Smartcraft Guage problem
05-28-2010 | 10:00 AM
#1
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From: Big Rapids, MI
Smartcraft Guage problem
I have a tri-toon that came with a 350 mag in it with smartcraft and we put a 496 HO engine in with smartcraft. Everything hooked up fine and the boat runs awesome. All systems monitor good with a scanner but the gauges don't work. Took it to a mercruiser dealer and they replaced a control box to the guages, still didn't work. they then hooked up a laptop and said that the engine computer wasn't communicating with the gauges but they didn't know how to fix it. Any suggestions? Thanks, Tom
05-29-2010 | 05:01 AM
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I have a tri-toon that came with a 350 mag in it with smartcraft and we put a 496 HO engine in with smartcraft. Everything hooked up fine and the boat runs awesome. All systems monitor good with a scanner but the gauges don't work. Took it to a mercruiser dealer and they replaced a control box to the guages, still didn't work. they then hooked up a laptop and said that the engine computer wasn't communicating with the gauges but they didn't know how to fix it. Any suggestions? Thanks, Tom
The box you say they replaced is probably an agi unit. The slightly older versions of SmartCraft plugged right into the harness via the CAN buss. Newer stuff uses agi.
You'll have to play with it and figure out what changed during your upgrade.
Do you have a separate SmartCraft gauge(s) or are all of your normal helm gauges SmartCraft??
Some boats have both.. What year was the 350? What year is the 496? there's a couple different versions of the harness on the 496 and it has to be cohesive with what's in the boat.
There are several add-on harnesses specifically called "transom harness" that you may need to buy to finish your install but you really didn't give enough info.
It sounds as if you have the agi unit that linked to analog gauges via a SmartCraft signal with the old engine but again, you need some more info.
Some of the 496's came in the boat as "SmartCraft Ready" but the manufacturer did not put any SmartCraft equipment in the boat so all you had was a SmartCraft sticker on the engine and transom assembly but it didn't really mean every boat had it... It's a bit confusing with all the possible variations etc......
It's late and I took a shot in the dark.
05-29-2010 | 04:59 PM
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From: Harrison, Oh/Lake Cumberland, Ky
More than likely it's because either you need agi boxes or you have one or more and you need to take them out.
The box you say they replaced is probably an agi unit. The slightly older versions of SmartCraft plugged right into the harness via the CAN buss. Newer stuff uses agi.
You'll have to play with it and figure out what changed during your upgrade.
Do you have a separate SmartCraft gauge(s) or are all of your normal helm gauges SmartCraft??
Some boats have both.. What year was the 350? What year is the 496? there's a couple different versions of the harness on the 496 and it has to be cohesive with what's in the boat.
There are several add-on harnesses specifically called "transom harness" that you may need to buy to finish your install but you really didn't give enough info.
It sounds as if you have the agi unit that linked to analog gauges via a SmartCraft signal with the old engine but again, you need some more info.
Some of the 496's came in the boat as "SmartCraft Ready" but the manufacturer did not put any SmartCraft equipment in the boat so all you had was a SmartCraft sticker on the engine and transom assembly but it didn't really mean every boat had it... It's a bit confusing with all the possible variations etc......
It's late and I took a shot in the dark.
The box you say they replaced is probably an agi unit. The slightly older versions of SmartCraft plugged right into the harness via the CAN buss. Newer stuff uses agi.
You'll have to play with it and figure out what changed during your upgrade.
Do you have a separate SmartCraft gauge(s) or are all of your normal helm gauges SmartCraft??
Some boats have both.. What year was the 350? What year is the 496? there's a couple different versions of the harness on the 496 and it has to be cohesive with what's in the boat.
There are several add-on harnesses specifically called "transom harness" that you may need to buy to finish your install but you really didn't give enough info.
It sounds as if you have the agi unit that linked to analog gauges via a SmartCraft signal with the old engine but again, you need some more info.
Some of the 496's came in the boat as "SmartCraft Ready" but the manufacturer did not put any SmartCraft equipment in the boat so all you had was a SmartCraft sticker on the engine and transom assembly but it didn't really mean every boat had it... It's a bit confusing with all the possible variations etc......
It's late and I took a shot in the dark.
Dang, i wish my dealer had half the info you have on the smartcraft gauges. I bought a new boat with a 250 verado. Boat is equipped with analog gauges, and it's been three weeks since it came in and he can't get all the gauges to work. I wanted him to add a mercmonitor system to it, but with all the issues he's having just to get the factory gauges to work, I think I'll find someone else to do it!
