Chestnuts in my exhaust?

[VTSeaRay]

2007 210 Select bowrider 5L MPI motor Alpha outdrive. So, Saturday I got the boat ready for summer, ran the muffs on it for a minute or so in the driveway - and ran good, so took it to the lake, drove a 1 mile loop on the water, brought it up to 4500 rpms, for a bit, then back down to 3500 to check things out and then put it in the slip for the summer. Got back to the house, and noticed half consumed chestnuts on the ground where I'd run the motor, looks like they came out of the exhaust pipe. So, Yesterday (Monday) I went out on the boat, drove it a mile to an island - it was very windy/choppy, so I only ran at 3,000 rpms or less. 3 hrs later, went to leave and as I start to bring it up to speed, around 2200 rpms, got an alarm, system error ? Was seeing voltage readings on the smartcraft display. Ok, shut the motor off, turned off the system, checked the engine compartment, everything looked ok. Battery terminals are tight. Started it back up, seemed to be running ok. Brought it back up to 2200 rpms or so, and got another system error alarm - this time, noticed oil pressure up near 100!? reset the system again, checked the engine compartment, still no signs of any issues. ?? So, I drove it to shore for a mile, but kept the rpms under 2000 and no more alarms??? Any ideas - what could these rodents of done up in that exhaust section? Aren't there mechanical flaps blocking those exhaust manifolds to keep water/other objects out, etc? I guess I need to do some more digging - I didn't think to delve deeper into the Smartcraft alerts at the time. I wish Smartcraft had a better diagnostic interface.

 

[Lazy Daze]

I highly doubt they crawled up the two exhaust ports on the bottom of the outer transom plate. However, they certainly could have found a home in the cavity where the bellows are... and possibly gnawed on them. If they ended up on the inside, who knows what wires they could have chewed.

 

[VTSeaRay]

There is no water whatsoever in the bilge, so I think the bellows are good. but no idea about wires.

I had other issues this spring, with a wild turkey that found it's way thru a small hole initially in my shrink wrap (possibly from all the snow/ice this winter, but not sure) - it even laid 2 eggs - one on the shelf on the back of my front seat in the bow, the other in the cup holder up next to that seat. what a mess. Found out a friend of mine found the turkey, and it had been trying to get back out the hole, and couldn't. So, he climbed up into the back and grabbed the turkey by the tail feathers that had now climbed under my passenger front footwell and flung it out of the boat. I spent about 8-10 hrs cleaning the turkey poo from all the front and a bit in the back of the boat. Spray9 for the win! (Before/after pics included)

 

[VTSeaRay]

So, took the boat out tonight on the lake, as it was like glass and a good time to delve into just the error if I could recreate it. I was able to, as soon as I went to full throttle to go onto plane. At one point, the oil pressure bumped up, but then it came down - the alarm when I pushed for details was engine sensor - oil pressure sensor - return to port immediately see dealer ... As soon as I bring the rpms down, things seem ok. oil pressure returns to normal. Any ideas what it could be? This is on an '07 210 SEL with a 5L MPI motor and Alpha 1. Methods to troubleshoot/diagnose/fix?

Update: Did a youtube search, and found where it is, and how to diagnose/replace it.

 

[techmitch]

So, took the boat out tonight on the lake, as it was like glass and a good time to delve into just the error if I could recreate it. I was able to, as soon as I went to full throttle to go onto plane. At one point, the oil pressure bumped up, but then it came down - the alarm when I pushed for details was engine sensor - oil pressure sensor - return to port immediately see dealer ... As soon as I bring the rpms down, things seem ok. oil pressure returns to normal. Any ideas what it could be? This is on an '07 210 SEL with a 5L MPI motor and Alpha 1. Methods to troubleshoot/diagnose/fix? Did a youtube search, and found where it is, and how to diagnose/replace it.

Take her out for another run with a mechanical oil pressure gauge installed. Gm oil pressure sender units from this era are known to be flakey.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Probably a flaky sensor (not sender). The alarm only sounds for low oil pressure, not high. A tiny piece of dirt on it could do it.

 

[Thornton69]

I got a smoking deal on a dirt bike back in high school. The shop I bought it from had taken it on trade after tearing the engine down twice and not figuring out why it would never get into it's power band.
It had turned out a rodent had gotten into the exhaust and decided to build a nest for the winter. Figured that out by accident when doing my own tear down. There was simply just too much backpressure in the exhaust.
Anyway, not sure if something like that is possible, but the chestnuts are a bit too much of a flag to just ignore them.

 

[techmitch]

Probably a flaky sensor (not sender). The alarm only sounds for low oil pressure, not high. A tiny piece of dirt on it could do it.

Correct on the 'sensor' as opposed to a sender.
Note: 2007 GM trucks and autos will code for high oil pressure. Not sure about boats but he did say that the oil pressure "bumped up" before the alarm went off.

 

[VTSeaRay]

Does anyone have a physical location for this sensor on a 5L MPI? I hunted all around the oil filter (which sits prominently on the port side top front of the motor, with oil lines from there, down to the bottom ) and didn't see the pressure sensor anywhere around there. Looked for the blue wire to it as well, and didn't see anything - I've got a call in to a local Searay marine mechanic to fix it for me.

 

[GypsmJim]

My cousin lost the entire 2022 boating season because rodents got in under the shrinkwrap and ate all the upholstery and much of the wiring. Rodents are notorious for getting in any place that has a hole.

Moral of the story - seal every hole everywhere. Store indoors with a canvas cover. Never shrinkwrap (oh the horrors you hear from that).

 

[KevinC]

My cousin lost the entire 2022 boating season because rodents got in under the shrinkwrap and ate all the upholstery and much of the wiring. Rodents are notorious for getting in any place that has a hole.

Moral of the story - seal every hole everywhere. Store indoors with a canvas cover. Never shrinkwrap (oh the horrors you hear from that).

Plus many insurance companies specifically excluded this type of damage done by vermin.

-Kevin

 

[techmitch]

My cousin lost the entire 2022 boating season because rodents got in under the shrinkwrap and ate all the upholstery and much of the wiring. Rodents are notorious for getting in any place that has a hole.

Moral of the story - seal every hole everywhere. Store indoors with a canvas cover. Never shrinkwrap (oh the horrors you hear from that).

We really need to bring the 'Ball's' back!

 

[Nater Potater]

We really need to bring the 'Ball's' back!

"Ball's"?

 

[Blueone]

I am sitting here listening to stories of water snakes going up exhaust outlets thru muskrat screens and dying…… we are doomed

 

[Jimmy Buoy]

Does anyone have a physical location for this sensor on a 5L MPI? I hunted all around the oil filter (which sits prominently on the port side top front of the motor, with oil lines from there, down to the bottom ) and didn't see the pressure sensor anywhere around there. Looked for the blue wire to it as well, and didn't see anything - I've got a call in to a local Searay marine mechanic to fix it for me.

It should be on the port side of the engine but down lower, below the exhaust manifold and more aft. You should be able to see wiring loom going to the sensor (3wires). Easy to swap out with a new sensor. Just did one of mine that was reading 50psi with the engine not running.

 

[VTSeaRay]

Thanks. I'll go down later today to see if I can see it. I was focusing on the front of the engine below the oil filter. I'll look further aft now! Appreciate the help!

 

[GypsmJim]

I am sitting here listening to stories of water snakes going up exhaust outlets thru muskrat screens and dying…… we are doomed

There is a lake in Northern Canada where they strongly advise not to leave a boat with an old OMC Stringer Drive in the water over night. The muskrats love to eat the rubber gasket around the outdrive. Many boats sunk up there.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Thanks. I'll go down later today to see if I can see it. I was focusing on the front of the engine below the oil filter. I'll look further aft now! Appreciate the help!

Follow the oil hoses - it's where the oil filter would normally be.

 

[techmitch]

"Ball's"?

We used to have green, yellow and red balls as opposed to a like button.