engine instrument panel

[KWKloeber]

The CD fuel level sender is just a Moeller.  Very reputable company, and the unit is available many places.  That said, the CD price is (surprisingly) very good.  CD must have a distributor deal, it's basically at dealer (not distributor) cost.

Any idea why that couldn't be coupled with a $20 gauge, for a reasonable-cost holding tank gauge?

kk

[Ron Hill]

Jon : If you look in the Mainsheet tech Notes you'll find an article that I wrote about  "Replacing the Fuel Sender"  with some pictures!!

Great Info in those old tech notes!!

a thought

[anon]

Awesome stuff as usual guys. 

[Jon W]

Thanks Ron, I did see your PDF about cleaning the tank and replacing the fuel sender with a Tempo brand unit. My fuel sender is working but I'm interested in the reed switch vertical float type.

[britinusa]

Anyone have experience with the fuel gauge sending unit shown on that Catalina Direct page?

Yes, we had the old swinging arm sender and replaced it with the CD unit. Works great. It appears to provide levels at about each 1/8 of tank and reads empty well before the tank is that low.

The note about the holes being aligned is important. Once I was able to get the unit installed, I made a mark on both the sender and the tank to make future reinstall after removals easy.

Paul

[Hawk]

While considering the engine instrument panel..... I noticed last month in the San Juan Islands that on starting the engine all of the engine instruments including the tach remained off for about 15 seconds while the engine was running before the indicator needles all moved together to their usual positions including the tach.
All then remained normal while motoring. I've done the new harness and had the alternator renewed 3 years ago.

Any thoughts?? Thanks

Tom

[Dave Spencer]

Hello Hawk,
Mine does that too, by design. In my case, it's called a "soft start" alternator (actually controlled by the regulator) that allows the engine to get running stably before applying alternator loads. I've had no trouble with it. I suspect this new behaviour was introduced when you redid your alternator three years ago. I don't see anything to worry about based on your description.

[Craig Illman]

I've had that happen with the tach, the regulator waiting for the engine to warm a few seconds and usually the voltage climbs slowly too, but I've never had that behavior with the other instruments. Hawk - when you turned on the key, before starting the engine, did the fuel gauge work? I'd confirm a good ground to the panel.

Craig

[Hawk]

Thanks guys. This is a new issue as of a month ago.
Craig, I believe the fuel pump beep was sounding but I'll double check.
I've had the panel off before but am I looking for something in particular for confirming a good ground to the panel, as you mentioned??

Many thanks
Tom

[KWKloeber]

Make sure everything is tight, especially the terminals on your key switch and you have a good power coming off the switch, as well as the ground previously mentioned.

[Ron Hill]

Guys : It makes no difference if the fuel float is on an arm or goes up/down on a shaft.
 
The tank is still asymmetrical and the best way to know what's left in the tank is to use time = .5 gal/hr fuel consumption for the M25&M25XP engines.

a thought

[Hawk]

Thanks Ken and Craig. I'll check as suggested and report back.
Tom

[Hawk]

I checked and cleaned the terminal connections on the ignition switch which seem fine. However twice now on start-up the engine instruments remain off but when I jiggled the key in the ignition switch....poof they all flashed on and remained so thereafter.

Looking a little more on the website I located this below thread from 2008 that sounds similar, not perhaps identical as  I have no problem starting the engine. Looks like a replacement ignition switch solved the problem. I think I'll see if I can locate one to try as a replacement. Anyone purchased one recently? I presume marine or auto parts stores may carry it hopefully.

Here's the 2008 thread below.........

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4381.0.html

Tom

[KWKloeber]

Tom

I use Cole Hersee switches on all my panels.   if you have a 2-position, it's p/n M-489-BP ($27), and the weather boot is p/n 83288-BP ($8.)  Defender usually has them in stock or of not I can get them for you.

ken

[Noah]

Catalina Direct has them and the rest of the engine panel components as well.