I inadvertently started and ran the engine of my O'Day 272 for about 3 to 5 minutes with the water intake closed. I stop the engine, open the valve, and restarted the engine. The warning buzzer will not go off after the engine is started. I checked all the gauges, the water flow, the oil level, oil pressure. Everything seems to be okay but the buzzer will not go off. Can anyone tell me what might be the problem?
272 engine warning sound won't go off.
- Thread starter PapaDoc65
- Start date
3-5 minutes is enough to fry a water pump impeller if the intake is closed. You may have an overheat alarm telling the truth ! Figure out which alarm it is .. I'd want to open the pump and check/replace the impeller . If parts are missing, they are lodged in the heat exchanger, most likely. If parts of the impeller are missing, find them and remove them from the water circuit.
Let engine cool down. Then restart if buzzer still on most likely temp overheat sensor is bad. I would still check pump impeller as suggested. Temp sensors often fail after closing unlike oil sensor which closes every time you stop the engine
What about the warning lamp, is it also coming on or not? A sign of a short in a circuit is when either one of the lights or the buzzer activate independently. Do inspect the impeller as they can be severely damaged when run dry just in a matter of seconds. Any missing pieces have to be found and accounted for. Like SL indicates temperature sensors do not get much exercise and when they do go off they have a tendency to get stuck. If the warning light for overheat is on and the buzzer is going, disconnect one of the wires at the temperature sensor and all should be quiet. At this point I would suspect the temperature sensor. If the buzzer or lights stay on then I would look for a short in the wiring harness.
All, Thanks for your reply. I have a clarification and a few questions on your responses.
When I cooled down the engine and restarted the engine, I still get the warning buzzer. Running the engine, the water flow coming out the exhaust is about the same as always. I think that it is pumping. A ran the engine for a long time (with buzzer being on) just to see if engine temperature would go up. It was normal after approximately 30 minutes at ~150F. The buzzer never goes off, even when the water temperature would be at room temperature (or water temperature) just after engine is started. If the sensor was good, wouldn't the warning buzzer come on after the water heated back up after the engine started and was running for awhile?
Benny17441: I do not have a warning lamp.
Kloudie1 and Slow lane: Would this be the sea water impeller or the fresh water impeller? I assume that it is the sea water impeller since my manual says it should never be run dry. Is this correct? The manual also says that I should carry a spare sea water impeller and spare gasket on board at all times.
When I cooled down the engine and restarted the engine, I still get the warning buzzer. Running the engine, the water flow coming out the exhaust is about the same as always. I think that it is pumping. A ran the engine for a long time (with buzzer being on) just to see if engine temperature would go up. It was normal after approximately 30 minutes at ~150F. The buzzer never goes off, even when the water temperature would be at room temperature (or water temperature) just after engine is started. If the sensor was good, wouldn't the warning buzzer come on after the water heated back up after the engine started and was running for awhile?
Benny17441: I do not have a warning lamp.
Kloudie1 and Slow lane: Would this be the sea water impeller or the fresh water impeller? I assume that it is the sea water impeller since my manual says it should never be run dry. Is this correct? The manual also says that I should carry a spare sea water impeller and spare gasket on board at all times.
Based on those symptoms and the fact that it started right after the initial overheating I'd agree with Slow Lane that the sensor may have failed closed.
The impeller being referenced is the sea water impeller. If you haven't checked it and don't have a spare, I'd recommend getting a new one and replacing the existing one with it. If the existing one still looks decent when you pull it then keep it around as your spare.
Thanks, Davidsailor26. You confirmed the course I was going to take. The parts have already been ordered from Westerbeke. I plan to examine the impeller, look for a backup from PO, and check to see if disconnecting sensor shuts warning off after starting. If everything checks out, I'm going sailing this weekend if the weather cooperates.