Same Old oil pressure alarm!

[2000fourwinns]

Just ran it in the driveway with muffs and the pressure would drop while I had it running around 2500 rpm for a while. Once the alarm went off, the others it just dropped then pick back up. I checked the oil and was a little low, maybe half to three quarters of a quart. After adding oil, it did not do it again. I am going to take it to the lake tomorrow and run it good. I cant believe the level of oil is that finicky. I have been over and under with cars and not had this problem. Hopefully this is all it is. I have put a mechanical gauge on it for most of a season and it has great pressure and never drops. I either have fixed it with proper oil level or have a gauge/cluster problem.

 

[2000fourwinns]

Went to the lake today and ran it has hard as I could and never had a problem. I cant believe how particular the oil alarm is to the oil level. All of the problems I have had with this boat were: too much oil (frothing and losing pressure), bad oil pressure sending unit (replaced with NAPA unit and shows great pressure like the mechanical gauge shows now), and too little oil (must have got below the pick up while the oil was still thick when cold).

 

[Trynoss]

Just ran it in the driveway with muffs and the pressure would drop while I had it running around 2500 rpm for a while. Once the alarm went off, the others it just dropped then pick back up. I checked the oil and was a little low, maybe half to three quarters of a quart. After adding oil, it did not do it again. I am going to take it to the lake tomorrow and run it good. I cant believe the level of oil is that finicky. I have been over and under with cars and not had this problem. Hopefully this is all it is. I have put a mechanical gauge on it for most of a season and it has great pressure and never drops. I either have fixed it with proper oil level or have a gauge/cluster problem.

Hey All,

I have read several threads about this problem, but still have a few questions. I changed from Mobil 1 15W-50 to Volvo 30wt oil this season and I still have the alarm going off. Actually, I think it is worse this year. After a pretty good run, the oil pressure gauge drops very low, the "oil light" comes on, and the alarm starts annoying everyone on the lake. I am wanting to put a mechanical gauge on it and would like to do it permanately on the engine so I can keep an eye on it. I dont like the idea though of adding something else to break or go wrong, so I am still not sold on adding it permanately.

Anyway, I have read that it could be some gunk built up in one of the senders, but I find it hard to believe it is both. I mean the alarm goes off AND it shows low oil pressure on the gauge. My question is, which part should I replace first? The oil pressure sender or the oil pressure alarm switch? Also, where is the best place to hook up a mechanical gauge? I can not get the alarm to go off in the driveway on muffs. I think the water is too cold to get the oil thinned enough. So I need the gauge to be on there while out on the lake.

Thanks for the help

Will

I am not a mechanic but have had the same problem and read many posts. One mechanic posted that the problem was often the wire or wire connection between the oil pressure sender and the oil pressure alarm switch. I just tightened the connections and this caused a 90% reduction in the alarm going off. I also tightened up the parts screwing into the engine block.