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I just purchased a boat with a suzuki 225 hp 4 stroke on it and was boating over the weekend, it is a 2006 with less than 200 hours on it and was checked out by marine mechanics with a clean slate with no alarms and ran great, I ran it for 180 miles over the weekend, up to 4000 rpms and had no problems, until the last 20 miles when two alarms were noted . . . one was a sharp, high pitched alarm lasting 2-3 seconds with a 1-2 second break between them coming from the console, and the other was a red light below the "oil" section of the guage, I shut off the engine, the alarms continued, checked the oil dipstick which was at the top mark, but added two quarts of oil, shut off the power, restarted, and the audible alarm stopped but the light stayed on. I made it back fine, no overheat alarms, smoke, knocking, or any visible signs that anything is wrong, my dealer now tells me that I have too much oil in the motor and need to drain about a quart. What were these alarms and what else do I need to do?
Optional Information: Make (of engine): Suzuki Model (of engine): 4 stroke Year: 2006 Horsepower: 225 Already Tried: I will take out one quart of oil and see what happens, but am concerned about the alarms since I just bought the boat 3 weeks ago, thanks
The check engine light will flash a sequence, a code. I need that sequence.
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For example, if it flashes once, then pauses for 2 seconds, then flashes twices. Then pauses for 2 seconds. And repeats over and over, that would be a code 1-2.
For the oil, you will have to obviously drain that down. But let me know what the check engine light flashes.
The red light on the dash under "oil" was steady and did not flash, it did have two quick beeps, followed by about 3-4 seconds of pause time. But the other initial audible alarm was longer and louder and was about 3 seconds long with 1-2 second pauses between, no additional warning lights went off that I could see on the dash guage.
So it was just the oil pressure light that lit up? Did the rev limit lamp light up as well?
It was an indicator that looked like an upside down light bulb with a tear drop in the center, I don't have a manual so I don't know what that means, the rev limit lamp did not light up
Thats low oil pressure. Now have you checked the actual oil pressure yet, or just the level?
i just hecked the level
Got it.
Your next step here is to check the actual oil pressure. Specification is 57 to 85 psi at 3k rpms. When the engines get down below about 15 psi, that gives you the low oil pressure light, and your alarm.
Now you might have low oil pressure, for 1 of a few reasons. Or you might just have a bad oil pressure switch. What you need to do is pull the oil pressure switch out, plumb in a mechanical oil pressure gauge, start and run the engine and see what your oil pressure truely is at about 3k rpms.
Now if oil pressure is good, then its safe to say the oil pressure switch is bad, and you can replace it.
But if oil pressure is low, that can mean anything from a simple clogged oil filter, to something more serious, such as a bad oil pump in the engine. You would want to start by changing out the oil and filter, retesting, and hoping for the best.
That is how you would attack this one. If you do not have an oil pressure gauge, places like autozone typically do free loaners.
Feel free to post back with questions
Good luck!
Jason
Experience: Degree in Marine Technology. Gas and diesel marine mechanic.
thanks i will give it a try
Your most welcome. Good luck and happy 4th!