OptiMax Oil Alarm

[BigBrother]

So....I'm posting this to help anyone else out there with a similar problem.

Over Memorial day, the family and I got a tow back to the hill. My first tow since I was a teenager.

I kept getting the four beeps, every two minutes, (mercury code for low oil). Oil tank was full.

I did my phone a friend thing and got lots of advice, which I tracked down and checked out. It ranged from shorted out sensor, to broken alternator bolts, (there was a lot of slack in the belt when running, and a flat spot on the pulley), to oil tank issues.

I replaced my belt, and tensioner pully, and the oil sensor, (which no one has ever seen one go bad).

Turns out the sensor is being activated by the float. There is a small magnet the size of a 5/16 washer on the bottom of a float that rides a spindle the sensor plugs into. The oil dissolves the glue that holds the two together, and the magnet falls to the bottom of the spindle, activates the alarm, and causes the motor to go into limp mode.

The only recourse is to order a new tank. I found them from $500 to $250, (you have to look really hard for the $250 ones).

Short term, I took my old sensor, cut the wires, and wire nutted them together to bypass the magnet/low oil alarm/limp mode drama. Long term, my new oil tank will be delivered tomorrow and I can get that low oil alarm when I for real have low oil again.

Hope this helps some one. You're welcomed.

[ecu1984]

so you didn't perform the lobotomy on the original tank?

[BigBrother]

so you didn't perform the lobotomy on the original tank?

I will when the replacement comes in, just to say I fixed it you stinking french Canadian engineers.

[Calibogue]

FYI, I replaced my tank with float (one under the cowl) last Friday .....tank for my 175 opti was $139 after tax new in the box!

[bigtimeduckhunter]

I actually had the same thing happen this weekend on an 60 Merc. After some digging, I found out it was the oil level sensor. I disconnected it at the fittings and all is good.

There is a video online of a guy that repaired his float, in tank, without having to replace it.

[BigBrother]

FYI, I replaced my tank with float (one under the cowl) last Friday .....tank for my 175 opti was $139 after tax new in the box!

Fock. That info woulda been useful two weeks ago before I placed the order...

[BigBrother]

I actually had the same thing happen this weekend on an 60 Merc. After some digging, I found out it was the oil level sensor. I disconnected it at the fittings and all is good.

There is a video online of a guy that repaired his float, in tank, without having to replace it.

Yeah, that tank you can get inside it. Mine...it takes a hole saw to see the float.

[mhogancu]

Same thing happened to my DFI optimax on my old boat. I found a new one on amazon for 130 delivered. Took all of 5 minutes to install.

[Calibogue]

Justin, mine only holds maybe 24 ozs. as the 2 gallon oil tank is under console.
It looks different than the one posted in the video.

[BigBrother]

Justin, mine only holds maybe 24 ozs. as the 2 gallon oil tank is under console.
It looks different than the one posted in the video.