Cooling water alarm

S

ssobol

Active member
On my '08 CD 22 I have an '08 Honda BF90D with about 460 hours on it. Recently I have been having problems with the cooling water alarm that appears on the key panel.

This problem started a couple of weeks ago after spending about 3 weeks on the Erie Canal. The alarm started sounding shortly after the engine is started. At the time shutting off the engine and then restarting it once or twice cleared the alarm and all was well until the next time the engine had been shut down for awhile (a few hours). Although the impeller was only about a year and half old (less than 100 hours on it) I replaced it earlier this week. I tested the motor on the muffs for a little bit and did not have any water alarms. The hose I connected it to has pretty good pressure and I'm thinking and maybe that helped.

Going out yesterday and today, I have the problem again (still?). The motor will start with the green pressure light on (normal) and then the light will go out. Sometimes the light will go out quickly and sometimes it'll take a couple of seconds. Repeatedly shutting off and restarting the motor will eventually clear the problem. Now it takes 5 or 6 tries to get it to work. I can tell the problem is cleared when the green light fades a bit and then comes back on normal brightness. After that the engine is fine until the next time it sits off for a time.

Throughout the whole process I have a forceful "pee" stream out of the engine.

I'm thinking that the water pressure sensor has a problem, but if anybody has any other ideas, I'm listening.

Thanks.
 
ssobol,
You are probable correct, but a thermostat that is stuck closed will also cause the alarm to go off. I mess with lots of outboards and thermostats seem to only live for about 4 to 5 years (sticking either open or closed), no matter the brand or size of the outboard.
 
Actually, turns out it is the oil pressure alarm. Makes more sense now (at least a little). Need to check the oil first I guess. I guess it takes a little bit to get the oil pressure up.
 
What oil are you using? How long since it was changed-both chronological and on engine hours?

I agree that with water the thermostat is often the culprit. (Espciallly when run in salt water.
 
I have a 2007 BF90, and have experienced exactly what you described a few times, when we first got the boat. First start cold, and the alarm would sound. I'd shut it down, and restart and the problem would go away. I think its happened 3 times. I had actually forgotten about it because it has been a few years since its happened. This must be a somewhat common issue. I have no idea why it no longer does it, but I have changed the water pump, fluids and other things things since (not the thermostat though).
 
Glad you figured it out! I had the same alarm problem and it ended up being one of the heat sensors on the engine. Carl at EQ hooked it up to the 'puter, looked at the data, saw it was the heat sensor and replaced it.

Problem solved!
 
Turns out it was the oil pressure alarm. Checked the oil and found it way down. Needed 3 quarts to get the level back into the zone on the dipstick.

No I just need to find out where the oil went.

I changed the oil about 100 hours ago. But that was also two years ago.

Lesson learned is to be more diligent about checking the oil (and carry some spare onboard).
 
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