diesel tach?

[K5dreamer]

hey all, im no stranger to putting a tach on a gas powered engine, but im kinda curious about putting one on a diesel. im lookin to put a small gas guage in the truck, and replacing the big gas guage with a tach.

ive done a little searching and found mention of a optical pickup tach where you paint alternating black and white stripes on the harmonic balancer and position a optical pickup in order to measure rpms.

my question would be, how does that work when you go mudding? or get water above fender level? has anyone setup something like that and had problems?

ive also heard about magnetic pickups. which would probly work better, but i still have reservations about.

are optical and magnetic pickup tach's the only option for a diesel owner who wants a tach?

 

[TSGB]

I have the same interests, but haven't done any research yet.

 

[k204dr]

you can take your alt to a shop and have them solder a wire to one of the diodes, and run it off that i've been told.

 

[AuH2O]

How exactly were the factory diesel tachs wired up is what I wonder?

 

[TSGB]

I was chatting with my step-dad yesterday, he said there may be a sensor on the crank, but he doesn't know for sure.

 

[80' 427]

They use the alternator on a factory tach in a 6.2 and 5.7 diesel

 

[BKinzey]

Fill out your sig so we know what you have.

The 6.5L has an optical sensor on the crank and if your Fuel Injection Pump is computer controlled, called a PMD, there may be more options as well.

 

[Russell]

There is a later version of a vaccum pump that has a cam sensor on it, you can convert that signal to be used with a factory tach... I'm not entirely sure how it works, but I have a buddy who'd figured it out.

I can email him and ask if you want

 

[TSGB]

That would be splendid.

 

[greythorn3]

6.9 ford

my 6.9 ford has a sensor that screws into the injection pump gear cover it looks like a magnetic pickup type.. but not positive.

Ray

 

[Hitches31]

I used an Auto Meter Diesel tack. It used the alternator as a pick -up point . very easy to install . It is adj for any diesel ( Ford, Dodge Chevy) I ordered it from Summit and it was I think $119.00 Shipped! I'll look for my Invoice for the part number!

 

[ccatlett1984]

please post that #, thanks

 

[Russell]

Ah, totally forgot about this thread -- I'll send the email off right now

 

[Russell]

Got a reply to my email:

He would have to buy a vacuum pump from (Bumper to Bumper part# CDN*64-1202,
GM Part# 7849303) and then build a little signal converter and plug it all
in. There is a write-up by Lee Swanger on www.thedeiselpage.com describing
how to connect any electronic tachometers to a deisel. Moody is a member who
lives in edmonton and I going mine from him. The diesels did not come with factory tachs until the 3rd gen body style (88'+)

 

[TSGB]

Thanks boss, I'll check that out!