Tack worked perfect till last fall then started to act erratically, bouncing and showing incorrect RPM. This year it doesn't work at all and is Pinned full clockwise over the 9000rpm mark. I thought cleaning the terminals on back might have been the problem so I cleaned thoroughly but no change, still pinned wide open with key on or off. It is a Teleflex brand and I did find them on the net fairly cheap (60 or so). Does anyone know of anything else that might be causing the problem before I order a new tack. I hate to get one and find out it is something else. I do have a multimeter if needed. thanks.... i included a pic of the tack just for ref.

Coincidence
I'm looking for a tac
https://www.bandofboaters.com/forum/marine-electronics/16971-tach

Coincidence
I'm looking for a tac
https://www.bandofboaters.com/forum/marine-electronics/16971-tach

Sell ya my old one.... 20 bucks ?!@#@!
:hihi:

On outboard motors a tach problem can be an indicator of a bad rectifier...

On outboard motors a tach problem can be an indicator of a bad rectifier...

Is this something I might be able to check / diagnose myself?
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

yes... take the 3 leads off of the rectifier and using an ohm meter check for continuity between terminals one way them switch leads and check the other... one way will have continuity.. the other will not.. if the rectifier is shorted you may get continuity both ways or none at all no matter where you put the leads... another indication is usually ( but not always) a charging system problem.. check to see if your alternator is putting out the proper voltage..

Sell ya my old one.... 20 bucks ?!@#@!
:hihi:

Gee thanks ,,, but I went with Amazon :)

yes... take the 3 leads off of the rectifier and using an ohm meter check for continuity between terminals one way them switch leads and check the other... one way will have continuity.. the other will not.. if the rectifier is shorted you may get continuity both ways or none at all no matter where you put the leads... another indication is usually ( but not always) a charging system problem.. check to see if your alternator is putting out the proper voltage..

regarding the charging system, my voltmeter on the dash shows charging at or close to 14 volts on start up so I would guess all is o.k. there. Without sounding stupid, where is the rectifier ?

Coincidence
I'm looking for a tac
...

Add another one to the list.
I just picked up a Faria for mine on the Walmart website. Lowest price I could find..."ship to store" so no S&H
W/System Check Indicators so it was a bit more than $60

My Sys/Check Indicator lights and alarms worked fine....Needle on the Tach wouldn't move.

Add another one to the list.
I just picked up a Faria for mine on the Walmart website. Lowest price I could find..."ship to store" so no S&H
W/System Check Indicators so it was a bit more than $60

My Sys/Check Indicator lights and alarms worked fine....Needle on the Tach wouldn't move.

BOATS!

B - reak
O - ut
A - nother
T - housand

B - reak
O - ut
A - nother
T - housand

👍 Good one

regarding the charging system, my voltmeter on the dash shows charging at or close to 14 volts on start up so I would guess all is o.k. there. Without sounding stupid, where is the rectifier ?

Depends on the engine and year.. they bolt them in all different places... with out knowing the engine.. best bet is to trace the wires coming from the stator.... stator leads will be yellow/black and yellow/red... tach wire will be grey.. rectifier will be a square or rectangular diode pack molded to a heat sink usually with three or four wires on it..including the grey tach "sender"...

Depends on the engine and year.. they bolt them in all different places... with out knowing the engine.. best bet is to trace the wires coming from the stator.... stator leads will be yellow/black and yellow/red... tach wire will be grey.. rectifier will be a square or rectangular diode pack molded to a heat sink usually with three or four wires on it..including the grey tach "sender"...

Wow Joe, you're a better man than me. If I tried all that stuff I'd end up burning the boat to the waterline.:smash:

Wow Joe, you're a better man than me. If I tried all that stuff I'd end up burning the boat to the waterline.:smash:

Did it for a living for many years....got tired of spending my summers fixing everyone's boat while mine grew barnacles!

New TACH solved my problem.
Easiest thing I've had to replace on the boat yet....:uhuh:
Nice when things that should be working...are working.
Even better when a repair goes smoothly and successfully.

Tack problem solved. purchased new on Ebay, .... less than 60 bucks to my door. installed and all is well again, super simple fix.

Funny I have been having a tach problem this year as well - OMC "SystemCheck" tach - I thought it was the rectifier at first but my batteries are charging fine and the motor is running great - tach is just intermittent and jumpy.

I just ordered a Faria from wallyworld.com and hopefully that solves it. Otherwise it'll be another $213 for a rectifier unit most likely...always something!

But glad to hear from a couple of you guys that it was "only" the tach...

Dave

So just to follow up for posterity on this - my situation ended up being the regulator/rectifier unit, not the tach. Swapped out for a new one and everything is working fine again (until the next problem, I'm sure)...

Happy trails SD :jump: