Tach cutting on and off

Starr MUrray

Cadet
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
14
I have a 1991 Evinrude 88hp with a teleflex tachometer. Here is the problem. It keeps cutting on and off the entire time the boat is running. It has to be a bad connection somewhere it ran fine two months ago. I checked the wires from the tach to the control box plug in, they are fine. What's the next step in troubleshooting the problem? Do I break into the control box or start looking under the cowling. The tach is fairly new could that be going bad?
 

chuckz

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
625
Re: Tach cutting on and off

Intermitttent problems are the hardest to fine. You need to find out if you have a power problem or a signal problem. Connect a voltmeter to the power input to the gauge, at the gauge. Check and see if the voltage varies as the tach cut in and out. If not, switch the meter to AC and connect to the signal input at the tach. If the voltage drops in and out you have a signal problem. Now you know which connection to troubleshoot.<br /><br />For this testing an old analog meter would actually work better than a digital meter. If you can find a Simpson 260 VOM use that.
 

mikebc

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
111
Re: Tach cutting on and off

Mine did the same in a 1987, it was the tach.
 
Top