Strange tachometer readings please help.

[Bustedknuckle84]

I bought a cape craft with a 03 honda 200 hp outboard. The rpms gauge (tach) is acting wierd. with motor off the gauge is reading 1k or less constantly. with the key turned but not started the tach will move to 0rpms. then with motor on the rpm gauge will not go past 2k however when returning to idle the gage sticks at 2k then finally moves down. any ideas to test?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Strange tachometer readings please help.

Ayuh,.... Try a different Tach...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Strange tachometer readings please help.

Many instruments "float" when the ignition is OFF. So it is perfectly normal for a tach to sit at 1K and then drop to zero when the ignition is turned ON. As for sticking at 2K at idle, then a different tach may be in order as suggested. Is the calibration dial on the back of the tach set correctly for your engine?. note the current setting and then move it back and forth a few times, and then set it back to where it was. See if that helps. Sometimes the internal contacts just need to be burnished a bit.