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Speedo Problems


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I have a 1998 Malibu Response LX and you've seen several other posts from me on minor mechanical issues lately, well here's another.

The left speedo is indicating about 1/2 of the right speedo. The right one sticks at about 25 or so. I've cleaned the pitots. The toggle switches on the dash do nothing. The Malibu owners manual is EXTREMELY WEAK! Is there a more comprehensive manual? Please tell me your story about speedo issues.

Thanks,

Wood

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Hi

I have the same model response as you.

I have had problems with my speedo's for a long time now. I feel I have exhausted every avenue and the final diagnosis is that the gauges themselves are faulty. If you can find a source for new gauges with the same red back light I would be very keen to on a price.

Greig Gonano

New Zealand

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Tackled the speedo problem yesterday on my 1998 Malibu Response LX. I cleaned the pitot tubes with a paper clip, disconnected the lines from the boat to the pitot. I then took a small tube I had in the garage and blew through them with no resistance. Then I crawled under the dash with air compressor hose next to me. I pulled the primary hose off the MDC computer and tried to blow thorough it. It was totally plugged. I blew compressed air through it and was able to then blow through it with no resistance. I replaced the line on the MDC. I then pulled the secondary line and it had no obstruction. I blew it out with the compressed air also then blew again with no resistance. I reconnected the 2ndary tube and called it good.

Before doing all this, I called Malibu and SkiDIM to get advice. Another possible problem Malibu reported was the calibration switches on the dash. Sometimes these go bad. The part number is 3933101 and you can order through your Malibu dealer.

Tomorrow I will test my work. The lake was closed yesterday and no-wake today for weed treatment. I'll post my results then. Hopefully, I can help just one person with this problem.

Incidentally, there was no water in either line at the MDC so for you guys reporting water at your MDC, you probably have some kind of air leakage inside the MDC or at the connection which allows water to make it's way up the pitot hose. Another problem Richard from SkiDIM mentioned was damage to the balance tubes located to the left and right of the fuel tank under the back seat. Richard was telling me that if you have a pitot clogged and you put the boat up for the winter, those metal balance tubes can freeze and break. Something else to consider, if you have a blockage you can't seem to clear even with compressed air, the zip ties holding up the wires also enclose the pitot tubes. If the pitot line get pinched, then it won't work right or not at all.

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to anwer them based on what I've learned so far!

Wood

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How did you get on with the lake test all good ?

Lake test done yesterday with only fair results. The right guage seemed to come up perfectly but then stuck at about 25 while slowing back down. The left guage continued to read about 1/2 as fast. I am now suspecting that the calibration switches are both bad and that the right guage needs to be removed and cleaned (if that's possible). The saga continues...

Wood

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Let me know how you get on.

Super keen to find a result.

Good Luck

I think the next step is to order both calibration switches, pull the dash and replace them, then pull both speedos and pull them apart. I will look for any binding or corosion, etc. and clean it up. I cleaned up the guages on my Ski Supreme and that fixed the problem I had there.

Wood

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  • 1 year later...
Let me know how you get on.

Super keen to find a result.

Good Luck

I think the next step is to order both calibration switches, pull the dash and replace them, then pull both speedos and pull them apart. I will look for any binding or corosion, etc. and clean it up. I cleaned up the guages on my Ski Supreme and that fixed the problem I had there.

Wood

I'm at it again. Called Malibu yesterday and today. They said to turn the key on and watch the needles to see if they jump to indicate they are powered and functioning so I did that and they both worked. Then he said to take a short tube the same size as the pitot tube. Attach a syringe to the end of the tube then attach it to the primary and 2ndary inputs to the computer. Then, turn the key on and watch the guages as you push on the syringe and apply more and more pressure. So I first attached the tube to the primary and the right guage climbed nicely up to about 25 or so and then stuck. It looks like an o-ring is drooping from the top of the speedo and catching the needle. While looking closely at my other guages, it looks like this is happening on both speedos and the tach. I then hooked up the tube to the 2ndary side and applied pressure. BOTH speedos came up to 15 MPH at max pressure on the syringe. Strange. Incidentally, I tried toggling the calibration switches during all of this and all I got to happen was the right speedo went to zero when I toggled "UP" on the right switch during the primary test and 2ndary test. Otherwise, nothing happens.

I am starting to come to the realization that both gauges are probably bad (o-ring hanging) and the MDC (computer) is probably bad as well. Anybody have an MDC I could borrow to do a test????

Thanks,

Wood

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This is on my Christmas list. GPS SKI

3 3/8” CUTOUT,

3 3/4” OVERALL

1/2 mph TIG marks from 16-36 mph

Memory recall for highest and average speeds

Add K-1

for KIT Add

DIAL COLOR Add

RIM COLOR

Part # example GPS52

BK BK

KIT COMPONENTS

Gauge

GPSRA Antenna

Recall switch

w/plate and harness

Harness

Light

BlacK

PLatinum

White

Black - BK

Blue - BL

Chrome - CH

Lime - L

Mustard - MU

Orange - O

Platinum - PL

Purple - PU

Red - R

Tangelo - TA

Teal - T

White - W

Gauge only From $230 With Kit From $489

top

post-8942-1247861041_thumb.png

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I too have a 98 Response LX and have similar problems. My right speedo works fine and left only half as much which is worthless. I took the boat out earlier this year to calibrate the speedos with a handheld GPS which readout MPH. I also have a Perfect Pass so I attempted to sync all 3 in 2 MPH increments with some success. The good speedo’s calibration toggle works fine. Not so on the left speedo. I’ve been meaning to do some troubleshooting and this thread got my interest back.

I also replaced my steering cable this year (MADE MUCH EASIER BY THE POSTS ON THIS SITE THANK YOU). When I pulled the cable to the back of the boat a short piece of clear tubing came with it. I’m not sure if that was FOD from the factory or something I screwed up.

I hope to do some of the things Wood mentioned. Mainly do the visual behind the dash and pressure checks. I’ve cleaned the pitots several times, but I run in shallow water and they get stirred up silt in them regularly. Maybe I can switch my calibration toggles too or at least see if I can figure out what is wrong with the one.

Gumbus

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Have any of you guys ever disassembled a Malibu speedo gauge? The factory guy told me that they are electro-welded together - not good if you want to try to fix a drooping o-ring. I think if I fix that, I might be able to get my right gauge working. It appears to be coming up to 25ish just fine and then looks like it's hanging on that o-ring as I mentioned before. Malibu has the speedos in stock if I feel like spending ~$200 each. Still trying to get a price but it's tough on Saturday.

How about an MDC partially go bad? It doesn't appear this one got water in it and it appears to hold the air pressure just fine from the syringe check I did yesterday. Just thinking out loud again.

Eric

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Have any of you guys ever disassembled a Malibu speedo gauge? The factory guy told me that they are electro-welded together - not good if you want to try to fix a drooping o-ring. I think if I fix that, I might be able to get my right gauge working. It appears to be coming up to 25ish just fine and then looks like it's hanging on that o-ring as I mentioned before. Malibu has the speedos in stock if I feel like spending ~$200 each. Still trying to get a price but it's tough on Saturday.

How about an MDC partially go bad? It doesn't appear this one got water in it and it appears to hold the air pressure just fine from the syringe check I did yesterday. Just thinking out loud again.

Eric

How long has the boat had these speedo issues?

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Have any of you guys ever disassembled a Malibu speedo gauge? The factory guy told me that they are electro-welded together - not good if you want to try to fix a drooping o-ring. I think if I fix that, I might be able to get my right gauge working. It appears to be coming up to 25ish just fine and then looks like it's hanging on that o-ring as I mentioned before. Malibu has the speedos in stock if I feel like spending ~$200 each. Still trying to get a price but it's tough on Saturday.

How about an MDC partially go bad? It doesn't appear this one got water in it and it appears to hold the air pressure just fine from the syringe check I did yesterday. Just thinking out loud again.

Eric

How long has the boat had these speedo issues?

Speedos haven't worked properly since I bought the boat last spring.

Today I removed the primary gauge (right side) and took a hacksaw and cut slightly just behind the lens all the way around. Then, I pried the lens off and removed the plastic ring that was causing the needle to hang up. While the epoxy was drying from puting that speedo back together, I swapped electrical wiring from the primary to the secondary speedo. I then pressurized the primary with the key on. Nothing happened. I then hooked the syringe up to the secondary input on the MDC and the speedo came up to 15 mph again. I put everything back together and took the boat for a test drive. The primary (right gauge) is no longer hanging up at 25ish but it is reading too high. I again tried to calibrate using the rocker switches but it will not adjust.

At this point, I think I have a bad rocker switch and/or MDC. I just don't know. What I would like to do is replace both speedos with 1997 Malibu speedos (no stupid computer, just pressure). I'm not sure if the pitot setup I have now would work with the 1997 setup but it's worth a try.

I think I'll just use my GPS and draw up a RPM/speed chart and go by the tach. This is getting way too time consuming.

Wood

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I think I'll just use my GPS and draw up a RPM/speed chart and go by the tach. This is getting way too time consuming.

Wood

Keep in mind you bought a 10 year old boat last year...can't expect it to perform as a new one.

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I think I'll just use my GPS and draw up a RPM/speed chart and go by the tach. This is getting way too time consuming.

Wood

Keep in mind you bought a 10 year old boat last year...can't expect it to perform as a new one.

Wow, that was helpful. Gee, I should have thought of that :Doh:

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