smartcraft: how does it work generally speaking?
 

never used one. what are you guys using it for in general? rpm? engine temp? what are the other functions? I heard you can tweak the engine in terms of timing? air gas mixture?

thanks !

Mercury Don't Like Tweaking!
 

I am not sure of all scan and monitoring functions on Mercury Smartcraft systems but I am pretty sure there are no functions or ability to tweak timing, fuel, etc. on Mercruiser engines,Mercury Racing Engines that are running Mercury ECM's.

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

I agree with Ray. On my boat it basically gives me digital read-outs of all functions I used to (and still) get via analog guages.

Around here what they are used for is when you are running up the lake wide open and another boat is catching up with you, right before they fly by you let off and stop then you tell them that you were outrunning them but then your smart craft went into guardian mode is why they caught you.

Sorry couldn't resist..

I just have the small system monitor, Use it to compare to the gauges, and I leave it on Tach most of the time. The very best thing about it is that it shows exactly how much fuel I've burned very reliably. I don't even bother with the fuel gauges, if I fill up and zero the fuel burned I know exactly how much I have left.

Same here. I haven't had it long enought to know how accurate the fuel used function is.

It also displays engine hours, water temp, water pressure, oil temp, oil pressure, rpm, fuel used, gallons per hour, volts.

I leave mine on water temp 90% of the time, All I care about is that my enigines are staying cool. RPM and fuel burned get checked ocasionally but mainly water temp is its main function on my ride. Too hard to change back and forth out in the waves to be worth using all the time.IMO

Nice for a small river boat doing fly bys not so useful on Bigger water while bouncing around

IMO Would be more usefull witha cable and button set up that you could hold in your hand rather than push button on the gauge it would be more consistent without going by each stop due to bouncing off waves.

Something like a hand hel transbrake button in a drag car.

works great!

My favorite function in Race Edition (beyond saving meltdowns) is the efficiency readout in "inches per revolution." The better your set-up, trim and prop choice, the more inches you travel for each prop revolution! (It's better than slip calculators because you don't have to enter pitch and gear ratio.) Way cool!

I've used it for both top speed and range improvement on my Cig.