't usually solve themselves. Maybe the switch is worn.
@J3ff  let us know if the switch does it and I'll do the same.

J3ff

Swapped the switch, the beep while cranking went away, one wire was hanging on by a stand, fell apart when I took the panel off...  in googling the beep while cranking I couldn't find anything rock solid but I did see a few posts that were talking about voltage dropping too low while in the start position causing a second beep.  All three batteries are the biggest I could get in there so fairly confident that it's not a battery problem.

Either way, no second beep now, re-crimped the wire that needed to be re-done, about 30 mins at low RPM so far so good, then again it's not really a good test as this problem has been pretty hard to nail down... even if it was just a bad wire, I'm happy to change out the switch as it was installed upsidown...and I get a new shiny key..  

J3ff

well...just got the second beep again while starting, sigh. 

And...turned motor off.. turned off everything, including blower, went to start it, no second beep... so it  must just be a low voltage warning for some reason, I dunno. weird. 

rasbury

gremlins in them wires!

J3ff

Happened four times in five minutes on the way in just now wtf! seemed like if I left it 1100 rpms it was more likely to do it. Also did it at the exact same spot as usual

J3ff

Also, the clarion m505 radio is not remembering my audio settings hmmmm but it does that even without losing power but that's a side issue