Yamaha 2 stroke oil alarm sys functional test

[BobP]

I wrote this procedure for another thread - for DIYers concerned with Yamaha oil system alarm and indication functionality.
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Very simple way to truly test alarms, here's one to test the tank on the motor - this you will not see in the manuals.

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Get a used container - like the one windshield washer / non-toxic antifreeze fluid comes in (I have plenty of these every year), cut off the upper 1/3, clean it out of all traces of fluid. Or a similar container just as flexible.

Scott towel heavily the area under the motor oil tank around the cowl (just in case).

See the clear drip tube on the bottom of the tank with the nylon wire tie?

Turn on ignition switch. Don't run motor.

Position the container under the tank, squeeze the container to get good coverage under the drip tube. You may way to use duck tape or rope it in place. You may want to cut the top of the container at an angle to better fit under there.

Make sure you have at least a gallon of oil in boat tank.

Now cut the wire tie off and do it without even making a nick in the vinyl tube (you can guess why).

Pay very careful of what's goint to happen next, look for water initially - water is clear and less viscous - it will not mix with oil.

Now pull down the clear drip tube and let the fluid run into the container, let it go free bore.

If you missed the initial start of the fluid for visual signs of water, too late - keep going !

As the oil drops below the lower line on tank, you should see fresh oil enter the tank rear upper - coming down the inside of the rear (towards behind boat) wall of tank. If you see no fresh oil entering - take note, and continue test.

The oil entering will be unable to keep up with oil draining, notice at what point in level the alarm sounds, if it does sound. If the oil drains out and no alarm, end test.

Re-attach drip tube. Add new wire tie. Turn off igntiion. Clean up the mess if you made one (practice makes perfect!)

If fresh oil doesn't enter tank, find out why.

If a few drops of water pop out of drip tube and / or nipple that's ok, not any more than that. You are supposed to do the annual drip tube thing, try to clean out drip tube when off - it gets green colored inside from the oil, you need another tube or something else to close of the tank nipple while you do this - I use a piece of 5/16" ( 1/4" ?) fuel hose with a bolt in free end.

If the alarm doesn't sound, you owe me a beer, and you keep the 6500 buck powerhead job and 3 week down time avoided.

If you want to test the boat oil tank too, you can keep going on same test, best to do this when boat oil tank is already near first alarm point otherwise the container will overflow, so use a second container - have it standing by to swap fast. If you have a helper can verfy the oil tank level indicators on panel gauge too.

Alternately to test boat oil tank w/o involving the motor oil tank, you can disconnect the motor oil tank fill line at the nipple and bend over into container directly. Don't forget a new wire tie when reconnnecting it.

All the oil you drained can be reused if not contaminated by water.

There are several alarms and indications in total, both for the boat tank and motor tank, make sure all work as explained in owners manual.

Each tme you start motor make sure warning horn works, if it doesn't sound when you start motor, get it checkout out right away. I would not leave dock if it was me.

Cost to do functional test = 0 bucks (unless counting one nylon wire tie!).

Any question, ask!

 

[seasick]

Maybe I missed something but for me testing is a lor less messy.

Test the main pump: use the manual overide switch. If the tank fills, the pump is good ( and the screen is not plugged)

Test the main tank sensor: Pull the sender out of the tank, turn on the ignition. You should get a low oil alarm. Slide the circular float up and the alarm shoule go from no oil to low oil to no alarm
Want to see if there is water in the water trap? Use a short piece of small fish tank tubing jammed onto a small plastic syringe that they sell in the stores. Snake it into the oil tank and into the sight tube. It may be a little tough to get it there but it can be done. Suck out a few CCs of stuff, remove the tube and check the contents of the syringe.

 

[BobP]

It is very possible when you do it your way, you actually are correcting a borderline sticky (intermittant) condition by disturbing the components, and not get a true result and sometime later it sticks again - at the wrong time. Any component, as wiring connnectors, circuit grounds, etc.

And it won't be a mess if the container is properly positioned.
No messier than changing the oil and filter on the car.
And just half an hour of time per motor.

The oiling system is one system lending itself to a system functional test (not just an individual component test). Not all do, i.e, I 'd not purposely overheat motor to see if the overtemp alarm works.

Nonetheless any test is better than waiting for a real condition to count on it working. If owners expect the high temp alarm to sound prior to meltdown on loss of lube, don't.

It's already been reported here at GG at least one motor wrecked from an intermittant level sensor.

 

[JUST-IN-TIME]

here is the true oil test from yami training
http://www.4shared.com/file/167676033/3 ... _test.html


download it

i also have the older version with the 3 colors lights

guys i have tons of info out there, im re-doing my web site also

 

[jethro99]

The test you posted looks very complete.

The problem with just using the return to port switch is that it does not test the automatic transfer function, just the manual function.

And, you don't want to remove the main oil tank sensor any more than is necessary since the rubber seal may stop sealing. Furthermore, the sensor has to go back in a certain way and one has to ensure the seal at the end of it does not come loose.

The sensor in the remote tank does not sound an alarm. All it does is stop the automatic transfer when the oil in the tank reaches a certain level. When the auto transfer ceases to function, then the return to port switch can be activated to ensure thas it will work if and when needed.

 

[seasick]

The test you posted looks very complete.


The sensor in the remote tank does not sound an alarm. All it does is stop the automatic transfer when the oil in the tank reaches a certain level. When the auto transfer ceases to function, then the return to port switch can be activated to ensure thas it will work if and when needed.

If your sensor in the remote tank doesn't show low oil alarms, it is broken.

The digital and analog gauges will show (visual alarm) low oil conditions for either/both the main and remote tanks. In addition, if the main tank gets too low, the engine will switch to safe mode.

 

[BobP]

I presume the comment on the procedure is about the YAMAHA procedure, not mine.

Otherwise - re-read the functional system test procedure again if you, like me, has a vested interest in avoiding a major expense and layup, no such interest on the part of the manufacturer.

 

[jethro99]

Maybe my reply was not as clear as it should have been.

My comment was that if there is low oil in the remote tank the alarm will not sound. That is, the buzzer will not be activated. Also, the motor will not go into RPM reduction as would be the case if the main tank is low on oil.

If the remote tank gets low on oil then the automatic transfer function will cease. Also, with certain Yamaha tachs (not all and certainly not with non-Yamaha tachs) there will be no visible evidence of low oil in the remote tank. That is all that happens. There is only one switch in the remote tank sensor.

In the case of the main oil tank, if it gets a little bit low on oil a switch turns on the transfer pump. If it gets really low then the buzzer will sound, the engine will go into RPM reduction mode, and with some Yamaha tachs lights will light up or icons will flash. If it gets absolutely low (out fo oil) then the motor will burn up if it is kept running.

My comment pertaining to not removing the main oil tank sensor stands. Don't do it unless absolutely positive necessary. Unless you want the rubber seal to be compromised or maybe want to go fishing for the seal that is at the bottom of the sensor and which is known to come loose and fall into the tank. Even then, the sensor has to go back into the tank in a certain way.

I agree in principle. Check the oil tank system yearly.

 

[BobP]

Page 35 of the owners manual explains all the oil alarms and respective indicators on this one page.

There needs to be some responsibility for the operator to know what his tank level is via indicators, same for fuel and oil w/o need for sounding alarms.

Boats running out of gas because of operator error reflect irresponsible and unsafe action, same for oil level in remote tank.

No reason to have sounding alarm for low oil level in remote tank, however an idiot indication is right there on the gauge to read, in both multifinction digital tach and analog tach gauge. No less an idiot gauge than the fuel level gauge.

The motor tank has the low level sound alarm and rpm cut since it's all that matters in protecting the motor. Even if the remote tank is full, has nothing to do directly with the potential loss of all oil from the motor tank wrecking the motor.

Always scan your instruments routinely for abnornal conditions, don't wait for alarms to sound - that's not the design you bought.

 

[BobP]

seasick, I missed your first comment replying to it --

If you flip the switch and see oil entering the tank, yes filter and pump work, however that's not what turns on the pump normally - it's the float switches that also effect the gauge reading on panel.

The switch is there to take advantage of the reserve level oil in boat tank and to overfill motor tank for off season storage.

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I was thinking an alternate to my w/w fluid container for more capacity:

Get a 6 ft length of clear vinyl hose at the depot, 3/8 inch ID, nylon tie clamp it to motor oil tank nipple quick after pulling off drip tube, and already have hose run into clean container (used Yamalube container ?) placed on ground.

Then one can run the entire test inclusive of boat tank and also get a second container swapped readily.

Can't see possible water issue though with initial removal of drip tube.