I’ve got a 2002 Mercury 200 EFI and have recently had some alarms come on.
One alarm is the water-in-fuel alarm (indicated by a flashing bell and fuel icon on the guage) which has been on for awhile. I’ve changed the engine fuel filter and it’s sensor two times in the last year with no luck. Since I also have an additional Racor fuel/water seperator (which I’ve replaced twice as well), I know this alarm is faulty. I haven’t bothered too much with it since it doesn’t cause any driveability issues.
The other alarm that more recently came on is a flashing bell, engine, and oil indicators on the guage at the same time. In the SmartCraft manual, it says the oil light means low oil, an engine light means general engine problem, and both at the same time means oil pump failure. I know for a fact that oil is pumping because I removed the cap from the small engine tank while it was running and it overflowed. Could something else be causing this alarm? Anyone ever had this issue before?
These so-called “smart” guages are starting to piss me off. Thanks for any help.
Key West 2220 CC
Mercury 200 EFI Saltwater
The WIF sensor works by reading resistance. Under normal conditions (no water) the circuit sees high resistance to ground. In the presence of water, the resistance to ground is lower because the water conduct electricity. If you have an alarm and you know you don’t have any water you should check the circuit to make sure there are not chafed spot where it can short to ground.
As for the oil pump alarm, I’m pretty sure that the small oil tank on the side is filled by crankcase pressure to the main oil tank. The pressure forces oil up the the small tank. Then is a separate oil injection pump with induvidual lines to all cylinders which is fed from the small tank. That is the pump that the alarm is telling you has failed. You need to make sure that is running before continuing to operate that engine.
Iain Pelto
Edgewater 185CC “Jumpin’ Bean II”
Thanks for the response. My next step will be to check if oil is actually getting pumped to the engine.
Key West 2220 CC
Mercury 200 EFI Saltwater
hairball is correct
you may have a faulty alarm module
I’m now at www.teamcharlestonmarine.com
I fixed the oil alarm. It turns out a wire that runs underneath the motor and up to the oil tank sensor got disconnected. The only way I could even see it was after I removed the lower cover from the motor.
The fuel alarm is still on so that may be a faulty alarm module. I followed the wire from the sensor on the fuel filter as far as I could and didn’t see anything wrong with it.
there is probably a short in that wire
I’m now at www.teamcharlestonmarine.com