Gauge Problems

[Wet Dream]

I removed the old gauges which I think were Teleflex. They are black with white numbers and blue increment lines. It has a split "T" at the bottom of the gauge. I installed new Teleflex white faced gauges, Sportsmas series. When I turn the key on, the oil pressure pegs at 80psi, and the water temp gauge doesn't do anything at all. When I turn the key off, the oil pressure goes to 0 and the water temp raises to about 120*. When the key is on, even if I remove the wire from the sender, nothing changes. Does anyone have any theory to this? I was thinking its the sending units, but even the old oil pressure gauge was a 0-80 psi. The sending unit on my 455 is the bell looking style.

[Rexone]

I'm not familiar with Teleflex gauges in particular but all electric gauges have to have matching senders to work properly or at all. My guess is whoever made your original Teleflex gauges and whoever made the new white ones aren't the same company. (I'm 99% sure Teleflex does not make their own gauges as there are only a handful of actual gauge mfgs in the US, all the rest are private label offerings of which there are hundreds).

[Wet Dream]

Mike, can you get the senders for me? How long am I looking at?

[Rexone]

PM me the part numbers of the gauges and I can check on them tomorrow. We don't stock Teleflex gauges but they're probably available locally within a day or two.
First make sure you have them hooked up properly. No sense buying new senders if its not the problem.

[Wet Dream]

Thanks Mike. I'll double check the connections. It almost sounds like a grounding problem in those 2 gauges.
Temp Gauge is TEL67590P
Oil Pressure is TEL67180P
This is what they look like...
http://marineengineparts.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/media/SPORTSMANGAUGE.jpg

[BottleFedJet]

I think i have them.

[King Kuracz]

I used the White Sportsman Gauges to replace the old Teleflex ? Medallion gauges and they worked perfectly with the old senders.
Two things to check are that the mounting brackets are not touching any of the gauge terminals, and that the nylon bushings are in the mounting brackets where they fit over the mounting studs.
Sounds like the "S" terminal on the oil gauge is shorted to ground or the ground is open on that gauge only. What you're describing on the water temp sounds right. It will stay at the bottom of the scale until the engine warms up, and move up some when you turn off the key.
All these gauges including the tach will show a meaningless part scale reading when the ignition is OFF. They should all (except trim gauge) move to the beginning of the scale when you turn on the ignition.

[Wet Dream]

I think I may have some wires crossed, or touching somewhere. The water temp does point to a position in the off position, but when the ignition is on, it goes to low scale. But when the engine is running, it doesn't read anything. And the water coming out of the transom dumps was hot enough not to even think about touching.

[Hallett19]

Hey Bill, long time no talk !!! I had a similar problem with my guages and it happened sporatically, it ended up being a bad ground, the wire came out of the connector and was making a connection only sometimes. I dont know if your guages are any different than my Rex guages, but that is exatly what mine would do, peg and react weird when it didnt make a good connection. How is your boat ?? I took mine out this weekend and i'm having a charging problem, other than that, its running great !

[Wet Dream]

Aaron, how are you doing? I've actually been meaning to give you a call, but its getting late. I just broke in the cam on the new engine last night. If the weather is good enough, its going out this weekend for a shakedown. ;)

[Hallett19]

Glad to hear it, I have to post right now if anyone can help with my charging problem, hopefully I can get that taken care of before I go out for memorial. Talk to you soon !

[Wet Dream]

I found the problems. While my buddy was installing the wiring panel on the back of the engine, the oil pressure wire got pinched between the block and the bolt causing a short. The water temp gauge has corrosion built up in one of the connections. Its all good now. Thanks guys.