FUEL FLOW MEASUREMENT ADVICE

[Nola]

Hello-
I have been taking longer trips with my Sportsman 180 w 4 stroke Yamaha F150. I'd like to optimize my cruise fuel burn and have a better idea of fuel remaining. I have 3 things I am considering:

1.Garmin GFS-10 to Garmin 741xs gps via nmea 2000 network
2.Yamaha FMS
3.Connect my Yamaha nmea from engine to Garmin 741xs (cannot confirm if 2004 engine had built in nmea2000 connection)

First off, Does anyone know the answer to #3 above?
Second, does anyone like the Garmin gfs-10 better than Yamaha FMS? I'm assuming that Yamaha FMS is calculating a fuel burn based on RPM and distance vs gfs-10 which actually senses fuel flow?

I also think it would be cool to have an nmea 2000 network to add other features down the road...

Any thoughts, insight or advice would be very much appreciated!

 

[Parthery]

If you do the GFS-10 or the data from the motor you will need an N2K backbone. For $70, it's a good starting place anyway.

I'd check and see if your motor is compatible. If it is then all you need is the Yamaha interface cable and the N2K backbone. You will receive all sorts of interesting data that you an display on your 741 including RPM, MPG, GPH, oil pressure, etc...

2nd choice would be the GFS-10. It will give you GPH and MPG - calculated using the GPS in the 741. I have a similar system on my 225 OX66 as it was the only way to get fuel flow. In my case, I have a Simrad GO 7 connected to a Simrad/Lowrance EP60 in the fuel line. Works perfectly.

If you go Yamaha FM you will still need to add the harness and sender to go in the fuel line. For the price of all that you could probably buy another 741.

One thing about N2K is it is so easy to add things you start looking for things to add. I put the backbone and fuel sender in, then wound up upgrading my VHF to the Lowrance Link 8 which also has AIS. By connecting it to the backbone I can see other vessels with AIS transmitters on the GPS display. Thinking about a Sonichub next for tunes, if I can find one on eBay. :grin:

 

[Nola]

thanks Parthery!

I agree on the engine to 741xs direct link via NMEA2k... my challenge is no one seems to know if my motor has the capability... no luck with the dealer, the Yamaha support line says "Temporarily Unavailable"... can't seem to find a resource on this. Internet searches keep giving me ambiguous results/answers. Any thoughts on a reliable source of info on this?

I have my eyes on the XM Weather overlay on the 741xs... XM antenna networks to the NMEA2k backbone... pretty damned sweet!

 

[Parthery]

I'd reach out to Andy at SIM Yamaha (www.simyamaha.com). He may be able to tell you from the serial number if your motor is compatible. Or - he may tell you where to look under the cowling for the plug that you will connect to. And if your motor is compatible, he will make you a good deal on the Yamaha interface cable.

 

[Nola]

Simyamaha is an excellent resource. Joe let me know within a couple hours that Yamaha didn't put nmea 2k in their engines until 2005. It looks like I will be going the GFS-10 route. Thanks for the advice and I'll do a follow-up post on the outcome.

 

[Greatty]

Nola, FWIW, I have a '99 Sportsman with a 150 ox66 that we installed a Yamaha FMS in about 6 years ago. The FMS has been extremely accurate, however I cannot remember what the installation cost was :hmm . I can say I've been very happy with the FMS and certainly rely on it rather than the notoriously inaccurate fuel gauge. Good luck, Bob.

 

[Nola]

I'm probably going to tackle this project next weekend. Parthery, do you happen to have a picture of your fuel flow sensor installation? Did you mount it in the Starboard/Stern battery compartment?

 

[Parthery]

I'm probably going to tackle this project next weekend. Parthery, do you happen to have a picture of your fuel flow sensor installation? Did you mount it in the Starboard/Stern battery compartment?

I'll get you a picture in the next day or two. My fuel filter is mounted in the port side compartment. I cut the fuel line and placed it inline with the arrow facing up as Lowrance/Simrad specifies in their instructions. From there it was simply a matter of running the N2K cable from the sending unit through the rigging tube and up to the dash.

My N2K backbone is mounted behind the VHF and GPS. I have 4 T's and a terminator on each end. The T's hook up to the GO7, VHF, EP-60 Fuel Flow, and power. It doesn't matter what order you connect them in as long as you have a terminator on each end.

 

[v8boatbuilder]

I have a GFS10 connected to a GMI20 display since the Yamaha SWSII w/Carbs didn't have fuel management. I love it, I've configured all kinds of great gauges such as GPH, Range, MPG/Econ, fuel countdown, fuel via sender, etc. Works really well.