6 volt tachometer 6 cylinder cars

[Robin (UK)]

My Westach was about $140 for the tach itself, plus less than $20 for the bullet mount.
I can't remember how much the stainless bezel was, but I'm guessing also less than $20.

You can check it all out at www.westach.com

[Don Coatney]

unless it is the wife that installs the parts you buys and maintains the car...I cannot see the "getting in trouble part"

[Plymouthy Adams]

thank goodness I do not understand math...

Edited June 12, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams

[laynrubber]

I bought a vintage Sun, 5000 rpm tach from ebay, with the sending unit. Changed my mind about the sending unit and wanted the tach upgraded so I sent it to Williamson's Instrument repair in Chester Akansas. He converted it to electronic control, cleaned it up all for about $240. Excellent service, good communication. Haven't hooked it up yet but I am liking it....I over spent, but what the hey.

[Don Coatney]

I have converted to 12 volts. I located this tachometer on eBay several years back and I paid less than ten bucks. It took a bit of searching to find one that only goes to six grand. It has worked flawlessly for several years.  

 

 

 

This photo was taken before I shifted into 5th gear. When I shifted the RPM's dropped to around 2400.

 

 

[Technowizzard]

Here is one solution for a working vintage 6 volt tachometer;  https://www.dinosaursandroses.com/westach-82s-6-volt-tachometer/

[Polsonator2]

I have a Westach 6 volt positive ground tach but am unable to get it to work with my pertronix unit.  Not sure if others have figured this out but here was the thread that I mentioned this in and it seemed others had issues.  If anyone figured this out please share.  If I can't get it to work I would be willing to sell mine.

 

 

[Merle Coggins]

Polsonator2, I've been struggling with this as well. I even contacted Westach and Pertronix about it. Westach has no idea why it wouldn't work. Pertronix has some "fixes" for certain electronic inaccuracy issues, but none of them seem to apply to how the Pertronix is wired up.

I've tried some different resistors and such in the system to alter the signal but it only seems to make it worse. What I have discovered, on a recent trip, is that although it seems to be off at lower RPM's I believe it's fairly close at road speeds. I took note of my speeds at different tach readings and plugged them into a gear ratio calculator. I even got an accurate loaded radius measurement of my rear tires for a more accurate diameter number for the calculators. When I plug my numbers in it comes out pretty close to what I was seeing on the road. So I have come to the conclusion that it's accurate enough for me at this time.

[JBNeal]

Maybe the tach signal wire is picking up some EM interference from the coil...this might be remedied with some sort of twisted pair wire...

[Polsonator2]

Merle, I can't even get the tach to work at all with the Pertronix. How do you have yours wired?  When it was on points it worked fine. I tried wiring it every which way per some suggestions from the Pertronix Tech support but can't get it to work.

Edited October 24, 2019 by Polsonator2

[T120]

6 hours ago, JBNeal said:

Maybe the tach signal wire is picking up some EM interference from the coil...this might be remedied with some sort of twisted pair wire...

 While I haven't experienced your problem with a Westach tachometer, this suggestion is worth trying... imho.?

[Merle Coggins]

14 hours ago, Polsonator2 said:

Merle, I can't even get the tach to work at all with the Pertronix. How do you have yours wired?  When it was on points it worked fine. I tried wiring it every which way per some suggestions from the Pertronix Tech support but can't get it to work.

 

I still have the 2 wires for the tach connected to the 2 terminals of my coil. The same way it was connected with a points distributor. I've even tried swapping them to reverse the polarity for the tach but I don't remember the outcome of that test.

[Sam Buchanan]

If aesthetics are not a priority, just an rpm readout, the Tiny Tach might be an option. It just needs to have a sensor lead wrapped around a spark plug lead.

 

https://tinytach.com/gasoline-tinytach

 

I used one of these tachs on a 1/2 VW engine that had a magneto and it worked nicely.

 

 

[Merle Coggins]

I purchased one like that on Amazon this summer to test and it wouldn't work. I even tried it on my lawn mower and it wouldn't work with that either. I contacted the seller and explained the situation. It was quite obvious that the package had been opened prior to being shipped to me. He asked if I wanted a refund or a replacement unit. As I still wanted to try one I agreed to a replacement unit. He sent me a return authorization through Amazon and I shipped it back. About a week later I had a refund, no replacement unit.

 

I may try another one next summer, but I gave up on it for now.

[Sam Buchanan]

4 minutes ago, Merle Coggins said:

I purchased one like that on Amazon this summer to test and it wouldn't work. I even tried it on my lawn mower and it wouldn't work with that either. I contacted the seller and explained the situation. It was quite obvious that the package had been opened prior to being shipped to me. He asked if I wanted a refund or a replacement unit. As I still wanted to try one I agreed to a replacement unit. He sent me a return authorization through Amazon and I shipped it back. About a week later I had a refund, no replacement unit.

 

I may try another one next summer, but I gave up on it for now.

 

Beware of the Chinese knockoffs.......

[Los_Control]

Pretty impressive resume. Thanks for the tip, I will definitely try one.

 

 

Established in 1978 by Edward Yelke, Design Technology, Inc. initially focused on the design and development of timing instruments for diesel engines. Products were developed for major local OEMs such as International Harvester and J.I. Case.

Ed's patented piezo transducer became the technology around which the diesel testing units were designed.

Identifying the need for a small, economical unit to measure RPM and track time on small gas engines, the Tiny-Tach was developed and added to the product lineup. It is now a well established product that is sold worldwide in 50+ countries both to individuals and a variety of manufacturing and distribution companies. Design Technology continues to upgrade the Tiny-Tach line to work on both gas and diesel engines.

 

Design Technology, Inc. makes every effort to offer personal assistance to customers who have questions about our products and their applications. Please feel free to give us a call when you need assistance. We can't solve every problem, but we are always willing to give it our best effort.

Please call (630) 920-1300 or email us if you have questions on applications or operations.

Edited October 25, 2019 by Los_Control

[Jeff Balazs]

I have a vintage Westach tach that I have never been able to get to read correctly. I am using the Pertronix module as well. I was able to get it to read at idle speeds but it would drop off as I raised Rpms. I went ahead and disconnected it because I wasn't sure if it would do any harm to the module. That was four years ago. Would love to hear of a way to correct this......but it ain't the end of the world. ?

Jeff

[DJ194950]

Jeff you are 12v. neg ground are you not?

The other member with the Westach that did not work with the pertronix setup was 6v. pos, ground.

I would love to figure this out as I want to buy a 6yl. 12 v. neg. ground but I do have Pertronix with a 8 cyl. only tach not that works but obviously do not read correctly but Looks good!

 

Would you PM me the Westach wiring diagram they sent you, they do not have them online?

 

Heck just for heck of it I would also like to get my hands on the one sent out for the 6v. pos. ground Westach one from the other forum member, maybe I should look up who it was and PM them?

 

Thanks,

DJ

[Jeff Balazs]

Hey DJ;

No I stuck with 6V Pos ground. The vintage unit I bought is supposed to work on any set up....regardless of voltage and polarity....just wired differently for each. It will read at idle speed but as I said drops off once above about 1000 rpm. I disconnected it because I didn't want any issues with the module.

Jeff

[DJ194950]

Ok,

Jeff thanks for the reply.

 

DJ

[James_Douglas]

I have a Westach that I used with a converter to vacuum advance distributor that is tach drive. They gave me a little generator that screws into the tach drive and it drive the two wire tach.

I had to take it out as there was an issue after 10 years of the vacuum plate not moving free. I have yet to mess with it.

Since I will be converting it over to 12 volts and a HEI, I guess the NOS distibutor, minus about 40K, will sit in a box with the tach.

James.

[bluefoxamazone]

On 10/25/2019 at 3:17 PM, Sam Buchanan said:

If aesthetics are not a priority, just an rpm readout, the Tiny Tach might be an option. It just needs to have a sensor lead wrapped around a spark plug lead.

 

https://tinytach.com/gasoline-tinytach

 

I used one of these tachs on a 1/2 VW engine that had a magneto and it worked nicely.

 

 

Hi Sam, tihs device can't handle pos. grnd.....I was told...

 

[Sam Buchanan]

2 hours ago, bluefoxamazone said:

Hi Sam, tihs device can't handle pos. grnd.....I was told...

 

 

You were mis-informed.....here is the device's documentation:

 

https://tinytach.com/pdf/Tiny2AInstructions11263.pdf

 

The tach is powered by an internal battery so it doesn't matter what voltage or polarity is used on the vehicle or if the vehicle even has an electrical system. The only connection to the vehicle is the sensor wire that is wrapped around a spark plug lead. The downside is when the internal battery dies the tach has to be replaced.

 

I'm not selling or promoting this tach, only offered it as a potential alternative if traditional appearance isn't needed or if having difficulty getting a traditional tach to work properly.

Edited October 29, 2019 by Sam Buchanan

[bluefoxamazone]

strange because the information came from tinytach (the seller)...

 

[HotRodTractor]

12 hours ago, bluefoxamazone said:

strange because the information came from tinytach (the seller)...

 

 

I'm not sure if you are actually talking to Tinytach or not - but I can confirm they don't care anything about vehicle voltage. I used these exact tachs on Briggs and Stratton engines 15 years ago - Its just a little self contained device with a wire that wraps around a spark plug wire and the act of firing the plug generates emf into that trigger wire and figures out rpm based on that.