Tachometer Problems

[JFrog]

Hey guys,

So I finally got my boat running and realized that my tachometer isn't functioning properly. The needle moves all over the place and I'm not sure why.
Does this sound like a bad gauge? Bad connection?

I also found that when I hook my dwell meter up I won't get any readings at all. The dwell meter is brand new and will give me a volt reading but will not give me either dwell or rpm.

Anyway, so I'm not sure if the problem is the gauge, the connection between the gauge and the negative terminal on the coil or if there is something going on with the negative terminal on the coil.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[Levinz11]

Re: Tachometer Problems

What are you working on? Sound like simple continuity issues.

 

[JFrog]

Re: Tachometer Problems

Working on an AQ125B.
How do I solve continuity issues?

Thanks,
Keith

 

[Don S]

Re: Tachometer Problems

Turn your meter to dwell instead of volts and the dwell will probably work. Did you hook the wires on the right terminals?

If the wire connections are clean and tight, you probably have a bad tach.

 

[JFrog]

Re: Tachometer Problems

Yeah, I wish it was that simple. I tried the meter in the dwell, rpm and volts positions. The only time I got a reading was when it was in the volts position.

Yeah, I hooked the green wire to the negative terminal on the coil, and grounded the black wire to the motor.

Could the brand new meter be faulty?

Yeah, checked the wire connections and all are clean and tight. I wonder what would have caused the tach to go bad? All the other gauges seem to work just fine.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Tachometer Problems

A tach is an electrical instrument just like a radio, tv or a stereo system. They all go bad over time. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later, sometimes right out of the box.

 

[JFrog]

Re: Tachometer Problems

Yeah, that's understandable Silvertip.

I guess I'll start looking into new tach's.

I'm still confused about the dwell meter not working though.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[Levinz11]

Re: Tachometer Problems

Hook the meter to the negative battery terminal. That's your best bet for a GOOD ground.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Tachometer Problems

Have you tried moving the pulse setting dial around on the back of the tach , those are known to lose their connection and moving them back and forth a few times cleans the contacts, and then setting it back where it was has fixed more than one tach. :ranger:

 

[JFrog]

Re: Tachometer Problems

I'm hoping to get behind the dash today to check the pulse setting and clean all other connections. Hopefully that will do the trick. It's actually been raining here so I haven't had the chance to get out there this weekend.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[JFrog]

Re: Tachometer Problems

Update:
Tach is working much better now. Cleaned all the connections and fiddled with the pulse screw. Seems like the tach works fine to around 4000 rpm and then gets a bit jumpy. Anyway, works fine other than that.

Still no better regarding the dwell meter. Volts work but dwell and rpm don't. Went ahea and just gapped my points and set the timing. It runs okay once it's warmed up.

Thanks,
Keith