Sea Ray tachometer replacement

[boatrboy]

My tach was acting strange last year. It would read 4500 rpms at cruise which drove me nuts for days trying to figure out what was fouled :smt021 . It was just the tachometer and if I tap it, it jumps right back to normal. Does anyone know if these "Sea Ray" Tachs are repairable or the cost of a replacement?

 

[tc410]

I do not believe they are repairable, or worth repairing. One of my tachs went goofy last summer and was replaced under warranty, but I believe it was around $125.

By the way, does anybody know a trick to advance the lcd hour meter so it matches the other tach (other than leaving the engine switch in "on" without the engine running)?

 

[Sea Gull]

I replaced the tach 6 or 7 years ago. I bought the new one from my dealer and they spun it up to the correct hours for me.

 

[Divedaddy]

I just ordered two for my '97 330 DA - $136.50 each.

 

[boatrboy]

Thanks for the input. I went to the dealer twice but the parts guy was not in either time so I wasn't sure about the replacement price. I didnt know they could advance the hours :thumbsup: .

Thanks - Mark

 

[tc410]

Seagull,

When you say the dealer spun yours up, were they the little roller numbers or the digital lcd hour meter?

 

[Sea Gull]

Sorry, they were the newer digial ones.

I'm showing my age with the word spun. But then again I also still dial the phone that has push buttons and once in a while I still check what's to eat in the icebox. :smt100

 

[osd9]

Sorry, they were the newer digial ones.

I'm showing my age with the word spun. But then again I also still dial the phone that has push buttons and once in a while I still check what's to eat in the icebox. :smt100

Every once in a while I actually get UP and change the channel on the TV.....just for old time sakes....

 

[boatrboy]

Sorry, they were the newer digial ones.

Do you think that I could convert mine (1999) to the digital one? I am assuming the wires would be the same, one power, one coil, one ground, and one light. What do you think? Were your original one's digital or did you convert?

Thanks - Mark

 

[tc410]

Just to be clear, it's only the hourmeter that is digital. The tach is still the dial type.

But yes, I think you could use the digital one in place of the little roller numbers. The "clock" component for the hourmeter is inside the tach and simply operates when power is applied to the unit whether the engines are running or not.

 

[osd9]

By the way, does anybody know a trick to advance the lcd hour meter so it matches the other tach (other than leaving the engine switch in "on" without the engine running)?

Could you simply apply 12volts to the terminals for a few days until the clock matches? :smt017 of course, you would have to make sure you removed the 12volts at the right time or you may go over...and then maybe -12 volts would turn the clock backwards.. :huh: ..anyone know if this would work....

 

[wish2fish]

Dominic,
If you go over, you would just have to take the boat out to get the hours closer! oops! Sorry honey, you go visit you mother, I'll have to get this boat thing straightened out.

 

[Fred]

I think that the newer boats with Smart craft capability store the hours run in the ECU. In that case a replacement tach with a digital readout would automatically read correct hours run.

 

[330DA]

DiveDaddy,
Did you order your tachs from the Dealer or another source?

 

[boatrboy]

Update - I called my Sea Ray dealer today and they advised me that the tachometer with the digital hour-meter will only work with smartcraft motors. He said I need the original one, which was in stock. I forgot to ask him about rolling the numbers forward...

I guess the digital display only shows you what is on the smartcraft - But - this is info only from the parts guy.

I will pick up my shiny new tach this week :grin: .

Thanks for the replies!

 

[osd9]

Update - I called my Sea Ray dealer today and they advised me that the tachometer with the digital hour-meter will only work with smartcraft motors. He said I need the original one, which was in stock.

I don't necessarily agree with that....my 1998 330DA with 7.4MPI NON Smartcraft engines had tachs with LCD digital hour meters...

 

[fwebster]

The dealer is wrong...........perhaps the latest tach is for Smartcrap only, but the Teleflex tachs supplied right after the ones with mechanical hour meters had LCD hour meters and they are compatible with older wiring.

I had the older style mechanical tachs which failed. At the time, the only replacement was a Sea Ray tach with a slightly different bezel and digital hour meters. I ordered them to get the Sea Ray logo and installed them and they work fine.

I also understand that Teleflex can now run up the digital hour meter to whatever hours the owner desires to match the actual engine time on the tachs being removed. It takes longer so some lead time is required. The tachs with the Sea Ray logo are not that expensive.....roughly $165 as I recall.

Talk to the dealer and force them to get the right tach and order them with the digital hour meters set as you wish.

 

[boatrboy]

.....But - this is info only from the parts guy

I am glad I qualified my note...

Thanks Guys, I thought this sounded odd after reading the previous posts so I updated to see if anyone had first hand knowledge of this issue. The dealer has 4 older versions in stock so I asked if he was offering a "close out" discount and he said YES. Let me ask - are the LCD versions any better?? BTW He priced it at $130.

 

[tc410]

Definitely agree with Frank and Dominic here. I am 100% positive that my CAT's aren't Smartcraft.

Per my copy of the warranty invoice, the tach (part #1291384) was $135. As I posted earlier, it has the lcd hourmeter. Off topic, but they also replaced a fuel gauge at the same time with a cost of $29 (also warranty).

I figure that Dominic was right about applying 12 volts to the tach for the number of hours to match the other one. With 240 hours on the engines, I'd have to leave it hooked up for exactly 10 days. I don't trust myself to remember to un-hook the juice 10 days from now. If I forget, I'd have to leave it hooked up long enough to roll-over and go back to 240. I wonder how many years that would be?

 

[fwebster]

The newer tachs with the LCD hour meter are very dependable and a substantial improvement over the previous design which was hinky.

I'm kind of a purist on the service record for my boat. I recorded the hours we changed the tachs, noted in the service record the hours on the old tachs and that the new ones started at "0". I have also retained the old tachs with my spares to give to the new owner so he can verify the accuracy of the service record.......that is, if I ever sell the boat.