hey.... as some of you know, i am restoring a bassboat.... it was abandoned in a fishing town, and we are fixing it little by little.

right now, the 85HP motor works, the trolling motor works, and from the 4 switches on the console, i wired 2 of them... 1 is for the bilge pump, 1 to feed the livewells, and thats all....

so, i know how to wire the lights and switches, but i would like to get the gauges as well.... the console has 5 spaces for gauges, but i think i would only use 2, for speed and fuel level.... the boat originally had a trim system, so 2 of the 5 spaces were for the trim, one for the switch and the other one for the gauge that measured the angle.... then, it also had a depth finder, which took another space.... and a fuel level and speedmeter took the other 2....

since none of the gauges work anymore, i already removed them, and i am looking to get at least those 2... i dont know what else could i need.... my motor does not have temp sensors or something like that....

so, does anyone knows where can i get the 2 main gauges?? i tried Academy but couldnt find them... and i found this on basspro but i dont know if they are just the gauge or actually all the system, which is what i need:

http://www.basspro.com/Faria-Chesapeake-Series-Fuel-Gauge/product/90990/150221

thanx!!

EBAY.

so the one i posted from basspro does not includes all the system??

so the one i posted from basspro does not includes all the system??

I dont see where it says it includes the "sending unit" but first check your tank chances are if it is a built in tank it may have one already.If your tank is built in it will have a opening somewhere on top with a few screws a gasket and more then likely a tab to hook up a wire for the guage.................try and locate it pull if possible and or take a pic so we can better help you.

As far as adding a speedometer,I see you mentioned you are only replacing a few of the guages........I would add a tachometer to measure rpm's LONG before putting a speedometer in a boat.First off it is easier to install but besides that it is VITAL to know what your engine is doing before anything else like a speedometer(that are not acurate to begin with).I know from your other thread that you will use this boat for more then one thing and also that you have added some weight by modifications.While chnces are the weight is not a big issue a tachometer is one guage i think you should not go without

thanx Robert!!

well, the tank has a sending unit, but i dont know if it is working.... and, are all the units compatible with the gauges??

also, i would like to have both speedometer and tachometer.... but i dont know how to install any of those... you mention the tachometer is easier to install... how do you do it?? i also need to get a "sending unit" and a gauge, right?? can you recommend one??

thank you!

lets start with the fuel guage.....................now most of the boats i have worked on are bigger but for the most part they are the same.You will need a multi meter and be able to pull the sending unit.When you pull the sending unit take it out and attach your multi meter,one lead to the base plate and one to the tab for a wire conectorwith the meter set to read ohms.......1-10 ohms is about the range you want,Now move the float through its range of motion while watching the readings of the meter.Now I forget what the most common scale is,but if it moves from near zero to say 4 or 8 ohms your sender is working and we can find you a guage based on these readings.............if it doesnt move we'll work on finding out why later oh and I have scene 2 types of sending units.............one is a lever on a float and the other is like a cork screw with a float..............either way just move the float and check the ohms as this is what the guage reads in order to see how much fuel is in the tank...............one last side note it is rare a fuel guage is completely accurate in a boat,just keep this in mind the first time out on the lake

speedometer,as far as I know(again been a few years so things may have changed)but all the ones I have scene use some sort of pitot tube mounted off the transom.basicly it reads the amount of water and or how fast the water is moving..............when installed from the factory they are pretty acurate but I have never had luck on non factory installs(it can be done but takes trial and error along with a tach and gps)Now I am not trying to say don't do it,I would just recomend HIGHLY to do a tach first or if you have to choose one do the tachometer first.

Tachometer installation................your engine will have a tach signal wire that will send the information the the guage,hook this up to a tach that can read the number of cylinders you have along with power when the ignition is on and you are good,no sending unit required

I recently looked at your other thread and saw the stripped wiring...............I would have done the same but you are going to want to install panels that work when the ignition is on to make things correct,neater and easier to install...................I'll check online in a few to see if I can find a example for you

http://www.ehow.com/how_7901528_do-wire-tachometer-johnson-outboard.html

This is not the best information but it will give you a good idea of what is required to install a tach.

thanx!!

yesterday i pulled the sendin unit on the fuel tank, it was inside the tank, i dont know how it fell there... i will do the multimeter test tomorrow to see if it works...

now for the tachometer, how do i know which wire is the tach signal?? i read the link, it looks very easy, i just need to know which is the wire that sends the signal, and get an appropriate gauge that can interpret it, right??

do you have a manual for the motor?If not google the year make and model I'm sure someone will have it listed somewhere.

no i dont have it, i will look for it...