Fuel Flow Meter/Gauge Questions

[Trey1096]

Just my $0.02, but I’ve got a LMF200 with a couple of fuel flow meters and I’ve never been able to get it to the point to where I trust it. The whole system has been back to Lowrance twice and the second time they sent me a new LMF200 unit. Each time they say, “Yes, it’s not working right, but we fixed it.” Then it still won’t read consistently.

I pretty much stopped fooling with it since I’m in the process of a repower.

My new engine is a 2008 225 Opti with a set of SmartCraft gauges. Does anyone have any experience with the SmartCraft fuel management feature?

Trey

[Bushwacker]

I have the Lowrance/BRP I-Command digital gages and they seem to work well. The fuel flow and total fuel usage are calculated based the fuel flow/speed/throttle opening maps built into computer rather than an actual measurement, but generally seem to be fairly close to the old Flo-scan meter I've had for years. I have had occasional electrical gremlins with the Flo-scan meter (bad ground, bulb burns out, corrosion on connectors, etc.), so if anything I'd say the I-Command system is more reliable, although maybe not as accurate. When I start the motor after it's been sitting for a couple of weeks, the Flo-scan gage will jump up to 8-10 gph for a few seconds, like some fuel in the lines has evaporated and is being replaced, and of course the I-Command calculating system won't pick that up. The Flo-scan Totalizer generally seems to read a little higher and I tend to trust it a little more (except when the gage has been acting up!)