Tachometer suggestions

[Matra V12]

Probably been discussed a thousand times, but here goes anyways...

I would like to put an analog tachometer on a kart with a 420cc Honda clone. Something like a Faria or AutoMeter 0-5000 rpm would be nice, but I'm open to other suggestions.

There seem's to be a lot of cheap China and India tach on ebay, but I need to be instructed on what will work (Spark pulse, proximity sensor, magnetic sensor ?). Ebay offers don't have much technical explanations on how their devices work, and most seen to work on 4-6-8 cylinders engines only. Also, I don't want those generic 0-13000 rpm offerings. I suppose it takes a Diesel engine tachometer?

Anyone has suggestions and pictures?

 

[Joe-405]

For $29.95 these work awesome. Have it on my buildoff barstool racer from 2 years ago and no single issue whatsoever.

http://www.trailtech.net/digital-gauges/tto

 

[Matra V12]

For $29.95 these work awesome. Have it on my buildoff barstool racer from 2 years ago and no single issue whatsoever.

http://www.trailtech.net/digital-gauges/tto

Thank you Joe-405. I just might go for that digital solution.

 

[number9]

I researched tach / hour meter combos for a couple days this week and ended up ordering this one Works Connection . I read some so so reviews of the Trail Tech units but everything I read on the Works Connection was positive.

I've been riding dirtbikes for 39yr, so I know these two companies make good products and if it can live on a dirt bike, a kart should be no problem.

I'll post pics and update when I get it today.

...

 

[ChromeRhino]

QUOTE=number9;408349]I researched tach / hour meter combos for a couple days this week and ended up ordering this one Works Connection . I read some so so reviews of the Trail Tech units but everything I read on the Works Connection was positive.

I've been riding dirtbikes for 39yr, so I know these two companies make good products and if it can live on a dirt bike, a kart should be no problem.

I'll post pics and update when I get it today.

...[/QUOTE]

Its disappointing you had to settle for digital... it just isn't the same. It doesn't provide the convenient, quick glance status output, size or style of the good ol anolog tachs. Digital tachs are blurry, slow, small, hard to see, algorithmic turds that's just a cheap alternative for a REAL tach.

Its just so much cheaper to manufacture a little digital tach than an anolog tach that I think we will need to look for old tachs in order to find what we are looking for. I refuse to use a dumb ol' little digital tach! I would rather use a tuna can, a Sharpie and a unbent paperclip than use a digital tach! So I will scour the web and countryside for a suitable analog tach until my finger tips and souls of my feet bleed and report back to this thread... :::throws fist in the air::: VICTORIOUS! ...........unless I can't find one, to which I will probably just come back here and rant some more and then get the one you got lol

:::looking down towards the ground::: Woah!... where the heck did that soapbox come from?? Lol Sorry about the rant but I was watching this thread so that I could get an analog tach for my future barstool racer build andwas hoping for an easy answer on here. There's is just no replacement for an analog tach IMO.

 

[mckutzy]

I'd like to know why the typical tach's won't work with one cylinder, as opposed to min 4.

 

[ChromeRhino]

There seem to be some available sources for motorcycle tachs for 1, 2 & 4 cylinder engines available. You might have to get the tach wiring separately.

This one is pretty pimp for the money. You could get all the additional sensors and wires and go all out even. http://m.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Motorcycle-LCD-Digital-Speedometer-Odometer-Tachometer-For-1-2-4-Cylinders-/131656051992?nav=SEARCH

There are cheaper alternatives than that one though. Autometer has some expensive one in their "Autometer JR" line, Tiny Tachs offers some also.

 

[Matra V12]

Its disappointing you had to settle for digital... it just isn't the same. It doesn't provide the convenient, quick glance status output, size or style of the good ol anolog tachs. Digital tachs are blurry, slow, small, hard to see, algorithmic turds that's just a cheap alternative for a REAL tach.

Its just so much cheaper to manufacture a little digital tach than an anolog tach that I think we will need to look for old tachs in order to find what we are looking for. I refuse to use a dumb ol' little digital tach! I would rather use a tuna can, a Sharpie and a unbent paperclip than use a digital tach! So I will scour the web and countryside for a suitable analog tach until my finger tips and souls of my feet bleed and report back to this thread... :::throws fist in the air::: VICTORIOUS! ...........unless I can't find one, to which I will probably just come back here and rant some more and then get the one you got lol

:::looking down towards the ground::: Woah!... where the heck did that soapbox come from?? Lol Sorry about the rant but I was watching this thread so that I could get an analog tach for my future barstool racer build andwas hoping for an easy answer on here. There's is just no replacement for an analog tach IMO.

Wow! ChromeRhino, I really like your enthusiasm and determination not to surrender to compromises.

To be frank, I really never had the intension to install a digital tachometer. I think it is useless in situations when you need it most, i.e. keeping your eyes on where you're heading. Your peripheral vision can scan and read an analog tach but not a constantly changing series of digits.

The more I search, the solution leads to a magnetic pick-up analog tachometer.
It seems to be essentially a proximity magnetic field sensor installed on the flywheel housing that counts the passings of a magnet fixed on the flywheel. No need to calibrate for x number of cylinders the engine has, or how many spark per rev/or/combustion cycle, it simply counts the revs of the crankshaft.

To be continued...

---------- Post added at 10:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:42 PM ----------

I'd like to know why the typical tach's won't work with one cylinder, as opposed to min 4.

Simply the result of narrow minded engineering. They intent their product for automobile mainstream market. They don't bother to provide a switch for odd 1, 2, 3, 5,..., 16 cylinders, two or four cycles engines.

The tachometer simply reads the number of pulses it receives and displays the calculated rpm depending if you place the switch to 4, 6 or 8 cylinders.

 

[FreeRunner15]

i much rather have an analog tach myself so
I'm going to experiment with it by removing the cylinder selector switch in the back.
My assumptions are it will either work for 1 cyllinder OR at worst it will work for 2 cylinders.i guess i'll have to be the only one(in the world?) to try it first.

again, sorry for the terrible quality. an HD camera is on my list of things to get
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWTmCtGC7Ww&feature=youtu.be

 

[Poboy kartman]

i much rather have an analog tach myself so
I'm going to experiment with it by removing the cylinder selector switch in the back.
My assumptions are it will either work for 1 cyllinder OR at worst it will work for 2 cylinders.i guess i'll have to be the only one(in the world?) to try it first.

again, sorry for the terrible quality. an HD camera is on my list of things to get
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWTmCtGC7Ww&feature=youtu.be

NO....Put down the pipe....and shut the piehole....and look, listen, join reality, and research first!

 

[FreeRunner15]

NO....Put down the pipe....and shut the piehole....and look, listen, join reality, and research first!

Would it work? What's your idea on it?
on another forum someone said each cylinder setting used a different size resistor or was it capacitor. So i'm thinking i bypassed them all.
Maybe i should pick up the pipe and do some research lol.

 

[chancer]

Maybe i should pick up the pipe and do some research lol.

Aha! I knew it!

 

[ChromeRhino]

Did you just ruin a working, innocent tachometer... just like that? Your dad should have taken your tools away and introduced you to a knee and a belt a few times, son. I think we need to chat over there behind the barn...... :::taking belt off::: Now, this is gunna hurt you more than it hurts me. :::doing some stretches to get warmed up for the workout forthcoming:::

 

[Poboy kartman]

Did you just ruin a working, innocent tachometer... just like that? Your dad should have taken your tools away and introduced you to a knee and a belt a few times, son. I think we need to chat over there behind the barn...... :::taking belt off::: Now, this is gunna hurt you more than it hurts me. :::doing some stretches to get warmed up for the workout forthcoming:::

Naw...think dad did a lot of time digging....and was the impatient type...so just went upsie his head with a shovel....HARD!!!...more than once!

 

[FreeRunner15]

boop.
its mine that i pay for y the F should should it matter.
and those snide remarks woulda had a person done in a lot sooner.

---------- Post added at 11:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:50 AM ----------

Did you just ruin a working, innocent tachometer... just like that? Your dad should have taken your tools away and introduced you to a knee and a belt a few times, son. I think we need to chat over there behind the barn...... :::taking belt off::: Now, this is gunna hurt you more than it hurts me. :::doing some stretches to get warmed up for the workout forthcoming:::

i would beat his a$$ . a 24 year old spending his own hard earned money. pssh, tf outta here.

---------- Post added at 11:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 AM ----------

Aha! I knew it!

ha. if only. i rather spend my money on gofast mods though.
donations are welcome hahaha