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Temperature alarm at start-up

Alastair

New member
Hi - I hope someone can help me with this one.

I have 2005 Johnson 115hp V4 outboard (J115PXSO). While flushing the engine recently the temperature alarm sounded and the red light came on. After about 15 seconds the sound alarm went off but the indicator light remained on. The water was venting OK, was not overly hot and the engine did not appear to be overheating. I was due to do an impeller change anyway so I completed this today. On starting the engine the system goes through its check (oil, water etc) but then the red temperature light comes on together with the temperate alarm beep. Again after about 15 sec the alarm stops but the red light remains on. There appears to be no problem with the water pump; the exit water flows strongly (much stronger than before the impeller change) and is cool and there are no obvious signs that the engine is overheating. Also, given that the alarm occurs at a cold start it is unlikely that it is a powerhead temperature problem. Is this a temperature sensor issue - is there a need to reset something after it triggered prior to the impeller change. Are there be other causes and is there a systematic way of testing this and eliminating the various potential causes?
 
Consult your owners manual for resetting if there is a reset. Alarm should beep when key is in the on position before and while cranking until water is circulating thru system. The temperature sensor can only work when there is water in system,it can't sense air flowing. Sensor could be stuck in open mode,system test is usually done by grounding wire from sensor to block. Try flushing in a tank, Sometimes improperly sealed waterpumps will not cool properly on muffs,insufficient volume/pressure. Could the red light mean something else is awry?air leak,oil flow,water flow not water temp? At low RPMS an improperly sealed pump will not cool properly at idle. Check heads with infrared digital thermometer,cheap at harbor freight 20$ Hope this helps
 
You could have a bad sensor in the cylinder head. Disconnect it once and see what happens.
 
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Consult your owners manual for resetting if there is a reset. Alarm should beep when key is in the on position before and while cranking until water is circulating thru system. The temperature sensor can only work when there is water in system,it can't sense air flowing. Sensor could be stuck in open mode,system test is usually done by grounding wire from sensor to block. Try flushing in a tank, Sometimes improperly sealed waterpumps will not cool properly on muffs,insufficient volume/pressure. Could the red light mean something else is awry?air leak,oil flow,water flow not water temp? At low RPMS an improperly sealed pump will not cool properly at idle. Check heads with infrared digital thermometer,cheap at harbor freight 20$ Hope this helps

Thank you - I problem seems to boil down to a faulty temperature switch on the the port side. Unfortunately this is the expensive one with the warm up sensor combined. The starboard switch is the simple overheating switch, with a single wire and tests out OK.
 
Thank you - I problem seems to boil down to a faulty temperature switch on the the port side. Unfortunately this is the expensive one with the warm up sensor combined. The starboard switch is the simple overheating switch, with a single wire and tests out OK.

What's the part number of that sensor... and what price did you get, and from where?
 
What's the part number of that sensor... and what price did you get, and from where?

Part Number - 0585023; US$94 + $17 shipping (I live in Sydney, Australia); from Boats.net. I placed the order on the 15th August and received the switch today, 23rd August. Will fit tomorrow. Hope that helps.
 
Part Number - 0585023; US$94 + $17 shipping (I live in Sydney, Australia); from Boats.net. I placed the order on the 15th August and received the switch today, 23rd August. Will fit tomorrow. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the info reply. I was curious about the shipping time and the final price. Sounds good... hope it cures your problem.
 
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