Ok I think I have two smart craft Gage's one tachometer(left) and one speedometer (right) the tach will show temps, fuel percentag, voltage etc and let me toggle through diff settings. The speedo literally does nothing is this something that can become unhooked or un plugged, or what do I have to do to have it work or can't they both, I have no idea as this is my first mercury engine ever. Thanks
No guesses?
Smartcraft has a specific wiring harness from motor to dash. Something can certainly come unhooked. I'd first look up under the dash to see if something is hanging loose close to the speedo. Or you can let a merc tech look at it and he will probably spot whatever it is quickly. When you say "the speedo literally does nothing" are you talking about the actual speed display or the smartcraft display window is dead? If the smartcraft window is OK, you probably have a blocked pitot that feeds water pressure to the speedo. Look at the lower unit, maybe an inch or so above the point on the front of the gear case. You should see a very small notch with a hole in the center. If you see crap in the hole, that needs to be removed. Best choice is a drill bit that just fits the hole. Use a pin vise to spin it and let it "drill" out whatever was impacted into the pitot. I believe a 1/8" drill is a perfect fit on Pro XS motors, but my pin vise chuck won't get quite that big so I carry the largest drill bit (less than 1/8") that will fit my pin vise. Don't use an electric drill, and don't use any excessive pressure as you do NOT want to drill out the back of the pitot, you just want to drill out what is probably a bit of soft wood that was impacted into the hole when running at speed.
I consider the speedo to be worthless anyway. Any good sonar unit has a GPS that shows a much more accurate speed, particularly at speeds past 45 or so.
Note that the above MIGHT not solve your problem if you hit some soft wood at 70+. If that fails, my next "tool" is a piece of 1/16" cable about 12" long. I slightly untwist the end, and bend a 1" handle in the other end. Stick the unraveled end into the pitot and twist it. That will often pick out the rest of the stuff. If not, step 3 is to blow water backward. You can drop the lower unit and use a small syringe to force water through the rubber tube you have to disconnect. You can unhook the water tube at the speedo and use a larger syringe there (larger because there will be a lot of compressible air in the line and you need to build up enough pressure to blow the trash out.
Last edited by OldTimer57; 04-27-2017 at 11:13 PM.
2008 Bass Cat Pantera Classic
2014 Mercury Pro XS 200
The speedo, being digital should read it's speed from you gps units. It needs to be connected via either NMEA 0183, or NMEA2000.
There are various configurations based upon what GPS graph units you have and what generation the Smart Craft gauges are.
The most simplest connection is the blue NMEA "transmit" wire from the graph to it's corresponding "receive" wire on the smart craft.
The GPS graph has to have NMEA 0183 turned on to send the speed info (somewhere in communications settings). Check that first as it might that simple to solve (also the GPS graph unit has to be on)
The smart craft speedo is most likely not run off the motor via the water tube.
Here is a generalized manual for smart craft:
https://dmna.ny.gov/nynm/manuals/Mer...ons_Manual.pdf
Last edited by catmantwo; 04-28-2017 at 01:35 PM.
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Ok... ya it does nothing... meaning nothing works! it's a 2016 boat so I'm betting a trip to a tech would be the best cours of action here since I have no clue...I was just trying not to rack up another $100 plus in diagnostic charges as I'm sure I'll be told it's not a warranty problem! Thanks for attempting to help me out!
I thought the speedometer Smartcraft showed air temp and oil resevior levels
don't do anything
The GPS output on the graph menu must be turned on, and the you may have to turn on the input in the gauges.
Is there someone i can call this week before I take it to a shop to have it looked at... I spoke with the previous owner and he didn't think it was ever working?
The simplest is to check the harness on the back of the gauge to be sure it's plugged in. Then if it is the gauge might be faulty and that's a Mercury warranty part. We don't see many gauges bad or wires loose on gauges with a Smart Craft system.
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