Mercury 2.5L 200 rigging questions

[RidgeRunner]

You could use it in a pinch, provided you eat your Wheaties.

I gotta agree with Phat on the gauges, give me a tach, water pressure and a volt meter. Need to know that your making good water pressure IMO, most important, followed by battery voltage/charging system status. Temperatures on a outboard often require an extra sensor or two.(water and head temp)
I replaced the trim sensor on the Optimax because the Smartcraft Gauges kept beeping to alert me of the sensor failure at every startup. Annoying.

[spareparts]

ya gotta hate those annoying smart craft gauges

[jasoncooperpcola]

I am trying to figure out how to hook my hydraulic steering to the outboard steering arm. Its a SeaStar HC5340-42. Pic Below. Does anybody have an idea on how it hooks up? I will try to get pics tomorrow when its daylight. I think i need a steering arm extension, www.mercurypartsexpress.com/us/steering-arm-extension-kit-p11636.html , but it says "Used with dual engine tie bar kits. Not designed for use with hydraulic or power steering systems or as a primary steering attachment point." . About to get on Teleflex website and look for answers too. On the 250 Sportsman, the hydraulic steering was hooked to the steering arm extensions?

I have never thought about needing a volt gauge, but then again, none of my boats ever had one. Ridge i think i will stick with the dumbcraft gauges. Hopefully no beeping.

EDIT: I need the Teleflex Adapter Kit HO5035, not a steering arm extension (parts 42, 43, 44). $75-$150 I found an exploded diagram on Teleflex website, its below.

[phatdaddy]

might want to check your gps, some give volt readings, i use that as a gauge on my 13 whaler.

[jasoncooperpcola]

I think mine does Phat, but i usually run it off my livewell battery. Dad never wanted it hooked to the motor battery, it would blink sometimes when cranking the motor, and he thought it might be bad for the gps. Good idea, but does anybody have a problem like that with their gps on the motor battery?

[jasoncooperpcola]

Update, i got a Mercury Commander 4501 binnacle control. Its very smooth without cables. Not impressed with the price once i opened it up. But thats the case with all new controls. I will get cables once i get the bracket and console done so i can accuratly deteermine length. So far i am very happy with my motor choice. No way i could have afforded an Optimax. For now i am done buying parts. I need to use what money i have left on house repairs.

[RidgeRunner]

Originally Posted by jasoncooperpcola

I think mine does Phat, but i usually run it off my livewell battery. Dad never wanted it hooked to the motor battery, it would blink sometimes when cranking the motor, and he thought it might be bad for the gps. Good idea, but does anybody have a problem like that with their gps on the motor battery?

My GPS/Engine and nearly everything else runs on whatever battery I switch to. Never had the GPS turn off while cranking the engine on any of the boats Garmin 2006, Lowrance HDS7, and Lowrance C68 so far. All of which tell voltage. Flats boat doesn't have a volt gauge, just Tach and Water Pressure.

Smartcrafts should carry a warning label, "Owners need to be smarter than their gauges" New set still in the box Spare..

[jasoncooperpcola]

Got bored, and stuck the controls and hydraulic steering on the console, to see what mods need to be done. It seems the steering wheel is too far up, and the control handle bottoms out reverse and forward. I might build an angled binnacle pod onto the console. I do plan on extending the top of the console to make room for electronics. Gauges are going on the angled section above the wheel and the space between the steering wheel and control will be for switches.

Below are some pics of the setup and the outboard.