Engine in safe mode solid red light on dash SX210

[2Point-Oh!]

My boat is a 2010 SX210 with twin engines
Starboard engine will run strong for 45 minutes then only do about 4700 rpms and no more. There are 3 lights on dash and the one in the middle comes on. I don’t understand the little diagram that is on the light and having a hard time finding what the 3 different lights mean.(can use help here as well)
After the engine has rested for 5-10 minutes the engine will be fine for another 45 minutes. Once I turned the blower on and it stayed down less time.

 

[buckbuck]

Welcome to the forum. I believe the center light for your boat is the Engine Over Temp or overheat warning. The computer will reduce the rpms to protect the engine if this happens. The typical issue that triggers this is something causing the jet pump to cavitate. It could be a small twig stuck on your impeller or fishing line wrapped around the shaft. Crawl under the boat with a flash light and carefully examine the impeller leading edge. Here is a video to help you understand the cooling.

 

[zipper]

I have a couple of questions to help diagnose your problem. Where are you, meaning do you boat on fresh or salt water? While it is running "strong" do you see 4 streams of water coming out from the "pissers" on the starboard side below the rub rail? The reason for question 1 is I am trying to determine the condition of the cooling system and if the thermostat could be stuck. Question 2 is about cooling the exhaust manifold. After we bought our boat I had an overheat alarm that was due to 2 of the "water pilots" or "pissers" as we call them being plugged with mud from a mud dobber wasp. I cleared them by poking weed wacker string in the hole from the outside. it's run great since. To check the thermostat, run the engine on the hose. It will take a while for the water to warm up to open the thermostat. This water can be seen at the plate on the transom where the jet pump is mounted. Warm water should be coming out there. If you get an overheat alarm again and dont see any water there, your thermostat is stuck. Here is a diagram of the cooling system of my 07, yours should be the same.

 

[buckbuck]

Here is a picture of what @zipper is describing.

 

[scokill]

Good thought on the thermostat. Other thought could be the sensors bad and actually not overheating but sending signal. Pissers don't contribute to nor inhibit cooling.

 

[Seadeals]

Keep in mind the 110hp 1052cc mr1 engines (on the SX210) do not use the hole labeled “from exhaust pipe jacket”. Just don’t want you to freak out if you see a bunch of silicone in that hole.

 

[2Point-Oh!]

Thank you for your response. I will be going down this trail of the thermostat. I run in both

I have a couple of questions to help diagnose your problem. Where are you, meaning do you boat on fresh or salt water? While it is running "strong" do you see 4 streams of water coming out from the "pissers" on the starboard side below the rub rail? The reason for question 1 is I am trying to determine the condition of the cooling system and if the thermostat could be stuck. Question 2 is about cooling the exhaust manifold. After we bought our boat I had an overheat alarm that was due to 2 of the "water pilots" or "pissers" as we call them being plugged with mud from a mud dobber wasp. I cleared them by poking weed wacker string in the hole from the outside. it's run great since. To check the thermostat, run the engine on the hose. It will take a while for the water to warm up to open the thermostat. This water can be seen at the plate on the transom where the jet pump is mounted. Warm water should be coming out there. If you get an overheat alarm again and dont see any water there, your thermostat is stuck. Here is a diagram of the cooling system of my 07, yours should be the same.




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I have a couple of questions to help diagnose your problem. Where are you, meaning do you boat on fresh or salt water? While it is running "strong" do you see 4 streams of water coming out from the "pissers" on the starboard side below the rub rail? The reason for question 1 is I am trying to determine the condition of the cooling system and if the thermostat could be stuck. Question 2 is about cooling the exhaust manifold. After we bought our boat I had an overheat alarm that was due to 2 of the "water pilots" or "pissers" as we call them being plugged with mud from a mud dobber wasp. I cleared them by poking weed wacker string in the hole from the outside. it's run great since. To check the thermostat, run the engine on the hose. It will take a while for the water to warm up to open the thermostat. This water can be seen at the plate on the transom where the jet pump is mounted. Warm water should be coming out there. If you get an overheat alarm again and dont see any water there, your thermostat is stuck. Here is a diagram of the cooling system of my 07, yours should be the same.




View attachment 95720

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Thank you for your suggestions and Information! I run in fresh and salt water. I am in central Florida so I go to different springs. St.Johns River and the inter coastal from Palm Coast. I have another question .
When I start the motors and get underway there will be a alarm that goes off maybe about a minute or 2 after I’m underway. There are not any warning lights at this time. Have you experienced this? So I’m off to chase this cooling system. Off topic: Know anything about reupholstering the backs throughout the boat?

 

[Seadeals]

Could the alarm be the original equipment depth sounder? They stunk and are the only other alarm source I can think of if stock. It has a setting to alarm below a certain depth. Maybe the P.O. had it set deep.

 

[2Point-Oh!]

Good thought on the thermostat. Other thought could be the sensors bad and actually not overheating but sending signal. Pissers don't contribute to nor inhibit cooling.

Could you tell me more about sensors and where to find them on engine and what they are called and possibly where to buy?

 

[2Point-Oh!]

Can you tell me more about sensors. Where to find on engine, there name and where to buy. Thanks!

 

[Seadeals]

Chasing sensors is a bit premature. It is much more likely you are actually overheating and need to cover the bases of the cooling system first. A simple infrared thermometer shooting the exhaust in the same place one engine then the other can confirm your sensors are working and you do have an overheat. A YDS reading can also show you the sensor readings live. If you note your location in your profile, members close by might be able to help.
1. Confirm the pee stream for the troubled engine. Compare with good engine for grins but unless it is significantly different it will not tell you much. I think you have only one “pisser” for each engine, correct?
2. Inspect cooling intake (white plastic block with holes on the inside of the jet nozzle) for blockage. Remove the cover (four small bolts) housing it (little “box” on port side of pump) to look deeper. Is there crud in the small passage?
3. On hose out of water, confirm water exit/volume as noted by @zipper and @buckbuck I would pause and report back at this point.

My concern is you may have build-up blockage in the engine/exhaust jacket passages clogging the needed water flow. Best to make sure that’s not it before you spend money on seat upholstery.

 

[Gym]

As stated before getting too deep into this I would check the cooling water inlet screen on the port side of each jet nozzle. Sorry, no pic as I'm not near my boat but It's a small rectangular shaped box holding a fine mesh screen viewable from inside the jet nozzle. You likely have seaweed, sea grass or trash that is blocking the inlet screen.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Use a non contact thermometer and see if the engine is running hotter than the other one, Yamaha has had a lot of heat sensor issues in the past I experienced the problem with one of my supercharged 1800 sensors a few years back. I would check and the engine was never running hot. Also a word to the wise never think you are in safe mode it is limp mode to give you warning and slow down the engine damage but if you keep driving and you are low on oil or overheating the damage will occur just not as quickly. Now you could have a bad thermostat in that engine . So knowing the temp as it compares to the other engine is very helpful in leading you to the culprit.

 

[2Point-Oh!]

Well I have changed the thermostat after going through the cooling system. Ran the boat for over an hour with no overheating. I am slowly getting to know this boat when fixing these types of problem!
Would you happen to know at what temps the engines should be around? I was reading 135-145 Degrees. The engine I have been working on had the lowest temperature.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

It should run close to the number on the thermostat you just put in but your numbers sound fine greenhulk may have some posts on checking mr1 heat sensor values with a meter and replacing them if needed.
I believe your best bet is to order them from a dealer if needed . On a thermostat if you have a proper thermometer you can test them by placing them in a pan of water, heating the water to the temp on the thermostat and watching it open. Pretty easy actually so you can test the one you removed and see if it was working or not.

 

[2Point-Oh!]

Good way to check thermostat thank you! While changing the thermostat I noticed a grease sert that feeds grease to pump. What can you tell me about that. What type of grease and how often etc.? Also what do you recommend to spray for anti corrosion and where to spray? Can I spray the impellers from the bottom of Boatin even down through plungers? In the near future I will be spending alot if time in salt water.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

My advice leave the grease fitting alone it is not for the pump and over greasing it just a little will do more harm than good. No need to spray impellers with anything but add a zinc anode somewhere on the pump housing for salt water.