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  1. #1
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    Transducer Cable Routing??

    After more than 5 hours of frustration I need some advice from the experts out there!

    Last weekend on the freeway a large piece of plastic car bumper was blown in front of me and flew up under my boat trailer shearing off my transom mounted Lowrance skimmer transducer on my 2004 Champ 196. Bought a new transducer and replaced the broken unit.

    Went to route the cable back to the console and could not get the connector through the wire and plumbing bundle on the starboard side gunnel. I used an electrical fish tape inserted through the breaker panel under the console and fished it back to the transom corner, then (with much difficulty and cussing and blood) reached back inside above and over the battery and jack plate pump and got the end of the tape to the center-rear bilge compartment. Attached the fat transducer cable connector to the fish tape and taped with electrical tape into a nice tapered shape. Lubed it with soap and tried to fish it back forward. No matter how I tried I could not get the connector to get through the crowded gunnel corner where all the bilge plumbing, control cables and wiring harnesses make the turn. Tried 4 different times with heavy cord and the fish tape and could not get the transducer cable to pass through! My arms and hands are skinned up and I'm out of patience!!!

    Any suggestions on a better method for fishing wires from the transom bilge compartment to the console???

    I noticed some screws in the carpeted "arm rest" next to the driver seat and under the binnacle control. My Mercury smart gauge is mounted there and I assumed it must be removable? I thought this might be a better and shorter way to route wires, but after removing 4 screws on top I couldn't get the panel out?? I saw no other screws or fasteners which would allow me to remove this panel or cover??

    Any help greatly appreciated! -GS

  2. Banned
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    #2
    I know the pain that you’re dealing with, total PITA the way they made it. Maybe pull your seat base? Gonna take more time, but I had to pull mine to run a few wires.

  3. Member
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    #3
    When I did it on my 196, I removed the panel where my throttle is, then opened up the two lids behind my seat and the wire bundle is visible.

  4. Banned
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    #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Champ 2001 View Post
    When I did it on my 196, I removed the panel where my throttle is, then opened up the two lids behind my seat and the wire bundle is visible.

    They changed those compartments, those boxes became solid where you can’t see the backside.

  5. Member
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    #5
    I appreciate the suggestions, but the area from the breaker panel all the way back to the stern light is nearly impossible to access...as far as I can see. I've been rigging and repairing boats for many years and this one has me stumped. I didn't try and remove the throttle and control binnacle, but I did look everywhere else for access, including under and beside the drivers seat and in the storage hatches on the starboard side. Near as I can tell, the liner is completely sealed and not access-able from anywhere on or under the deck or seats.
    Last time I fished transducer wires from back to front I think I got lucky with the fish tape and found a small clear path forward and out the breaker panel hole. This time not so much! Any other suggestions from the Champ experts out there??

  6. Born on th Llano Estacado Tx Champ's Avatar
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    Jun 2004
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    #6
    Pull a pull string through with your old cable. Go buy you a plastic For Sale sign and cut a piece of it to fashion a "nose cone" for the plug on your new cable. Wrap with electricians tape from the plastic onto the pull string. I did that when replacing my LSS-1 with a LSS-2 on my 210. The pointed nose cone really helped it come though the maze of stuff.

  7. Member
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    #7
    Thanks TX Champ for the advice. The problem when using a string to pull towards the front is the maze of plumbing, wire looms and control cables, along with flotation foam where the cable needs to turn the starboard aft corner before it can move forward. The string binds in the foam instead of turning the corner. I actually used about a half role of black electrical tape to make a tapered "cone" on the front of the cable connector. Also lubed it all up with Dawn soap. Twice it wedged so tight into the foam and wires that I couldn't go forward or back and thought I was stuck for good. Like I said earlier, not my first rodeo pulling wires, but this one is a real B--CH!

  8. Member
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    #8
    Something that has always helped me is to have a 2nd person keep tension on the end you are pulling in. When you hit a spot where it won't come to you anymore, have them pull it back an inch or two. I have had some I swore would not make it thru but having that constant tension on the other end seems to keep the loose part you are pulling out of troubles way. Good luck.
    Hans Deters

    1996 ChampioN Fishunter 190
    1996 Mariner 225 EFI
    1996 Mariner 9.9

  9. Member
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    #9
    I don't know how the seats or gas tank are in a 2004 196, but here is my 2006 198. I took the whole seat module out and set on the rear deck. From there it was easy to run even the larger cables for the LSS1 and 3DSS.

    Last edited by Ed R; 02-09-2019 at 06:52 AM.
    Ed R.


    2006 ChampioN 198 225 Optimax

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    #10
    +1 on having a second person. That's how I have run a few cables.
    GETFISHED !!!

  11. Member
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    #11
    I gave up on fishing mine around and just ran it up through the bilge to the floor drain between the seats, fished it from there over to the cup holder by the driver and then up to the boot under the dash. After that I just pulled slack and it's somewhere under the starboard side compartments and fine with me
    Charles Prue - Linthicum Heights, MD
    2003 Champion 206 Elite - 250 VMax


  12. Member
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    #12
    Thanks for all the knowledgeable replies on this! The Champion "family" is truly helpful.

    I've had a second person help me with the fish-tape and pull string every time by adding tension and pulling back and forth. The cable binds solid every time (over 10 attempts) right in the starboard corner where all the plumbing is located.

    Interesting post and photo from Ed R showing the complete seat module removed on his 2006 198. I would assume my 2004 196 is constructed the same, but there are no screw heads showing through the carpet behind the seats or down by the cockpit floor near the grab handles. I'll have to take another look and see if I can remove the seats in total. I have found the screws near the arm rests on both sides and this tells me they must be holding the seat module in place...I think?

    Going to give it another shot tonight before I disassemble the seat module!

    Thanks guys! -GS

  13. Born on th Llano Estacado Tx Champ's Avatar
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    #13
    I don't think the 196 has the mid-ship tank access like the 198. I'm thinking your 196 has a rear tank?

  14. Member
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    #14
    Tank isn't in the rear. Almost certain it's under the seats just like in your photos. I'll give it another shot tonight. Thanks again- GS

  15. Member
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    #15
    I did the exact thing last fall on my 2003 206. I'm sure your seat pan is the same. There are screws all the way around the aluminum pan, just dig around the carpet with a screwdriver and you'll find them. You may have to take the seat backs off to access the screws around the top. Taking the seat pan out gives you much more access towards that crowded rear corner. I tried several times and finally found a spot a little lower that I was able to pull it through. Don't ever want to do that again! I would probably use spidergrubs method if I had to do it again.