Setting up a temperature gauge?

[GregC]

I just bought a used boat with an 175hp V6 merc (think its 87 or 88). Has great compression, spits tons of water and flys. <br /><br />The previous owner only ran a tach and volt gauges. I want to set up a temp gauge. I have a tan/blue stripe coming from starboard side of the engine (near cylinder 1) which connects to a brown or tan wire on the port side. This wire seems to go to a "mini bus" which has ground coming from it and two other tan wires with females butt connectors and that's it.<br /><br />At the engine remote control harness I see a tan wire with a male butt. Should I just run a wire to connect the two. If so, which one (like I said there are two female butts on the port side near cylinder 2). I already have the gauge installed at the console using the tan wire from the harness near the key switch?<br /><br />What do I do. <br /><br />Also I am using the brown/wht striped wire (trim sender, right?) but I am getting no reading on my trim gauge.<br /><br />Many A Thanks-<br />Greg

 

[Laddies]

Re: Setting up a temperature gauge?

The tan/b wire is for the warning horn not a w/temp gauge, some V/6s have a pipe plug in one of the heads to install the temp sender, some of the older ones have to be drilled and tapped

 

[GregC]

Re: Setting up a temperature gauge?

Thanks for the reply Laddies,<br /><br />Ok the tan/b is for the warning horn great. Like I said though it connects to another terminal on the port side of the engine. And out of that terminal is a ground and two female tan wires. I know tan is temp. gauge material. Maybe one tan is for the gauge and the other for the horn. Also I have a tan male butt connector at the harness just waiting to get plugged into something. My guess is that it has to be to the temp sender.<br /><br />Thanks again,<br />greg

 

[KCLOST]

Re: Setting up a temperature gauge?

I'll have to dissagree with Laddies....<br /><br />Normally there is a Black wire from the overheat sensor on the starboard side (driver) underneath the top spark plug.. That wire comes from the overheat sensor and goes to the terminal block. Where at that point a tan wire is also connected and goes to the horn....<br /><br />On the port side (passenger) the temp sensor will be mounted under the top spark plug, and a tan/blue wire will run directly from it to the guage... (that's how mine is hooked up anyway.)..<br />That temp sensor will measure metal temps of the cylinder head. And if you have one mounted already there will be a brass threaded stud exposed to allow the lead to be attached.<br /><br />However, the overheat switch and temp sensor can be switched from one side to the other. It makes no difference... But normally the overheat switch is on the starboad (drivers) side as it is closer to the terminal block.