Synchronizer

[Nepidae]

I just did a quick look on this topic and didn't see anything.

My gauges are shot and while I'm anticipating the full replacement, both upper & lower, I'm also contemplating a synchronizer.

I have 2 -135 FL, Morse controls.

Anyone have any experience installing/configuring one of these.

Bob Smith recommends Glendinning.

Any info would be greatly appreciated, good or bad.

Thanks.

[jleonard]

If you buy two digital racha you probably can do without the syncronizer

[jleonard]

That was supposed to say digital tachs. I don't care much for the iPhone's word completion software

[mike66]

Dumbing down of America...you're way smarter than a phone and likely to use "strange" words like tach. Sorry for the off-topic rant.
It probably is more economical to go with the tachs and should work fine. It seems to me that your props should be matched as close as possible (propscan, etc) to make it worthwhile. Otherwise equal RPM is moot. (i.e. one with a 15" pitch and the other with a 16" pitch.)

[jleonard]

Mike you make a great point as many of these older boats have different gear ratios port and starboard. Matched rpm won't equal matched load if that is the case

[psneeld]

Glendennings are great...neanderthal but that's what makes them great.

The nice feature is throttling up and down just using one lever and having the engine close in loading...very sweet.

[mike66]

Another thought...on my old Blackfin with 454's the two throttle handles were close enough together that my big hands could handle both knobs together. After throttling up or down I could make a fine adjustment to one engine to match them by tachs and sound. The synchronizer would be nice but I rarely change the throttle on my boat. It's so slow that once I'm out of the marina it's 1800 rpms and autopilot. No speed changes like when we were chasing fish. So being frugal the expense doesn't seem worth it to me. But if the cost is okay, go for it.

[Nepidae]

Thanks for the responses.

First, one advantage of a synchronizer is that 2 throttle controls become 1 (I have big hands to span the throttles) with a master control.

Second, thought about new tachs, certainly need new instruments on an '85, but still have the issue of 2 controls which even with big hands, depending on where you are standing in relation to the wheel and other controls, may not move together.

I'll check my reduction ratios and see if they are matched.

Thanks again for everyone's input.