where is the terminal and what does it look like? i am installing tachometer. it doesnt explain this in its instructions!

 

Depending on the manufacturer, and options on the tachometer there will be anywhere from three to several wires to connect. The most basic of tachometers require 1 always hot, 1 hot only with ignition on, 1 signal wire.
A tachometer is nothing more than a simple differential potentiometer. A potentiometer points to a range between a known source and a given source.

I am really going out on a limb here, but terminal suggests to me hot side of start solenoid. I am very surprised that there is not at the very least, a single line diagram to show you the wire colors and where each color wire goes.

What brand is the Tachometer? If they have a Web Site.... go there for more detailed information.

 

mine does have a line diagram. it appears quite simple in fact. straight forward. black to ground. check! white to dash panel lights,. Check Blue with red wire, spliced! green to coil terminal through firewall. check, spliced! red to ignitionn switch on terminal.... er, i dont know what or where that is. Under the dash? on the stearing column? on the engine electrical? i dont know! its probably simple but i dont know what to attach this to.

 

Sounds like they are just looking for power that is only on when ignition is on. The switch is on your column but it would probably be easier to just find a not used terminal on your fuse box under the dash that is switched hot. In other words, no power when ignition is off and 12 VDC when the key is on.

You could also go to the stereo switched power wire though you might induce noise into your stereo by going that route if the tach bleeds anything through.

All it sounds like they are looking for is 12 Volts that won't drain your battery by being on all the time thus they want to take it from your ignition switch. Most fuse panels have tons of not used stuff on them where you can tap in.

Good Luck,

Lee

 

Thanks Lee!

i found another thread which explained the radio wire option. I went that route cause the radio is out and that is where i was doing all my splicing anyway. I just got it going and it works great. i found it interesting to see the operating speed of the engine. quite low overall. >3000 highway speed!
the tach goes up to 8k! not needed for this engine. I wunder if there are aftermarket tachs for lower operating speeds?

anyway, thanks again.