(FIXED)99 130TXRY low oil display blinking and alarm?

[TB2BLAZER]

I have a 99 Yamaha 130TXRY 2 stroke that after about an hour of running the oil indicator display started blinking (showing full oil) and the audible alarm started going off. Right after that it went into limp mode and would not run above idle at all. I pulled the motor cover and the top oil reservoir was up to the top full line like it's supposed to be. I pulled out the float sensor at the top reservoir to make sure it wasnt stuck. Went to run it again and it did the same thing. I checked to make sure there was still water flow so that the engine wasn't overheating. Water was flowing good and motor didn't feel unusually hot. I also noticed that before I took it out my battery tender on one battery was showing that it was charging but that it wouldn't charge up completely. After all this happened I shut the motor off and it would not start again. Absolutely zero power getting to the motor because it wouldn't trim up or down from the motor. All the accessories worked and had power but nothing else. Checked all fuses then started wiggling battery cables while holding the trim button on the motor. When I got to one of the wires on the battery selector switch it trimmed up and down. I went up and it started right up. Did some research and heard that someone had similar problems and that the battery selector switch had gone bad and that was causing the problems. So I have ordered a new switch and battery cables but I wanted to ask you knowledgeable people to see if that could cause my problem or if it's the oil float sensor in the engine oil reservoir tank?

 

[Sparkdog118]

Check the connector on the end of the wire. Sometimes corrosion gets into the connection itself and cause intermittent problems.

 

[TB2BLAZER]

At the end of the float sensor wire? If so I already disconnected it and sprayed DeoxIT in it. It was pretty clean.

 

[seasick]

I highly doubt that the bad electrical connection has anything to do with the oil alarm. That alarm and the limp mode are a result of the main oil tank ( the one on the motor) having very little oil. Although that can be due to a few things, the fact that you were running for an hour or so and got the alarm leads me to think that the tank is filling up slower than the oil is being used. If you had shut the motor, pulled off the cowling and checked the tank, you would know immediately if that is what happened. If you waited a while and ran at low speed or just had the ignition on, the tank would slowly refill.
If that is your situation the most likely cause is a partially clogged filter (screen) that is mounted on the back or bottom of the remote oil tank (the one in the locker). It could be sludge in that tank also or a bad oil pump on the tank but the filter is more often the issue. I could be wrong, I have seen some really odd problems with the oil system.

 

[TB2BLAZER]

I will check the filter and see what it looks like and report back. Thank you!

 

[seasick]

I will check the filter and see what it looks like and report back. Thank you!

You have to remove the oil tank to get to the filter. To do that you have to disconnect the oil hose, the sender wires and the pump wires. You then unbolt the bracket and lift the tank out. If you go that far, dump the oil into a clean container and go slow as you get to the bottom. Dump the last bit of oil and look for sludge. Clean the tank if needed.
You can't tell the condition of the filter by looking at it but you sort of can by draining it and blowing air through it. Remember, you could have a weak pump. That is mounted on the back of the tank also.
There is a way to test the output of the tank pump. You have to empty the main tank on the motor first. That is a pain to do. Now using the manual override oil sensor toggle switch, time how long it takes to fill the tank. I don't remember the time range, I have to look it up but it is a few minutes I think.

 

[TB2BLAZER]

When I got it back running and had the engine cover off the oil level in the top reservoir never got very far below the top line let alone below the lower line regardless of speed/rpm. Would that still be caused by a blocked filter?

 

[ScottyCee]

Isn't there a sender in the remote (2.5 gallon?) oil reservoir?

 

[Sparkdog118]

Isn't there a sender in the remote (2.5 gallon?) oil reservoir?

Yes there is a sending unit there. Sometimes the float will saturate and sink even though you have oil in the tank. If you unplug the biller connectors going to the pump in the main tank, you can pull out the sensor, flip it over holding the float up, hook the pump wires back up, and see if the alarm triggers.
Usually when the oil filter in the main tank gels up, the small tank under the hood can’t refill and alarm goes off when the oil level is at the lower line molded into the tank. In that case, you just remove the filter and clean it with brake cleaner and a blow gun. Won’t hurt the filter.

 

[TB2BLAZER]

I guess I will check the larger lower holding tank and sensor because the top one on the motor never went even an inch below the top line. When it happened I took the cover off and would be looking at the motor tank with the oil level sitting right at the top line and try to get up above idle and it would immediately start alarming and blinking and go into limp mode. I even looked inside the top tank to make sure the float was all the way up because during my research I read somewhere that only low oil in the top tank would sound the audible alarm. Is that true or can the lower tank sensor set it off as well?

 

[Sparkdog118]

Both can set alarm. Large tank has 2 floats. The bottom float has like a 1 inch travel on the bottom to trigger alarm and the other one is for level gage. Both floats are on the same sending unit.

 

[seasick]

Although both will trigger an alarm. however a low oil condition in the remote (big) tank will not put the motor in limp mode. Only a very low oil condition in the main tank will.

I don't know how the test was done. Was it at the dock or on the water under load?
When looking at the oil level n the main tank, it may go down but at about halfway, it should start refilling. If it doesn't refill or the oil level goes down to the lowest position, limp mode will be enabled.

 

[TB2BLAZER]

I was on the water when I tested it with the cover off looking at the top tank. Tried to throttle up from idle and it would climb a few hundred rpm then the audible alarm would go off and the 3 bars above the oil symbol would start blinking and it would immediately go into limp mode.

 

[Sparkdog118]

Here in fla, A lot of people opt to remove the oil injection system and mix 50to1 like in the old days. Saves not dealing with the expensive parts going bad and all the aggravation that goes with it. That way, you know it is getting oil. There is no sensor on the pump itself. When it fails, your power head is done. We remove the gear behind the pump so the pump seal doesn’t run dry. The oil tanks are also removed and disconnected. All oil injection wiring is disconnected so there are no alarms or limp modes. Only reason alarm goes off then is overheating or water in the gas if equipped with a sensor.

 

[TB2BLAZER]

Yeah my father did that in his 21' hydra sports and I wasnt a very big fan of it. But thank you for the info!

 

[seasick]

I was on the water when I tested it with the cover off looking at the top tank. Tried to throttle up from idle and it would climb a few hundred rpm then the audible alarm would go off and the 3 bars above the oil symbol would start blinking and it would immediately go into limp mode.

OK. It's a low oil alarm. Ether the sensor is bad or a wiring/ecu issue.
Testing that sensor is pretty easy. It has three reed switched and a magnetic float. You can test with an ohmmeter but you need the pinning diagram.
You can also test it by pulling it out of the tank and hold it straight (and connected to the wires) . That alarm should go off.
Now flip the unit upside down so tha the float slides the other way or just lift the float with your fingers to the top. The alarm should clear. Slide the float to about the 1/4 mark from bottom, and there should be no alarm but the oil pump should run ans oil should pump unto the tank

 

[TB2BLAZER]

Seasick, I just now read your post (after getting back from the lake)and I'm guessing manipulating the floats has to be done in the water with the engine running? I just got back from the lake I put a new battery selector switch and new battery cables on to see if that was the problem. Before I went I hooked up the hose and tried to get it to do it again just sitting on the trailer. I revved it up in neutral and in gear and it never missed a beat. So I went to the lake got out on the water and as soon as it got on plane the 3 oil indicator bars started blinking and the audible alarm went of then started running like it was running out of gas till I throttled down back to idle and it idled fine. Tried again and same result. I wish I had seen your post seasick before I went out I could have tested them. I have a feeling it's the lower tank sensor because when this first happened it was registering only one bar on the oil capacity display despite having over a half a tank of oil in the lower tank and full in the top tank.

 

[seasick]

If by lower tank you mean the large one in the locker, that will not cause the alarm and limp mode.
If you have a problem with the pump not filling the tank fast enough, revving the motor in neutral or in gear on the trailer may not cause the alarm since there is very little load on the motor.
You do not need to have the motor running to test the main tank (the small one on the motor) sensor. Pull it out of the tank and hold it upright. Slide the float up to the top (the end with the wires) and turn on the ignition. You can start or not start the motor it doesn't mater but the ignition has to be on.
You will need an extra hand to look at the gauge. There should not be any alarms. Blinking bars are alarms but not all are critical per se.
Now slide the float all the way down. You should get the critical oil level low alarm and if the motor is running, the audible alarm and limp mode.
Slide the float back up and redo the test but this time slide the float down about halfway. At some point above the position that triggers the critical oil level alarm, the sensor will tell the computer to turn on the remote oil tank oil pump. If the engine is not running, you should be able to hear that pump. Regardless, oil should be flowing into the main tank and eventually it will overflow as long as the float is midway or all the way low.
Again, if the pump is weak, the filter is clogged or the tank is plugged up, the pump may not be able to keep up with the rate of oil use and that causes the level in the main tank to go down.

 

[TB2BLAZER]

Wow, thank you very much for taking the time to explain that and helping me on this I really appreciate it! I am going to try that this weekend and see what comes of it.

 

[TB2BLAZER]

Just got done with the tests. Took engine cover off and main engine tank oil level was at the top line. Checked the larger tank under the back seat and it was 3/4 full. Pulled the main (engine) tank float sensor and wiped it clean then turned it upside down then turned ignition on. No blinking bars no audible alarm. Slid the float down away from wires and immediately the 3 bars that were on the display started blinking and an audible alarm went off. I repeated this test 3 times each time same result. Then I turned the ignition back of then on and slid the main tank float down till the alarm then back up enough to engage the pump motor. I could hear it engage and run and although it was not super fast it did put the oil level in the main tank about an inch above the top line. I took the filter off under the larger tank and blew it out even though it looked fine. Any ideas where to go from here, something electrical maybe?