The Ford Barn

zoegrant · 03-26-2020, 04:30 PM

If a tach get its signal from the distributor, shouldn't the tach be hooked up "directly" to the distributor ?
The two wire tach I am using is hooked to the positive side of the coil where the wire from the back of the distributor is also attached.
Is their enough electrical signal from a setup like I have. ????
I still cannot get a correct tach reading, is it possible that the tach should be hooked directly to distributor ??
The other tack wire is hooked to ground.
This is a 272 Y Block....Thanks

dmsfrr · 03-26-2020, 05:39 PM

Previous thread...
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...7959&showall=1

This is on a Positive Ground car, right? With original style points? (not an electronic conversion kit)

There should be a usually black wire approx 1 foot long that connects the "+" terminal of the ignition coil to the points inside the distributor. There may or may not be a junction in this wire on the outside of the distributor. (photo)

Terminal #2 of the Tach should connect to either the Ignition Coil or Distributor end of that wire.
It's the same wire and shouldn't make any difference.

zoegrant · 03-26-2020, 08:03 PM

Thanks, that is all I needed to know...looks like I have it hooked up correctly.

JimNNN · 03-26-2020, 08:49 PM

Thanks, dmsfrr. Per my PM, zoegrant, I'll try to get up to storage to check out how I wired mine, though I wired it per the instructions of the westech co. Also, I converted my wiring to negative ground, for what it's worth.

If you get it working before then, let us know. Thanks - Jim

zoegrant · 03-26-2020, 09:14 PM

Jim … according to Westach a negative ground system is hooked differently but if it is not too much trouble I would like to see how it is hooked up..thanks

dmsfrr · 03-26-2020, 10:02 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by zoegrant

Jim … according to Westach a negative ground system is hooked differently but if it is not too much trouble I would like to see how it is hooked up..thanks

Looking at the instruction sheet for that Tach on the Westach website, there is a note near the top that says the two wires (for terminals # 2 & 5) can be reversed to 'steady' the needle if necessary.
This tells me the Tach isn't polarity sensitive, or you wouldn't have that option.
Unless their online instruction sheet is somehow out of date.

http://www.westach.com/instructions/2CT54-6V.jpg

.

zoegrant · 03-27-2020, 02:17 PM

I think my best bet is to send the tach in to Westach for examination, they have already authorized that...My contact there named Pete is really easy to work with. I believe he really wants to help. I will report back when the problem is straightened out.

zoegrant · 04-03-2020, 09:48 PM

PROBLEM SOLVED...It turns out that the tach was not for an 8 cylinder engine but for a 2 cylinder engine, probably a motor cycle. Some how the boxes at the company got mixed up. Even tho the box stated it was for an 8 cylinder turns out it was not.
So the company is converting it over to a 8 cylinder positive ground tach.
I have not received the tach back yet but I presume it will be good.
Thanks to all who gave good input...John in CT

dmsfrr · 04-04-2020, 12:18 AM

Well.... that's good news and weird news at the same time.

zoegrant · 04-04-2020, 10:34 AM

Crazy stuff happens...someone who ordered a motorcycle tach might have gotten an 8 cyl positive ground tach. .The company said the tach`s are supposed to have a sticker on the back stating what application the tach is for. It might have been previously sold and the customer removed the sticker and then found he did not want the tach and made a return and who ever took the return in at the company got confused as to what application it was for and hence boxed it wrong and never put a sticker back on it and the next person who purchased it thought it was for a v8 and then resold it to me.
All speculation on my part but I trust the vendors completely. Like I said, stuff happens.

JimNNN · 04-04-2020, 11:30 PM

Glad it's all fixed!! I agree that the folks who make this tach seem to be top notch.

In my review of the Westach 6 volt unit that I posted a while back, however, I cautioned that their website makes it easy to confuse the 8 cylinder model with the other models because they all look exactly alike. Apparently it isn't only customers who get confused by this but folks who work at the factory, too.

No big deal. They'll make it right and zoegrant will be pleased with his tachometer.

03-26-2020, 04:30 PM	#1
zoegrant Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: tolland CT Posts: 773	Tach question If a tach get its signal from the distributor, shouldn't the tach be hooked up "directly" to the distributor ? The two wire tach I am using is hooked to the positive side of the coil where the wire from the back of the distributor is also attached. Is their enough electrical signal from a setup like I have. ???? I still cannot get a correct tach reading, is it possible that the tach should be hooked directly to distributor ?? The other tack wire is hooked to ground. This is a 272 Y Block....Thanks

03-26-2020, 08:03 PM	#3
zoegrant Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: tolland CT Posts: 773	Re: Tach question Thanks, that is all I needed to know...looks like I have it hooked up correctly. Last edited by zoegrant; 03-26-2020 at 09:10 PM.

03-26-2020, 08:49 PM	#4
JimNNN Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 522	Re: Tach question Thanks, dmsfrr. Per my PM, zoegrant, I'll try to get up to storage to check out how I wired mine, though I wired it per the instructions of the westech co. Also, I converted my wiring to negative ground, for what it's worth. If you get it working before then, let us know. Thanks - Jim

03-26-2020, 09:14 PM	#5
zoegrant Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: tolland CT Posts: 773	Re: Tach question Jim … according to Westach a negative ground system is hooked differently but if it is not too much trouble I would like to see how it is hooked up..thanks

03-27-2020, 02:17 PM	#7
zoegrant Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: tolland CT Posts: 773	Re: Tach question I think my best bet is to send the tach in to Westach for examination, they have already authorized that...My contact there named Pete is really easy to work with. I believe he really wants to help. I will report back when the problem is straightened out.

04-03-2020, 09:48 PM	#8
zoegrant Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: tolland CT Posts: 773	Re: Tach question PROBLEM SOLVED...It turns out that the tach was not for an 8 cylinder engine but for a 2 cylinder engine, probably a motor cycle. Some how the boxes at the company got mixed up. Even tho the box stated it was for an 8 cylinder turns out it was not. So the company is converting it over to a 8 cylinder positive ground tach. I have not received the tach back yet but I presume it will be good. Thanks to all who gave good input...John in CT

04-04-2020, 12:18 AM	#9
dmsfrr Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Abq, NM Posts: 3,607	Re: Tach question Well.... that's good news and weird news at the same time.

04-04-2020, 10:34 AM	#10
zoegrant Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: tolland CT Posts: 773	Re: Tach question Crazy stuff happens...someone who ordered a motorcycle tach might have gotten an 8 cyl positive ground tach. .The company said the tach`s are supposed to have a sticker on the back stating what application the tach is for. It might have been previously sold and the customer removed the sticker and then found he did not want the tach and made a return and who ever took the return in at the company got confused as to what application it was for and hence boxed it wrong and never put a sticker back on it and the next person who purchased it thought it was for a v8 and then resold it to me. All speculation on my part but I trust the vendors completely. Like I said, stuff happens.

04-04-2020, 11:30 PM	#11
JimNNN Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 522	Re: Tach question Glad it's all fixed!! I agree that the folks who make this tach seem to be top notch. In my review of the Westach 6 volt unit that I posted a while back, however, I cautioned that their website makes it easy to confuse the 8 cylinder model with the other models because they all look exactly alike. Apparently it isn't only customers who get confused by this but folks who work at the factory, too. No big deal. They'll make it right and zoegrant will be pleased with his tachometer.