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RPM Gauge stuck

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Georgiaboy67

Advanced Contributor
I am currently fixing my engine, (REMAN Powerhead) and I want to break it in properly, but none of my gauges work except the trim gauge, and it only works sometimes. The RPM gauge is stuck at 2000 RPMS and idk what it could possibly be, if it's the gauge or wiring or both, hasn't worked in over 10 years but now the boat is mine and I'd like for them to work. Speedometer doesn't work, fuel gauge doesn't work, warning system lights don't work, (Really could use that one) any ideas? Young rook trying to learn the basics without paying a mechanic to do the work for me for a lot of money.
 
You need to try to find the wiring diagram for that engine. Online searches will likely turn up one. If the engine is less than 20 years old, then it likely complies with standard wiring color codes used by all marine engine manufacturers. Even if it older than 20 years, it will likely be similar.

First thing to do is check the battery to make sure it is fully charged and holds a charge well. The second thing you do is check the wiring harness that goes from the engine to the console. Look for corroded or broken connector pins on each end. Look for cut wires. repair anything that you see wrong.

Then get a good multimeter that measures DC voltages, continuity, resistance, and tests diodes. Make a couple of extension wires, 12 gauge strand, say 4 feet long, with alligator clips on each end. Then you go on a bug hunt, making sure each gauge and alarm is connected. Most gauges have three terminals - positive, negative, and signal. They may also have a fourth terminal for the internal light. The signal wire will feed into the wiring harness and travel to the engine where it connects to the appropriate sensor.

It just takes a lot of investigation and patience to track down electrical problems like yours.
 
Good advice. Additionally check the Teleflex website. You can download troubleshooting guide for all engine guages. That should work regardless of manufacturer.
Tachometers normally go to zero or some numbe when voltage is applied as a self test. I just repl
aced both Tachs on my 25 year old boat. They were intermittant and would swing to a high rpm if you thumped them. The new ones work fine.
 
Well none of these things work except the trim gauge, and even then I have to hit the gauge a few times for it to work, so many blown bulbs and broken wires and pig tails and loose wires I'm not even gonna attempt, just gonna buy new gauges and call it a day
 
New gauges are fine, but if you want to do it right and save yourself a lot of future problems, just rewire the whole forward section, starting from the wiring harness forward. I know it's a PITA, because I've done it several times on old boats. But when you're done, you'll have confidence that things will work properly. Use top notch marine grade (tinned) stranded wire. Seal every connection with self-sealing connectors, or heat shrink tubes. I also use liquid electrical tape on all terminal connections. Use string tags to identify each wire and make liberal use wire guides.
 
Okay so I found the issue. Big face palm to myself, the fuse panel doesn't have any hot wire running from the fuse panel to the battery, he said just connect it to the positive end of the panel to the battery with about a 12 gauge wire. My question is where is this "positive end of the fuse panel most likely? I cannot get a picture up for the life of me, and how do I connect it? I really don't see a positive or negative end? Help a rook would be greatly appreciated like everyone has been!
 
all the fuses are fed by the positive side of the battery...you should have a bus bar or something common to one side of all the fuses to connect to...the question is why they were disconnected to start with... I agree with Chawk however...if that wiring has not been used in 10 years you are going to run into problems with corroded connectors and everything else that could go wrong...its time to rewire .....
 
That's something I can't seem to figure out. It was my great grandpas boat that he bought in 97, well about 4-5 years later
he gave it to my uncle, and had it til this year when I got it from him. He told me when he got it from my great grandpa the gauges had already stopped working. All I took was a red wire, touched the fuel gauge purple wire, and touched it to the positive side of the Battery and all the gauges worked. Everyone of them, even the tach. The wire sent a weak signal since it was just 18 gauge wire.. As soon as I got on plane the tach went down to 0. It was working great in idle
 
wire the fuse panel in correctly...the ground side is probably good as the gages worked when you applied voltage...use some logic in troubleshooting and quit playing touchy-touchy with wires and jumpers or you are going to damage something that appears to be basically working...
 
I just wanted to see if they worked at all before I even sttempted to dig through that mess. I honestly don't have any patience to re wire everything, though it
need it and Id
feel a lot more comfortable about them working,but my patience runs too thin when it comes to electrical issues
 
Dealing with an old boat and old motor requires logic and patience. No way around that. Most folks that hang out on these forums take pride in diagnosing and repairing things and we are always learning new things. That's the fun of it all.
 
I agree, it feels really good to know I got somethin working again, especially when no one is physically there to help me out or teach me, this forum and my brain is all I have, besides the good lord above, but just looking at what I have to do makes my eyes cross cause following one set of wires just disappears on this one it's nothing I've ever seen before
 
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