Warning beeps prior to start

N

Northshore60

New Member
Apr 5, 2009
64
Lake Erie
Boat Info
98 Pursuit 2270 Kodiak
Sold 290 Amberjack
Engines
Yamaha 200 HP Saltwater Series
2001 290 Amberjack with 350 Horizons. When pushing the start buttons to the run position prior to pushing and engaging the starter, I get 2 warning beeps.
Is this normal?
 
Thank you. That's good to hear. I have heard that 1 beep is normal and 2 is a error and that would cause a error code to be stored and engine to run less than 100%
 
Have you always gotten two beeps? I get one when I fire my 8.1's.......I believe two means something different than just a self test...I could be wrong tho.
 
Looks like there is not a definitive answer. Some say 2 ok some say 2 is not ok.
 
I get 2 beeps since I purchased my boat. I a purchased my boat 3 years ago and scanned both engines before purchasing. Both engines check good with no codes set. I believe I have a MEFI 3 fuel injection system as you likely do to as it was used 1998-2001. I do have the Mercruiser bulletin regarding what the warning beeps mean for each ECM. So you are good to go.
 
can it be as simple as people with twin engines get two beeps since every engine has its own guardian - so you get one beep per engine as a normal selftest ?
 
Private Message me with your email address and I will send you the bulletin. It lists each engine based on year and serial number and tells you what the beeps mean. 2001 is a transition year and if you have a MEFI 3 controller 2 beeps is normal. If you have the PCM (ECM) 555 controller 1 beep is normal.
 
As I mentioned in that other thread, one beep is normal. Anything else means the computer is seeing something it doesn't like. There might be an issue, there might simply be a stored code, or it might be an erroneous issue. The only way to know is to get it scanned by a qualified technician. Something is causing that extra beep - this doesn't happen for no reason at all. It might be something that's hard to track down (as often times electrical stuff is), but there absolutely is a reason it's beeping twice.

This is not a knock on anyone that responded in this thread but, Northshore, just because you see a few posts on a forum that say "mine does that too and it runs fine" does not mean that everything is A-OK. You can believe what you want, but you started this thread for a reason - trust your gut.
 
I have the actual Mercruiser Bulletin that does show that 1998-2001 engines with MEFI 3 Controllers does beep twice when turning on the ignition and that in normal. Other engines and controllers do beep once and some twice. I am happy to share that with you Lazy Daze or anyone else.
 
Ruff Life said:
I have the actual Mercruiser Bulletin that does show that 1998-2001 engines with MEFI 3 Controllers does beep twice when turning on the ignition and that in normal. Other engines and controllers do beep once and some twice. I am happy to share that with you Lazy Daze or anyone else.
Click to expand...

I'd be happy to look that over. I have MEFI3 in my own boat and only get one beep (and I've owned other boats with MEFI3, too). I've run 'I don't know how many' MEFI3 boats and have never heard two beeps at start up. We (Peters Marine) have been working on boats since the mid-30's (Sea Ray's since the early 60's) and this is news to me/us. I also checked with our lead technician and he said the same thing that 1 beep is normal. I suspect there's something missing (or wrong) with that bulletin - but, yes, if you could PM me the link or your email, I'll look it over.
 
Lazy Daze said:
I'd be happy to look that over. I have MEFI3 in my own boat and only get one beep (and I've owned other boats with MEFI3, too). I've run 'I don't know how many' MEFI3 boats and have never heard two beeps at start up. We (Peters Marine) have been working on boats since the mid-30's (Sea Ray's since the early 60's) and this is news to me/us. I also checked with our lead technician and he said the same thing that 1 beep is normal. I suspect there's something missing (or wrong) with that bulletin - but, yes, if you could PM me the link or your email, I'll look it over.
Click to expand...

I have the Mercruiser Horn Warning System Bulletin 90-898301003 June 2007 covering all engines from 1989-2007. I just read the whole list and can't find any combination of engines that output a 2 Beep warning that says it's normal, all 2 Beeps every minute refer you to a sensor problem that should be diagnosed. There isn't anything that refers to 2 Beeps at start up as normal. My opinion is 2 beeps at start up must be something stored as it doesn't refer to it anywhere unless there is an updated bulletin if someone knows the bulletin number please post it.
Anyone can google ( mercruiser beep codes ) this bulletin will come up as a PDF 10 page file.
 
Dennis
I stand corrected on the bulletin that I have sent you. I misread the 2 second beep for 2 one second beeps. Both of my engines do the identical beeps and also scan with no issues. It may be that the electronic horns (sonalerts) that Searay installed are a pulsing rather than steady tone type of horn. So we have more unanswered questions.
 
Ruff Life said:
Dennis
I stand corrected on the bulletin that I have sent you. I misread the 2 second beep for 2 one second beeps. Both of my engines do the identical beeps and also scan with no issues. It may be that the electronic horns (sonalerts) that Searay installed are a pulsing rather than steady tone type of horn. So we have more unanswered questions.
Click to expand...

I can see how that can sometimes be confusing. Some of the information we (dealers) have to sift through can be even more confusing, at times!

Interesting point about the type of horn installed - but I would still lean towards something amiss with the ECM. BUT, that's not to say there actually is an actual problem. For lack of a better term, it could be a 'ghost' problem - the ECM thinks there is a problem, but there really isn't.

Another possibility, that I didn't think about until you mentioned the different type of horn... I've never seen an OEM horn from Mercruiser/Sea Ray that was a 'pulsing' type horn. But, who knows what a previous owner may have installed as a replacement. The normally installed horn looks like a small hockey puck with a hole in the middle and you can see a brass-ish colored disc through the hole. There are two (22-ish gauge) wires - one red, one black.

I think still think the safest recommendation is to get it checked by a tech - at least for nothing else than to be on the safe side.
 
Thanks for the info. What's puzzles me is it seems to run very well though even though I am getting the 2 beeps at start up. Again thank you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,262
Messages
1,429,612
Members
61,140
Latest member
Terminator04
Back
Top