Smartcraft

[VetteLT193]

Anyone have smartcraft gauges?

I'd like to get the info off of the ECM's... (like hours). I'd also love to have an engine synchro for cruising. Is it best to just swap out the tachometers with Smartcraft units, or something else? I'm not in a rush, I'll probably try to sniff out an eBay deal or something like that.

I did some research but I'm not sure where to go. I currently have regular Livorsi gauges with a Livorsi GPS speedo.

[Tidbart]

Holy chit man. That is a lot of reading.....:bonk:

http://www.livorsi.com/catalog/smartcraft.htm

[mrfixxall]

Holy chit man. That is a lot of reading.....:bonk:

http://www.livorsi.com/catalog/smartcraft.htm


Carl's gonna be pissed when he sees this!:)

[Last Tango]

Well, you can save yourself a TON of cash by NOT buying a bunch of Smartcraft gauges and wiring harness, and simply get ONE gauge - the Smart Craft System Monitor. It will do in one gauge what you are looking for. I installed it several years ago on my '06 22ZX and I use it more than any other single instrument. I know how many hours are on my engine...exactly. I know the exact rpm, oil pressure, water temperature, water pressure, volts, fuel used, and much more. They are designed for multiple engines so you can get your differential and synch.

[VetteLT193]

Holy chit man. That is a lot of reading.....:bonk:

http://www.livorsi.com/catalog/smartcraft.htm

I saw that page, but I don't know if that is how the factory does it or they use real analog gauges from the engine.... So I have no clue what I actually need.


Well, you can save yourself a TON of cash by NOT buying a bunch of Smartcraft gauges and wiring harness, and simply get ONE gauge - the Smart Craft System Monitor. It will do in one gauge what you are looking for. I installed it several years ago on my '06 22ZX and I use it more than any other single instrument. I know how many hours are on my engine...exactly. I know the exact rpm, oil pressure, water temperature, water pressure, volts, fuel used, and much more. They are designed for multiple engines so you can get your differential and synch.

Can I be a total pain in the rump and ask for a picture? I would REALLY appreciate it. I think you know exactly what I need and I would like to see how / where you mounted it and what the unit looks like.

[VetteLT193]

I'd redo the dash and get vesselview (http://northamerica.mercurymarine.com/otherproducts/smartcraft/smartcraftataglance/components/information_display.php) :) :)
Shame, the Racing Vesselview (http://www.mercuryracing.com/accessories/vesselview.php) doesn't work with your engines, but it does with Carls :D :D

Although I love the idea, If I redo the dash my wife will have my balls and keep them on her keychain for easy crushing access. :bonk:

[Last Tango]

For a very good shot of my installation, Click on the link in my signature below or just look a few posts up or down and you will see that thread getting some current activity about my '06 22ZX.
Go to page 10, post number 140, second picture from the right. Click on that picture and it will open up nice and big for you.
It is the square thing to the left of the tach and speedo. There is a detailed discussion there about why I chose not to put the usual colored rings around my gauges.
There are only two buttons. Left button provides simple scrolling through the screens (no menu to have to fool through). Right button turns the light on or off. Two buttons held down together allow you to reset the fuel consumed feature back to zero when you fill the boat.
For dual engines, there is a slightly larger version for allowing dual screens.

[VetteLT193]

For a very good shot of my installation, Click on the link in my signature below or just look a few posts up or down and you will see that thread getting some current activity about my '06 22ZX.
Go to page 10, post number 140, second picture from the right. Click on that picture and it will open up nice and big for you.
It is the square thing to the left of the tach and speedo. There is a detailed discussion there about why I chose not to put the usual colored rings around my gauges.
There are only two buttons. Left button provides simple scrolling through the screens (no menu to have to fool through). Right button turns the light on or off. Two buttons held down together allow you to reset the fuel consumed feature back to zero when you fill the boat.
For dual engines, there is a slightly larger version for allowing dual screens.

Thanks... good info there. I did some searching on the gauge and it has to be dealer installed with twins because both engines default to Starboard.

In searching for that gauge you have, I stumbled upon Northstar all in one GPS/Sounder units that have smartcraft capability too.

Considering I already need a GPS and Sounder I'm leaning towards them now. Anyone have any experience?

[Last Tango]

SmartCraft series also has the GPS and Dept Sounder capability. Mercury Marine has a very detailed chart on their website regarding the funtions that Smartcraft can track, and that chart tells you which SmartCraft unit to chose and which ones will need additional sending units beyond the PCM555. If your engines are PCM555 equiped as standard then you have very little to do but plug in the display unit.
As with anything of this nature, it is my opinion that sticking close to a single provider is best rather than mixing and matching systems.

As for dealer installation, if you are the do-it-yourself type and you are comfortable with wiring diagrams, this should be a layup.

[VetteLT193]

SmartCraft series also has the GPS and Dept Sounder capability. Mercury Marine has a very detailed chart on their website regarding the funtions that Smartcraft can track, and that chart tells you which SmartCraft unit to chose and which ones will need additional sending units beyond the PCM555. If your engines are PCM555 equiped as standard then you have very little to do but plug in the display unit.
As with anything of this nature, it is my opinion that sticking close to a single provider is best rather than mixing and matching systems.
As for dealer installation, if you are the do-it-yourself type and you are comfortable with wiring diagrams, this should be a layup.

I have no problem with installations, but there is something about needing a mercury tool to make the Port engine read as Port. Apparently Merc just leaves everything defaulted to Starboard so it has to be switched via the tool.

It also looks like the gauge needs an additional unit to synch the engines. Although, I'll be fine with digital tachs to get it there.

I'm also really confused as to what information I'll actually get out of the system. I'm sure I can get the engine data, like oil temp, water temp, etc. But there are a host of other items listed that seem a bit voo doo-ish.

Fuel level? Speed? water pressure? do these engines have that many sensors on them hooked to the computer?

[Last Tango]

Yes, and no.
Water temperature outside the boat, requires an additional sensor added to the outdrive. Fuel level requires an addiotional sensor hooked to your fuel sender, speed requires an addtional GPS module, etc.
Again, if you look at the chart, it tells you which items require additional sensors. There is no Voo-Doo. If your engine came with the PCM555 electronics as standard, than most of the sensors are already there. They can be read directly with a PC or you can get the SmartCraft System View choices like I did. I got the basic unit which told me the most important pieces of data I wanted to know: Real Time Gallons per Hour consumption rate, Real Time Fuel Consumed, Digital RPM, Digital water temp in the engine, Digital oil temperature and pressure in the engine (not at some remote point which is what the analog gauges measure), and I got a bunch of freebies to look at as well, including the REAL engine hours since new. Currently there is a huge split between the analog hour meter on the boat and the digital hour meter in the PCM555. When the boat was in service a few months ago, the dealer left the ignition switch on for over 5 days. The analog hour meter ran for over 100 hours, bu the engine did not. So, the analog hour meter reads 100+ hours more than the PCM555, which does a flash readout of the total engine operating hours since new, displayed on the SmartCraft Gauge, each time you turn the ignition switch.

If you look through my thread on my boat, particularly the current last page, you will see a lot of detail I posted regarding the historical printout data after 3 years of operation... all saved by the PCM555.