Looking for some advice

[piemma]

At the end of last season I lost the last of my gauges on the dashboard in my boat. The gas guage never worked right to begin with, no big deal just fill up every time before you run. The trim gauge stopped working no big deal, trim before you leave the dock plus you can tell how the boat performs if you are trimmed correctly.

Lost my speedometer, no biggie as I can see my speed on my GPS.

Lost my tach, now I have a big deal. I like to run between 4000 and 4200 when headed somewhere. I rarely go over that but sometimes I will push to 4500-4700 to outrun a thunderhead or fog. I really need my tach.

I have been told that it is probably corrosion in the main connector that goes from the dashboard back to the engine.

I want to know if this sounds right and if not, where should I start?

[fish4striper]

Could be just connections Paul. Are they solid connections or some type of spade connection? I'd pull any spade connections, clean with electronic cleaner and scratch/sand any that look tarnished to get a better connection before you look to replace gauges.

[Mr. Sandman]

I would bet your wiring and/or connections are not tinned.
Make sure you use marine wiring's/connections.

If you have the right wiring and connections, I would look at all your ground wires. Check them all make sure they are clean and tight.

[Raven]

or you drive along someone else at that speed
and witness mark your throttle lever

[piemma]

Thanks guys. The wiring is all factory as I bought the boat almost new in 2004. It had 30 hours on it. I will start with the individual connections and if that doesn't solve the problem go to the big plug. Or should I start with the big plug first?

When you guys say "tinned" what exactly does that mean? My impression is that the connection is covered with solder. Is that correct?

[beamie]

Piemma,

When the copper wire is manufactured the last step before the insulation is the copper is coated with a thin layer of tin for corrosion resistance as to not turn green and oxidize. Good connectors are tin coated too over time this may wear and turn green. Real good plugs have gold plated pins, like on your fishfinder.

If your loosing all those gauges recently I'd head right towards the big plug.

[Roger]

Tinned, or marine grade, is when the strands of wire are silver colored instead of bare copper. Bare copper turns black around water.

Many factory boats use simple crimps, with or without tinned wire, so I'd start by checking connections first. It's unlikely that they are soldered because the CG specifies that solder should not be the only method of making a connection. So any soldered connection has to be crimped too, and few manufacturers do that.

FWIW, 4-5 years seems to be about the time when lots of new boats start having connection issues.

[MakoMike]

Like everyone else say, check all the wiring hot and ground. It might pay to take the tach out and have it tested first, just to make sure it works. They have been known to go bad.

[piemma]

Thanks for the advice guys. I really appreciate all the input. I am good at a lot of tech stuff but boat wiring just gives me the willies.

I am going to have the tach checks and start with the big plug. Also check all the grounds before anything else.

Thanks again.!!!

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by piemma

Thanks for the advice guys. I really appreciate all the input. I am good at a lot of tech stuff but boat wiring just gives me the willies.

I am going to have the tach checks and start with the big plug. Also check all the grounds before anything else.

Thanks again.!!!

same here- i call it electrickery

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by Nebe

same here- i call it electrickery

yeah, but with 12V is a lot different than your home, which I can't do.

Smaller Outboard Boats are: Good wire and connections, everything grounded, and good batteries. I rewired the r/v in Nov, cleaned out 20 years of old wire, and it makes life easier when you now know what every wire is.

Paul.
Label everything as well.
Makes life easier.

[piemma]

Will do Bry. Thanks



Label everything as well.
Makes life easier.[/QUOTE]

[RIROCKHOUND]

What they said.
I'd start right at the Batteries, check all the connections there, to the switch and then head for the panel under the console.