Changing out dash panel.
 

Whats the best way to change out a panel/gauges? I haven't looked closely yet, but is there a wiring harness that just unplugs?

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

depends on what gages your putting in, if livorsi there is an adapter for the harness>

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

As far as I know,they are hard wired. Unless they changed
them on later models,my 91 used eyelet connectors that
were attatched to the gauges with nuts. Just mark them
and start wrenching !!

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

I think that Fountain has almost always had a harness connector under the panel. 2 connectors for a single and 4 for the twin. There may be a few things connected directly but for the most part, remove the shifter, steering wheel and helm, disconnect the harnesses and unscrew the panel and remove with the gauges intact.

Once you have the panel on the bench, you can switch out the guages. The guages are wired with eyelets and secured with nuts but the guage harness does have connectors. :drink:

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Took mine out last week. 30min job.
6 main harness disconnects, a few butt connectors for my compass, side panel power, saftey switch, shifter trim switch and warning buzzer. Everything unpluged. The main plugs were located in the side compartment area under the dash.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Is there anything about a fountain that you don't know! Thanks for the response, I was dreading it. Do you think the crt trim station can be chromed? How did your throttles turn out?

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

All Fountains have a standard Merk plug behing the right panel. As was said earlier, one round per motor and one square for trim. They do hardwire a few things but the job is a slam dunk. The hardest part is pulling the cables off he throttles and trim indicaters.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

progress

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Do you have to re-tie all the wires in the back of the panel after everything comes out?

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

I left my wires still in the assembled bundles, just unhooked the gauges from the wiring. Didn't undo all the wire ties.

Edited: 6 harness plugs, with a few bundles of butt connectors. But all still just a plug -n-play. :D

twins

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Sure, I don't know what makes them the ones that all are compared against. ;)

I doubt the CRT can be chromed. It has to be dipped in a nickel plating 1st, then dipped in the Chrome plating. I will ask tommorrow when I pick up my throttles though. I picked up an extra CRT unit a couple yrs ago. Was going to try to put it on my hyd steering, but figured it was just easier to go the dual in handle trim switch route. 1 for drives, other for tabs. This way I can hit both switches with my thumb for ease.

Why do you have 2 fuel gauges? I really like the looks of your monster gauges. I stuck with my regular setup, with just the white rims replaced with chrome ones. Looks 100x better. Classier.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

I checked and in my 89' their are no connecters whatsoever.......pull off wire.....mark it.......pull off wire.....mark it.......total PITA......

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

This 35 has 2 tanks, where my 32 had a single. Damn that seems like a bunch of wire!

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

2 tanks = 2 gauges (in other words....twice the inaccuracies)

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

too slow :D

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Did you check along the side where the harness goes back along the gunnel? My wiring diagram shows harness connectors for all models in 88 and 89. Has yours been re-rigged? I have seen stranger things before.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

I didnt find any in my 91 either.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Maybe I didnt look hard enough.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

My plugs were not visible right under the dash. They were pushed into the gunnels, but enough slack to pull them out in the open to unplug.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Has anyone every looked into closing off the bottom side of the dash?
Always seemed chinsey for the dash to be open underneath.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

What did you do for the chrome rims, I know Gaffrig makes chrome rims that just go over the original white rim. Looks perfect, thats what BADKACHINA did with his, saved a ton of money over sending them in!!!!

Did you ever get your shifter knobs straigtned out???

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

If anyone is interested, I'm redoing my dash with Monster Gauges and have a single engine white dash panel available thats in perfect shape, let me know... :D

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Just cut them and start over. I know your good at that. :D :D :drink:

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

I only looked under the dash........theres hope yet!!!!!.....thanks!!!......It will be awhile before I can check......the boat is in storage :(

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Shouldn't you be working Bullet boy?

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

on the older boats you will have to remove the side panel in the gunnels to gain access to the plugs. They are all rigged with standard Merk harness's. If they've been re-rigged with something else then you should pull it all out all the way back to the bilge. I have complete factory boat and panel harness's that plug into the stock engine harness and run all the way up the gunnels $75 each for he boat harness and $25 for the panel. It's the cleanest and easiest way to re-wire if your harness is looking grim.

We don't even bother trying to salvage the harness on older boats becuase the wire tends to degrade over time and from exposure.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

I sent in all the gauges to Livorsi. They removed the white rims and installed chrome ones. The small gauges only $10 each, speedo and tach were $17. Never heard of the slip on's. Seemed hard to beat that price for the R&R of the rims.

I'll have pics of my shifters as soon as I get them back from the plater, then they will be off to be powdercoated.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Yea i hadn't heard of them either until I saw them, actually a neat and easy concept. Thats not a bad price though for them to switch the rims for you. Are you just coating your knobs, or are you replacing them with the billet style?? Either way should look good.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

I made the knobs from a hunk of brass and silver soldered them on. So they are 1 solid piece now. I didn't care for the screw look that holds them on, or the separate backing plate needed for the switch plate, and those 2 screws. The levers and bases are being chrome plated right now, then I'm sending the levers off to Todd (Pachangalpina) to powdercoat just the knobs. So at a quick glance, they will be just like the billet ones. I then decided to fill in the Gaffrig logo and the blank area on the other levers for a solid no name look (2nd Pic). Your buddy at Outdrive got me a killer price on the knobs alone, but I wanted the changes I made. So only made sense to make them myself. They should look pretty trick, I hope.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

If these are snap on covers, they look great.
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ghlight=gauges

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Yep those chrome rings are the covers I was talking about, they came out really nice in his boat.

Man you did an awesome job on those throttles can't wait to see how they look when plated and coated. Maybe a service you should offer for an alternative to the competition???

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

I took my spare CRT unit with me today to the plater. He said it wasn't something he would do because it has to be dipped in a couple of different acids to degrease. Make a sleeve out of SS to slip over it.

Throttles turned out great! Sending them out next week for the final step.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Gauges look great! Let me know if you would be interested in doing my throttles!

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Any finished pics? Who was going to sell you the knobs? How much $, and could they put the trim in the knob?

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Here is a pic of the dash I did in my old 35, a big thanks to pachangalpina for his help on the throttles. I stripped and polished the crt buttons myself.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Not yet. They are still with Todd. He is having some complications of the PC'ing bubbling on 1 of the levers from where the chrome plating stopped. It is becoming a learning experience for both of us. I hope very soon because I my slip season starts next week.
Or so he says. Maybe they are on his boat. :eek: :evilb:

I got the price for the knobs from Outdrive Exchange that Fountianlast mentioned above. They beat everyone on price enormously.He can get from both Livorsi and EMI. I think they both use the same supplier for the knobs, just put their own name on them. Yes, you can get the knobs with the switches, single or dual setup. I was going to have them solid, W/O the EMI or Livorsi Logo etched into the side. Said it was only a couple day time frame from EMI. I 'think 'the price was right around $220 for the 4 knobs with a dual switch. I'll double check that number tommorrow from my records.

Re: Changing out dash panel.
 

Those buttons really look good polished! Nice job. The ones on my last boat were starting to wear the anodizing off.