Cycling/Flashing/Chirping Gauge? Twin 1999 SX150TLRX

[WoodyF15]

Gauge Gremlins and Amber low oil quantity indications. There is a cyclic “Chirping” sound behind my instrument console on my 1999 Pursuit 2470 which appears to be coming from a warning module mounted on the back side of the key/ignition box. This occurs once the motors have been cranked then shut down, i.e. ignition in the OFF position. I have a recording of the sound as well as a video of a known good Tach flashing at a cyclic rate equal to the “chirp”. (any experts want to help send me a PM and I'll be more than happy to email you the short video) Both Tach’s show the oil level to be in the Amber range although both oil tanks and engine reservoirs have plenty of Oil. When the yellow wire from the speedometer is disconnected from the L tach, the chirping continues and the gauge shows amber oil quantity even with the ignition switch(s) in the OFF position. Power is somehow flowing through the Red wire? My Yamaha technician could not ground the pins and get the quantity to ever change from Amber, nor could he make the Red overheat light come on. He attached a known good tach to the speedometer and it was able to be jumpered to show both the Red overheat warning and the Green oil quantity indication. So the Yamaha tech assumes that the L tach and the speedometer are suspect and should be replaced prior to further trouble shooting. The R tach has severe LCD fade and can only be viewed by looking through Polaroid glasses. He recommends all 3 gauges be replaced before further troubleshooting takes place but I hate to drop a $1,000 just to shotgun blast troubleshoot. Please help.

[WoodyF15]

Video Links

Here is a youtube video of my Tach flashing:

Tachometer flashing - YouTube

And here is a video behind my console of the warning box on top of the ignition switch to hear the audible chirping.

Cycling Sound - YouTube

You'll notice once you listen/watch both videos some timing circuit appears to be driving this chirping/flashing.

[WoodyF15]

Btt

Btt btt btt

[rodbolt17]

never had that issue.
however if replacing the tach eliminates the issue I would lean towards a bad tach.
could also be a bad duel engine switch module.

at key off the yellow wires should have 0 v to ground.

the red wire has 12V anytime the battery is connected and the switch is on.

has anyone attached any additional devices to the key switch?

[WoodyF15]

@ RodBolt

We swapped with a good tach and the technician was able to jumper it to illuminate all the other warnings normally. But the chirping and flashing still persists. Nothing has been attached to the key switch, just a radio and depth finder jumped off of the fused switch panel. Both those devices are powered down when the chirping/flashing occurs.

And remember, all this happens with both ignition switches OFF.

Is there anyway to trouble shoot the dual engine switch module other than swapping it with a good one?

[WoodyF15]

No help?

This must be a real tough one for the Yamaha experts, no salient advice yet. At least it's not costing me $120/hr to have a Yamaha tech just scratch his head and tell me to replace EVERYTHING!!!

[rodbolt17]

if I had it in my shop it would be easy.
however there is not much information on the DES switch assy.
most techs if you ask, will give you a blank stare.

something is feeding a voltage to something.
be it a faulty key switch,an engine ECU but something.
\
give up on swapping and jumping and use the multi meter.

[WoodyF15]

Rod,
I had a very experienced (26 yr) yamaha rep at my dock troubleshooting with a multi-meter for 4 hours. He was dumbfounded. Any idea which wires to start putting on the meter? I'm a EE and know how to work a meter, I just have no idea what voltage, current, resistance should be where?

Want a trip to Key Largo to go Fishing & troubleshooting???

[99yam40]

That does not sound like a warning .
All I here a a clicking like a relay and some whirring sound.
Could it be something to do with the trim

Maybe get a better picture of it.

Like Rod said use meter to see where voltage is coming from as the gauges should not have power to them with key off. Just trace it back to see where it originates

The duel motor key module has electronic parts in it I believe and could be allowing something partially through and may contain relays. I really do not know.

That might be the box you are speaking about instead of a warning box

[rodbolt17]

I know techs that have been doing it all their lives,just not doing it right.
I have also known brilliant engineers that simply could not trouble shoot.

at key on you should have 12V+ to the yellow wire on the alarm, ground path is via the engine.
if it chirps with the key off it tells me something is NOT removing 12v+ to the alarm.

each engine ECU has a DES switch that feeds the DES module behind the ign panal assy.

this switch and module is what makes the yamaha twin engine setup SELF test the alarm at key on.
each time a key is turned on it should self test.

what the function of the module is, if either engine alarm activates and sends an engine into RPM reduction the module sets the other engines DES switch and forces it into RPM reduction as well.

this function will work regaurdless of if the horn is mechanically capable of sounding.

the module can be isolated for individual tach/ign switch testing.

its a pain as they did not allow a lot of working space but it can be done.

but if it can chirp with the key OFF, your feeding a voltage down the yellow wire somewhere.