Gaffrig Trim Guage Issues

[donzi182003]

Hey guys I am having problems with my drive trim guage. I thought that replacing the sensors on the gimbal would fix it but it still only works right about half the time. It is a gaffrig 2.5" monster guage on a 2003 18. It will be working fine and all of a sudden will just go all the way up as if the drive is at maximum tilt. Once the boat sits a while it corrects itself.

Anyone have any ideas????

[MOP]

There is a fair chance that the wire going through the shield is going bad, if it is on a trailer you can trim the drive turn the key on have someone watch the gauge while yo move the wires around. Even a slight flicker of movement in the gauge shows the wire is going bad, kind of a bioch to change out!

Phil

[VetteLT193]

Hey guys I am having problems with my drive trim guage. I thought that replacing the sensors on the gimbal would fix it but it still only works right about half the time. It is a gaffrig 2.5" monster guage on a 2003 18. It will be working fine and all of a sudden will just go all the way up as if the drive is at maximum tilt. Once the boat sits a while it corrects itself.

Anyone have any ideas????

did you replace the sensors properly, or splice them in at the transom?

The gauge will peg if the sender wire is grounded out, so what MOP is saying makes perfect sense. something is touching somewhere. If you replaced them by splicing, that is probably the issue. if you did it properly, by pulling the drive and running the wires through, then you should look at the wiring from the gauge back to make sure nothing could be grounding it out.

[BigGrizzly]

Another thing no two sensors read the same and the change by day.

[Planetwarmer]

My gaffrig trim gauge does the same thing. I have narrowed it down to the wires in the transom. When I run the boat, eventually the wires get wet thus screwing up the trim limit switch and the gauge reading.

[DonziJon]

Hey guys I am having problems with my drive trim guage. I thought that replacing the sensors on the gimbal would fix it but it still only works right about half the time. It is a gaffrig 2.5" monster guage on a 2003 18. It will be working fine and all of a sudden will just go all the way up as if the drive is at maximum tilt. Once the boat sits a while it corrects itself.

Anyone have any ideas????

The fact that the boat is a 2003 kind of indicates to me that the wiring really doesn't seem OLD enough to be rotten yet. Just a thought. John

[donzi182003]

I actually replaced them correctly as unfortunately 3 weeks ago I struck a sunken boat andkilled the gears in the drive. I had my sensors bad for about 3 months now but did not replace them due to the cost. I replaced them now since the opportunity opened itself up since the drive was off. Do you guys think the guage could be the issue?

[MOP]

Check the contacts inside the transom they may not be making good contact.

[VetteLT193]

re-check the wiring, all the way to the gauge. Make sure no other ground wires can be touching anything near or around the gauge. make sure that the ground on the gauge isn't spun in a manner that could ground out the signal wire.

Also, did you go through the set-up process when you installed the gauge? Meaning, you have to align the little arrow with the trim down, turn the acc power on, adjust to get the gauge at to the proper setting? it's pretty sensitive and will go to max reading if you go too far on the minimum side.

[Planetwarmer]

Once the boat sits a while it corrects itself.

Anyone have any ideas????


That is what mine does. You may have a small cut in a wire's insulation. My guess is that the reason it works after sitting awhile is because the wires dry out. Try it out on the trailer. After you see it working properly at 1st, take a hose and soak the entire gimble intentionally trying to short out your wiring and sensors. It may take a few minutes. Keep in mind there is 70 mph worth of water pressure being forced all over the out drive and accessories.

[DonziJon]

I have taken the Hockey Pucks apart that are on each side of the Out Drive. (Alpha I, Geni I) The Port side is the Lift Limit Switch. The Starboard side is the one that drives the lift angle GUAGE on the dash. They are both mechanically pretty BULLET PROOF. (There is no likely reason to ever replace them) The wiring is the weak link. However, I have found the Lift Angle Guage on the dash to be "Intermittent". My boat is an '86 and the wiring through the transom is original. The starboard side puck can be adjusted at the OD by loosening a couple of screws and re-orientating the puck, while watching the dash guage. (Key on)

I have bypassed the Port wiring. The Starboard is still Semi-functional. That means it works whenever it wants to. FINE. That may just be the nature of the beast. :lookaroun: John