Gasser tach in a diesel

[Mad Max]

Well I finally found a simple plug-and-play way to enable a gasser tach work accurately on my truck. I really liked the Autometer 2697 mini tach (2-1/16") and the little column mount pod, and I finally found a company that makes a stand-alone magic box that generates a tach signal to feed all the standard V8 tachs - monsters to mini's.

This is the tach and pod:



It's a normal, standard tach that needs a typical ignition-based signal, and I came across a company called Dakota Digital that makes a simple little box that tells the tach what to do with itself
http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/ ... prd129.htm



It operates via two ways, and the one I opted for was by the simple method of counting flywheel teeth. Tell it how many teeth are on your flywheel, set the module accordingly, supply power and ground etc etc, and the nice little mini tach reads just like its plugged into a coil.

The DSL-2 kit comes with the DSL-1D module and a simple magnetic pulse sensor, and all you have to do is mount the sensor somewhere where it can 'read' the flywheel teeth accurately - I chose the tranny inspection cover.



In order for the sensor to be 'square' with the flywheel I needed to modify the cover - I cut out a square 1.5" section and replaced it with a flat version of itself relative to the flywheel, but also up on the side a bit to avoid excess oil and water drainoff. First I needed to know exactly where the flywheel was and how close to the cover it was -



Cut the cover, install the 'shelf', and it looks like this -





Drill a hole just shy of 3/4" and install the sensor. I used clay to measure the distance between the sensor face and the flywheel - I opted for 1/16" - not sure what it's supposed to be but it works great.

As best I can tell it's dead accurate. You can adjust it based on how many flywheel teeth there are...and that's it. The kit cost ~ $110, and it was a simple install. And with it you can use any tachometer on the market you can find.

- M2

[Underpsi]

looks like the alternator interface would be alot easier to put in for most of us and its almost half the price!

[RSWORDS]

Finally! A way to hock up my shuft light!!!

[Ace]

Looks good to me, I'm all for anything that involves cutting and welding!

Should be more accurate than the alternator interface, but that's a long way to go to get a tach installed.

[Mad Max]

I never said it was simpler to install, just opens up the available options. For me, having the tach I want far outweighs the additional cost. If Autometer would just make a couple different tachs with the alternator hook up I'd never have looked into a different method. But if you're like me and just want a nice, small, low rev tach to glance at...well this'd be one option.

[Ace]

I wish Autometer made a rail pressure gauge - at all. But I've used their gauges in alot of different applications over the years and never had one fail, so....

[PToombs]

M2, I've posted links to that widget several places. At $60, it's kind of expensive, but to run what you want for a guage, ya gotta do what you gotta do!
The clearance on the sensor should be 1mm. Screw the sensor in until it touches the flywheel, then back it off 1 turn. It will be set perfect.
Most of the early equipment at work uses those sensors, and that's how the FSM says to set them.

[sdstriper]

but that's a long way to go to get a tach installed.

If your working with non-intercooled trucks that flywheel sensor and programmable tach is a decent option. Where this particular project got spendy was with the Dakota Digital unit, but I understand why Sam did that.

[ofcmarc]

....or use this $80 unit and convert the stock tach signal.

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/ ... prd127.htm