Merc 115 fault code and surging

Phil M · 10 February 2015, 18:24

I've fitted a new Merc 115 EFI to my boat and, having sorted most of my last set of installation issues, got the fuel system in and decided to run it up on the muffs to make sure everything worked. The fuel system is a 70l tank in the console (brand new), mercury supplied filter/separator (also in the console) and about 5m of fuel line to the engine (no primer bulb, as per the instructions). The fuel tank vent is on a combined filler vent cap, which seems to always be open.

So I put about 15l in the tank, (which didn't register on the gauge so I guess my sender might be a bit short), turned the key and off she ran, no priming done what so ever. First off it ran a little rough, as I would expect, but ran, and kept running. I noticed that there was at one point some fuel flowing through separator. At the end of the test I couldn't tell if there was fuel in the separator bulb or not, fuel being clear and all.

Next time I ran it up, again on muffs, it fired fine but ran a little lumpy at tick over and was surging badly at 2-2500 rpm, not going above 2500 at all. I could put the rough idle down to it being about 4 degrees but there must be an issue causing the surging. I would not normally go above about 2000 on the muffs but slipped with the idle lever.

Assuming this was a fuel flow issue, and concious that I hadn't primed the fuel lines I disconnected the feed at the engine, purged the fuel line by pressurising the tank until the fuel ran bubble free, then re-connected. Syphoning had failed as there seemed to be too much air in the system and I was fed up of drinking petrol. I hasten to add I did not pressurise the tank with the engine connected. Sadly I ran out of time to run again that night.

Tonight, I've fired it up again and again, starts fine, runs a little lumpy, although it is pretty cold, but was surging again. Tried running for a few mins on tick over then up the revs slightly and again it surged until the smartcraft alarm sounded. I dropped the revs to tick over (about 550 rpm) and read the alarm. It was showing a system fault 66 - shift position sensor, non critical. At the same time the alarm went off, the surging stopped and it ran sweet as a nut. I turned the engine off, waited a few mins then re-started. No fault code but surging and rough tick over again, then the alarm sounds and the engine runs fine again.

Could these issues be linked? Could the surging be due to a shift sensor telling the engine I'm trying to shift gear and dropping the revs or something? Is it the engine trying to stop me revving too high out of gear? It seems too much of a coincidence that the fault appeared and the engine suddenly ran smoothly. Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Phil M

samt · 10 February 2015, 19:09

You may need to bleed some air out of the fuel rail.

If it is the latest 115, then this is standard practice on first start up due to the design of the FSM, I use a fuel pressure gauge that attaches to the Schrader valve, which has a tap and a length of clear hose. Keep it open for 10-20 seconds and the fuel runs clear and engine runs smooth.

Phil M · 10 February 2015, 19:20

Thanks for the reply. It is the new 2.1l engine. I will look at bleeding the rail. Can you tell me if the pressure gauge is vital or is it simply a case of opening the valve in some way or other and draining the fuel to a can? I assume it is with the engine running?

I've been through the installation and start up parts of the manual again and no mention of bleeding the rail.

Thanks once again as thats hopefully a big worry off my mind.

Phil M

ring20johnson · 10 February 2015, 19:26

Totally agree with the above. It is advised not to fit a primer bulb on these engines however it is not completely frowned upon as it is on verados and the merc 150's.

With the shift fault double check the shift switch. It's a potentiometer on those as opposed to the old style micro switch. Check and adjust cable and maybe even make it slightly biased towards forward gear. You may need the mercury G3 software to clear the fault now though as I believe it's not the same as the older CDS software in that it doesn't self clear faults.

samt · 10 February 2015, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil M

Thanks for the reply. It is the new 2.1l engine. I will look at bleeding the rail. Can you tell me if the pressure gauge is vital or is it simply a case of opening the valve in some way or other and draining the fuel to a can? I assume it is with the engine running?

I've been through the installation and start up parts of the manual again and no mention of bleeding the rail.

Thanks once again as thats hopefully a big worry off my mind.

Phil M

Phil,
It's not in the manual, but it is a little quirk with these engines on first install.

Yes, with engine running. Pressure gauge isn't vital, it's just a convenient way of doing it.

A tyre pump hose draining into a container would work. Just need to safely open the valve so you don't get pressurised fuel everywhere.

Great engines!

Phil M · 10 February 2015, 19:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by ring20johnson

Totally agree with the above. It is advised not to fit a primer bulb on these engines however it is not completely frowned upon as it is on verados and the merc 150's.

With the shift fault double check the shift switch. It's a potentiometer on those as opposed to the old style micro switch. Check and adjust cable and maybe even make it slightly biased towards forward gear. You may need the mercury G3 software to clear the fault now though as I believe it's not the same as the older CDS software in that it doesn't self clear faults.

Thanks for the info. I will check the sender as it may have been upset when Ive fitted the smart craft bits .Dumb question though, where is it? I assume under the cowl by the selector lever?

Thanks

Phil M

Phil M · 10 February 2015, 21:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by samt

Phil,
It's not in the manual, but it is a little quirk with these engines on first install.

Yes, with engine running. Pressure gauge isn't vital, it's just a convenient way of doing it.

A tyre pump hose draining into a container would work. Just need to safely open the valve so you don't get pressurised fuel everywhere.

Great engines!

Thanks once again......

It's a great looking engine and loots to be well put together. Bit bigger than my old 75 clamshell so still getting used to how it looks on the boat (BIG). Can't wait to get it wet though.....

Phil M

ring20johnson · 10 February 2015, 21:26

Yes it will be by the selector. Oli

ring20johnson · 10 February 2015, 21:27

It looks like a throttle position sensor. Will be right by the shift cable under the cowling. Oli

Phil M · 10 February 2015, 21:54

Thanks..... I'll give it a poke tomorrow.

ring20johnson · 11 February 2015, 21:07

Any luck with the engine?

Phil M · 11 February 2015, 21:12

Haven't had chance to get out to it unfortunately. I probably wont now until the week after next, unless I can sneak an hour in on Friday afternoon.

Phil M

Phil M · 25 February 2015, 12:25

Back off holiday and managed to play a bit yesterday. I bled the fuel rail and it hasn't cured the problem. Once again, as soon as the fault code shows up, the surging issue stops. It also all resets and starts again when the engine is turned off and on again.

I'm now convinced that the two are linked. I looked at the shift linkage and noticed that the shifter was not on the central mark when in neutral and with the engine off would not engage forward gear. It appears that when I took the side mount shift box off the other day to fit cable glands that I didn't get the cable back on the pin correctly and it was not sitting in the correct place. I've rectified that but haven't run the engine up again. I suspect that the shift sensor was on its limit of position and was giving an on-off-on signal to the engine, which was thus assuming the gear was being engaged and dropping the revs intermittently, again assuming that there is built in protection to drop the revs to below about 2000 when gears are engaged. I'm also assuming that after a few mins of oscillating signals from the sensor, the engine has assumed it is knackered and started to ignore it, hence the engine rev'd freely when the fault was detected.

I will hopefully get chance to fun it up again by the end of the week so time will tell!

Phil M

Turbodiesel · 02 March 2015, 22:38

Phil out of interest why don't you just take it to your dealer, it's brand new and under warranty! Surely the dealer that sold it should have picked this up on the PDI?

Phil M · 02 March 2015, 23:13

Its an internet bought engine and the dealed i bought from is a few hundred miles away. I have fitted the engine myself and added the smartcraft bits so wanted to rule out my own stupidity before taking to the local dealer, which is still an hour and a quarter drive. As it turns out, it looks like the issue is not an issue appart from a loose bullet connector and no long drive required.

If it persist in sea trials, i'll be off to the dealers without hesitation.

Phil M

03 whaler · 20 August 2018, 08:01

Hello,

I’m Having exact same issue on my whaler, know this is an older thread. Do you have a photo of the sensor and or adjustment you made to correct this issue? Just picked up my boat and don’t have a trailer yet to take to dealer. Once the fault alarm goes off the engine clears up immediately. Have vessel view and bluetooth hooked up with fault current for the potentiometer sensor. Any help would
Be greatly appreciated. Thanks John

Phil M · 20 August 2018, 08:16

I didn't adjust any sensors on the end as the problem was a loose connection on one of the Smartcraft plugs. I think the problem with surfing and limited revs was the out of gear system preventing the engine from revving in neutral. It was fine in gear and hasn't caused issues since.

Phil

03 whaler · 20 August 2018, 08:25

Ok maybe I’ll end up having to take it to the dealer for them to check over the sensor connections? Am a bmw master not too familiar with boat engines but seem pretty similar with reference sensors. You think possibly the shift potentiometer connection is loose, this is a Weather pack terminal ?

Phil M · 21 August 2018, 07:38

Not sure I'm afraid. Is it a problem in gear or just in neutral?