Yamaha 200 HPDI alarm problem in COSTA RICA!

jaybewing

Recruit
Joined
Apr 6, 2004
Messages
3
Hi I'm writing from Costa Rica where I've had my Bluewater 2550 with twin 2002 200HPDI's for about 3 months. We've had trouble free good fishing up until a couple days ago. The port engine alarm started sounding and the three bars that comprise the oil tank level were blinking on and off (not just a single bar blinking like when you have an oil level/pump problem). That engine also went into RPM reduction safe mode and we ran home on one engine. We've been working furiously with a couple very knowledgable mechanics down here who hae been unable to identify the problems. We're unable to get a Yamah mechanic in until a week or more (and thats from Panama so I'm not sure if they have the diagnostic tools we'll need). <br /><br />We've checked the outputs of every sensor and battery/battery switch connections and essentially gone through the service manual checking anything that we even thought might have a chance of causing the problem. We've cleaned out the on engine fuel bowl/sight glass and changed engine fuel filters as well. We've also checked the thermostats. <br /><br />Here are some of the things we've noticed about the alarm/blinking over the last couple days. If anyone has any advice or ideas about the nature of our problem we'd be eternally grateful since we may miss the last 3 weeks of our trip down here. Not the best note to end on. <br /><br />All 3 bars of remote oil tank level flash simultaneously when alarm sounding on tachometer. <br /><br />Alarm/flashing oil level bars was very intermittent at the onset happening only every 10 or 15 minutes and would generally disapper on shutdown and startup. For a while it would sound for about 30 seconds and then quit with engine off/ignition on. It now sounds continuously every time the ignition is in the on position. <br /><br />Engine will not rev above 2k rpms even when the alarm wasn't on (before alarm started sounding continuously), feels same as RPM reduction safe mode but without any alarms sounding. <br /><br />We really wish we'd have brought a "winky-blinky" diagnostic indicator tool with us now so we could see where the engine says the alarm is coming from. They have to be ordered from the states, so we are going to do so but have hopes the Yamaha mechanic that will eventually get here will bring one also. Is there a way to make one of these to find out what the problem code is? <br /><br />Well I guess thats it. We've about exhausted our and everyone else in Golfito's knowledge of where to look next so if anyone has any ideas they'd be greatly appreciated. <br /><br />Thanks very much in advance. <br /><br />Jay Ewing
 

vinney

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 29, 2002
Messages
437
Re: Yamaha 200 HPDI alarm problem in COSTA RICA!

Voltage problem.
 

rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
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Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: Yamaha 200 HPDI alarm problem in COSTA RICA!

hello<br /> dude<br /> leave the winky blinky alone. leave the laptop alone.<br /> <br /> what the 3 bars flasing indicates is that the oil controler has detected a malfunction. what it is "seeing" is the remote or hull tank level is ok yet the engine tank is low. usually this is caused by a clogged filter in the remote tank. when the alarm sounds have you verified the level of the engine tank? and when the alarm sounds have you verified is the transfer pump running? its a simple transfer system.<br /> slow down dont shot gun it or you will start creating problems.<br /> post back if ya have anymore info.<br /> good luck and keep posting.<br /> check all the low tech stuff cause the high tech rarely fails
 

rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: Yamaha 200 HPDI alarm problem in COSTA RICA!

hello<br /> I thought of another thing as well. its not alarm related but replace the spark plugs in that engine. the HPDI are like the fict and opti-max. they have a tendancy to foul plugs and when they do it can be difficult to find. if the plug porcelain part has a shiney black look its fouled. I had one the other day at another dealership that they could not figgue out why it would fire up then die as soon as the key was released. I went up put a set of plugs in it and it ran fine.<br /> good luck and keep posting
 

jaybewing

Recruit
Joined
Apr 6, 2004
Messages
3
Re: Yamaha 200 HPDI alarm problem in COSTA RICA!

Hey Guys, thanks for the info. I agree that it seems like a voltage problem. We've checked the batteries and the battery switches, but everything looks OK. Switching batteries doesn't seem to affect the alarm so I'm guessing that, if its a battery problem, then its in the connection between the battery switch and the engine. We've tested the connections all the way to the engine once, but I'm thinking I should do it again to make sure. <br /><br />The idea about the engine oil tank is pretty compelling. We've actually checked it twice, but since the alarm is intermittent maybe we caught it at a time when it was working. The filter on the engine oil tank isn't clogged, I've checked it at least twice. We're going to test the sensor again and toy around with it some more to try and see if we can generate an alarm or turn the alarm off by fiddling with it. <br /><br />I'm with you on the shotgunning approach being a bad way to go about it. The mechanics are good down here since thats the necessity of being so remote, but with this type of engine with all its electronics, its not something they're used to. I've about decided to limit any new mechanics fiddling to look and ask before unplugging things. They've kind of been just going at it and I'm not ready to have one problem turn into two because of an errant mechanic. <br /><br />It really deos seem to be coming back to two things. The oil tank and its associated sensor and the battery connections/voltage problem. I'll focus on those right now to see if I've missed something we've looked at before. <br /><br />We just changed the spark plugs 30 hours ago, so I doubt thats it, but we may give it a try if we continue to strike out elsewhere. I perform the servies religiously at 100 hours and even serviced the O2 sensor 30 hours ago. I use plenty of ring free and, although we aren't using Yamalube since its unavailable, we're using Shell Nautilus TC-W3 which has worked well for over 200 hours down here. <br /><br />Well back to it. I'll keep you all posted when we figure it out or if anything new develops.<br /><br />Thanks again, <br /><br />Jay
 

BRIAN03

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 17, 2003
Messages
284
Re: Yamaha 200 HPDI alarm problem in COSTA RICA!

There was a problem with voltage regulators. There is an updated regulator. The new ones have orange lettering on them. If the regulator doesnt work and the engine over charges the LCD will blink. The other reason is the dip switch for two or four stoke in the tach is on the wrong position. There is a service update on overcharging .
 

vinney

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 29, 2002
Messages
437
Re: Yamaha 200 HPDI alarm problem in COSTA RICA!

Over charging will cause the LCD's to blink (in the tack )and not go to the run mode.(Run mode) Where the LCD's stop and go to the run mode.
 

jaybewing

Recruit
Joined
Apr 6, 2004
Messages
3
Re: Yamaha 200 HPDI alarm problem in COSTA RICA!

Well we found the problem and as expected it was nothing complicated. A piece of wire buried in the cable sheath on the engine powerhead had been chafed through by a screw that had backed out a bit. I guess the lesson learned is that t can be anything and that if you check the obvious and that isn't it, then go back and check the obvious again because its usually something simple. Well we're fishing again and relieved that things are in good shape. <br /><br />Thanks a lot for the help, you'all's insistence about battery problems or electrical connections allowed me to direct the mechanic in that direction where we eventually found the problem. <br /><br />I appreciate it. <br /><br />Jay
 

vinney

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 29, 2002
Messages
437
Re: Yamaha 200 HPDI alarm problem in COSTA RICA!

Voltage problem.
 

BRIAN03

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 17, 2003
Messages
284
Re: Yamaha 200 HPDI alarm problem in COSTA RICA!

Vinney Could you Email Me thanks.
 
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