My VDO gauges were getting flaky so I replaced everything with Gaffrig. The rub is that the senders require replacement too, but they are bright and pretty accurate.

I'll see how mine work. The volt gage is way off. It reads 10 with the engine off. Running shows 12. Check I at batteries and it's 12.2 and 14.3

Probably corrosion at the leads or bus bars. Mine did the same, and I though I had a weak alternator. Not the case; I now see 14.5V running after cleaning up the connections. The voltage on the gauge matches the output at the batteries.

It is crazy to me to see this 27 year old wiring that has little to no corrosion on it. I have checked the buss bars just not really dug too deep into it. Them fresh water states have it made lol

So the speedometer tying into the outdrive how does that work? Is it a pita to get to?

It's a fitting that goes into the lower just underneath the bellows on the Bravo drive. Pretty easy to mess with I think.

The corrosion happens at the connection itself. My bars showed a little bit of tarnish so I cleaned everyone up with steel wool.

Ten4 ill gander at it. Next question. All of my outboards have a torque tab or a flat anode above the prop. This just has a hole. Shouldn't it have a flat anode in it?

Yes, there should be a flat anode up in that space.

https://www.amazon.com/Martyr-CMBRAV.../dp/B000N9ZT9A

yeah, mine was missing too... and the outdrive showed it unfortunately. i originally bought an anode kit but quickly discovered the only one my outdrive originally had was the disc above the prop.. no trim cylinder anodes, and no fore position anode. so i returned it for just the one we are/were missing.

EDIT: kit i mentioned was what Tom shows above. i returned it.

Yep I thought so. Odd that it doesn't have one there but It has the 2 on the trim cylinders.