Logo
FULL SITE MENU

Engine warning beeper not working

The fuel gauge is not responsive at all. Yes I reinstalled the wires and cleaned the connections. I have not tried attaching wires after removing and lifting the float to see if there is movement. I have not checked the connections to the gauge. Guess I have a few things to check.

Tried to attach a small video. 17seconds too large for this forum. HEVC extension......new crap
 
Gauge test - remove sender wire and then turn key ON.

momentarily short the SENDER post on gauge to ground - needle should go full scale. If it doesn't make sure gauge has power. Otherwise time for new gauge.

the sender will just change resistance as float level is changed...about 30 ohm with the float at full....240 ohm with float at empty.
 
Thank you! Does a 35 Gallon tank sound about right? Sounds too big to me. Found the online owners manual for Medallion 185XL/Sebring195XL Cuddy/VBR. Closest thing to what I have on Regals' website.
 
Hey!
Found the fuel gauge problem! Works alot better when wires are hooked up :) I rewired the harness from the white plastic square plug over a year ago. Most of the wiring was getting brittle. I used marine wire too. Anyway after opening up the floor cover I just had to laugh. No wires anywhere. Looked under the dash found orange wire to S terminal. Found orange wire at plug near rear corner of boat. Looky there! a coiled up new orange wire! I stripped the end, turned ignition sw to ON, grounded orange wire to engine and it pegged the gauge. Added new marine terminals with heat shrink. Its showing barely off empty. I had about 10 gallons before running it last Sunday (7/27/25). So after running it for 30-40 minutes and boat is mostly level that seems about right.

This project is a huge jigsaw puzzle. Never thought it would take this long. Life living and a few margaritas since I took it all apart! I should have taken way more pictures before disassembly.

Thanks everyone for the help!

On another note concerning pictures from my phone. Last week I was able to email myself pics, save them to a pic folder and post them here.
Now the phone pics are either HEIC format or HVEC or some new crap that will not work here. Anyone else notice? Using Iphone/Verizon.
 
fuel sender.jpg
 
The new warning buzzer "Kit" is due to arrive tomorrow 7/31/25.
I know this post got off of this topic just a bit.
I will post an update of the install this weekend
 
Well crap, now good 'Ol Amazon not delivering until Monday. Grrrrr I wanted to be completed THIS Weekend!!! Now I'll have to secure the dad gum loose wires and button it all up to go test drive without! Guess I'm used to the faster delivery and have grown to accept it and now I get mad. I have to go back to remembering ordering from the Sears catalog and waiting 6 weeks!
 
Still waiting to see if the warning kit arrives today. Weather in Georgia did not agree with trying to take the boat "RynnaKay" out for a test run :-(
I did get the trim limiter working again. Had to do the same repair to the opposite wire as it lost continuity. Dug around a bit and found the correct measurement for it as well 24 3/4". For Alpha one gen I.
Found out the courtesy lights work using the Acc switch! Its amazing to me when I discover anything still working from 1988 espically light bulbs. Both sides even!!
 

Attachments

  • trim limit wire 1.jpg
    trim limit wire 1.jpg
    34.9 KB · Views: 18
  • trim limit wire 2.jpg
    trim limit wire 2.jpg
    36.9 KB · Views: 15
Fyi
Trim limit is not a set dimension. It is a starting point reference.

It is actually based on prop blow out/cavitation.

My rule of thumb is a count while trimming up, 1 onethousand, 2 onethousand, 3 onethousand.

This has seemed to get a drive right on the edge of cavitation. Some times bad but mostly good.

I bet when you test, you will be able to get more trim up by using trailer button before cavitation.
 
Okay! The parts have arrived!!!! Hopefully I will get time to install in the next few days. Sort of feel like Noah building the Ark with all the blessed rain we are getting here in Georgia! Lord knows we needed rain but not all in one week.

I will post after the install with a few pictures. Maybe if I can figure out how to do a short video I can post what the new buzzer sounds like?!
 
Got the buzzer in ! Still need to replace the switches. Then one more driveway run on the muffs and we will be cleared to the Lake!!
 
Okay typical brick wall again. Removed and installed the temp switch no problems, except I have to attach a spade connector. No worries there I have them.
Moved on to the oil switch. It has a 3in. brass threaded adapter. Pipe threads to the block above the oil filter, female threads for the switch. I removed the adapter with oil switch attached, replaced the switch with new one. Went to screw the adapter assy into the block and NO GO!
Its not hard to reach fairly in the open but down on left side behind exhaust manifold. No matter how hard I tried making sure the angle was as straight as possible it would not start. So, okay jump back out of boat get my pipe thread tap and dies out. Run the die down onto the adapter threads frontwards then turned it backwards and it threaded on just fine. Maybe cleaned up starting threads a tiny bit. Tried again almost started all by hand. Go to put wrench on it and NO GO. Pops right off. So, attempted to try the Tap and Whoa will not fit like as if its slightly too big.

Did Mercruiser use metric threads on the blocks? I dug out a pitch gauge and 1.5 matches up with the adapter end threads perfectly.
Ran outta time. I want to connect a barrel cleaning brush to my drill and clean the threads in the hole out and make sure the they are in good shape.
 
If it came out, it should go back in if the male threads weren't dropped...

On the metric threads, you can usually find METRIC on the block casting if they are threaded that flavor...
 
makomark said:
If it came out, it should go back in if the male threads weren't dropped...
Click to expand...
That is how I usually think. The block hole is 1/2x13. I cleaned the hole up with a brass .50 Cal brush. Then ran a 1/2x13 tap all by hand and it went in very easily. Looking at the adapter that I removed, the threads on it are cut flat at the starting threads. Tells me someone forced it. I tried a pipe thread tap NPT 18 and it will not fit the hole but matches up with the old adpater threads.
 
Okay I think I figgerd it out. NPT 1/8-27 is real close to 1/2X13. I have a 3 piece NPT Tap & Die set but not the 1/8-27. So, as soon as I get one in the next day or two I will try that and see. One of those things us cursed mechanics buy, use 1 time and never again. Then years from now someone needs one and then you can't find it.
 
If you put a 1/2"-13 tap in the hole, no point in trying a 1/8" NPT tap...better off with a heili-coil ...
 
Well it did go in kinda way too easy. New tap will be here tonight. I will see if it will work. I dont think a heli coil will work and still be able to use NPT threaded adapter. If the hole had a bottom and not pass thru then maybe. There is a company that makes custom adapters McMaster-Carr.
Ever hear about them? Shows a list of threaded adapters with different threads on each end. Around $15. Might need to go that route.
 
Got the new NPT 1/8-27. Its the size of the switch threads. I'll add it to the set of 3 I had. More research needed. Not too familiar with NPT sizes. Have full sets of SAE and Metric. Don't usually have a call for NPT much.
 
Okay, Here is what I've found: 1/2-13 = .421, and 1/4-18 NPT = .421. That's why 1/2-13 went in so easy. Only a few threads. So I need a 1/4-18 Tap to try and clean up the starter threads. And a die to do the same to the adapter.
Hopefully I do not have to drill it up to the next size. .....what a PITA.

I have a bad feeling that someone forced the NPT adapter into the Chevy block that had regular SAE NC threads.
Wish I had attempted this swap when the engine was out. Would have been way easier.
 
Your thread debacle has sort of confused the hell out of me. I understand threads but not all the posts.

NPT is pipe thread. It's tapered and pipes are measured by inside diameter, not outside like a bolt. So 1/8 NPT is a tapered fine thread similar to 1/4-28 bolt at a glance.
1/4 NPT is tapered course thread, similar to a 1/2-13 bolt at a glance.
Your oil pressure is most likely 1/8 NPT and the temp most likely 1/4 NPT.

Post 54 directly above now has you talking about starter bolts. How or why they ended up in a warning horn thread I don't know. I'm not even sure how a warning horn thread became 54 posts long.
Starter bolts will be 1/2-13 or metric. I'm not sure of the cut over date but you may be close to it.

BTW, 1/2-13 bolt is 1/2" diameter. The .421 is the hole size drilled before the tap is used to cut the female threads, not what you measure the bolt shank as with a caliper or micrometer.
 
Okay,
Sorry for the confusion; what I meant by starter threads are the first few threads of the hole.

The hole in the block above the oil filter is .421 <a bit bigger of course after it was tapped with threads from the manufacturer.>

Yes I am referring to Tapered Pipe Threads when NPT is mentioned.

Also I apologize about this thread getting off topic. I was bored waiting on parts.

I have ordered a NPT 1/4-18 Tap in hopes of repairing the original hole threads.(In the block).

The Oil switch (that detects 5psi and sends a ground to the warning circuit) , is attached to the adapter on one end (1/8 NPT female threads) and to the block on the other (1/4-18 NPT male threads). Which is where I'm having the problem. The adapter refuses to thread back into the hole in the block above the oil filter. It came out of there by all means it should just screw right back in!!!! I can reach it very easily no problems feeling it begin to screw into the threads. It just dont wanna. Part of me wants to break out a brass hammer and beat it as I turn it.

The Temperature switch (That detects over 200 Deg F, then sends a ground to the warning circuit) Is installed no problem.

ENG S/N 0B776858 just in case anyone was wondering
 
Back
Top