Need a good Mechanic I Give up

mbirge15 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 3:56 pm

Looking for a good Mechanic close to East Central Illinois. As far as FourWinns Dealers I am in the middle of three, each 100 miles away, Indianapolis IN, Gary IN, Ramond IL. I don't mind driving if they will fix it. I thought I was having a problem with the VDO gauges, but just had it gone trough by CDI electronics and they say it is fixed and working fine. My current and problem I have had since purchased is my oil PSI drops to zero then trips the alarm. This happens at all types of power settings and times during boating. I truly hate to even go to the lake it is killing me trying to figure it out. PLEASE HELP!!

LouC · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 4:53 pm

Have you tried replacing the oil pressure sending unit and checking the wire connected to it for good clean connection? These senders work based on resistance and if there is too much they will give erroneous readings. The sender must ground to the engine and the terminals for the wire to the sending unit must be clean and free of corrosion.
I have the old style gauges and they are pretty reliable. I get 40 psi at cold idle and 25 at hot idle. That's with straight 40 Chevron Delo 400 oil. What oil are you using? Some multi-vis oils can thin out when the engine is warm and give you low oil pressure readings. Straight 30,40 or Merc 25/40. DO NOT use an automotive 5W-30 or 10W-30. I like the HD oils rated for gas or diesel use like Chevron Delo or Shell Rotella. Some will use the 15w/40 version of either of these but I prefer the straight weights, I think they give the best protection.

Borchik · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:02 pm

When it drops does it drop slowly or is it instant? Does it stay at low for a period of time or come right back up?

mbirge15 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:38 pm

I will check on the oil type. Believer it is Volvo, just had it changed when winterized by FourWinns dealer. I have not checked the sending units since they were just replaced last year in hopes to solve this pain. The PSI drops instant stays at zero for 5-10 seconds, enough to set audible alarm off then will come back and work what seems to be normal until it drops to zero. I keep thinking it is a loose conection but I can not seem to find anything loose. I feel it is probably the sending connections but all seem ok. Am I not looking at the correct sending unit? At this point I don't know what I am doing wrong.

Borchik · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:18 am

You have 2 things that sense oil pressure, one is a sender for the guage, it's large and round, the other is a sensor for the ECM which is smaller and has a plug in connection. I have also on more than one occasion had to run a new wire from the sender to the dash, very sensative to resistance.

mbirge15 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 6:12 am

If I run a new wire would I just run it direct from sender (bell shaped one just right of distributor) to the dash?

ric · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 7:45 am

http://www.miata.net/garage/opg_diagnostics/index.html

Follow those directions. A little different for a chevy engine but the tools and concept are the same.

Borchik · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:07 am

That would be correct, however, it would be best to check it with a mechanical guage first. That I always suggest.

pet575 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:23 am

Don't know if it applies to you or not, but I had a sending unit problem and the dealer told me they often see them whenever you go between synthetic blends and regular oil. I guess the dealers sometimes put regular oils in the engines when new for that first 25 hours because it is cheaper and is going to get changed pretty quickly.

This was a Merc issue; I don't know if that is a generalized issue or Merc-specific. Just a thought.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:38 am

Mercruiser/VP same sensor. Same sensor in millions of chevy automobiles. Changing from reg/syn doesn't effect the sensor one bit. This is a very common issue with sludged up engines that never had their oil changed using regular conventional oil, exact same symptoms (oil pickup screen blocked). You need to verify oil pressure with a mechanical gauge ASAP. Do not use the boat until oil pressure is verified with a mechanical gauge. This is how people end up with rods sticking out of their engine.

mbirge15 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:01 pm

Mechanical gauge has been hooked up and pressure is good. I agree with the low oil psi problem but mine seems more of a short since it goes from normal to zero no matter what power setting. I just ordered a mechanical one to mount in the engine compartment as well, maybe up close to dash but i prefer to fix the stock one.
Also ordered new sending unit and pressure switch to just cover all my bases and also running a new wire from dash to sender.

Borchik · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:03 pm

I would try installing the senders and using it before going through the trouble of running the wire up to the dash. Might save yourself some time.

fiznuka · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:49 pm

pet575 wrote:

Don't know if it applies to you or not, but I had a sending unit problem and the dealer told me they often see them whenever you go between synthetic blends and regular oil. I guess the dealers sometimes put regular oils in the engines when new for that first 25 hours because it is cheaper and is going to get changed pretty quickly.

This was a Merc issue; I don't know if that is a generalized issue or Merc-specific. Just a thought.

They use regular oil for the break in period so everything will seat correctly (bearings,lifters,rings etc.) the synthetic won't do that.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

Yes on Dino oil for break in...both VP and mercs. The VP rep recommends 75 to 100 hours instead of 25 for break in.....that was after VP had a couple engines trashed.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

Yes on Dino oil for break in...both VP and mercs. The VP rep recommends 75 to 100 hours instead of 25 for break in.....that was after VP had a couple engines trashed.

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Need a good Mechanic I Give up

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