Mercruiser I/O trim gauge

[garcia1966]

Hello guys,
This is Alex from Miami, I have 1998 Monterrey Montura 196BR. I love the boat and although the season here is greater than most parts of the world for boating my job doesn;t allow me to get out often so stays in my storage; with that being said, i went out last weekend and my trim gauge doesn't work at all, I have power to the gauge and my outdrive works fine but I just hate not knowing the trim. Can you guys offer some help in what to look for? I don't mind purchasing another gauge but if I do, can I just swap it out with any Faria gauge or does it have to match the outdrive or sensors?
Thank you ahead of time for the help?

 

[Bondo]

Hello guys,
This is Alex from Miami, I have 1998 Monterrey Montura 196BR. I love the boat and although the season here is greater than most parts of the world for boating my job doesn;t allow me to get out often so stays in my storage; with that being said, i went out last weekend and my trim gauge doesn't work at all, I have power to the gauge and my outdrive works fine but I just hate not knowing the trim. Can you guys offer some help in what to look for? I don't mind purchasing another gauge but if I do, can I just swap it out with any Faria gauge or does it have to match the outdrive or sensors?
Thank you ahead of time for the help?

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard Alex, ya don't mention what drive ya got, but That's where ya wanta start lookin' for the problem, at the sender on the drive,....

 

[wrench 3]

If you get an old style 12V test light, clip it to a good ground and touch the probe to the sender terminal on the gauge. You should get some sort of a gauge reading. If you do, the gauge is probably OK.

 

[tpenfield]

Usually it is the sender on the outdrive that fails, so make sure you have that base covered. The gauges will be compatible, so long as they are for a Mercruiser, as the trim senders are not gauge specific.

 

[garcia1966]

My bad, the outdrive is a Alpha I Gen II, I do get a light that comes on at the gauge so I'm guessing that my problem might be in the sending unit itself ouch!

 

[Bondo]

My bad, the outdrive is a Alpha I Gen II, I do get a light that comes on at the gauge so I'm guessing that my problem might be in the sending unit itself ouch!

Ayuh,.... 'n ya gotta go in Deep to change 'em out,....

If ya don't know when the lower shift cable, 'n bellows were last changed,...
Ya might as well plan on replacin' ALL the rubber replaceable parts when ya pull the gimbel apart,...

 

[tpenfield]

Ayuh,.... 'n ya gotta go in Deep to change 'em out,....

If ya don't know when the lower shift cable, 'n bellows were last changed,...
Ya might as well plan on replacin' ALL the rubber replaceable parts when ya pull the gimbel apart,...

Yea, changing the sender is a real pain . . . mostly because the wiring that goes through the transom assembly is secured BEHIND everything that you can see.

I have done it with 1/4" drive socket set, with long extensions and a u-joint adapter, but it ain't pretty and it ain't quick.