Running Rough? Low Oil Pressure? FIXED!

[lakerats247]

 I have never been as happy with ANY toy as I finally am with our SX!!!
 We finally have NO LOW OIL PRESSURE alarm going off. Turns out that these run the same oil pressure as all the other Ski boats. We idle at about 35psi and cruise at about 65 give or take. Just replaced the oil sending unit, which was an easy task. I can hardly believe that stupid flashing message is finally gone! Mysteriously enough, so did the low voltage message....

As far as the intermittent running rough issue, I don't have it !!!!! She finally runs like a champ at 5800rpms. (I'd like to see an INDMAR pull those RPM's off).

The problem? (Besides the fuel pump being on its last leg...) Two tiny screens: one on the low pressure fuel pump intake and one on the high pressure intake. They are in the tinyest spot, are shaped like a cone, and mine were filled with doo doo. It looked like bong resin, so I'd imagine that it had a hard time passing anything through it.

There is also a third "pick-up" screen in the fuel tank itself. Mine was full of sediment. All of this poo had my fuel pump working WAY too hard, and had me thinking that I MIGHT have to replace the thing. (warranty rocks)

The Grand Wizard didn't want to pay for labor, but sent BOTH fuel pumps (warranty items) UPS and I put them on in an hour and a half.

Turns out that if you take the cap off of the fuel pressure regulator (right on top of the motor, on the right in front of the fuel rail) there is a phillips head screw that pops up when there is adequate fuel pressure. We weren't seeing this screw pop up when we experienced the running rough symptom, so we tried to crimped off the return line hose to the fuel pumps and VOILA, it popped up. Unfortunately this confirmed that one pump was going out. When we took the pliers off of the hose, it stumbled and died.

Ever since we got the new pumps yesterday, the SX is a baaaad b!tch! She pulls me out of the water like an entirely different boat, and responds to the throttle like you wouldn't believe. I wouldn't sell this boat unless I needed a new liver!

 http://3balldesigns.com/epic

[shawn]

where is the oil pressure regulator, and where did you find one at?  i have the same problem and want it fixed!

[cyclone]

Do you mean that you replaced the sending unit? Or something else?

Pete

[lakerats247]

YES, IT WAS IN FACT the oil sending unit.  I will get some pics to post this evening to give a better explanation. It is on the back of the oil filter, so its hard to photograph.

-The low battery warning didn't go away after all, but I honestly couldn't  care less. Took her out yesterday ALL DAY LONG with 2,000 lbs. of weight (full ballast tanks and two fat sacks) and I've NEVER seen a more perfect wake.

 The Supra Launch SSV is pretty damn close, but not the same, and not near as good looking as a Toyota :-)

She ran like a champ, and glided right through the roughest water like it was butter. I think it was the first time I felt like a proud daddy  (instead of feeling like I better stay near the ramp, because I might break down any minute. ;-)

[phenom_1819]

Lakerats -- I'm interested in seeing pics also. I had the sending unit replaced a while back, and it fixed the problem but only temporarily. My alarm is back, saying oil level is too low...  I'd be stoked to get rid of that damn alarm. My middle finger gets a workout every time it goes off...

[lakerats247]

No problem, I'll see what I can do. I believe DENSO makes the sending unit. Just look on the back of the oil filter for a brass thingy majigger. Maybe the same one off of the original 1UZ?

[shawn]

did you do the work and if so, where did you get the parts from?

[toyotafreak]

Johnny/Chastity: very glad to hear things are good for you and your SX. Nice to see the pics on your web page, too. We all appreciate your effort in getting info out (even while the weather's still good !)

Heading home from a month of business travel tomorrow - hope to get the boat out this weekend so I can again be as stoked as you guys.

[cyclone]

I would be very surprised if they replaced anything other than the sending unit, it is a very common failure. The oil pressure is actually very high on this engine under high load conditions. I don't care about getting an "accurate" measurement of oil pressure, I don't care what the gauge says unless it says no pressure when I know I have plenty (idle)

One of you guys with a Tundra look under the hood and tell me if you have an oil pressure sender that looks like the ones on our boats. If so, I bet a truck one would work, I'd replace it every year for 12 bucks or so. Mine worked fine for a year, then failed. The replacement reads 10 psi lower I'm told for fewer HI pressure alarms, which I got with the original, once in a while.

[re-pete]

Pete-

Just checked under the hood of the GS400, and the AC compressor completely hides all but the  very tip of the oil filter, so I cannot see the sending unit.  What's odd on the Lexus is that it idles at about the same RPM as our boats, but I never get an idiot lite (there is no oil pressure guage).  They must have the threshold on the cars set lower than they did on our boats...

[blueplastic]

Lakerats, I checked out http://3balldesigns.com/epic today and your boat is bad-ass.

[lakerats247]

Thank you :-)

[lakerats247]

You guys are the best, thanks for the compliments. I've been offline for awhile because the wife's computer is always being taken apart and put back together when I need it  

The boat still runs GREAT. Not one problem since replacing fuel pumps and oil senders. Thanks for noticing the error Pete :-)

You can get this oil sending unit from our local Malibu dealer for less than $10.

I did get a bunch of pics, just have to get them onto this forum somehow and off of the camera. Today I will be replacing the impeller just for kicks, and to play it safe as well. The how-to section of this site sure has helped out in so many ways, hope to get the heater/shower install added to it as soon as I learn this stuff....

Did we ever get the font identified for the Toyota stickers? I had no luck....

[shawn]

when you get a chance, please post some pics and lets see the "how to steps" of changing the sending unit.  thanks in advance

[cyclone]

It's the little gold canister screwed in opposite your oil filter. There is a nut cast into the body where it contacts the oil filter housing. It is probably a 13/14/15 mm. Use one wrap of teflon tape on the threads, it's a remove and replace type thing. The wire pushes onto a stud on top. Five minutes. I'm just too lazy to figure out what the right sending unit is, I'll try a Lexus one tomorrow.

Lakerats, can you get a part number for the one you used? You say you got it at a Malibu dealership? EEEEWWwww I hope you washed your hands.