Question About Keyless/Gauges
 

I own a 2001 Z222...it is equipped with the factory keyless ignition. Believe it or not, I bought the boat without a key. The previous owner had lost the key and just used the keyless to start and run the boat. A few of the gauges aren't reading, and I'm wondering if it because I'm using the keyless instead of the key? Here's what I'm experiencing...

-Speedo not functioning: Never owned a boat so far that has had one working properly...but it doesn't appear to even be powering up.

-Tach not functioning: Same as the speedo...doesn't even appear to be receiving power. I read on here about working the switch on the back for the cylinder setting a few times and tried that..no difference.

-Fuel Gauge: Always reads full when in RUN mode on the keyless...with all power off it reads E...so I assume it is getting power.

Is there any chance that these are not functioning correctly because I am using the keyless instead of the actual key? The depth gauge, temp, oil psi, trim, and clock all work correctly. I've never really took the time to look into them seriously...it's one of those things I only think about when I have the boat out. I no longer have the contact info for the previous owner (orginal)...so I can't find out what the story is.

Also...on the transom next to the outdrive is what appears to be the sensor for the depth gauge. It also has a wheel on it that appears to catch water for some purpose. Is this the sensor for depth or something else?

Thanks in advance for any responses!

Scotty

Re: Question About Keyless/Gauges
 

Hi Scotty
I have exactly the same boat I didnt get a key ether I would like to get one just so I have a mariah key But dont know which one to order
My tach did not work at first We ran out of gas in the middle of the water because the gauge read full
and the speedo didnt work and still doesnt
The dealer fixed the Tach and replaced the sensor in the gas tank so they work even without the key on my boat I have ordered a new speedo from ebay waiting to see if that helps seeing the dealer said it was the problem.
I am also curiuos about the wheel thing on the back Not sure what it does as my depth guauge is working and suppossedly the speedometer pickup is in the lower unit of the moter
Hope this helps a bit at least with your questions
Regards
Bill

Re: Question About Keyless/Gauges
 

All your gauges should function normally whether you use the keyless ignition or the standard ignition. You should get behind the gauges and see if perhaps a wire came loose, or if maybe the contacts are corroded. This is a somewhat common problem on Mariahs, the wiring was treated with a sealant that didn't last as long as it should, and the contacts begin to get corroded after a while. Do a search on "contacts" or "corrosion" and you'll find all kinds of info. There's also another variable in the situation with the tach, there's a engine selector switch on the back. It's a universal tach that can be used for 4, 6 , and 8 cylinder models. Put a small screwdriver in the switch and change it through the different settings about 6-10 times. This cleans the contacts inside the tach, and sometimes helps fix the problem.

The speedo problem is very common too, the pickup is in the outdrive, and usually just gets clogged with debris. Do a search for "speedo" and you'll find some very helpful tips.

The small paddlewheel on the back is a transducer for your "trip computer". There's a small square gauge in the middle of your gauge cluster that's like a counter, it has 4 digits (i think). It has a gray push button reset. That's your trip counter. That's what the paddlewheel is for. It's supposed to tell you how far you've gone, just like a trip computer in a car. Although I've never been able to figure out what it measures in, because my last weekend out it said "282", and I know I didn't go 282 nautical miles, and i sure didn't go only 282 feet... I consider it THE most useless feature on the boat, and just ignore it 99.9% of the time!

Re: Question About Keyless/Gauges
 

The "paddlewheel" could also part of an electronic speedometer system if you have had an aftermarket system added to your boat.
I have a small rectangular box on top of the dash that reads in MPH and seems to be very accurate. :wink_thumbup: