Hi guys, I get an annoying helm alarm beeping floating up from somewhere under the instrument panel every time I go over around 10 knots. It does not stop until I slow down and then stops completely. No overheating according to gauges. Oil just topped up. No change in speed and no special vibration. Water is deep so no depth finder issue. I thought it was the vhf which had a warning notice but I resolved that issue and beeping still continues. It continues also even if I shut radio completely off. Extremely annoying. Any thoughts? It is definitely a beeping not a steady noise type alarm.
Beeping Alarm Sound Mystery! Sherlock Needed Yet Again.
- Thread starter rgj
- Start date
Ididntdoit
Well-Known Member
water temp or oil seder for smartcraft - they use a separate sender from the gauges
oops - just noticed you have a 97 so no smartcraft - not sure of the warning systems on older boats
oops - just noticed you have a 97 so no smartcraft - not sure of the warning systems on older boats
WV 320 Dancer
Well-Known Member
- Oct 28, 2018
- 971
- Boat Info
- 2003 Sea Ray Sundancer 320
- Engines
- Twin 350 MAG - V Drive
Stern Drives or V Drives?
- Jun 5, 2016
- 5,553
- Boat Info
- 410 Sundancer
2001
12" Axiom and 9" Axiom+ MFD
- Engines
- Cat 3126 V-Drives
Bilge Pumps activating?
You mentioned you just topped up the oil but now it's low? That could be an issue in and of itself. But oil LEVEL is not monitored... oil PRESSURE is. What was your oil psi reading? It takes VERY low oil psi to activate the alarm. If you just topped it up and you're getting low oil psi it's either an issue or a flaky sensor.
Double check your bilge floats - especially the high water one. Even secure it so it doesn't flop up by itself to eliminate it as a variable. Or, flip it up manually and see if it activates the same alarm - just to check.
May also be a CO monitor sounding, although less likely.
I would also check your drive fluid reservoir bottle as that can also cause an alarm. Disconnect it if you need to see if it was the one. In the end, there's only a few things that cause an alarm on an old engine.
Double check your bilge floats - especially the high water one. Even secure it so it doesn't flop up by itself to eliminate it as a variable. Or, flip it up manually and see if it activates the same alarm - just to check.
May also be a CO monitor sounding, although less likely.
I would also check your drive fluid reservoir bottle as that can also cause an alarm. Disconnect it if you need to see if it was the one. In the end, there's only a few things that cause an alarm on an old engine.
mechanic took quick look and blamed on slightly low oil level. The boat in questions, by the way, is a 1999 380 Sundancer. (The 330 1997 is a different boat.) Anyway, if there is no oil LEVEL sensor, I think maybe I need a new mechanic....
scoflaw
Well-Known Member
- Aug 10, 2011
- 6,395
- Boat Info
- 1999 Powerquest legend 260 sx 502 mag
2005 Baja 242 islander 496
- Engines
- 502 mpi Bravo 1
496 mag B1
Maybe he is referring to gear oil
I'm thinking the same thing. Maybe the OP is confused by terminology or the mechanic wasn't clear.
By the way another mechanic told me I need to scan the engine and that it may be a "knock" alarm. I am not sure exactly what that is. If the sensor does not fix the issue and the oil being topped off does not fix the issue, I will do a scan of the engine. I am a little concerned as to why the engine needed a quart of oil. Reading this forum it looks that that is fairly rare and not a good sign.
You mentioned you have a stern drive, right? You don't have a true transmission. The only "sensor" is the one for the gear oil. Can you answer the questions we had about this and confirm? Why would someone recommend to just replace the sensor when it is so easy to check it, first? You've got give us more info and respond to what we've been asking - we're trying to help 'ya! 
Cocktail Time
Well-Known Member
- Jul 9, 2007
- 1,208
- Boat Info
- 1998 400 Sundancer, Garmin 840xs GPS, Furuno Radar, B&G GPS pilot etc.
- Engines
- Cat 3116's, Westerbeke 7.6 BTD
What electronics are on board? My B&G depth sounder will beep annoyingly if the transducer loses a lock on bottom or if I am in shallow water.
Sublimetime
Active Member
Being a 380 hull I dought if it has sterndrives, probably inboards with V-drive on transmission. Check the sensor on the transmission, remove the wires and test drive, if no more sound -problem with transmission, or if your lucky just a bad sensor.
Then you could swap sensor from one motor to the other and see if problem follows the sensor over to the other motor. If still sounds on original side you have a trans problem..
Then you could swap sensor from one motor to the other and see if problem follows the sensor over to the other motor. If still sounds on original side you have a trans problem..
sublimetime, you are correct. It is a v drive not a stern drive (newbie here) and the focus is now on the transmission sensor. Anyway, I am having a new mechanic look at the sensor next week and go through all the recommendations made above. I have been using the boat (under 10 knots) and no alarms and no overheating on instruments....
