enginesilo
Petty Officer 1st Class
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2008
- Messages
- 355
So I just got my boat a few weeks back and have been out 3 or 4 times. The temperature gauge is acting up a bit and I wanted to feedback and advice.
The boat is a 2005 Sea Ray 180 Sport with the 3.0L Mercruiser Engine. It has bout 27 hours on it and was like brand new when I got it at 23 hours.
Here is the scenario:
Now if I leave the boat and let it get fully cold, like the next day, the gauge will usually still be stuck at the hottest temp the boat ran at when the key is in the off position. If I turn the key to the on position, the gauge will fall all the way down to 100, which is zero on this gauge. Now if I turn the key to the off position right after turning it on, it will go to 130 and stay there.
So basically when the engine is cold, the gauge reads 130, but when I turn the key on it goes down to 100/zero and climbs as the engine runs to the 190+ mark.
I was told that this engine should be running around 160. Think the gauge is reading 30 degree's off and that is why it is in the 190 range? Since the cold engine keeps the gauge at 130 when off and not 100, it makes sense, but I want to be sure I am not running at 190+ degree's.
Is there an easy way to test this? If I run it on the hose and put a thermometer in the water coming out the back would that be a quick way to test, or would the water loose too much of its temp on the way out? I was thinking of sticking a digital thermometer in the water to see if it is over 160 degree's since that would tell me immediately. Also considered buying an infrared thermometer but don't want to spend the cash if there is another way to do it with something I have around.
Could it be running too hot? Could it be the gauge? Could it be the sending unit? The boat has 27 hours so the impeller is young, and I considered changing it but would rather try to test other ways before going through that trouble. The running temp stays on the spot consistent at the 190 range so that leads me to think that it isn't the impeller.
Any feedback and opinions will be helpful.
The boat is a 2005 Sea Ray 180 Sport with the 3.0L Mercruiser Engine. It has bout 27 hours on it and was like brand new when I got it at 23 hours.
Here is the scenario:
- When the boat is off and the key is turned in the off position, it reads 130. The gauge starts at 100 so it stays 30 degree's above.
- When the boat is running and fully up to temp, the gauge reads 190 to 195 degree's.
Now if I leave the boat and let it get fully cold, like the next day, the gauge will usually still be stuck at the hottest temp the boat ran at when the key is in the off position. If I turn the key to the on position, the gauge will fall all the way down to 100, which is zero on this gauge. Now if I turn the key to the off position right after turning it on, it will go to 130 and stay there.
So basically when the engine is cold, the gauge reads 130, but when I turn the key on it goes down to 100/zero and climbs as the engine runs to the 190+ mark.
I was told that this engine should be running around 160. Think the gauge is reading 30 degree's off and that is why it is in the 190 range? Since the cold engine keeps the gauge at 130 when off and not 100, it makes sense, but I want to be sure I am not running at 190+ degree's.
Is there an easy way to test this? If I run it on the hose and put a thermometer in the water coming out the back would that be a quick way to test, or would the water loose too much of its temp on the way out? I was thinking of sticking a digital thermometer in the water to see if it is over 160 degree's since that would tell me immediately. Also considered buying an infrared thermometer but don't want to spend the cash if there is another way to do it with something I have around.
Could it be running too hot? Could it be the gauge? Could it be the sending unit? The boat has 27 hours so the impeller is young, and I considered changing it but would rather try to test other ways before going through that trouble. The running temp stays on the spot consistent at the 190 range so that leads me to think that it isn't the impeller.
Any feedback and opinions will be helpful.