Faria Oil Temperature Gauge

[RedDog]

Season before last my gauge worked intermittently so at the start of last season I had the local shop repair - they replaced the sending unit. Well, that resulted in the guage not working at all. Not wanting to lose boating time I didn't take it back. Just got through doing some trouble shooting and the gauge seems to work properly when testing with jumpers (jumpered gauge sending unit terminal to ground terminal - gauge pegs with key turned to on). My testing ability was somewhat low when it came to testing further back to / from the sending unit. Any tips? I think will take it to a shop again, but hope someone has an easy answer.

[AVickers]

Ground the terminal wire at the sending unit. If the meter pegs, you probably have a bad sender -- or your shop didn't install the correct unit for the Faria. If nothing happens you have bad wiring... Start checking continuity between the gauge and the sending terminal.

Also, check your engine ground.

<small>[ March 08, 2003, 04:32 PM: Message edited by: AVickers ]</small>

[MOP]

The shop may have use Teflon tape, the new sender may not be making a good ground. This happens often more than you would think. Try tightening it a little or remove and re-tape with only two layers or better yet use liquid sealer which is far better on senders.

<small>[ March 11, 2003, 07:31 AM: Message edited by: M.O.P. ]</small>

[RedDog]

AVickers:
Ground the terminal wire at the sending unit. If the meter pegs, you probably have a bad sender -- or your shop didn't install the correct unit for the Faria. If nothing happens you have bad wiring... Start checking continuity between the gauge and the sending terminal.

Also, check your engine ground. When you say ground the terminal wire, do I need to disconnect from the sender first - does it matter? And pardon my ignorance, but how do I know which is the oil temp terminal and which is the oil pressure terminal? If it comes to it, I guess I could verify the wiring integrity by grounding the terminal on the back of the gauge?

Thanks

[RedDog]

MP - Thanks. I think your description works for me. Also, good point about the wire color and former owner's nature - which begs the question - why in the #@&& and I fooling with this - can you run him out of FL and send him to fix it for me? And besides, Genuine Trouble needs a good clean-up for Spring. How am I supposed to maintain my ride when he is on what seems like a year-round vacation??? Just can't count on him these days wink

[RickR]

OK,OK,OK I'm back. The Boss and I have been traveling since the first of the year.
Grouper fishing in January was good but we ended our 3 year streak of limiting every day. Missed by one on our last day. I'm the captain so I'll take the blame (even though I caught 9 of the 14 keepers:D )

Then a road trip to the Arizona and Utah Canyonlands. RickS lives in an awesome place with wonderful people. In Flagstaff people smile and say Hello like they ought too :D . To bad the lakes are soooo low from the drought.
Moab and Canyonlands Ntl Park was our favorite area.
BTW: We covered 12 states and 6200 miles and the most curtious drivers were in TEXAS.

Then on to FLA USA for the Donzi trip. Genuine Risk performed the best she ever has :D The year old 454 is broken in and running GREAT! Weather was unbelieveable! Mid and upper 80s! I heard it was in the 90s at madpoodles.

On to the Faria.
If my notes are correct, guage was installed 9/96 with yellow wire (yea yea I know, that is the incorrect color but I figured the 18 would never have shore power)

Guage did NOT work after I installed it because Rex Marine sent the incorrect (Stewart Warner)sending unit.

Sending unit must be compatable with Faria Guage w/
192 Ohms @ 140 degrees
46 Ohms @ 220 degrees
11.7 Ohms @ 320 degrees

Follow Avickers advice and ground the "S" yellow wire terminal "MONENTARILY" at the guage (guage should peg)
Then ground the yellow wire at the sending unit on the block oil filter boss (guage should peg)
If guage pegs, follow M.O.P.'s advice and check for teflon tape.
If no tape remove sender and check ohms. I use a wire to hold sender terminal out of water and heat in a pot on the stove. Bring water up to temp, remove sender and check resistance between sender base and it's terminal.

<small>[ March 18, 2003, 09:29 AM: Message edited by: RickR ]</small>

[RedDog]

Checked out the wiring and jumper tested - gauge and wiring are all good. Found the problem though - the shop replaced the oil pressure sender instead of the oil temperature sender ($25,00 part plus labor to replace the wrong thing - work order specified oil temp, not oil pressure).

I removed the sender and got 0 ohms across it. I assume this means it is bad? Where can I get one compatable to the Faria gauge? The local NAPA was no help

[MOP]

Did a search on Faria, found the Stat page it give all the values, should help.

http://www.faria-instruments.com/cgi-bin/site/site.cgi?manage=manuals&prime_display=new&select=yes&size=2

[RedDog]

Thanks - new sender ordered yesterday from Rex Marine.