Speaking of gauges

[guidera48]

I am also working on my Tach. I found a new Yanmar tach the P.O. had purchased and installed. Did not work. I found that the new tach has 2 wires and the harness has 4. Plug is different also. I will figure it out eventualy.
My question is regarding the oil and water sensors. The boat has a water gauge (after market) that is stuck at 130 degrees. Can the engine sender still be used and install an automotive gauge. Most gauges come with their own sender. Do I have to use it and will it fit??
Also, can a oil gauge ( what should I use : pressure or Temp??) be installed using the existing sensor or a new sensor is needed to match the new gauge??

Can these gauges be installed and still retain the idiot lights?? Should they gauges be wired before the lights??

I hope I make sens.

Thanks in advance.
Jose

 

[Steve Dion]

Jose:

If you want buzzers & gauges both, you need to tee of the existing positions on the block. My understanding is the oil pressure connection is very small and this one should be connected with a flexible hose that is suitable for the application. There are also some issue with different thread types for the fittings.

 

[Allan12210]

Jose,

I used automotive gauges. Make sure the ones you use are electric. Some of the oil gauges have a little tube that the oil flows through to the gauge and the water gauge has a copper tube thermocouple. I didn't care for those as they limited how far away I could mount them and I didn't want any oil leakis making a mess. The electric ones come with a sender and can be extended quite far from the engine. I've attached photos of how I mounted my oil/temp/volts/amps gauges. I fabricated my own lenses to protect them using PVC pipe and acrylic faces on my lathe. I think sealing them with silicone would work just as well.

The oil sender is mounted directly under the factory sender. That way the alarm still works too. It turns out on the Yanmar 3GMF the casting has a second threaded hole. There is a pipe plug up underneath that is removed with an Allen wrench. I bought a set of brass metric to English adapters and found the correct one to go into the engine and the sender screwed into that. They should be available at auto stores.

The water sender was done pretty much the same way. I found an unused tap off the thermostat housing and with a different adapter in the set screwed in the sender. The alarm still works as well.

Hope this helps.

Allan

 

[Ed Schenck]

Nice Allan. Really a good answer and solution to the lack of gauges. My original 2QM20 had an aftermarket VDO panel with all the gauges. Now with my new 3YM30 I have only a tach. I'll have to think about where to mount gauges, maybe like you have done.

 

[guidera48]

Allan
Thank you very much for your information. You have saved me lot's of research time. I know which way to go now. I have removed the Yanmar dash and inserted a 1/2" piece of Starboard, 12" at the top, 11" at the bottom and 8" high. On that new panel, I remounted the Yanmar dash, slightly higher that it was originally and that alllowed me to install three 2" gauges just bellow the dash. I ordered a water temp, an oil pressure and a voltmeter. I liked the new white faced gauges but I decided that black gauges would be more visible on a white panel. Now I have all the gauges in one location.

I covered the whole thing with a piece of 1/8 lexan and drilled 2 holes, one for the key and one for the pushbutton starter. That way, it's pretty much covered from the weather. Later on I will make a small sunbrella cover with four snaps to keep the sun and rain out while the boat is not in use.
I will post the pictures on the owner's mods journal soon.
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

Jose

 

[Ed Schenck]

Sounds like an elegant solution Jose. I look forward to seeing the pictures. I can't visualize how there is room below the current panel for 2" gauges. As you can see mine pretty much fills the space. Nice varnish work too.

 

[guidera48]

Here is the final result. I followed Allan's sudgestions and purchased the electric sender version of the gauges. I now have oil pressure, water temp, voltmeter and the existing hour meter. I removed the original yanmar dash and cleanned it. I made a cardboard template of the recessed area and made a 1/4 thick Starboard plate. I re installed the Yanmar dash about 1/2 higher and was able to fit my 4 gauges under it. The only unexpected find were two bolts that hold the traveller track that were pocking through. I cut them flush with the nut and voila.
I am making a clear lexan cover for the panel.
Now I have to wire them.

Thanks for the help.

Jose

 

[Allan12210]

Jose,

That looks great! I didn't realize that your boat had that nice area to install (and protect) the gauges. Good luck with the wiring...I don't think you will have too much trouble with that.

Allan