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Engine Diagnostics - DIY

Tin Diesel

Tin Diesel

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Location
Houston, TX
I have my boat at a local Mercury dealer to find out why it won't get more than 2300 RPM. While I wait, I've been doing some research and I think there's a good chance its a low water pressure problem - either the sensor is bad, or I have a pump problem. Its frustrating to me that there is so little diagnostic data available to me, and I was doing some online research.

I found out you can get a scanner built for your engine by Rinda Technologies (I am not associated with this company at all).
They are at www.rinda.com.

For my Mercruiser 5.0, I think the version below would work. Its the "read faults" that I'm interested in.

Its not cheap at $499, and I don't intend to buy one (unless I get charged an outrageous amount just to run the diagnositics). After all, if this tells me what my problem is, I still have to have somebody fix it!

Just thought its worth mentioning for those of us who are out of warranty and/or don't have a dealer nearby.

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Mercury sells a Bluetooth module that you plug into the motor permanently and allows you read engine codes among many other real time operating info. I have one on my 150 outboard. Not sure if the they work with the Mercruiser, but worth checking into. There's an app called Vessel View that you use on your phone to connect to it. I don't remember what it cost, but they had a special a couple winters ago. I think it was $150? At the time it was a great price.
 
Cool!
Just checked it out. Definitely next addition!
(co-captain agrees... even better!)
:)
 
I added the Vessel View last year. It can be wonky with its blutooth connection, but it is pretty neat. I have not had an error code yet to check out how it works in that regard, but it is supposed to tell you what code and what it is when you get one. The data it provides is nice. It gives a few extra things the Mercury digital controls do not - in particular real time GPH. That one is not always fun to look at. :D
 
Agreed. Bluetooth is wonky sometimes.
 
My new boat came with Vessel View. It's hooked up directly to the Simrad and shows real time info on just about everything. Still learning to navigate through all the screens.....
 
BigKahuna said:
My new boat came with Vessel View. It's hooked up directly to the Simrad and shows real time info on just about everything. Still learning to navigate through all the screens.....
Click to expand...

That’s really nice Daril. I have heard the connecting cables are price to have it wired that way. How awesome that the boat was pre-configured for that.
 
Vikingstaff said:
That’s really nice Daril. I have heard the connecting cables are price to have it wired that way. How awesome that the boat was pre-configured for that.
Click to expand...
IMG_20200530_113121818.jpgIMG_20200530_113147070.jpg
 
Looks like you need some gas!
 
lakeliving said:
Looks like you need some gas!
Click to expand...
Yup that's one of the things they are fixing as we speak with the 20 hr. oil change service. I also have a gas gauge but I asked them shouldn't the gas gauge level work on the vessel view and they said yes! Good eyes!
 
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