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Anyone running engine info on MFD?


FINCHASER

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I had an idea for the next boat but not sure it will work, hoping someone on here can help.  The idea is to not have any yamaha gauge(s) installed on a new boat and view info via connecting the motor to the depthfinder / plotter screen (MFD).  Im not sure where some of the info is sourced so Im not sure I can get all the info I need to see this way... heres a few that Im not sure can be done this way:

Engine hours 

fuel level

Tilt / trim angle

Temp warning

The main reason Im considering this is the gauges inevitably fade, haze or crack despite best efforts to prevent it and I just like keeping things simple.  Hoping someone has their motor connected to the MFD and can tell me what all it will display... thanks

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Just finished doing what you are talking about on a buddies skiff. Depending on the engine manufacturer no the year built you can get everything you listed and more. He has a Honda and garmin. We couldn’t get fuel level but you can do range and consumption. You can probably get fuel level if you use the right sender.

On my 2014 Pathfinder I get all engine instrumentation, consumption, range, speed on the mfd. piece of cake. You might want to consider a separate mfd for engine info. Even on a 12 inch machine there isn’t a lot of room left if you run gps and depth t the same time. Some of the Yamaha stuff does what you want right out of the box depending on the engine model. 

Good luck!

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Headhunter- Thanks for the detailed info.  A separate smaller MFD is under consideration but I dont think Ill need it as I plan on going with lowrance.... 1 of the things it can do above all others is overlay data on any screen, anywhere I want and in 4 sizes from xtra small to xtra large.   Most likely the only data Ill put up for constant display is RPM, temp and fuel level if I can get that figured out.  This apparently is gaining traction I just saw Yamaha has a new gauge the CL7 which provides all engine and boat data and has the ability to have a transducer connected so itll also provide depth sounder capability and has plotter function as well.

Hutch- thanks for the replay.... you getting fuel level?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hutch, if you have the engine cable connected into your NMEA and MFD, then you should definitely have the fuel data already and it will be much more accurate than your basic gauge.  You just need to input what your tank size into the System settings, fill up your tank and then tell the system that you filled your tank.  Then it will automatically subtract fuel based on your engine's fuel burn info.  It's not completely fool proof as you do need to remember to tell it when you've filled up, but on my boat it reads the gas to within +/- 1 gallon.

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I have the info running into my simrad evo3. I’d love to lose the gauges but I’m not sure you get the 100 hr maintenance reminders or if you get any check engine info if a code is thrown. That’s why I’ve kept mine and also for some redundancy bc mfd can act crazy 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 2/23/2020 at 3:27 PM, Hutch03 said:

I get all my Suzuki info on my Lowrance unit w a NMEA 2000 network and a connector cable. 

I've got my 2006 4 stroke yamy displaying all data on my Simrad through the NMEA network as well.  I would need to add a different, specific, NMEA 2000 fuel level sensor to read fuel level. The speedo coming out of the motor to the yamaha gauge isn't working and my existing fuel sending unit isn't working either.  I've been considering eliminating the Yamaha gauges all together too.  

I went down the path of getting a 5" Simrad to display engine data or be dedicated to navigation but it's the same body as the 7" Simrad so it doesn't save space.  I'm still weighing options.  I'm kinda nervous about getting rid of the Yamaha gauges for some reason.

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