www.iFourWinns.com

The alarm that goes off when you first start the boat is ear piercing and very annoying. Can this be turned down a little?

Why? It only lasts about 1 second before you engage the key. It's a safety device to warn anyone nearby that you are starting your boat. I would not mess with it. Plug your ears for a second or two if it's that annoying.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Same boat...alarm not a big deal to me. Would rather know it is working rather than not.

It is a big deal to me. I'm on my 2nd VDO dash. This one contiues to malfunction. Currently it is the low oil pressure. Checked pressure and it is fine. Can't slow the boat down and go through a no wake zone without the alarm constantly going off annoying everyone in the boat and all the other boats around looking for peace and quiet. Still working on the solution to the problem. I don't want to eliminate the alarm just tone it down some.

I'm not sure where the alarm is mounted, but you may be able to put a piece of electrical tape over the small opening on the plastic housing. This will muffle it, it may however, muffle it too much.

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

You did not explain yourself very well. You just mention on start-up, not anything about the alarm going off while using the boat. I am sure the alarm can be disconnected. I am sure it can't be turned down.

Or fit a big orange or red light in a prominent position instead of the alarm unit; it's a simple 2 wire affair. It wouldn't annoy other people outside the boat then, but you'd be aware of it ( very common to have such a warning lamp on rally cars for low oil pressure, it immediately attracts your attention if it illuminates)

I had to do this (actually added a piece of paper towel to the mix as well for additional muffling capacity) because my gas gauge drops to "E" and the alarm sounds every time I fill it past 3/4 tank. No too worried about loosing the buzzer since I am paranoid and look at the gauges at least once every couple minutes while under power.

Can't a potentiometer be wired in to the circuit to reduce voltage to the alarm? Or would it not work at all then?
I don't have any alarms in my boat but I am in the habit of scanning the gauges all the time (depth...temp...oil pressure) so I like the quiet...

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thw owners manual also notes that the 120DB alarm can damage the ears. Where is the alarm located?

Yeah, kinda like listening to Lionel Ritchie singing "All Night Long" that would cause permanent ear damage.......

Maybe next time it goes off, have someone else drive the boat while you search for where it is located, should be relatively easy
to find if it's that loud.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

It's a squat cylindrical thing cable tied to the dash wiring loom on my 2004 Sundowner !

This board is so helpful. Was reading another post regarding the oil pressure light problem similar to mine. His problem was that he had to much oil in the system. Had my oil changed this off season so I checked the oil again and sure enough my oil level was just above the upper limit. I removed 1/2 pint to a pint and that corrected the issue. Taped over the alarm on the engine with electrical tape but I will remove some as it is a little to quiet now. The alarm under the dash is way to loud and I haven't found it yet. It may be up near the dash console where I can't see it.

That is mechanically impossible. Adding extra oil to the crankcase does not lower the oil pressure.

You either have a collapased/clogged oil filter, worn out oil pump/clogged screen or a bad bearing.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

It has worked so far. Used the boat twice. The low oil pressure alarm and light would only come on after the boat was warmed up and you slowed the boat down such as driving through a no wake area. The oil pressure remains in the desired range at any speed now.