Speedo’s not working

I would disconnect both sides and blow it out.Are the pitots the orginal to the boat?

These are the original pitot's.

Should I blow out through the stabilizer, or disconnect from the speedo and and the output side of the stabilizer. Or leave connected to the stabilizer?

Ultra, You can blow in them without damage since they are simply hollow brass tubes.

I know that blowing them out is common but be careful. We had similar issues with our speedos over the years and the marina would always use air compressor to blow them out. I would always ask them if that could hurt the boat or damage anything. They always told me no.

Well, 2 summers ago was the last time and the trouble began. We were plagued with problems. Apparently, the shot of high pressure air blew out the bottom end of one of the stabilizers. The slow leak resulted in dead batteries, burned out bilge pumps, condesation on the motor, etc. We thought is was a bad cover (replaced), cracked exhaust pipe (replaced), through hull fittings, Muffler covers (replaced), intake houses (replaced). See were I'm going?

After some beer this weekend my brother gets a wild hair and wants to see whats behind the gas tank. BINGO...he finds the leak.

I would recommend to always inspect them after using high pressure air when cleaning them out.

By the way, were can I get a new stabilizer?

DeepCreekNauti wrote: Apparently, the shot of high pressure air blew out the bottom end of one of the stabilizers. After some beer this weekend my brother gets a wild hair and wants to see whats behind the gas tank. BINGO...he finds the leak. I would recommend to always inspect them after using high pressure air when cleaning them out. By the way, were can I get a new stabilizer?

Deep Creek, From what you have said, I'll bet the stabilizer was freeze damaged and the air just "helped" the end come off. The stabilizer is a copper tube similar to the copper water piping and can handle a fair amount of pressure. However, I wouln't go crank up the compressor past 100psi.

The stabilizer can be easily made from copper pipe, reducing couplings and threaded adapters. Then compression fittings to match the pitot tubing. Make sure you use the brass sleeves on the fittings that fit inside of the pitot tubing. They are made for the soft tubing.

85, If you can, I would blow from both directions. Once you think they are clear, I would attach the speedo end and connect the pitot end to the air supply. Using a pressure regulator starting at 0 psi turn the pressure up to say 45 mph and check for leaks. It would be ideal if you could valve off the air leaving the gauge inline and see if you loose any psi over time.

85, Without a source of compressed air, I really don't know how to clean out the pitot tubing. Maybe you can get a small wire in one end but it won't go very far.The replacement tubing is available from marine supplys and isn't that expensive. I just replaced mine on my 77 Tique.
I'm also sorry to say that I don't know how to keep the weeds from the lake out of the pitot ether.

CCrider89 did you go from the dash or from the back or from the pick ups? is it easy to remove the tubes from the speedos them self.

CCrider89 wrote: Be very carefull when using compessed air. There is a previous thread which suggests a bicycle pump, which, I used and it cleared the line and also was able to test the repair I made on the frost crack in the speedo.

Yes, do be carefull. This is why I have already stated to use a pressure regulator starting at 0 psi. I seem to recall that 20 psi will give you a 50 mph reading on the speedo.

So I think I am going to try ro diconnect the line from the dash and pickup and use some compressed air to clean out the line.

Wish me luck

I had nothing but 5mph in the right side speedo

I hope this work's