guages

bill321 · Feb 13, 2013

newbie here bought a new bayliner 180 with 115 merc 4 stroke i would like to know if i can add guages such as oil temp /water temp etc would like info on my dash as to engines health/ performance dont really like bells an buzzers thanx

mercurymang · Feb 13, 2013

Re: guages

Yes you can. I'm in the same boat (so to speak). I want to add a tach and temp gauge at the least. I don't have a lot of real estate so I have located a few multi gauges that do both. Mine is a 2 cycle so I haven't looked at the oil gauges but for water, you just need to make sure you temp. sender matches up with your gauge. FYI, they have gauges for sale on iboats.

tazrig · Feb 13, 2013

Re: guages

bill321 said:
newbie here bought a new bayliner 180 with 115 merc 4 stroke i would like to know if i can add guages such as oil temp /water temp etc would like info on my dash as to engines health/ performance dont really like bells an buzzers thanx

Yes, you can add the gages you want. Just make sure the sending unit ohms rating match the gages ohms rating and you'll be fine.

Silvertip · Feb 14, 2013

Re: guages

mercurymang said:
Yes you can. I'm in the same boat (so to speak). I want to add a tach and temp gauge at the least. I don't have a lot of real estate so I have located a few multi gauges that do both. Mine is a 2 cycle so I haven't looked at the oil gauges but for water, you just need to make sure you temp. sender matches up with your gauge. FYI, they have gauges for sale on iboats.

If you have a two stroke, just what type of oil gauge are you expecting to install. Two strokes don't have oil pressure so a conventional oil pressure gauge is useless. The only oil characteristic you can measure on a two stroke is oil "level".

Silvertip · Feb 14, 2013

Re: guages

bill321 said:
newbie here bought a new bayliner 180 with 115 merc 4 stroke i would like to know if i can add guages such as oil temp /water temp etc would like info on my dash as to engines health/ performance dont really like bells an buzzers thanx

Are you certain it is oil TEMPERATURE you want to monitor and not oil PRESSURE which is far more critical in this application. Oil Temp is certainly possible but you won't likely find a gauge that matches any of the marine style gauges.

mercurymang · Feb 14, 2013

Re: guages

Silvertip said:
If you have a two stroke, just what type of oil gauge are you expecting to install. Two strokes don't have oil pressure so a conventional oil pressure gauge is useless. The only oil characteristic you can measure on a two stroke is oil "level".

Yep, don't believe I said anything about "oil" temp.

bill321 · Feb 14, 2013

Re: guages

guages i was referring to would be oil pressure and water temp for a 4 stroke 115 merc year 2012 can i install these easily and what parts would i need and can i STILL have my warning buzzers at the same time thanks

halmc · Feb 15, 2013

Re: guages

"If you have a two stroke, just what type of oil gauge are you expecting to install."

Amazing. Less than half way through the first line of text he tells you it's a four stroke. This forum (as well as many others) could use quite a bit less condescension and quite a bit more careful reading.

halmc · Feb 15, 2013

Re: guages

It's easy, and no different than fitting the same gauges to an automobile. The only difficulty is fitting the sending units under the engine cover. The engine coolant temp sensor is small and no probem, but typically the oil pressure sender is considerably larger and requires some fanegling. You will also have to run wires from the engine to your instrument panel unless you can find unused ones in your existing harness.

Most gauges that you buy at an auto supply place come with the plumbing you'll need to feed the sensors that you're adding and to maintian the existing buzzers, etc. That's cuz all modern cars (and many outboards) require sensory inputs to the engine management compuers. This is one of the rare areas in which you can probably rely to some extent on the Neanderthal behind the part counter at the auto supply place.

Almost all those gauges, irresepctive of where made, and almost all of the ports for sensors on your engine are 1/8" NPT.

Finally, I like a volt meter on my instrument panel, and it's easier to install than oil pressure or cooant temp.

oldman570 · Feb 15, 2013

Re: guages

On the newer 4 stroke motors with the ECM you can get a smartcraft gauge that has several gauges all built into one unit for those boats with limited space for gauges. A check at the Faria or Telflex websites will get you the info for all the gauges they make. On motors without the ECM ,usally 2 strokeers, you can fine just the gauges you want and the installion specs for all the gauges the manufacture makes. JMO
Oldman570

mercurymang · Feb 15, 2013

Re: guages

halmc said:
It's easy, and no different than fitting the same gauges to an automobile. The only difficulty is fitting the sending units under the engine cover. The engine coolant temp sensor is small and no probem, but typically the oil pressure sender is considerably larger and requires some fanegling. You will also have to run wires from the engine to your instrument panel unless you can find unused ones in your existing harness.

Most gauges that you buy at an auto supply place come with the plumbing you'll need to feed the sensors that you're adding and to maintian the existing buzzers, etc. That's cuz all modern cars (and many outboards) require sensory inputs to the engine management compuers. This is one of the rare areas in which you can probably rely to some extent on the Neanderthal behind the part counter at the auto supply place.

Almost all those gauges, irresepctive of where made, and almost all of the ports for sensors on your engine are 1/8" NPT.

Finally, I like a volt meter on my instrument panel, and it's easier to install than oil pressure or cooant temp.

Thanks for that great info. I was about to order a Faria Rpm gauge with a water temp gauge in it. I did not see anything about a sending unit for the water temp so I sent the supplier an inquiry. He said I would have to purchase the sending unit seperately from Faria. Any advice here?

Silvertip · Feb 15, 2013

Re: guages

mercurymang said:
Yep, don't believe I said anything about "oil" temp.

Agreed, but the OP did say OIL/WATER TEMP. So this was intended for his info. You also said you have not looked for OIL gauges. I took that to mean "for your engine" since you said you were n the same boat..

Silvertip · Feb 15, 2013

Re: guages

mercurymang said:
Thanks for that great info. I was about to order a Faria Rpm gauge with a water temp gauge in it. I did not see anything about a sending unit for the water temp so I sent the supplier an inquiry. He said I would have to purchase the sending unit seperately from Faria. Any advice here?

It doesn't matter if the temp gauge is a separate unit or part of a multi-function gauge. It still needs a temperature sender. How else would the gauge know what the water temp is? Those are typically 33 - 240 ohm units that screw into a port in the engine block. You may not have a port for that sender since the one that is there has a sender that feeds temp info to the engine management system. And no -- you cannot parallel that sender with your gauge for two reasons. 1) Paralleling resistive elements impacts the signal being set to the engine management system so it gets incorrect data, and 2) it would also make the gauge read inaccurately.

mercurymang · Feb 15, 2013

Re: guages

Silvertip said:
It doesn't matter if the temp gauge is a separate unit or part of a multi-function gauge. It still needs a temperature sender. How else would the gauge know what the water temp is? Those are typically 33 - 240 ohm units that screw into a port in the engine block. You may not have a port for that sender since the one that is there has a sender that feeds temp info to the engine management system. And no -- you cannot parallel that sender with your gauge for two reasons. 1) Paralleling resistive elements impacts the signal being set to the engine management system so it gets incorrect data, and 2) it would also make the gauge read inaccurately.

I realize it needs a sender unit. I was inquiring to see if it was included or not. Does that make sense.

To your other point. I understand what you are saying but my motor does not have engine managment per say. There is a 1/8 npt port in the block that is not being used by anything it simply has a brass plug in it.

oldman570 · Feb 16, 2013

Re: guages

What ever you deside to use for gauges is up to you , but make sure that any senders that you get are compatable for your gauges and motor. JMO
Oldman570

mercurymang · Feb 16, 2013

Re: guages

oldman570 said:
What ever you deside to use for gauges is up to you , but make sure that any senders that you get are compatable for your gauges and motor. JMO
Oldman570

It would be nice if they listed some of that info on the site wouldn't it. I'm sure it's listed somewhere in the documentation once you actually receive your gauge. That means you have to order your gauge, then seperately order the sending unit. It's seems that they would want to include the correct sending unit with the gauge. :mad-new:

mercurymang · Feb 16, 2013

Re: guages

I went and picked up a sunpro guage today for $25. It had a 1/8npt fitting which fit my block perfectly. I bought it just to verify the temp I was running at. I started it up and it went up to 150 fairly quickly. Then I observed the pee stream lesson and then the temp dropped showing that the thermostat opened up. After running for a bit, it settled at around 125. I'm not 100% sure that number is accurate but relatively speaking, I can tell that the thermostat is working and I'm not overheating.
Hear in the next few weeks, I'll pick me up a faria gauge set and get it installed in the dash.

oldman570 · Feb 16, 2013

Re: guages

The thermostat should open around 143 and settle down some afterwards. A call to Faria will get you the gauges you need and the senders for them also. All you have to do is tell them of your intentions and that you would like to buy everything to make them work. I have delt with several manufactures over the years and have always just called stright to them for any and all Questions I have had. They are there to help the customer and it is that service and products that put bread on thier tables. It doesnot matter if it is any motor , prop, boat, or accessory you need, they will help out. You can also put a water pressure gauge in the same threaded hol by using a short nipple and a T fitting and placing bothe senders/ fittings in the T, if you so wish. The pressure unit will tell you when there is a blockage or that the impeller needs to be looked into as the pressure will decrese when it happens. JMO
Oldman570

mercurymang · Feb 17, 2013

Re: guages

oldman570 said:
The thermostat should open around 143 and settle down some afterwards. A call to Faria will get you the gauges you need and the senders for them also. All you have to do is tell them of your intentions and that you would like to buy everything to make them work. I have delt with several manufactures over the years and have always just called stright to them for any and all Questions I have had. They are there to help the customer and it is that service and products that put bread on thier tables. It doesnot matter if it is any motor , prop, boat, or accessory you need, they will help out. You can also put a water pressure gauge in the same threaded hol by using a short nipple and a T fitting and placing bothe senders/ fittings in the T, if you so wish. The pressure unit will tell you when there is a blockage or that the impeller needs to be looked into as the pressure will decrese when it happens. JMO
Oldman570

thanks Oldman. I will be giving them a call in the next couple of weeks.

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