Tachometer

[Jamestwojames]

Hello! I have a Harbor Freight 212cc predator engine on my kart and I was wondering if there is anyway to add a tachometer?

 

[firemanjim]

I THINK that we just discussed this in a thread last week. Try the search icon....

 

[landuse]

Have a look at this thread

http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24348

 

[Jimmy_B]

I like to use these if all you are looking for is rpm....

http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail.aspx?gid=2836&sid=15

 

[mckutzy]

Jimmy_B- That only works with a brigs.

A tiny tach will work with about any 1-2cyclinder motor.

 

[Jimmy_B]

Jimmy_B- That only works with a brigs.

A tiny tach will work with about any 1-2cyclinder motor.

It works on any single cylinder 4 stroke motor. Don't get so hung up on their description.

 

[Donald E. Jones]

I have been looking at Northern Tools tach, item # 160590. It is a digital tachometer/hourmeter. It is compact and pretty good looking. The same tach is available on Ebay for less than $20.00. I am going to buy one there.

Don Jones

 

[mckutzy]

It works on any single cylinder 4 stroke motor. Don't get so hung up on their description.

Do you have anything to support that statement. Not trying to get nit pickey just asking

 

[firemanjim]

That Auto Meter tach is ONLY $150...... Ill stick with a used MyChron. .....
JimmyB is correct in that it will work on any kart engine. The statement, "onlyworks on BnS engines" is to keep some yahoo buyin it thinking he can hook it up to his dirtbike or car, ect..... Although you MIGHTbe able to use it on small cc single cylinder dirtbikes.....

 

[Jimmy_B]

Do you have anything to support that statement. Not trying to get nit pickey just asking

You're not nit pickey, you made me do a little research. And you are absolutely correct. I have put them on pit bikes with Tecumsas and had no problems. I always assumed they were reading correctly, and it seemed so as they were governed motors at 3600 rpm. Autometer's website specifically says these are only calibrated for B&S. I have nothing to back up my previous statement, my apologies.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Seeing as the vast majority of single-cylinder, 4-stroke OPE engines use VERY similar magneto ignition systems, I'd wager that tach is a little more universal than the website would have you believe.

That tach wires to the magneto primary winding, whose field builds and collapses once every revolution. So... what exactly makes this a Briggs-only enterprise?

If I could afford the danged thing, I'm confident I could prove my theory.

 

[machinist@large]

Do you have anything to support that statement. Not trying to get nit pickey just asking

I read thru the instructions; if the coil has a low voltage lead for a kill switch, then it should work. I'm more concerned with Jim's question below...

That Auto Meter tach is ONLY $150...... Ill stick with a used MyChron. .....
JimmyB is correct in that it will work on any kart engine. The statement, "onlyworks on BnS engines" is to keep some yahoo buyin it thinking he can hook it up to his dirtbike or car, ect..... Although you MIGHTbe able to use it on small cc single cylinder dirtbikes.....

The Auto Meter is probably a great unit, but when it comes to the price? I'm with you.....

 

[Doc Sprocket]

FWIW, the "low voltage lead for a kill switch" is a tap off the coil primary. See my previous comments.

 

[machinist@large]

FWIW, the "low voltage lead for a kill switch" is a tap off the coil primary. See my previous comments.

Yeah, Doc, I got it. It's just that you always seem to forget that I'm one of the worlds worst/ slowest typers. The last post I had was Jim's at 5:38 PM EST; I wasn't able to finish my post until 6:15. It doesn't help that I'm also trying to loosely follow the evening news.....

 

[rmm727]

I have used a iEquus tach that comes with an inductive pickup coil. Forget what model but it was about $80. Tim Isky from Small Engine Cams dot com has a sendec (spelling) tach for $60. It looks nice and I bet much better than a tiny tach. They take too long to read the current rpm.

 

[dragos28]

+1 on the Equus tach.
i picked up the 8068 and an inductive pickup... its a bit pricey but its a nice tach!