are anybody’s gauges accurate?

I have a 1993 SN and I don't think any of the gauges are right. My voltmeter always reads about 10 volts. My oil pressure gauge is never lower than 60psi. Temp gauge is about 30 degrees hotter than the block is. Of course the fuel gauge is wrong! Never been in a boat where that was accurate!

But I am wondering if I have some kind of a ground issue or what. My temperature is good because we used a laser temp thing and the temps are where they are supposed to be. But the oil pressure and volts are never right. I have never been stranded due to weak battery. My oil is always new and fresh.

As always, when I turn on some lights, the gauges really go bonkers. 9 volt if lucky, temp gauge goes to 210, and the oil pressure is still high.

Any suggestions on where to start looking. I would really like to have gauges that actually work and are somewhat accurate. I can't help but think that there is a ground problem or something minor like that. I am thinking of running a wire to the block (welding wire) and to the back of the dash and taking the grounds from each gauge to the new big ground wire. That way I know it will be good.

Thoughts???

Todd-

I was going to mention this to you when I was driving your boat. I noticed this immediately. You have a ground problem, absolutely no doubt there. You can take an extra ground wire from the battery right up to the dash pod there. The ground wire is most likely brown and goes from gauge to gauge. Don't be too intimidated- there is a ton of wire back there. There is a separate wiring system on each gauge for the backlights on the gauges as well- don't worry about that wiring. You can probably splice it anywhere in that daisy chained brown wire.

While we're at it- Your idle is a little low, I'd bump it up a bit. I think in gear I was turning like 400 RPM. Your throttle lever is also too hard to move- there must be an adjustment to loosen that up.

Dang Joel, maybe I should just pull the plug and let her sink.

Just kidding. I know the idle is a bit low, but I am still trying to fix a idle problem after running high speeds. After skiing it idles about 800 rpm or so. I really don't trust my tach either. I want to put it on some kind of tester to see what my rpm's actually are. Still getting her in adjustment. The throttle is actually better than it was. I moved the linkage and it moves much better than it did. I am going to look into some lube or something for it next year. I hear that there is a way to pull the morse off and there are adjustments on the throttle itself. I tried to take the screws out and one of them only turned and wouldn't back out. SOOOOO there is another issue to deal with. It is fall and I am creating a winter "to do" list. Linkage adjustment and possible carb rebuild is in order.

Thanks for the awesome responses guys. The wiring is definitely something I want to tackle though.

I kinda like zero monthly payments. I can do a lot to this little ol boat. You really have me wanting cruise! I think I am going to get the "economy" version though. Just enough to keep a constant speed. I really like the 2 speedo's.

Tell you what, I will make you a heck of a deal on a 93 if you make me a heck of a deal on a 2000! Love your boat too! By the way, how many hours do you have on it? I never got to ask.

I am going to look into that ground issue fairly quick. So you say to just run a new ground up to the dash and find the brown wire that feeds the other gauges? Or should I re-do each gauge individually? I love to do wiring...call me nuts. Would you go to the battery or would you go to the engine block? Did you have these issues with your 90? If you say to just find the end of the brown wire that loops them all together to a new fresh ground, that is only a hour project!

Later man, we were supposed to go to the lake again tonight, but we got crossed signals with the rest of the family. I think we are looking at Saturday.

Todd

Oh, another thing to try is cleaning the wire harnesses on the engine and in the dash with some contact cleaner.

weitekampt wrote: The throttle is actually better than it was. I moved the linkage and it moves much better than it did. I am going to look into some lube or something for it next year. I hear that there is a way to pull the morse off and there are adjustments on the throttle itself. I tried to take the screws out and one of them only turned and wouldn't back out.

You couldnt get the screw out because there are nuts on all 3. You just gotta be bendy to be able to reach them- I think theyre 7/16".

Unfortunately, theres no real adjustments you can make at the throttle. I disa$$embled mine, then cleaned and regreased everything. It feels a little better but I think replacing the cable would make a much bigger difference.

Cool, thanks for the info on the throttle. I am not going to dig into that then. Maybe just spray a little lube down the line. I haven't looked at it, but can a person disconnect the linkage at the carb, elevate the linkage, and spray a bunch of lube down the line? I don't know if it will eventually work its way down the line or not. I know it won't make it the whole length of the cable, but maybe it will get some of the lenght. I would imagine the big problem would be where the bends and elveation occurs.

I had the same issue on my 92 SNCB. With all of the accessories I am running including my stereo system/Perfect Pa$$ my gauges were reading all over the map and Perfect Pa$$ would constantly be turning on and off due to a bad ground. Every time I turned on the Navigation Lights, Blower, etc. the oil pressure and water temp gauges would jump up. I got fed up with this issue and bought one of those gold plated ground blocks that are used for car stereo installs for about $25. I ran a 4 gauge battery cable from my second battery under the dash and attached it to the ground block which I mounted near the steering unit. I then took off my dash pod and disconnected all of my added accessories that had been grounded under the dash and ran those wires individually to the newly added ground block. I also added a second ground wire to each and every gauge ground wire under the dash and ran those individually thru the dash to the ground block as well. I then installed a new ignition breaker switch as mine was worn out and ran large ten gauge wires out of the ignition switch over to the starter switch. I was only getting 11.2 volts at the switch before. I cleaned very electrical connection and added dielectric grease to every electrical connection and checked the crimps on all factory connectors. After all of this work it is SOOOO much better. I am getting 12.59 volts at the start switch with the key on and my volt gauge when the engine is running showed 13.8 which is the highest it has ever read and is accurate for probably the first time ever. I turned on every accessory on the dash and the water temp, fuel, and oil pressure did not even flinch which has never happened before either. With every single switch turned on/accessory operating my Perfect Pa$$ also never turned off and stayed on the whole time which was also a first. This was probably over kill by adding all of those ground wires to each gauge because I think the problem was all of those accessories being grounded under the dash but it works properly now and I could not be happier.

The only thing I have left to do is I have an 8 gauge wire that I am going to run from the rear solenoid/50 amp breaker all the way up to the dash and hook that up to the ignition breaker switch for more power to the dash. I may not need it now but even though the ground issue is fixed, with all of the accessories turned on I could hear the blower drop a little and the accessory lights dim a little as well which someone told me that may just be a drop in power and not a ground issue. I was told to run a larger power wire up to the dash as the stock power wire can not handle the current draw for all of the added accessories. Hope this helps.     

We will see what the weather looks like. As of now, it looks good. I would like to camp again, but it may be a bit cold. Renee and I talked about it though.

How many people are going to be there? Not that it really matters, but just curious.

If it is going to be Sunday, I would have to say no. We have some obligations on Sunday nights now until end november. Sorry.

We went to Clinton on Saturday. It was like a hot tub. Drank beer in the lake for an hour. It is closed now though. I hope those damn birds (waterfoul) are happy and enjoy the water. GRRRRR.

need to keep in touch about when you need a hand pulling stuff out of the lake if you need help. I think you still have my number?

Later