missing hours meter?

[vitaming]

I just bought a 1990 Bayliner Capri w/a 5.7 mercruiser alpha one. There isn't an hours meter on the guages and I looked in the engine compartment with no luck. Anyone know where or if there is an hours meter on this make/model?

 

[H20Rat]

Re: missing hours meter?

most likely there never was an hour meter...

Hour meters in boats are pretty much worthless at judging the condition of it. Some hour meters run with the key on, forget the key overnight and its +12 hours. Most can be disconnected with a very quick spade quickconnect, quite a few can be reset, and thats even if its the original one. You don't know how many have been replaced since new.

Newer boats (and almost all PWC's) are coming with computerized hour meters tied into the boats ECU, and you can either see it on the dash or read at a dealership. Still possible to get around this system, but fairly hard.

 

[seabob4]

Re: missing hours meter?

As smoking stated, there probably never was one. Bayliner doesn't install a $7 trim gauge (that's what we pay for Faria's at OEM cost), they are certainly not going to install an hourmeter...

 

[vitaming]

Re: missing hours meter?

Thank you both for the insight.

 

[JZammetti]

Re: missing hours meter?

I have a 2005 Bayliner 185, I had a mechanic install one only to come on when the engine is running. I was also told that for about $85.00 (one hour of labor) the mechanic could read the hours off my 3.0L Merc engine.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: missing hours meter?

I have a 2005 Bayliner 185, I had a mechanic install one only to come on when the engine is running. I was also told that for about $85.00 (one hour of labor) the mechanic could read the hours off my 3.0L Merc engine.

yep, newer engine... They can just plug in the diagnostic computer and see what pops up. (didn't exist on 1990 though) The one way around that system is if you have had the ECU replaced. Depending on brand/model, they MIGHT be able to set the hours the same as your old one, assuming your old one still works enough to even get the data off.