My alarm is going off anytime I get over 4400 RPM telling me to reduce throttle. It's not flashing any codes to tell me what the issue is. All the gauges are showing no problems. I did a master reset on the system but that didn't help. This is on a 03 crownline with a 496HO. Any help would be appreciated.

I understand your MAX is way above 4400 rpms but smartcraft / alarm shows reduce throttle means that OVERSPEED / aka over rev past the recommends RPMS. The MAG 496 is MAX 4800 rpms and the HO is 5000 rpms.

First attempted fix is to scan the engine with a current diagnostic scanner, if not I would serious look at a Crank sensor problem. I would change that to the newer style regardless . If not a fix for your problem then I would look at the cam sensor but an engine serial # is NEEDED to determine if just a cam sensor is available for your early 496 app. Long story but early cam sensor replacement only is NLA. for the early 496's.

With that said and you still have a problem - I want to know if you have the shift in gear switch ? Also want to know if all cylinders are firing / coils / spark plugs / producing spark and at least properly.

Have you scanned this engine with a current scan tool ? If not, do so - I would look for overspeed faults and available power %. along with any ignition related items and if all possible any cam & crank sensor codes. A lot of those do not show up for the early 496 (cam & crank sensor faults) .

In response to some of your info - I would have the alarm checked out as any alarm could be serious and or needing attention / service / diagnostics.

The Crank reluctor and sensor is basically were the tach signal comes from for a jist of info. . If you have an alarm at 4400 rpms, I would really have that checked out. As far as for an a display on Smartcraft gauge to "Reduce Throttle that is OVERSPEED warning level 1. = aka over rev just past the recommended MAX rpms. Again HO - 496 is 5000 rpms. Good luck

At 4400 rpms what type of an alarm are you getting - solid horn or beep beeo or solid horn but a pause then solid horn again ?

I will have to take it and get it scanned then.

At 4400 it's just a beep beep when it goes over 4400. As long as I'm under that rpm then it's fine. It's possible I could of went over 5000 RPMs when this started. If say I did, shouldn't I be able to do the master reset on the smartcraft? I've done that several times and nothing changed.

Beep Beep is a sensor problem possible low water pressure sensor - that is not good for the engine and or just the sensor is faulty but usually when the water pressure sensor is faulty you can have running issues / guardian mode and will throw a horn all the time in most cases.

If in fact it is a water pressure low and or showing in a fault from the scan IMO your impeller and hosing are weak / scared.

But of course I would scan the engine and look for all faults plus all parameters including history and overspeed and any guardian along with water pressure psi especially running.

If you are getting overspeed fault, say at 4500 rpms or anything UNDER a TRUE 5000 rpms then IMO you might have possible a crank sensor problem. Again OVERSPEED fault under 5K rpms should not be happening.

Thanks for all your info!! You have been a lot of help.