Go Back  Offshoreonly.com > Technical > General Q & A
Speedo needle bouncing.. >

Speedo needle bouncing..

Notices

Speedo needle bouncing..

Old 07-31-2012 | 11:52 AM
  #1  
Thread Starter
Registered
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,017
Likes: 2
From: Grand Lake (E-Dock Junior Varsity)
Default Speedo needle bouncing..

This just started happening, the speedo needle is all over the place. Its not a GPS, I assume it comes off the hull or the drive?

Whats the solution for it?
waterboy222 is offline  
Reply
Old 07-31-2012 | 12:27 PM
  #2  
Knot 4 Me's Avatar
Registered
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,407
Likes: 797
From: Central IL
Default

Is this on your Formula? Original VDO (black) guages?
Knot 4 Me is offline  
Reply
Old 07-31-2012 | 04:10 PM
  #3  
Too Stroked's Avatar
Gold Member
15 Year Member
Gold Member
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,989
Likes: 213
From: Rochester, NY
Default

Non-GPS speedometers use a pitot tube pickup to push a column of air to the speedometer head. The faster you go, the harder the column of air pushes and the higher the needle goes. There are pickups built into drives (leading edge) and pickups that are hull mounted. In either case, if the pickup leaves the water, the pressure drops and so does the needle.

The pickup for my Gaffrig speedometer is mounter to my transom, right next to the pad. In any kind of rough water, it leaves the water all the time - bouncing the needle all over the place.

Other than your pickup leaving the water, all I can think of is a leak in the tubing that holds pressure for a bit, then relieves it - dropping the needle.
Too Stroked is offline  
Reply
Old 08-01-2012 | 10:09 AM
  #4  
Registered
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
Default

I am not sure if this applies to the gauges that you have but usually if you start to see the needles bouncing or moving sporadically it is due to corrosion and or lack of ground.
I would start but checking all of the wiring leading to your gauge for either corrosion, loose wires and or positive feedback through the negative wire. I have seen this happen to other gauges on my own boat after the toggle switches get wet allowing a small amount of power to feed back into the negative wires.
1987pachanga22 is offline  
Reply
Old 08-01-2012 | 10:14 AM
  #5  
Thread Starter
Registered
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,017
Likes: 2
From: Grand Lake (E-Dock Junior Varsity)
Default

Originally Posted by Knot 4 Me
Is this on your Formula? Original VDO (black) guages?
Yup, the black VDO gauges on the 292.. Just started doing it and its not leaving the water, its bouncing even at 30mph
waterboy222 is offline  
Reply
Old 08-01-2012 | 10:24 AM
  #6  
Knot 4 Me's Avatar
Registered
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,407
Likes: 797
From: Central IL
Default

Originally Posted by 1987pachanga22
I am not sure if this applies to the gauges that you have but usually if you start to see the needles bouncing or moving sporadically it is due to corrosion and or lack of ground.
I would start but checking all of the wiring leading to your gauge for either corrosion, loose wires and or positive feedback through the negative wire. I have seen this happen to other gauges on my own boat after the toggle switches get wet allowing a small amount of power to feed back into the negative wires.
The power to the speedo should only affect the backlighting, not the operation of the needle. Since you have an older boat, and I do not remember what year Merc added the speedo pickup in the front of the lower unit, I would check to see if you have a pitot on the transom. If so, it may not be in a fixed position anymore and is bouncing up and down off the water as you run. Or, it could be fixed but has been knocked up by a chunk of wood or something in the water and is too high now to get a consistant reading.

Last edited by Knot 4 Me; 08-01-2012 at 10:27 AM.
Knot 4 Me is offline  
Reply
Old 08-01-2012 | 11:02 AM
  #7  
Too Stroked's Avatar
Gold Member
15 Year Member
Gold Member
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,989
Likes: 213
From: Rochester, NY
Default

Originally Posted by 1987pachanga22
I am not sure if this applies to the gauges that you have but usually if you start to see the needles bouncing or moving sporadically it is due to corrosion and or lack of ground.
I would start but checking all of the wiring leading to your gauge for either corrosion, loose wires and or positive feedback through the negative wire. I have seen this happen to other gauges on my own boat after the toggle switches get wet allowing a small amount of power to feed back into the negative wires.
The only electricity going to an older pitot style speedometer is for the back lighting. The movement of the needle is based on air pressure on a diaphram.

Here's a thought. Remove the line from the back of the speedometer. Blow backwards through the line to first make sure it's clear. (You can sometimes aspirate water up into the line.) Next, assuming it's clear, plug the other end manually and see if you have any leaks. (You can also do this by running water up the line with the speedo head disconnected, but make sure you get the water out later.) Finally, blow into the back of the actual speedo and see of the needle bounces at steady pressure - which could mean a ruptured diaphram.
Too Stroked is offline  
Reply
Old 08-02-2012 | 11:26 AM
  #8  
Thread Starter
Registered
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,017
Likes: 2
From: Grand Lake (E-Dock Junior Varsity)
Default

Pulled the tube and water is running out of it.. Looks like it got into the back of the speedo too.. dangit!
waterboy222 is offline  
Reply
Old 08-02-2012 | 04:56 PM
  #9  
Too Stroked's Avatar
Gold Member
15 Year Member
Gold Member
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,989
Likes: 213
From: Rochester, NY
Default

Originally Posted by waterboy222
Pulled the tube and water is running out of it.. Looks like it got into the back of the speedo too.. dangit!
That might not be a big issue. Pull the speedo head out and vacuum / shake out the water. Blow the water back out of the line. Then, try running it. What probably happened though is that you have an issue in the speedo head which allowed air to pass through it instead of pressing against it. That would explain how the water got up the tube. Unless you have a leak in either the head or the line, you should always just have a column of air there.
Too Stroked is offline  
Reply

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.