Fuel gage--common problem?

[viperdrum]

I have an 08 225. At the end of last season the gage was reading 2/3s full when I would fill it up. Last weekend I took it out for the first time this season with a full tank and now it is showing empty and blinking. Have others had the problem?

Why do boats seem to have sensor issues like this and cars don"t?

 

[HaleNalu]

Tank fuel gauges for boats are worthless. Some will work, but for the most part you have to assume that it is lying. A properly calibrated fuel meter is a much better way to know what you have in the tank.

 

[Got Grady?]

I know for a fact that if the battery has low voltage it will do that. Also the fuel sending unit is prone to problems. Next time you run it look and see what your voltage gauge is reading. If it is below 12 then it could be the battery. I kept reading empty but sometimes would work fine. I did not put 2 and 2 together that it depended which battery i was running on. I changed the fuel sending unit and went out one day and it still was reading empty. At some point in the day I switched batterys at the switch and suddenly my fuel gauge was working. Thats when I finally realized it was the battery. Took it and had it checked and sure enough it had a dead cell. I can tell you it had yamaha gauges and you can switch between clock and volts etc..and it would fall to 11.6 when on that battery and 14.2 on the other one..

 

[BobP]

On a 2008 year model? Call the local dealer - doesn't matter where you bought boat. If local dealer doesn't respond accordingly as I've written below, call Grady HQ.

Grady's are top dollar purchases, would you expect the fuel tank level reading gauge to indicate proper and die only after 1 - 2 yrs of use?
Running out of fuel on a boat can be very dangerous to your crew's safety, boat, and other's property and other boater's safety.

 

[seasick]

Is it possible that your gas was stolen?

 

[Parthery]

In 30+ years of being around boats, I've yet to find a fuel gauge that I truly felt was reliable. The angle of the boat in the water, etc...can all throw off the reading. Your 2008 225 probably has the fuel management system....reset the number of gallons used when you fill it up and go by that.

In the meantime, I too would suggest a call to your dealer....GW stresses the "Systematched" deal where they extend their 5 year warranty to also include Yamaha's rigging. My guess is any repair needed would probably be under warranty.

 

[wizard]

Try cleaning ground wire connection on fuel tank.

 

[White Horses (Mike)]

Our 2007 225 had a similar issue. The sending unit apparently freezes up over winter storage sometimes. Dealer came to our dock and repalced it for free. Works fine now, althoug I am about to go get it from this winter's storage - hopefully still working!

 

[freddy063]

blinking most of the time is the ground wire, but to check it take the pink wire off the sending unit and touch it to the ground wire after a minute the gauge should show full. if not, see if the ground is good if it is, then the gauge could be bad.

 

[timberxx]

I have the same problem with a 2004 yamaha F200. Is the grounding wire on the fuel tank? Do I need to remove the entire panel or just the handhole?

 

[timberxx]

I have the same problem with a 2004 yamaha F200. Is the grounding wire on the fuel tank? Do I need to remove the entire panel or just the handhole?

 

[viperdrum]

Got it fixed--sending unit at 132 hours. Dealer has committed to doing it even though technically out of warranty.

On another note, I think one of the best things you can do is be there when your GW tech works on the boat. Mine stays in a boathouse and there are lots of GWs in the area so he is frequently available.

It is a great time to ask questions and get a show and tell. I would be embarassed to say what my tech has shown me which I am sure is known to many of you already. Most of what I have learned about the boat itself has been during annual servicing of my 208 and now 225.

I need this for 2 reasons--my lack of know how, and what I feel is the miserable job GW does with their manuals.

 

[freddy063]

I don't remember if you can get to the ground through the little port hole cover or not? I feel that the biggest trouble is the way the tanks is grounded with a copper wire and a aluminum tank/ lug, unlike metals always react in a corrosives negative way. Even when you use no-ox grease it still creates a electrical reaction that creates a reactive connection. I guess a wire brush every now and then is not a bad fix.

 

[leek]

Gauges

GW replaced both of mine in an 08 T225 under warrantee. They were not accurate and had LED elements missing