What instruments do you have?

[joe_db]

Yes it does.
Once anchored in the Westport (Mass) River the knotmeter was sitting on a steady 5 knots!

The knot meter on the MC was not functioning properly when I bought her so I disconnected it. On a calm day, using my GPS, I made runs at varying RPMs to set a base RPM/MPH list. I use MPH because the ICW is in statute miles. So I know how fast I should be going and can determine the effect of wind and current. I can usually judge my speed fairly closely by observing the bubbles off the stern. This system does not work well when in a current. It is basically opposite. If the bubbles are ripping by I am probably going slower than expected for the RPMs into a strong current. If they are slow moving I am likely moving faster than expected with the current. Does the knot meter give the same “reversed” readings? If anchored in a 2 knot current does the meter read 2 knots? Dan S/V Marian Claire

[joe_db]

Only 89% have water temp gauges
If I could only have ONE gauge, that would be it.

[hanleyclifford]

On board instruments

voltmeter, ammeter, oil pressure (2), water temp (2), water pressure, tachometer, fuel pressure, fuel level, air/fuel ratio, hourmeter. In tool kit, tach/dwell, strobe timing light and compression gauge. Close monitoring of engine functions can yield big benefits in efficiency, safety, convenience and early warning.

[ndutton]

voltmeter, ammeter, oil pressure (2), water temp (2), water pressure, tachometer, fuel pressure, fuel level, air/fuel ratio, hourmeter.

Do you take this same approach on all your engines or just the A4? Why or why not?

[joe_db]

When flying a nicely equipped airplane, I'll have a tach, manifold pressure, oil pressure, oil temperature, fuel level, fuel pressure, fuel flow (GPH), EGT for each cylinder, and CHT for each cylinder along with electrical gauges.

My car has any parameter you can imagine available when I plug the laptop into the diagnostic port.

I still want to know who doesn't have water temp????????????

Do you take this same approach on all your engines or just the A4? Why or why not?

[hanleyclifford]

At this point in my engine tinkering life only the A4 gets the detailed monitoring. I do this because the A4 lends itself to many adjustments by the user which contribute to fuel efficiency and engine performance and longevity. I can do little with my truck except keep fluids and filters current and provide quality fuel. Likewise the chainsaws, tractors and other landscaping tools.

[keelcooler]

Joe, My fathers 1961 H-28 w/an a4 had no temp gauge nor thermostat. When she overheated we would smell the paint backing off. I recently installed a temp/water pressure gauge combo from MMI on my 50 year old Pearson. Reads around 6 psi at 1600 rpm.
Product No. - GAUG_07_97
Ametek Temperature/pressure gauge

Direct reading temperature/pressure gauge. Installs in the front of late model heads.

[rigspelt]

I recently installed a temp/water pressure gauge combo from MMI on my 50 year old Pearson. Reads around 6 psi at 1600 rpm.

Aha - this is actually the first direct pressure read I've found for the A4, and at the top end of the ballpark for what I had estimated to be the coolant pressure. The heat exchanger cap is rated to 7 psi, so I presumed it was 2-5ish. Is this raw water, or enclosed antifreeze cooling?

[keelcooler]

Rigs, Seems to hover between 5 & 6, raw water cooled. Two year old pump w/manually cleaned out jackets. Although I purchased only for the temp function it may help in identifying a restriction down stream from the head. The psi top gauge starts at 5, I would wish it was lower.

[Joesailboater]

All I have at the moment is an ammeter, a questionable water temp. gauge and a busted fuel gauge. The birch dowel will not work on my boat. Fill hose is too long and curved.

So....not being an electrician, (yet...because i'm relatively new to boat ownership) I am looking through the catalogs for a replacement fuel gauge.

I have a choice between 12V gauges that are either 10/80 ohms or 240/330 ohms. Since I am not sure what an ohm is, I don't know what to order.
Without further research I can only guess that an ohm is a measure of resistance.
What ever it is, I don't know which to buy for my 1974 12V system.

I plan to purchase a tach. and a new water temp. gauge also so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[rigspelt]

I plan to purchase a tach. and a new water temp. gauge also so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I am very pleased with the tach and temp gauges I bought from the MMI online store at this website.

With respect to ohms -- issue is to get a matched sender for the pressure or temperature gauge. Tach does not need a sender, it senses RPM through a wire attached to the coil.

[wlevin]

Fuel level, volts, oil pressure, 2 water temp (in cabin and at steering station-Don found me a special sender that would feed appropriate signals for two heads), tach (my favorite instrument for the engine- I am used to what the A4 should sound like at each rpm level. For example, I get suspicious if it sounds like it is laboring at 1800 rpm. Prop nasty, whatever.) gps and through-hull knotmeters for comparison. Lastly, two depth meters, one of which is a nifty one that transmits depth to a carry-arond puck and whose transmitter is immersed in mineral oil in a short pvc tube/reservoir glued to the inside of the hull.

[domenic]

My engine instrument is a hammer.

[Dave Neptune]

Hammer?

Perhaps if you learned about tools and gages your A-4 would have less dents and run smoother.

I just couldn't resist!

Dave Neptune

[ILikeRust]

I have to admit I actually don't know for sure which gauges I have. I do know I have oil pressure, temp and tach. I know I have a couple more, but I don't recall what they are. It's been so long that I've actually had the engine running in the boat, plus half of them didn't work anyhow. I'm going to be replacing them with new soon anyway, so I'll take stock of what I've got then.