Need Help!

[FamilyTime]

My family and I bought our first boat and it's been a nightmare. I've tried to stay optimistic about the issues we've had, but they are all starting to pile up. I did my research and looked at a lot of boats. I found our 2002 300 Dancer with it's original owner. Cosmetically it looked great.

I paid a very thorough surveyor to do a hull and engine survey. A few minor problems were noted such as stern dirve trim indications at the helm, shower bilge pump inop, and power steering hose leak. After trucking the boat home and encountering major traffic, we unloaded in the dark and found both nav lights to be inop. We later found the hot water heater to be inop and the local service guys spent a lot of time troubleshooting it. After changing out the $20.00 sensor, opening the check valve, and paying the 170 labor fees it started working again. Then the temp sensor on the port engine was barely giving a reading. The service guys swapped sensors and shot it with an ir gun and later it was working fine. The mechanics wanted to change out the impellar just to be sure they got a little more money out of me...the impellar they took out looked fine. Then one of the engines was running a lot louder than the other when advancing the throttle. They said it was just some foam in the throttle body that was all chewed up. Of course they wanted to replace the foam and clean out the spark arestors and thottle bodies since they thought they were really dirty. In the month we've had the boat the speedo has also stopped working and we've found a lot of moisture in the aft sb cabin seating area.

Today we were going on an orientation cruise with another local boater and we started getting two loud warning audios every minute. After a few minutes it turned into a constant tone. We stopped and shutdown both engines. After restarting we were able to narrow the two tones every minuted to the port engine, no more steady tone. All tach guages were indicating normal for both engines ( 170 degrees, 40 - 60 psi). After looking in the manual I read that only one thing can cause that two beep audio, low stern drive oil. I checked every fluid on the boat and all were good. When I go to start the engines even after cooling both give the steady normal tone prior to cranking. Only the port engine gives me the two beeps after starting and every minute thereafter. The weather is great and I'm stuck working on a boat more than we're using it. I knew that boats cost money, but the constant repairs it taking the fun out of it. If anyone can help give me an idea of why the two beeps from hell won't stop even though the fluid levels are full as the manual indicates I would be very gracious. Thanks.

 

[Nehalennia]

Nothing sounds horrendous yet, except the frequency. Once you get all the bugs ironed out it will be nice and you'll know much more about your boat.

The beep does sound like low drive oil. If it's full, maybe a bad sensor?

Best of luck

 

[barryg]

Where are you located? Your signature and your post does not say. Also did you take the boat on a sea trial before you bought it? It would seem that you would have uncovered these other problems during the sea trial and could have negotiated with the owner to either make him fix them, or get an estimate from the local Sea Ray shop and reduce the purchase price by that much. A hull and engine survey is great, but not enough.

Luckily it sounds like you've narrowed down the alarm and cause and once you get it fixed it should run fine.

Barry

 

[FamilyTime]

Located in Virginia. I did conduct a sea trial and noted a couple issues previously mentioned.

 

[barryg]

I'm sure your frustration will turn to fun once you get things fixed. When I had bought my previous boat, a relatively new Doral, things were fine on the sea trial and survey, but the first time out after that where I took the boat out in the ocean the warning tone went off and the engine went right to idle speed...Turned it off and after about 10 minutes it worked fine for about a half hour then the same thing.. drove me nuts, but once I brought it in and they fixed it, had no more problems on that boat the whole time I owned it.

I'm sure someone here has the manual you need and can help you... Hang in there!!

Barry

 

[gerryb]

It could always be worse.. You probably bought the boat a great price, certainly tons less than if you purchased new. So what if you need some minor repairs and tweaks to get her up to spec. The audible beep is your IAC control..my guess...but the mechanic can put it on the Merc code reader to get the source accurately. As a DIY, switch them or just buy a new one and use it as a spare if it is not the problem.

 

[flflatrate]

i think iac also. if you think it is the drive oil just unplug 1 wire out of the bottom of the oil bottle and then restart the motor and see if alarm goes away. if it is still there, its probably iac.

 

[Presentation]

....After looking in the manual I read that only one thing can cause that two beep audio, low stern drive oil.

2 beeps can mean a lot of things. A mercury mechanic can plug a device in and tell you exactly the reason for the beeps. Some of the error conditions will limit the available power the engine produces. The 2 beeps/minute can be generated by: cam sensor open or shorted, engine cooling temperature circuit open or shorted, coil harness wire (EST) open or shorted, fuel injector open or shorted, IAC output, knock sensor, MAP sensor, MAT sensor, oil pressure circuit open or shorted, port/starboard exhaust manifold cooling temperature circuit open or shorted, sea pump circuit open or shorted, fuel pump relay, throttle position sensor circuit open or shorted, low 5 volt power supply as well as other errors.

Best suggestion for the 2 beeps per minute is to have the dealer/shop read out the error log to see what is generating the error condition. No need in ruining a good day out on the water and having to be towed back in.


Here are the codes:

 

[Presentation]

FamilyTime,

A 2002 300 Sundancer with twin BIII’s?

That’s a lot of boat to be your fist boat.

It’s also a boat with a lot of systems and it has drives (same as mine) that are known for performance but also known for expensive repairs.

I’m going to come at this from a different angle.

I am asking you to step back and look at the big picture.

You purchased a used boat, not 1 or 2 years old, but 7 years old.

How old is the car in your garage?

Now think back to when you were 16 years old and you got your first car. How old was it and how many thing were wrong with it?

I read nothing so far that is overly expensive. I read nothing so far that is what I would consider to be any worse than I would have expected.

For what it’s worth, I budget $1 for maintenance/repairs for every $1 we spend on fuel and I do most repairs myself. If you have someone else do most of your repairs and maintenance you may want to plan on $3 for maintenance/repairs for every $1 on fuel.

You may also want to call and discuses some of these items with the person who did your survey.

 

[Presentation]

The mechanics wanted to change out the impellar just to be sure they got a little more money out of me...the impellar they took out looked fine. Then one of the engines was running a lot louder than the other when advancing the throttle. They said it was just some foam in the throttle body that was all chewed up. Of course they wanted to replace the foam and clean out the spark arestors and thottle bodies since they thought they were really dirty.

On the impeller.....
Sounds like you did not know when the last time was when the impeller was changed. The expensive part it getting to it, not the impeller itself. If you take the water pump apart to take a look you change the impeller. That’s what is done. Now you know when it was new.
Had they spent all the labor to take it apart and not change the impeller many of us here, including me, would say your mechanic was a idiot. It sounds to me like he is doing what is best for you.

Let’s say they did not change the impeller and you overheated the engine and caused engine damage. Who would you be mad at then?
Changing the impellers in a boat when its last service interval is unknown is prudent. Your service guy is not ripping you off.


If your flame arresters are dirty they should be cleaned. If you want to DIY it’s a easy job, we can walk you thru it. If not, pay them and have it done.
If you are missing your IAC filter (causes the louder noise at low RPM’s) then you need it. It’s not a expensive part. If you want to change them yourself, again, ask us. It’s a easy job, we can walk you thru it. If not, pay them and have it done.


Just for what it’s worth, when it comes time to change a drive bellow, you change them all on the boat or at the very least all on that drive. Changing only the one with a sign if damage is as dumb as opening a water pump then not changing the impeller.

Also when a battery dies you change all the batteries in that bank.

All of these have valid reasons and I’m not going to go into them here, I’m just making you aware that I have read noting that would make me think your mechanic has done anything to take your money from you only to get your money.

In the month we've had the boat the speedo has also stopped working........

'Cause you got some crap stuck in your pitot, a small hole on the forward part of the drive.

Boat into an open area. Go in reverse. Get it up to about 2,200 PRMs for a few seconds. Don’t go so fast that water comes in over the stern of your boat. Do this 2x – 3x. Problem fixed,….until you get something else stuck in your pitot.
Or just ignore the dash speedometer and get a GPS.

Best of luck.

 

[geriksen]

sounds like that engine needs an IAC

 

[FamilyTime]

I want to thank you all for the advice. I guess it's a kick to the pride when you have the family and friends out and you're crusing the chesapeake bay to a cool spot and then you have to turn around because the boat you just bought isn't working right.

Anyway, I spent today trouble shooting the audio warning. I got two jumpers to connect the SB drive fluid sensor to the port engine. I tried every way to connect both the sensors and I still have the audio, two beeps every minute. I saw the info about what can cause the audios...I'm a little disappointed that the user's manual states that only the low fluid sensor can cause that. So should I get a mechanic to hook up a computer to read codes, or try replacing the Idle Air Control and see if that works first? Either way, will the computer need to be reset or will fixing the issue automatically reset the codes?

I hopped in the water and felt the pitot holes on the front of the drives. How far in do they go? Should I try a piece of wire to free them up? They were painted just before I had the boat shipped so I wonder if they were a casualty of the paint. I'll try to reverse to see if that helps. Is there a master that is used? I wouldn't think there would be two sensors for the same function???

Thanks again and I'll keep you posted.
Dave

 

[Presentation]

...So should I get a mechanic to hook up a computer to read codes, or try replacing the Idle Air Control and see if that works first? Either way, will the computer need to be reset or will fixing the issue automatically reset the codes?....

Fixing the issue will stop the beeps. Who cares if the code is not cleared? So you can try different things or have a mechanic with the proper diagnostic tool plug in and tell you exactly your issue. It’s your choice.

...Should I try a piece of wire to free them up? They were painted just before I had the boat shipped so I wonder if they were a casualty of the paint. I'll try to reverse to see if that helps. Is there a master that is used? I wouldn't think there would be two sensors for the same function???

Hmmmm. If you plan to shove something in the hole that is normally done on land. To answer your question, where does it end? It ends at your speedometer at the helm. It’s a tube that starts at the forward part of the drive and goes to the speedometer.

I did not understand the order of events. From your original post it sounded to me like the speedometer was working then you went boating then it stopped working. Now you are saying you had the drive painted. OK, did you have other things done? Was the drive removed? It’s possible they forgot to reconnect the tube.

If it was working then you went boating and it stopped it’s not unusual that you got some debris in the pitot. Unless you boat only in very clean water, expect this clogging to happen several times a season. I don’t know if it’s on the starboard or port drive. Maybe someone else here can answer that.


















For what it’s worth, for your own sanity and enjoyment, I’d recommend you focus on the alarm, hire a mechanic, find the issue, fix it then leave the other items for now and get out and enjoy boating. The other issues can wait. Boat speedometers are not as important as in your car where you can get speeding tickets.

 

[FamilyTime]

I did not understand the order of events. From your original post it sounded to me like the speedometer was working then you went boating then it stopped working. Now you are saying you had the drive painted. OK, did you have other things done? Was the drive removed? It’s possible they forgot to reconnect the tube.

On sea trial speedo worked fine. The sea trial did show the stern trim indicator wasn't working. The mechanics did some work on the tilt sensors, but I don't know exactly what. Drives were painted after that and during our next / first trip out I noticed it was no longer working. It's not a big deal, we do have a Garmin chartplotter, but I don't want problems to accumulate. I'll follow your advice and get the alarm issue sorted out then jump back to the speedo. Calling the mech now. Thanks and I'll keep you posted.

Dave