Alpha 1 trim sender

[putback]

1986 3.0 Alpha 1, medallion trim gauge. Replaced the trim & limit switches, mean job. Old wires rotted and gone on the sender, no color code on the new one. Limit works fine but no responce on the gauge from the new sender. Test light shows power to and through the sender. Gauge stays at top of tilt scale. Was gonna buy a new gauge on ebay but noticed all pics of new gauges show the needle at the top of tilt scale just like mine. Every wire and connector on this boat looks as original, no patch jobs or mods. I'm guessing I'm missing something stupid simple. Any suggestions?

 

[alldodge]

You should have 12V on the I terminal, and a Ground on the G terminal. With the sender wire disconnected it should show full up.

Now place a ground on the S terminal and it should show full down.

If it does this you gauge is good.

Next check continuity from the sender wire (Brn/Wht) to the sender, and make sure the ground side of the sender is grounded.

 

[putback]

Thanks, that showed the gauge no good. Same gauge from my donor boat shows good. I'll install it tomorrow. ? on wire colors though. Wire on gauge S terminal is pink/wht strip, enters harness neatly. Sender connection block at stern has Brn/DBL White strip entering harness and Blk to ground. No Brn/Wht comes out of the harness under the dash. Should I unwind the harness and look for s splice?

 

[alldodge]

Pink is for fuel gauge
Brown/Wht strip is for your sender. Your motor being an 86 it could also have 2 Brown wires feeding the sender.

Suggest attach a long wire to your meter and try to ring it out

 

[putback]

You were spot on. Here's s summary in case some one uses this info. Nothing was of any use end to end. Gauge was bad. The wire to the gauge was bad at the pin connector in the engine bay. All wire diagrams show that wire as brn/wht stripe. Mine was brn/white stripe from the female connector to the trim sensor connector block. It is pink / wht strip from the male connector to the gauge, neatly bundled in the harness, sure looks factory. The pink fuel gauge wire is in a separate harness. The new trim sensor would ONLY show full up or full down. Took it apart, one spring contact was not making good contact. Lesson, boat manufacturers may screw up the wire colors, Trim sensor manufacturers may screw up the product. Alldodge has good advice, thanks.