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Author Topic:   Mercury SmartCraft Gauge Stops Working

hpruner posted 06-12-2008 10:19 AM ET (US)
My 2000 23-foot [unrecognized acronym or abbreviation] is powered by a [Mercury OptiMax] 225-HP. The [Mercury SmartCraft] gauge that [displays] the speed, fuel, and other [parameters], has stopped working. The other [Mercury SmartCraft gauge], the tachometer, is OK. Please advise or trouble shoot for me what may have gone wrong.
seabob4 posted 06-12-2008 02:03 PM ET (US)
Try unplugging the harness that connects the gauge to the j-box. Unplug both ends. Then plug back in. The old Smartcraft trouble shooting ritual. Also unplug and plug back in your 14-pin engine harness, both ends. Let us know.
jimh posted 06-12-2008 09:43 PM ET (US)
Just to help clarify this discussion, are you asking about the Mercury SmartCraft SC-1000 System Tachometer and Mercury SmartCraft SC-1000 System Speedometer?
If you need to reference those models, compare at
http://www.mercurymarine.com/otherproducts/smartcraft/ smartcraftataglance/components/gauges.php
hpruner posted 06-14-2008 11:51 AM ET (US)
I unplugged at the fitting attached to the gauge and is now working. Thanks so much for your help. And, yes, was [asking about] the [SC-1000 System Tachometer and SC-1000 System Speedometer].
glen e posted 06-14-2008 01:53 PM ET (US)
[S]pray them with [an electronic cleaner spray later clarified to be CRD Industries 06102 -- Marine QD® Contact Cleaner] approved by Mercury. [N]o dielectric grease.
jimh posted 06-14-2008 02:24 PM ET (US)
Does Mercury have any literature that contains the recommendation you cite? And does Mercury have any literature that warns against application of dielectric grease?
I find the prohibition against using a dielectric grease to seal the connector bodies rubber mating surfaces to be unusual. Another engine manufacturer specifies that a dielectric grease should be applied to their connectors. I am curious what it is about the Mercury connectors that brings this warning.
seabob4 posted 06-14-2008 04:26 PM ET (US)
Jim,
I am sure sosmerc will back me up on this one. There is a call out in the installation manuals for Smartcraft and DTS that specically states NO DIELECTRIC GREASE. This is one of those "areas" where you will NEVER get a straight answer out of Fond du Lac, and remember, I deal with OEM cust. serv., and probably get a little more info than the average guy (except maybe sosmerc and glen e).
My personal opinion is one having to do with voltage. The entire system is extremely reliant on the amount of voltage and the correct voltage throughout. If you unplug the ECM 32 pin connector, dismantle the connector housing so you can check voltages and resistances across all the pins, there is a multitude of voltage parameters and resistance parameters. And it's not just the 120 Ohm resistance in the CAN1 circuit. Rarely have issues with CAN2. But now that I'm writing, it may be that it is a resistance thing.
The other day, I put the laptop on a 300E-TEC to do its obligatory calibration and initialization, and when I pulled the data port connector out of its housing on top of the powerhead, it was FULL of dielectric grease! Go figure.
jimh posted 06-15-2008 08:17 PM ET (US)
Bob--Are those SmartCraft installation instructions available to Mercury customers? Or only to the dealer or boat builder level personnel?
seabob4 posted 06-16-2008 08:59 PM ET (US)
Jim,
Sorry for the late reply. Smartcraft install instructions are very basic, as the install is very basic. Install gauge, install j-box, plug in harness, done. Unfortunately, to call out possible issues that could go wrong and how to deal with them, well, now, that would be tantamount to admitting there are issues with the system. I don't think we'll see Brunswick doing that anytime soon. And it is not just the Smartcraft side of things. I will be opening a new post in GAM on DTS that I just learned today. Sorry, Glen.
jimh posted 06-17-2008 12:54 PM ET (US)
I am more interested in the Mercury instructions
--that specify CRD Industries 06102 -- Marine QD® Contact Cleaner is to be sprayed on electrical connectors whenever a problem is suspected,
--that prohibit use of dielectric grease, and
--that recommend unplugging and re-connecting all connections as the basis of troubleshooting.
Is that literature available anywhere?

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Author	Topic: Mercury SmartCraft Gauge Stops Working
hpruner	posted 06-12-2008 10:19 AM ET (US) My 2000 23-foot [unrecognized acronym or abbreviation] is powered by a [Mercury OptiMax] 225-HP. The [Mercury SmartCraft] gauge that [displays] the speed, fuel, and other [parameters], has stopped working. The other [Mercury SmartCraft gauge], the tachometer, is OK. Please advise or trouble shoot for me what may have gone wrong.
seabob4	posted 06-12-2008 02:03 PM ET (US) Try unplugging the harness that connects the gauge to the j-box. Unplug both ends. Then plug back in. The old Smartcraft trouble shooting ritual. Also unplug and plug back in your 14-pin engine harness, both ends. Let us know.
jimh	posted 06-12-2008 09:43 PM ET (US) Just to help clarify this discussion, are you asking about the Mercury SmartCraft SC-1000 System Tachometer and Mercury SmartCraft SC-1000 System Speedometer? If you need to reference those models, compare at http://www.mercurymarine.com/otherproducts/smartcraft/ smartcraftataglance/components/gauges.php
hpruner	posted 06-14-2008 11:51 AM ET (US) I unplugged at the fitting attached to the gauge and is now working. Thanks so much for your help. And, yes, was [asking about] the [SC-1000 System Tachometer and SC-1000 System Speedometer].
glen e	posted 06-14-2008 01:53 PM ET (US) [S]pray them with [an electronic cleaner spray later clarified to be CRD Industries 06102 -- Marine QD® Contact Cleaner] approved by Mercury. [N]o dielectric grease.
jimh	posted 06-14-2008 02:24 PM ET (US) Does Mercury have any literature that contains the recommendation you cite? And does Mercury have any literature that warns against application of dielectric grease? I find the prohibition against using a dielectric grease to seal the connector bodies rubber mating surfaces to be unusual. Another engine manufacturer specifies that a dielectric grease should be applied to their connectors. I am curious what it is about the Mercury connectors that brings this warning.
seabob4	posted 06-14-2008 04:26 PM ET (US) Jim, I am sure sosmerc will back me up on this one. There is a call out in the installation manuals for Smartcraft and DTS that specically states NO DIELECTRIC GREASE. This is one of those "areas" where you will NEVER get a straight answer out of Fond du Lac, and remember, I deal with OEM cust. serv., and probably get a little more info than the average guy (except maybe sosmerc and glen e). My personal opinion is one having to do with voltage. The entire system is extremely reliant on the amount of voltage and the correct voltage throughout. If you unplug the ECM 32 pin connector, dismantle the connector housing so you can check voltages and resistances across all the pins, there is a multitude of voltage parameters and resistance parameters. And it's not just the 120 Ohm resistance in the CAN1 circuit. Rarely have issues with CAN2. But now that I'm writing, it may be that it is a resistance thing. The other day, I put the laptop on a 300E-TEC to do its obligatory calibration and initialization, and when I pulled the data port connector out of its housing on top of the powerhead, it was FULL of dielectric grease! Go figure.
jimh	posted 06-15-2008 08:17 PM ET (US) Bob--Are those SmartCraft installation instructions available to Mercury customers? Or only to the dealer or boat builder level personnel?
seabob4	posted 06-16-2008 08:59 PM ET (US) Jim, Sorry for the late reply. Smartcraft install instructions are very basic, as the install is very basic. Install gauge, install j-box, plug in harness, done. Unfortunately, to call out possible issues that could go wrong and how to deal with them, well, now, that would be tantamount to admitting there are issues with the system. I don't think we'll see Brunswick doing that anytime soon. And it is not just the Smartcraft side of things. I will be opening a new post in GAM on DTS that I just learned today. Sorry, Glen.
jimh	posted 06-17-2008 12:54 PM ET (US) I am more interested in the Mercury instructions --that specify CRD Industries 06102 -- Marine QD® Contact Cleaner is to be sprayed on electrical connectors whenever a problem is suspected, --that prohibit use of dielectric grease, and --that recommend unplugging and re-connecting all connections as the basis of troubleshooting. Is that literature available anywhere?