Speedo not working

jjker · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 1:00 pm

Hey guys, I've got about 5 hours on my boat so far, and I'm liking it a lot so far. The price of gas has me going crazy, but whatever.

I was out this weekend, and hit a piece of driftwood or something doing about 30 mph. I heard the thud, but didn't feel anything, and when I stopped I couldn't find what it was that I had hit. I got the boat back on the trailer last night and washed it. I can't find any visible damage to the boat or the drive, so I guess it must have been a small piece of wood or something. Now, my question is: My speedometer doesn't work. I noticed this about 20 mins after hitting the "wood". What would cause this? I'm assuming the 2 things are related. What do I check first? Isn't the speedo pickup in the outdrive?

Thanks in advance.

pet575 · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 1:04 pm

I had the exact same thing happen last year on the very first weekend I had mine. See this thread:

http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=932

jjker · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 1:29 pm

Mine is a VP drive. I wonder how similar they are?

So, you're siding with me, and figuring that a piece of whatever I ran into is jammed up this tiny little hole in the front of the drive, thus clogging it and rendering the speedo useless? Nice system.

I'll have a look tonight. Then I guess I'll take it to the dealer and see what they say.

Thanks.

Txjole2 · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 2:02 pm

You should have a watr pick up mounted on the transom next to the outdrive. Its made to flip up if hit by something.

pet575 · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 2:05 pm

I think txjole2 has the better answer. If you have that setup, that is more than likely it. If you have the setup like mine, the speedo would probably be stuck at some speed that is greater than 0MPH.

Regardless, I would think you can easily fix this yourself.

jjker · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 2:19 pm

OK, I left out some information.

It did stick at about 25 mph for a while, and then more like 18, and now it reads 0.

I imagine I have the one like Pet575, as I haven't noticed a stand alone unit on the transom. I'll climb under once I get home and see what's what.

Thanks.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 2:35 pm

You should have a traditional pitot tube like the one TX pictured. My guess is that you were going 25 when you hit the log, soft wood plugged the hole and trapped that amount of water in the tube, and it very slowly released back out, explaining the slow drop in your speedo reading. And now it's reading zero either because there's still enough wood in the tube's opening to block any water from coming in, or it flipped up (or both). If it's flipped up, you'll read zero even if there's no blockage in it at all.

Funny, this $6 part is the one thing I can think of that hasn't change or improved on boats in 40 years.

chrisvs · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 3:02 pm

If it's a 2008 VP drive, then look for a pickup hole at the front of the drive, not a stand alone pickup.

Yup, probably plugged with wood or some other form of waterborne goop.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 5:24 pm

Sorry, forgot the new drives have integrated tubes. :roll:

Walt · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 6:05 pm

I did this often when I would run on the river. Not too tough to rememdy.
1. Disconnect the speedo pick-up hose between the lower and upper end of the outdrive.
2. Blow out the hose thru the lower end using an air hose. Shouldn't take much.
3. Hook the line back up, and blow air into the notch (called pitot tube) that the water pressure would read. This should give you gage deflection on the speedo. Be carefull NOT to blow DIRECTLY into the hole at full pressure. This may damage the speedo if you do.

pet575 · **Posted:** Wed May 21, 2008 9:43 am

Walt's advice is for a Merc, and it is dead on. Volvo guys, is that the same setup for you?

You know, the second time I saw this thread in the list I realized that that I jumped to a conclusion the first time I entered to read and assumed we were talking about a speedometer. I must have been doing something else at the same time, because when I came back I was hesitant to open it. I was afraid there was going to be a pic of jjker in a speedo with the caption, "Where are all the women?" under it.

Blessed · **Posted:** Wed May 21, 2008 9:53 am

Oh, thats a good one . . .

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Wed May 21, 2008 11:07 am

pet575 wrote:

I was afraid there was going to be a pic of jjker in a speedo...

Funny, I feared the same thing.

ardy · **Posted:** Wed May 21, 2008 7:31 pm

lets not go there
Ardy
SouthOz

jjker · **Posted:** Thu May 22, 2008 12:46 pm

Thanks for your help guys, and Pet575, trust me, I wouldn't post pics of me in a speedo! That's just wrong. I wouldn't do that to you guys!

www.iFourWinns.com

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