ok, it runs, and good! but...

Now check this out. Test light has power BRIGHT power going to the horn, dont work. Fuse for horn has power BRIGHT horn wont blow. Temp guage turn on ACC ingintion, power goes into one side (2 purple wires on post) BRIGHT, the tan wire-same as the one on the sending unit lights up but VERY DIM. It would appear that there is not enough power going to the guage? Freakin thing. I tried to run a wire from the sending unit to and see if IT had power, but all that did was nothing, as if it tapped so much juice that the light would not light (test light) I cannot, for the life of me see how the wire would "go bad" like a juvinile delinquent. Did it? the guage, or guage lamp will not lite, but there seems to be ample power getting to it (through the 2 purple wires on the right side of the temp guage and also the lamp wire) Im starting to have fun with this thing, but its hard to keep the spirits up sometimes, esepecially when you submarine the front end of a nautique and the wife gives you the evil eye!

trike,
I also worried about my original electric gauges not reading correctly on my 64 American Skier. I installed a set of mechanical gauges under the engine cover,on the motor itself.

Not the most convenient, but at least I can double check them against the factory ones.
also as stange says , check corrosion AND grounds on any electrical probs.

really has me worried about the temp guage not working. I keep opening the "hood" and feeling the risers, all good, its pumping, but I gotta get that temp guage working. Sending unit?? is that it? fuses all look good, but horn wont work either. (not high priority!) so do the sending units just "die"?