New boat owner looking for guidance

79TA7.6

New Member
Jun 27, 2020
9
Boat Info
1995 220 Overnighter
Engines
5.7
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Hi all. My wife and I just bought a 1995 220 Overnighter from a friend of the family. He owned the boat since almost new. He ended up getting it as a repo in 1996. He has kept the boat inside a heated shop when not used up until two years ago when he bought a new fishing boat. For the last two years it was sitting in his lean-to. The boat is in pretty good shape, not mint, but not anywhere near trashed.

Now on to my questions. When I turn the ignition on I get a load annoying buzzer until the engine starts. When I read up on this it sounds like this might be the oil pressure alarm. Is there anyway to make this stop after a few seconds of not starting the engine? It is real annoying when I am trying to mess around checking stuff out that I need the key on.

The PO checked all of the fluids before taking us out on the water for the test run, but I was honestly overwhelmed with everything that I think I missed a few things he showed me. It has a self contained cooling system and it looks like the overflow bottle is empty. There is coolant in the heat exchanger, but does there need to be any in the overflow, or is this supposed to act only as a burp can? There is also another holding bottle that has blue or green colored fluid in it. Kind of think that is maybe something for the transmission? From what I have read up on the lower unit is self contained, filled from the lower drain plug to prevent air bubbles. This holding bottle would not be for that would it?

What other things, besides the engine, hold fluid? Guess the trim rams. I just want to make sure I am able to check everything over real good myself before I go out for a long weekend. I trust that he changed the fluids as he said that was part of his winterizing as he did not want anything to sit over winter if he had to do other work to it. He wanted to be sure the boat was ready to go come spring time and did not want any surprises waiting for him.
 
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The buzzer you hear on startup sounds when you turn the key so you know that is working. If it sounds when operating the boat you have a problem that requires immediate attention. There is a fill line on the coolant overflow. Add the proper color antifreeze to top it off. DO NOT MIX ANTIFREEZES THAT ARE DIFFERENT COLORS. I would suggest you start fresh and change all of the fluids, (staying with the same antifreeze color) belts, ignition components, hoses and batteries. This way you stand an increased chance of enjoying trouble free boating. Fully detail the boat as well.
 
What I did was get rid of the buzzers on both engines and got a LED for both and mounted it under the tach for both engines as I'm constantly watching the tach. You can mount the LED's anywhere on the dash you want but it sure is less annoying working on the engine now with the key on engines not running.
 
The point about not mixing antifreeze / coolant types is that they are not compatible. If they get mixed, they will get all clumpy in the engine.

The other bottle of blue/green fluid is the outdrive lower unit lube reservoir. It will change levels a bit depending on how warm the drive is. If low you will get an alarm.

There will also be a power trim system for the outdrive (the trim rams, as you said). That is a self-contained system somewhere in the bilge. It will have a reservoir for the needed hydraulic fluid. Usually this has a white reservoir with a black cap that sits at the based of the pump unit. You many also have a hydraulic trim tab system (Bennett tabs). This is also a self contained system with it's own fluid reservoir.
 
So is the lower unit lube not all self contained? Would I need to change this fluid different than all the videos I have seen using a pump attached to the drain plug?

As for the coolant, I am very familiar with what mixing non compatible fluids does. I have seen this on too many rigs I have worked on. I am a gear head, just always played with cars, not boats, yet.

I have seen the pump and reservoir for the power trim. Fluid there looked good. No trim tabs to look over.

The PO replaced the batteries the same year he stopped running the boat. He always kept a battery tender on them no matter what time of year. If he was not using the boat, the batteries were being looked over.

I have all new plugs, wires, cap and rotor to swap out. As well as the fuel filter.

Where is the buzzer located? I don’t think I will I hook it, but definitely want to see if I can tone it down a little. That thing is crazy loud. Maybe add a LED as a visual as well.
 
So is the lower unit lube not all self contained? Would I need to change this fluid different than all the videos I have seen using a pump attached to the drain plug?

As for the coolant, I am very familiar with what mixing non compatible fluids does. I have seen this on too many rigs I have worked on. I am a gear head, just always played with cars, not boats, yet.

I have seen the pump and reservoir for the power trim. Fluid there looked good. No trim tabs to look over.

The PO replaced the batteries the same year he stopped running the boat. He always kept a battery tender on them no matter what time of year. If he was not using the boat, the batteries were being looked over.

I have all new plugs, wires, cap and rotor to swap out. As well as the fuel filter.

Where is the buzzer located? I don’t think I will I hook it, but definitely want to see if I can tone it down a little. That thing is crazy loud. Maybe add a LED as a visual as well.
Buzzer is usually under the dash near the ignition key. Look for an inspection panel that give access to the gauges and their wiring. It is probably in that location.
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