Tachometers are a useful tool for anyone that enjoys keeping track of their engine speed. They come in a variety of sizes and styles, and can be equipped with various features like shift light or RPM recall. The tachometer you choose should fit your engine, and be easy to read in the cockpit.
Tach wires should be kept away from speed signal wires, ignition wires, fans, pulsed pumps, and anything else that may interfere with the tach wire’s signal. Filtering is a good idea as well to improve the quality of the tach signal.
Hook up the tachometer’s green wire to the negative side of the coil on your engine. This is an important step as connecting the wire wrong could cause damage to your tachometer or your ignition box.
Make sure that you are using the correct coil and connector for your engine by reading the manual and the instructions provided with the tachometer. If you are unsure of how to connect your tachometer, ask the manufacturer for help.
Next, route the green tach wire through an opening with a rubber grommet that will allow it to pass into the engine compartment. Depending on your car’s location and the tachometer’s mounting options, this may be a simple matter of running it through the firewall and underneath the dash, or it may require some more complicated routing.
If you are mounting the tachometer to the steering column, find a mounting bracket that will allow for a secure, tight fit. Brackets typically are included with new tachometers, but you can also make your own or purchase one from a parts store.
You can attach the tachometer’s white backlighting wire to the dashboard lighting supply, supplying power to the tach’s LEDs. This will ensure that the lights will turn on when the tachometer is activated, and dim with the dash lighting when it’s turned off.
Once you’ve sorted out all the details, it’s time to install the tachometer in your car. The best place to mount it depends on the tachometer’s manufacturer, but typically you should be able to get a good viewing spot that will be easily accessible while driving.
Use a tachometer that is calibrated to match your vehicle’s number of cylinders. Most tachometers will have two switches, a 1 and a 2. Set them to match the cylinder numbers on your engine. For example, if your vehicle has a 6 cylinder engine, you should set the 2 switch to the up position and the 1 switch to the down position.
The tachometer should be mounted near the steering wheel so that the driver can see it easily while driving. It should also be positioned so that the driver doesn’t have to take their eyes off the road while driving.
Once the wiring has been connected, you can test your tachometer to see if it’s working properly. If it is, then you have everything lined up correctly and you can start your car to test the connection.