Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

[ReggieB]

Update to original Post: Read the post for all past details. Turned out to be a defective wiring harness. Replaced under extended warranty.<br />================================================<br />Skeeter 2003 TZX190 with Yamaha 175 HPDI.<br /><br />I keep my boat on lift. Last time out, no problems. Today went to go out and the warning buzzer mounted under dash on ignition comes on and stays on. With ignition just turned to ON and also stays on when started. Engine runs fine, good water stream and presssure.<br /><br />I talked to a Skeeter dealer and service said only two things turn this on: low oil in boat tank or water in the fuel filter. Cleaned filter, checked tank, disconnected both switches to isolate the problem but buzzer still stays on.<br /><br />Anyone just had this buzzer "go bad" or had similar problems? Any suggestions?<br /><br />The engine oil tank looks fine, full, cleaned it. Dealer said this does not connect to the warning buzzer under dash.<br /><br />No warning lights on the dash come on. Water pump appears to work fine also.<br /><br />Is there a separate warning buzzer/alarm for engine?<br /><br />I'm not sure I understand exactly all the situations and when the alarm under boat dash should or could sound off?<br /><br />My user manual is of no help<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

low oil in the enine tank will do 3 things, one it sets the visual indicate on the tach, 2 is it sets the alarm audible and 3 ,if the remote tank level is ok, it turns on the transfer pump. if the key is on and the engine oil tank is unplugged the ECU sets the audible. the water in fuel will set the audible but can be unplugged at the detection switch wiring coming off the engine mounted filter. some riggers used the remote water seperator in the hull that has a detection switch as well.<br /> do you have a fuel management meter?<br />its also possible a temp switch in the head has failed but that would cause the visual indicate to set as well.<br /> do you have the factory 2003 model yamaha digital tachometer ?<br />on that model all audible and visual alarm indicates are ECU generated.<br />the key on yellow 12V at the horn is prent anytime the key is on, the ECU sets the ground on the pink wire running to it if an audible condition is present. no ground no alarm.<br /> look for anything that will ground the pink alarm wire.

 

[ReggieB]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

I don't have a fuel mgt meter. Two fuel tanks mount well above water line and feed directly into the engine.<br /><br />I don't have the digital tach. I do have heat and low oil indicator lights mounted in dash. When ignition is turned on, oil light comes on briefly, then goes out. That makes me think oil sensors are working ok and oil levels look good, both in engine and remote oil tank.<br /><br />What is the ECU?<br />Also, do all sensor leads go to this one audible alarm, mounted under dash right behind ignition assembly?<br /><br />I've found some posts online that indicate kill switch might be involved. Mine seems to work ok, start the engine (alarm still sounding) and pull the kill cord and engine stops.<br /><br />And some posts that the alarm can just go bad. Not sure how to test if the alarm/buzzer itself is ok or not.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

beats me. its been jinky rigged and all bets are off. thats the problem using non factory rigging.<br /> I have no idea how its wired now.<br />if its the yamaha horn it cannot go bad and start sounding.<br />I have no way of knowing who made the horn or ign harness.<br />the ECU,if it sees a start signal and a stop signal at the same time, will set the ground for the audible. if it sees an open circuit on the engine oil tank harness it will set the alarm.<br />if it gets a water detect signal it will set the alarm.<br />if it gets a temp switch low (grounded) signal it will set the alarm.<br /> if it was all factory yamaha stuff I could help more. however it does no seem to be so its a matter of finding out what is supplying the ground side of the alarm with a ground. no ground no tone.

 

[ReggieB]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

Update:<br /><br />I bought the Skeeter as second owner. It's a Skeeter factory rigged boat as per 2003 TZX190 standards.<br /><br />I did some tracing this morning. The alarm is ok and working. I put a volt meter on the yellow lead from ignition switch (like you indicated). There was a quick connect for the pink lead wire (as you indicated) into the alarm. I put the volt meter on the input side and when I turn the ignition on I get 12 volts, which would turn the alarm on.<br /><br />Looking at the Skeeter pink wire input under the dash, it quickly goes into a heavy solid rubber wire feeder tube that routes to back of boat. I don't think this would likely have a "rub-through) as it routes thru hull.<br /><br />The remote oil tank outputs, encased in a plastic sheath, also go back into the engine compartment. I can't see any rubs. Can't see any other visible rubs (grounding).<br /><br />Tracing the solid rubber wire feeder tube, it goes into the engine compartment ending with a connector of wire feeds coming from various parts of the engine. <br />Net, it definitely looks like the ground signal (pink) is originating from the engine.<br /><br />I did find one wire rub by a back hood latch, not rubbed into. Did not seem to be related, moving these wires around did not effect alarm signal. Encased in plastic sheathing, taped and rerouted these.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

have you unplugged the water detect harness at the engine fuel filter and does the ECU have 12V?so far I have not tried it but roumour has it low ECU voltage can toggle the alarm

 

[Ray Neudecker]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

I have found this often times to be one of the aftermarket guages that Skeeter uses has shorted and is causing the problem.

 

[ReggieB]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

Update: Signal is definitely coming from main engine wiring harness leading to the dash, as described in my previous update.<br /><br />Disconnecting this harness eliminates the problem, the constant alarm buzzing.<br /><br />Looking at the round harness connector from engine, with connecting notch at top you see 3 rows of pins: Top 3 pins, middle 4 pins, bottom 3 pins.<br /><br />Using a volt meter, you get 12volts from middle bottom pin. Not sure what this lead is, it may be a common lead for all symptons; sensors into the pink lead to the horn.<br /><br />Have tried disconnecting all sensors, fuel, oil, temp, etc. If it was a simple connection, two wires, I also jumped these together in case a open condition causes alarm.<br /><br />On the more complicated sensors, like oil tank, there are multiple leads and I am not sure how to check. I would think some of these sensors would cause a problem (alarm) if disconnected anyway, since this would be a serious problem if they were not connected for monitoring.<br /><br />A technician I talked to said he usually sees this when the oil tank float sensor goes bad, constant horn. Another technician said if this sensor is bad, horn goes off but beeps instead of constant sound.<br /><br />Looks like I will probably have to take boat off the boat house lift and into service since nothing obvious came up over the weekend investigation.<br /><br />On the positive side, I have learned quite a lot about this engine. If you ever need to look at your engine schematics, use the Yamaha home site under the parts catalog.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

there are 8 ways to set off the buzzer depending on model.<br /> all but two will set a visual if the factory,not aftermarket junk, is used.<br />all oil alarms for low engine tank level on V yamahas from 89 srt a constant tone and a ground on the green/red visual indicate lead.<br /> all alarms are set by the ECU on HPDI Via the pink alarm wire between the ECU and the horn.<br />the yellow from the keyswitch to the horn is 12V+ anytime the key is on. the ECU sets the ground for the current path, no path no tone.<br />as your instrumentation is not yamaha nor yamaha designed all bets are off.<br /> its also why I will not rig with cheapo non stock rigging.<br />that HPDI motor was sold throught the world with minor mods to the ECU for varying fuels.<br /> if the ECU set the alarm code the laptop or diagnostic lamp will display it.<br />takes 10 min to test.<br /> the alarm has no choice but to quit when you unplugged the 10 pin harness as now there is no battery voltage to the switch or key on 12V ign. trace the pink wire from the horn to the 10 pin connector. dissconect the connector and check from the ground pin to the pink. your looking for any continuity. should not be any.<br /> think of the pink wire as a return path to ground, no path,no current. no current, no tone from the horn.<br /> if the oil tank sensor on the engine becomes dissconected due to poor connections it will set the alarm, prohibit transfer and flash all three bars on the yamaha tach.<br /> if nothing else borrow the yamaha diagnostic lamp and plug it in, if its a code set by the ECU it will flash, if not its in the wireing harness,

 

[Ray Neudecker]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

When they use the non Yamaha guages, you have to disconnect them from the engine wiring harness to determine whether it is in the engine harness or engine or a problem with the guage package. Been going on for over ten years with Skeeters.<br /> Has always been amazing to me that since they are Yamaha owned why they don't use the Yamaha guages and eliminate the problem.

 

[ReggieB]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

I finally gave up and had a certified technician drop by and look at boat/engine on lift. He had the laptop to look at ECU. He also traced and looked at all the places I had already looked.<br /><br />Evidently the ECU codes/readout couldn't tell him anything and he says the ECU may be the culprit.<br /><br />I'm going to take boat in to the shop now. Sort of hard to work/look at all the engine, especially if you start to tear into it.<br /><br />I have extended warranty, so anything in the engine should be covered.<br /><br />Wish I did have the upgraded Yamaha guages. Very good question why Skeeter, who owns Yamaha, doesn't use them. I don't know if the new models do or not.<br /><br />I will post final solution, hopefully one will finally be found.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Skeeter/Yamaha Alarm keeps buzzing - FIXED

last I looked Yamaha was a japanese corperation and skeeter just buys engines from them. wish yamaha would quit selling engines without the correct guages.<br />half my warrenty work is improper rigging.<br /> I doubt the ECU is the culprit, its possible but they rarely fail. injector drivers yes, ECU's no.<br /> its difficult to acces but if the ECU shows no codes and you disscont the pink wire from the ECU harness and still get an alarm it quickly rules out the ECU.<br /> the ECU has no output code for a loss of current path on the engine oil tank sensor and the pink wire ground is controled by the oil control circuits in the ECU. the reason for non yamaha rigging is cost, the digital multifunction tach cost more then the entire gauge package on that skeeter.however it also incorperates about 9 functions in one instrument.<br />remeber the ECU is just a processor and reacts to inputs.<br /> its just not very smart sometimes.