Wandering Taco Meter

[Forty Two]

My Tomcat has twin Honda 90s, with a bit over 500 hours each. First trip out this year, the port Tachometer started acting up - sometimes reading higher than the starboard meter, even though the engines were running the same speed - as far as I could tell by sound and vibration and throttle position. Any ideas why this might happen and any ideas about how to fix it? I really don't want to trailer the boat all the way back to the dealer. Summer is short and I really need my boat to be in the water instead of sitting in the dealers yard for the next 6 weeks.[/i]

[CAVU]

fishbob,
Hope you can get it fixed easily, but I wouldn't lose any short summer fishing time on it. If your other tach is working, just set the throttles even and keep on fishing-fix it in the fall.

[journey on]

On Journey On, the tach (Honda 150) started reading low and wandering. Someone posted that the fix was to hit the tach. Did that once or twice and hasn't done it since. Guess you have to show it who's boss.

Boris

[gljjr]

My guess would be a bad ground on the meter. Check all your connections.

[Forty Two]

Got it -

Whack it.
Check the wiring,
Then ignore it.

Simple, cheap, and keeps me fishing.

Thanks.

[jhwilson]

My 2002 Honda 90 did this a couple of years ago, started reading 1200 to 1500 high. I tapped on the RPM gauge glass and the needle fell back to normal. I learned this from the pilot's in old movies. It has happened a couple of times since and I have tapped with the same result. I'll check the ground one of these days.

Just kidding about the old movies.

Harper

[Tom on Icarus]

I too have had my tach wander and I too give it a good couple of raps with my knuckle.........problem solved.

Tom

[Fairbro]

Did you check your battery connections to that motor? I had identical symptoms and a loose battery cable was the problem. Tighten with a wrench. As a result of ignoring it I had to replace the charging coil in the motor.

[thataway]

The most common cause is loose/corroded connections. As suggested, use hex nuts, instead of wing nuts (or at least use a wrench to tighten the wing nuts on the battery--clean all of the terminals, and use a contact cleaner on any large motor bundle connectors--then use a corrosion block to keep them clean/free of corrosion. Putting motor handles at the same position may not work, because of difference in linkage adjustment.

[tsturm]

[Fairbro]

Before I solved my whacky tachy problem I syncronised my motors by watching the center plume where the wakes from the motors meet. Keep it in the center of the transom and you are pretty much OK. Watch it swing either way when you make adjustments to just one throttle.

[Jack in Alaska]

I have had the same problem on my tach. on my 90 Honda. When inquiring at the Honda shop about a new tach. he asked if I had pushed the reset button on the back of my tach. I did not know there was one. So.I pushed it several times and the tach. has been perfect since. ???????? I am just passing on what happened.
Hope it helps.

[Jack in Alaska]

After 2 1/2 months & 60 hours since pushing the button on the back of the tach. it is still steady and true. (>:}

Don't ask me why but it worked.

[hardee]

And here I was thinking that a "Wandering Taco Meter" was some new device to let me know when the Mexican deli truck was getting close so I could calibrate my time clock.

Harvey
SleepyC