wood stuck in my speedometer hole

How can I remove a piece of wood that is jammed in the speedo hole on my lower unit? The wood does not stick out at all..... thanks http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/praying.gif

Just give it up, thats what we all did about the third time we tried it....

Drill bit in your HAND only. I forget the size.... 3/32????? Something tiny I remember but it'll break on you so be careful.

I have used a small hook that is straightened out before and it worked fine. Something like a fine wire minnow hook.

Im with EJ,
I gave up and use the GPS..kills me as I am pretty anal about my stuff working like it is supposed to,.....

Yeah, I'd say GPS also. My speedo work for the first 10 min., that's about it. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/doh.gif

I got tired of keeping it clean. Mine has been clogged for 3 yrs.

My speedo hasn't worked a single day since I've owned my boat, didn't even work on the test drive. I gave up long ago on getting the wood out of the hole and just use the GPS. Does anyone know of a fuel flow meter gauge that would fit the hole where the speedometer is wasting space?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Spidergrub &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My speedo hasn't worked a single day since I've owned my boat, didn't even work on the test drive. I gave up long ago on getting the wood out of the hole and just use the GPS. Does anyone know of a fuel flow meter gauge that would fit the hole where the speedometer is wasting space?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I just pulled my Yamaha speedo guage out and replaced it with a Lowrance LMF 400 guage. Fit perfect and it is accurate to 2/10th of a gallon on my last few fillups.

If you have a LGC 2000 GPS Antenna, you can get speed on the guage too so you are'nt losing anything and gaining a very accurate gas guage.

Michael

Looked at the Lowrance gauge and from what I see you have to have a lowrance GPS to hook it into. Won't work for me, I have a Garmin GPS unit but that gauge does look interesting.

You can get the ant. 2000 for the LF 400 and keep your Gramin GPS. You'll have gpg, gpm, fuel level, speed and temp. They are working on hooking it up to your motor but I've not been able to find when that is going to happen. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/boardstuff2/beers.gif


Modified by kk4iz at 8:44 PM 9/21/2006

rpben9

In many cases, the yamaha speedo setup works fine. It depends on how much rubbish is in the water where you use it. For example, it is no big deal to have a small drill bit in the boat to unblock it once a year. For others, it is a constant problem and a paddlewheel or GPS unit is the way to go.

If you don't have a constant problem with this, just fix it and save your money.

It takes about 30 seconds to gently turn a drill bit by hand to unblock the hole.

Use a very small bit, I can't remember the size.

My dad made me up one by putting a plastic handle on the bit which gave it enough thickness to make the job easy. Gave you something to hang onto so you didn't drop the bit.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Spidergrub &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Looked at the Lowrance gauge and from what I see you have to have a lowrance GPS to hook it into. Won't work for me, I have a Garmin GPS unit but that gauge does look interesting.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You only need the Lowrance antenna if you want MPH or MPG on the guage. I have an old Lowrance GPS FF on my boat and just get the speed off the GPS. If I run across a good deal on tha LGC 2000 Antenna I will pull the trigger but for now I use the guage just for fuel consumption.

RE kk4iz post, Yes the guage can be hooked to the motor but it has to be a NEMA 2000 compliant motor to do so. I know you can do this with etecs but not sure of anything else.

Michael

most people do not use it anyway--mainly for bragging rights. that why they have a gps unit. its more accurate. to answer your question, a drill bit will work, but as mentioned, use ONLY your hand to turn it. put it in a drill and all the oil will come out of the lower unit--DONT DO IT!. my personal favorite is a fish hook. you MAY have one in the boat http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/eyes.gif the barb will do a great job of removeing the wood. its amazing how tight it is!

good luck!

chuck

What happens if you break the hook off in the speedo hole?

Same thing as breaking off a drill bit ... it'll be stuck in there till you can find a way

to get it all out .... http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/wink.gif

I have a broken drill bit in the speedo of my 225 HPDI, so please be careful if you use a bit. Also, if anyone has ever been able to get a bit or hook out of there, I would greatly appreciate some advice.....Thanks.... http://www.bassboatcentral.com/boardstuff2/beers.gif

The only sure way that I know of to get a drill bit or anything else out is to drop the lower unit. I have heard that eventually it will just rust away and some say that using a strong magnet can get it out.

I got so tired of trying to unplug mine on my Yamaha 150 VMAX after every trip that after I broke the drill bit off in mine I just unhooked the hose and connected it to an external lever-type pitot mounted on the bottom of the transom.

Funny thing is my Yamaha digital speedometer is more accurate using the external pitot that it ever was using the one on the bottom of the motor. It is right on with the GPS now and has been ever since.

It's a pain to keep it working. I go by my GPS, but I can't stand for something to not work either. I use a piece of .035 welding wire (from my MIG machine) take a piece about 4-6"long, bend a little triangle shape on one end (this is so you can hold it good, & twist it). Bend about a 45degree angle on the last 1/32-1/8" of the other end. It's small enough that you can get it to go past the wood debris, and then twist & pull it out. Pull The cowling off your engine, and you will find a union in the rubber hose (that runs to the speedometer). Pull the union apart, and blow the debris back out with a water hose, or some "Low Pressure" air. Mine gets plugged up pretty regularly. I just ingnore it as long as I can stand it, and then finally break down, and clean it out. **Just don't ever force the stuff farther "into" the line with pressure**, ALWAYS blow back from that union (towards your lower unit) It's pretty easy to deal with, as long as it's all at the motor. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/smile.gif

Mines been clogged for a good year or so now ,,,, i also went to the aftermarket pitot tube .... but i usually just go by the RPM's anyways .... try to keep it around 5800 ....

http://www.bassboatcentral.com/boardstuff2/beers.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/boardstuff2/beers.gif