Need 496HO Help.......

[Aluminum Squirt]

I have a 2003 Essex Sterling with a 496HO/Bravo I/26" 4 blade. It has started giving me 2 audible beeps about every 62 seconds while running at cruising speeds (3000rpm) and below. It didn't seem to matter the RPM or if I varied it, the beeps stay consistent. It does get more complicated though, sometimes I get no beeps, it'll just start up and run like crazy. Other times it will give be a bunch of beeps and stahl. When it dies, I turn the key off, back on and I'm back in business. It's been in the shop and they were unable to make it beep or download any fault codes that told them anything. They even water tested it....nothing. Oil pressure/water temp is all good. After the mechanic got done with it, no beeps for a year. Just started back up this weekend. I'm thinking a bad ground or a bad connector somewhere in the system. Anybody had similar difficulties and have any suggestions on where I should start? If professional help is needed, any suggestions on a Sacramento area mechanic capable of handling it? I'm glad the last mechanic was honest about finding no problems, but $500 for no answers is a little on the pricey side. Thanx in advance-Aluminum Squirt

[James'SS-24]

Could be the drive oil is low... plus they had trouble with the ball that is sensor in the bottom of the drive oil resevoir sticking. It could also be low water preasure. There is a sensor for that as well. Good luck! :wink:

[Aluminum Squirt]

I always check my drive oil, but I never thought about the sensor, that's a good point. I assume you are talking about the sensor in the little white plastic drive oil reservoir near the top of my motor? Or is there an additional drive oil sensor down lower? This would make sense because my problem is very sporadic and seems to be more of a problem during rough water, high loads, or high speed. I've thought water pressure as well, but my temp never never goes above 180 so I was assuming my water pressure was good. Any history of water pressure sensors going bad on the 496? Do all 496HO's have both high and low water pickups? This is getting very annoying. I don't mind a problem when I can figure it out and fix it, I hate mystery problems that come and go with no solution-Aluminum Squirt

[Raylar]

You are going to have to have the scan tool hooked up when running when the beeping starts. With the scan tool it will show you what is causing the alarm and the associated code. Then look in the freeze frame under that scan code and you will get the answer. Some mechanics just look at the active faults only and they forget to check to freeze frame data, which is the history of the faults. The fault here is obviously not continious so your going to have to catch it when it is actually happening.
Good Luck,
Ray @ Raylar

[Aluminum Squirt]

Any suggestions of somebody capable in the Sacramento area?-Aluminum Squirt

[Havasu47]

We had a customer with very similar problems last year. Turned out the batteries would support the needs of the 496 electronics. Mercruiser specifies battery requirements for the 496. They will not pay any warranty unless the batteries are non deep cycle.
Just a little info....

[Aluminum Squirt]

Hey Ray,
Do the fault codes go away when I shut my batteries off after I pull out of the water or do they stay there so the computer can read them?-Aluminum Squirt

[Havasu47]

Any error codes will remain in the ECU

[MOBrien]

A.S.-
looks like you're getting somewhere and at least getting some avenues to explore. But isn't that "stall" more like a complete system shut-down...regardless of what rpm/mph you're at. That's the scary/dangerous part of this whole thing. Damn thing just shut-s off with little warning right?
good luck with this dude. I know that Drew at Boatmasters in Dublin will take good care of you if he can.
later,
MOB

[Beer-30]

Just like Ray said. Have a dealer hook it up to the scan tool. I hunted for my double-beep every minute and finally hooked it up. It said the code was "port exh water temp send, low". We looked at the port exh manifold and saw that the sensor was unplugged. Plugged it back in, and away went the beep.
Have it scanned.