1993 V4 Johnson controls

[cleve]

Can someone point me to where I can find how to connect a tach to my control harness?
Googling tells me I should have a 3 prong plug on control, but I've crawled down there twice and don't see a plug. It's a 1993 concealed control as pictured.
The boat does not have a tach and appears to never had one, because there is no hole in the dash/console. I do see a grey, purple, & black wire, but not sure how proceed.

 

[flyingscott]

Purple is power
Gray is the tach signal
black is ground

Where do the wires come from?

 

[cleve]

Purple is power
Gray is the tach signal
black is ground

Where do the wires come from?

I see a purple, grey, and black going to one of the plugs in the picture, but I can't tell exactly where they're coming from. It's hard to see back there and I'm a big guy. I'm going remove the key switch and accessory panel to see if I can find out.

 

[Strangeleak]

Sounds like you've got the right wires already exposed. May not need to take the panel off.

Hook up your tach as flyingscott mentioned and fire it up, see if it works.

 

[cleve]

The 3 wires are going to the plugs/connectors pictured. Should I just splice into them? There is more than one black wire also. I've got to find out where they're all going.

 

[Strangeleak]

If you are not sure of the amount of current that passes through that harness, I wouldn't recommend splicing into it for power and ground as it could overload the circuit and cause problems. Tachometers don't use much power though so it's up to you. The color of the power and ground wires is ultimately irrelevant. Standard is purple and black for tachometer though. Just run your own power and ground if there aren't un-harnessed ones already provided.

The grey wire on the other hand must come from the tachometer signal terminal on the rectifier, under the power pack, on the engine. I can't find a decent picture to reference on Google. I can take a picture of mine when I get home, same engine, '91 model.

Check for continuity with a multi-meter to locate the wire under the console (if one exists) on your particular setup.

Also, when you get it hooked up, these engines use Pulse Setting "6".

 

[cleve]

So, i got back down there and looked, and if there is a 3 prong plug on the control, it is well hidden. I'm going to say the plug is not there.
I did pull the panel, but you're saying I shouldn't splice into to these wires? Looking at the pic, the key switch is on the right. Kill switch far left. Middle 4 are bilge, acc, nav lights, & aerator. I could just run a power and a ground I guess, but I was trying to avoid that. The previous owner already has a depth finder, stereo, and 2 sets of bow LEDs run back there to battery, plus the engine wiring.. The guy spent a fortune on wire and connectors it seems!

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, a tachometer is a fairly common accessory in a boat. I would expect you to have three ring terminals (black, purple and grey) ready to go in your harness. Since the grey wire is the tach signal, I would trace it in and around the dashboard and see if you find the ring terminals.

Just so you know, my '98 Johnny 150HPV6 has a modular plug for the System Check tachometer, a set of ring terminals for a standard tach, plus a set of ring terminals for a trim/tilt gauge. These are all OEM, built in from the factory. The V4 from '98 has the same wiring.

 

[cleve]

Gee, a tachometer is a fairly common accessory in a boat. I would expect you to have three ring terminals (black, purple and grey) ready to go in your harness. Since the grey wire is the tach signal, I would trace it in and around the dashboard and see if you find the ring terminals.

Just so you know, my '98 Johnny 150HPV6 has a modular plug for the System Check tachometer, a set of ring terminals for a standard tach, plus a set of ring terminals for a trim/tilt gauge. These are all OEM, built in from the factory. The V4 from '98 has the same wiring.

My thought also. You'd think I would have the 3 wires and terminals up there at least. I'm going to look again, maybe I'm overlooking them.
I guess, it's also possible that someone cut them out after removing an old tach, but like I said, there's no indication of a tach ever being mounted in the boat.

 

[Strangeleak]

So, i got back down there and looked, and if there is a 3 prong plug on the control, it is well hidden.

I can't say how it was integrated with the concealed control on those years engines, but the standard control box had a tach plug on the back(facing the stern). I wouldn't think it would be on that control panel.

Regardless, you need to locate wherever the engine harness comes out of the boat/floor. You could follow just about any of the wires coming out of the ignition switch, but in this case use the yellow wire w/ red stripe. That should be the starter relay exciter if the previous owner didn't change anything. That wire should trace back to the engine harness. If you locate the harness, look for the gray tachometer wire.

If you still can't find it, go to your engine and pull the engine harness connector apart, the large red one, and look for the tach pin on the "Boat-side" of the harness(pictured). Using a multi-meter, check for continuity from that pin to any of the wires you find by the console. It's possible the PO changed the wire color.



As a last resort if you still can't find it or if it isn't there. Remove the power pack from just behind the flywheel of your engine. It's 2 nuts(careful you don't break the ground wire on the one stud) and 2 bolts, uses a 7/16 socket I believe. Gently lift that up and tilt it back. Look for the gray wire on the terminal strip coming up from the rectifier/regulator(pictured). You can run a dedicated wire from there all the way to your console. Kind of a pain, but if it's the only option......

 

[Chris1956]

Strange, The concealed throttle assembly I have which is similar to his, only had the neutral interlock switch electrical wires. The rest of the wiring harness runs to the ign switch, mounted on the dashboard. With the steering mechanism and the gauge wiring making the area overpopulated, I am hoping he simply overlooked the tach wires.

 

[Strangeleak]

Thanks Chris, that's what I figured, just didn't want to give wrong info.

But in his situation, the control panel and the console/steering mechanism are not in the same vicinity. Plus there are no gauges to muddy the water either.

Cleve, you've checked the control panel and I assume you've looked under the console by the steering mechanism. Sounds like you need to work backwards from either one of those till you find the wire/harness.

If it's not there, proceed with the "last resort" of my last post (#10).

Also, recanting one of my earlier statements, you would probably be just fine if you got your 12V from the purple wire on the ignition switch. That should be switched 12V with the key in the Run/Start position.

 

[bob johnson]

the harness from the motor should be incased in a black plastic sleeve and or may have the last few feet just wrapped in black tape... and a portion should end in a large red plug.... but near that plug should be a leg of black tape wrapped wires that are loose at the ends..and they would be Purple, grey, and BLACK( I think)...so go find the red plug that should be going to the control.. and look back alongs its length until you come to a separate leg of wires

bob

 

[cleve]

Thanks Chris, that's what I figured, just didn't want to give wrong info.

But in his situation, the control panel and the console/steering mechanism are not in the same vicinity. Plus there are no gauges to muddy the water either.

Cleve, you've checked the control panel and I assume you've looked under the console by the steering mechanism. Sounds like you need to work backwards from either one of those till you find the wire/harness.

If it's not there, proceed with the "last resort" of my last post (#10).

Also, recanting one of my earlier statements, you would probably be just fine if you got your 12V from the purple wire on the ignition switch. That should be switched 12V with the key in the Run/Start position.

I did check under the console and did not see it.
Talked with a guy from work who is an outboard mechanic also, and he said there should at least be dead end wires available if not a plug. I've been working late this week, but will dig into it this weekend.

 

[cleve]

Updating this.
I finally found the grey sense wire behind the control panel and it was a booger to dig out. I took Strangeleak's advice and ran the power & ground from the ignition switch. Got the tach mounted and its been working great. Thanks for everyone's help.