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keatonboat1 · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 37 Location: central calif.

Well, the Keaton is now running great - thanks to heatseeker, but I've just developed a weird issue with my gauges. They appeared to be working ok when I had the boat out a few weeks ago and I believe they were ok last week. However, yesterday I noticed that it's now doing the following:

When I turn the key to the "on" position the water temp and fuel gauge both peg down to zero. When I start the boat they
remain in that position. When I turn the key to the "off" position the needles return to a more normal position. When I turn the
key to "on" the voltmeter will go up to about 12v, stall for a second and then go up another volt. Oil pressure seems to be ok
and doesn't go to zero when the key is turned on. Any help would be appreciated.

These are all older Stewart-Warner electric gauges. I checked under the dash and everything seems ok there - can't find any loose/broken wires or shorted wires. The terminal block on the engine bell housing seems ok.

The boat starts right up and appears to run great.

Any ideas on where to go from there?

Thanks, Mark
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Mark
www.keatonboat.com

fleetimus · Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 10:55 am Post subject:

Double and triple check the ground.
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Tim Team BFH

keatonboat1 · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 37 Location: central calif.

Thanks Fleetimus. I'll check it again, but I haven't been able to see any issues with it. I checked the main ground from the block to the battery and then at the terminal block and they seem ok. Grounds between the gauges all ohm out ok. I checked for bare wires around the block and behind the dash and I don't see anything. I checked all the connections at the terminal block and at the gauges and I don't see any issues there. Everything appears nice and tight. Not sure where to go after I check the ground again.

Mark
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Mark
www.keatonboat.com

keatonboat1 · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 37 Location: central calif.

Well, I checked all the ground points again, at the terminal block, where it ties into the block and at the gauges and I can find nothing wrong. I disconnected the radio and that didn't change anything. I check all the signal connections between the oil, water temp and fuel sender and they appear ok.

The tach works ok and the oil pressure gauge appears to read oil pressure, but both the water temp and fuel gauge needles go down to zero and stay there even with the boat running.

Is it possible that the MSD dist. or coil can cause a problem? What's odd is that with everything hooked up when you turn the key to on the voltmeter will go to 12v, delay a second and then go up to 13v. I disconnected the dist. ground and the voltmeter went straight up to around 13v without that delay.

Mark
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Mark
www.keatonboat.com

fleetimus · Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 2:52 pm Post subject:

O the water temp, try this. Disconnect the wire at the sender, turn the key on and touch the wire to the block. If the gauge is good, it should go to hot. If it does, the sender or wire is bad.
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Tim Team BFH

Big Nasty · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 720 Location: San Pablo CA

keatonboat1 · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 37 Location: central calif.

Thanks, I'll go try that. BTW, is it safe to disconnect the MSD dist. plug and turn the key to on to see what happens with the gauges?

Mark
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Mark
www.keatonboat.com

Big Nasty · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 720 Location: San Pablo CA

I don't see what it could hurt you are talking about the power source plug right if so it shouldn't hurt anything
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Kris a.k.a. Big Nasty
79 Tahiti 472 BBF,w/Panther
San Pablo,CA

keatonboat1 · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 37 Location: central calif.

I took off the water temp sending unit wire, turned the key to on, grounded the sending unit wire to the block and the needle pegged to hot. Needle then settled around 150 degrees. Hooked the sending unit wire back up to the sending unit. Left the key off and measured the resistance between the sending unit post and ground and got 91 ohms -seems about right. Turned the key back on and the needle pegged to cold, fuel temp pegged to empty, oil pressure needled move slightly lower (although it will read oil pressure with the engine running), voltmeter goes to 12v stalls and then goes to 13v.

Yes, Big Nasty, on the MSD marine dist. I'm thinking of unplugging the 3-wire harness that goes from the dist. to the coil and ground.

Mark
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Mark
www.keatonboat.com

Big Nasty · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 720 Location: San Pablo CA

check your pms
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Kris a.k.a. Big Nasty
79 Tahiti 472 BBF,w/Panther
San Pablo,CA

fleetimus · Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 3:42 pm Post subject:

What's with the PMs???????????????????
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Tim Team BFH

Big Nasty · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 720 Location: San Pablo CA

fleetimus · Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 3:50 pm Post subject:

I'm at work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Tim Team BFH

Big Nasty · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 720 Location: San Pablo CA

did you check and make sure you have Bat voltage at the switch and across the back of each guage??
_________________
Kris a.k.a. Big Nasty
79 Tahiti 472 BBF,w/Panther
San Pablo,CA

Big Nasty · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 720 Location: San Pablo CA