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Tach Mystery


mx71

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Ok, I can't figure out the tach. I did order a new resistor in case that's it, but I don't know how else to get it to work. Is something supposed to be actually hooked up to the coil? The resistor is just plugged into the connection. The white/blue wire has 12 volts and the black/blue wire has no power. Why is it by the coil if it isn't connected to anything? What should I be looking for? I've been scouring this forum, the internet, and the service manual and it isn't super clear.

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There may be other wires attached to the coil negative (-) terminal, but the White/Blue stripe one goes through the 2.2K ohm resister and then becomes a Black/Blue stripe to the tach in the dash. The tach also has a Black ground wire and a Yellow/Red wire, connected to the illumination system (dash lights.)

 

The intake coil is usually the source for the tach signal but it will work just as well on the exhaust.

 

 

If you bought it not working maybe it's broken.

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Clearly it's broken. I'm just trying to troubleshoot to get it working. The diagram isn't clear that what color the wire is. So the wires with the resistor don't connect to the coil at all, or are they connected somewhere else? I couldn't find a new resistor, so I just ordered a general electronics resistor to test it. (2.2k ohm, 1w)

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Hey I just went through this in my truck.

How are you measuring things?

 

Look for the mentioned 2.2k resistor by the coils. It will be in a thumb-sized black rubber connector on the wire. If you pull it you can check the continuity between the resistor, coil and the tach connector without worrying about wire colors.

 

Since you have 12V, it seems like your fuse is fine. Make sure you have ground on one of the other pins (not both) and the third will be the signal to the gauge. If you have access to an oscilloscope you can check to see if the connector in the dash is getting any kind of signal.

A cheap DMM might also be able to register some kind of AC response.

 

Also, you can measure the tach meter. If you remove the gauge from the cluster, you should see some tiny, silver wires connecting the control circuit to the little springs that move the needle.

If you measure these VERY CAREFULLY you should get a resistance of some kind, probably around ~100Ω, mine was 70Ω.

The bad one died as 'open circuit' if I remember correctly, and the small voltage from my cheap DMM was enough to nudge the working needle.

 

Check this:

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/71865-84-datsun-720-gauge-hackery/

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Clearly it's broken. I'm just trying to troubleshoot to get it working. The diagram isn't clear that what color the wire is. So the wires with the resistor don't connect to the coil at all, or are they connected somewhere else? I couldn't find a new resistor, so I just ordered a general electronics resistor to test it. (2.2k ohm, 1w)

 

 

Well I thought I was clear where the tach wires are connected.... From intake coil negative terminal, to resistor, to tach. If the resistor is bad or the wires not connected these are the things, other than the gauge itself, that could cause it to not work.

 

There may be other wires attached to the coil negative (-) terminal, but the White/Blue stripe one goes through the 2.2K ohm resister and then becomes a Black/Blue stripe to the tach in the dash. The tach also has a Black ground wire and a Yellow/Red wire, connected to the illumination system (dash lights.)

 

The intake coil is usually the source for the tach signal but it will work just as well on the exhaust.

 

 

If you bought it not working maybe it's broken.

By broken I mean the gauge is at fault. The tach is quite complex, and so, is the most likely thing to fail. Two wires and a resistor are less likely.

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I haven't yet gotten to the point of opening the cluster, but when I do, I'll try this. Thank you!

 

Hey I just went through this in my truck.

How are you measuring things?

 

Look for the mentioned 2.2k resistor by the coils. It will be in a thumb-sized black rubber connector on the wire. If you pull it you can check the continuity between the resistor, coil and the tach connector without worrying about wire colors.

 

Since you have 12V, it seems like your fuse is fine. Make sure you have ground on one of the other pins (not both) and the third will be the signal to the gauge. If you have access to an oscilloscope you can check to see if the connector in the dash is getting any kind of signal.

A cheap DMM might also be able to register some kind of AC response.

 

Also, you can measure the tach meter. If you remove the gauge from the cluster, you should see some tiny, silver wires connecting the control circuit to the little springs that move the needle.

If you measure these VERY CAREFULLY you should get a resistance of some kind, probably around ~100Ω, mine was 70Ω.

The bad one died as 'open circuit' if I remember correctly, and the small voltage from my cheap DMM was enough to nudge the working needle.

 

Check this:

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/71865-84-datsun-720-gauge-hackery/

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Got it, thank you!

 

 
 
Well I thought I was clear where the tach wires are connected.... From intake coil negative terminal, to resistor, to tach. If the resistor is bad or the wires not connected these are the things, other than the gauge itself, that could cause it to not work.
 

By broken I mean the gauge is at fault. The tach is quite complex, and so, is the most likely thing to fail. Two wires and a resistor are less likely.

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A signal at the connector merely says the wiring is good.

 

You could remove the tach and wire it directly to your truck's coil. You would still need the 2.2K resistor in line, but if it did work then you have a wiring problem.

 

 

The 'signal' is an on and off ground. If you connect a test lamp to the coil negative and the other end to the battery it might flicker with the engine running. On the other side of the 2.2K ohm resistor I doubt there would be enough current flow to light it.

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