Easy Tachometer Installation!!

[Paulysplitx]

Thank you for that information that helps clear things up for me. I am very interested in doing this to my truck i just didn't want to waste time and money if all it was going to do is jump around. So now i have something more to look into like tach's that are designed more around the 4cyl. What tach are you running? I am looking to go with a 2" tach and just end up mounting it on my pillar. I have found a few good ones at prostportperformance and i would like to go that route. http://www.prosportgauges.com/blue.php

[bladehines]

i am not running a tach at all, i am just running a shift light that uses pills to tell me when to shift. ( 5200RPM in my case)

here is my thread:

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f26/sh...6k-die-220354/

[Paulysplitx]

Like the install, First time i have seen something like that. Thanks for the help

[wickedklown]

i hooked up my tach as per above instructions

black- ground
red - drk green
white purple/white stripe
green- off white

problem is no tach signal, would any body have a diagram of the wiring harness w/the connectors so i might be able to trace the wire?

thanks

[ExtCab96S_Dime]

Quote: Originally Posted by wickedklown

i hooked up my tach as per above instructions

black- ground
red - drk green
white purple/white stripe
green- off white

problem is no tach signal, would any body have a diagram of the wiring harness w/the connectors so i might be able to trace the wire?

thanks

What year, engine? Also, please explain how you wired it a little better.

[wickedklown]

sorry forgot

98 4.3 vortex(sp?) manual trans

i was using the radio harness for the power sources

white-light-purple/white stripe
red-power in- dark green-switched ign
green - tach signal- off white in cluster connector pin 3

i start the car the tach zeros but does not indicate and rpm it just sits at zero.


i previously had a 98 2.2 man trans and installed the tach in the same exact way

is there any way to test the tach?

[bladehines]

Quote: Originally Posted by wickedklown

sorry forgot

98 4.3 vortex(sp?) manual trans

i was using the radio harness for the power sources

white-light-purple/white stripe
red-power in- dark green-switched ign
green - tach signal- off white in cluster connector pin 3

i start the car the tach zeros but does not indicate and rpm it just sits at zero.


i previously had a 98 2.2 man trans and installed the tach in the same exact way

is there any way to test the tach?

DON'T DO IT LIKE THIS!!!!!

do not use the radio harness power to power the tach and shift light!

the tach draws a BUNCH of power! if it doesn't get the right amount it will not work right sometimes! you need to have a clean power to it! i used my cigg lighter power since i don't use it.

before i hooked my shift light to the radio it would only work half the time, then i re wired it to the cigg lighter and it works perfect everytime now! but it is alright to run your white wire ( light wire) to the radio ignition power it doesn't use that much voltage.

[wickedklown]

i never had any problems with it before, even after i flipped my truck it still worked

[ExtCab96S_Dime]

Hmm, didn't know it drew that much power, but I had mine hooked through my radio harness and it worked perfect. Every time I drove it and through every RPM, so I got lucky I guess. I guess try listening to him for the power hook up.

[bladehines]

yea..... some tachs will work fine...... but if it has a shift light! you need a single power going straight to it and not feeding off of something else!

[chadzx11]

Holy old thread batman. I am Trying to do this and it is kicking my ass, Actually it isn't. I just can't find a signal, and this thread is no help since all the pix are gone.

I got good power (red wire for radio + I ran a "home run" straight to the battery)
I got good ground, at least it is good enough for the light
I got no signal, no nothing.

Don't get me wrong. I got the light to work. The needle just doesn't move. I ran the power line to the radio harness first. When that didn't work, I ran a line straight off the + battery post. I did this to keep from cutting into my cigarette lighter wire.

I spliced the line (green to that white one) with a posilok, but I removed that and still nothing.

So, since all the pix for this thread are toast, can somebody look at my picture and tell me if I cut the right wire. My DVOM is at school, so I have no way of knowing what is rolling down that wire.

Failing that, which wire should I connect to at the coil? I KNOW it is supposed to be the negative one, but would the negative one be the pink one or the one with the black stripe?

Truck Specifics:

1999
4.3
4L60E

Thanks in advance. I did not plan on doing this until next weekend, so I did not make any printouts at school off all data like I should have.

[chadzx11]

Found a signal. Had to go to the coil. I was beginning to worry that I had a bad tach. Now I have to route the wire and put the dash back together. Radio power seems to be fine. I have a small tach (Its the same size as the fuel guage stock), with no shift light.

[SlamThiz]

i will be tryin it tomoro on my 2001 2.2 s10. ill let yall know

[What?]

Quote: Originally Posted by chadzx11

Found a signal. Had to go to the coil. I was beginning to worry that I had a bad tach. Now I have to route the wire and put the dash back together. Radio power seems to be fine. I have a small tach (Its the same size as the fuel guage stock), with no shift light.

this section is 2.2L, not 4.3L. however swapping gauge will work but rpm won't be the same(2.2 to 4.3 or 4.3 to 2.2)

[SlamThiz]

it workded!! its a beish wire!

[ExtCab96S_Dime]

That is definitely not how you spell 'beige'.

[SlamThiz]

i tried and it gets the point across. hehe

[tg900]

[quote=Paulysplitx;4534049]As stated here 2000+ it will dance if you hook one up due to it being digital. All i needed was a simple agree or disagree. No where in this thread had it justified as it will work no ifs ans or buts.

Quote: Originally Posted by jay98s10

It actually only works on 98 -99... 2000 + run a digital signal and the tach will dance everywere I hooked a tach up in my 98 a long time ago I mounted mine on the a pillar if you have any questions feel free to ask...

can anyone comfirm that? 98 and 99 are interchangable, and 2000+ are interchangable?


I thought it was just that the water temp didn't update so you had to cut one of the wires, i didnt think that the tach would jump

[What?]

[quote=tg900;5079634]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paulysplitx

As stated here 2000+ it will dance if you hook one up due to it being digital. All i needed was a simple agree or disagree. No where in this thread had it justified as it will work no ifs ans or buts.

can anyone comfirm that? 98 and 99 are interchangable, and 2000+ are interchangable?


I thought it was just that the water temp didn't update so you had to cut one of the wires, i didnt think that the tach would jump

I swap with 98,99, 02, no problembut tach difference

[tg900]

so you also had your tach hopping when you put a newer cluster in?

[702s10]

I installed a tach on my 2000 just fine...works perfectly...

[What?]

Quote: Originally Posted by tg900

so you also had your tach hopping when you put a newer cluster in?

not hopping, difference, 2.2L read lower rpm than 4.3L, if you put 4.3 in 2.2, 2.2l rpm will read higher, if 2.2 in 4.3 it'll read lower, thats why its ideal to use tach swap using same motor, 2.2 redline at 6k rpm, 4.3 redline at 5,500rpm

[tg900]

i have a 98 2.2 and i found a cluster w/ tach from a 00 2.2...from what i've been reading they said they had an analog signal in 98 and 99 and 2000+ there was a digital signal...i'm just curious why they would change the signal in the middle of a generation like that

[What?]

98 is sorta basturd year from changes of 97 which explains why 99+ don't have egr and some changes from the 98

[alwcurlz]

I found a dash cluster with tach from an automatic in the wrecking yard for $15 from an S10 Blazer, pulled my old cluster out, pushed this one in and it worked. Nothing extra needed. HOWEVER, I realized later on when driving that the tach would not go over 2k RPM. I quickly realized that the RPM is not reading right because this cluster was likely on a 4.3V6 originally. Question I have is: Can I cut a wire, swap something, add some resistor, or other electronic component to get this tach to read correctly on my 2.2 4Cyl?

[alwcurlz]

1997 Chevrolet S10
2.2L 4Cyl (2001)
5 Speed Manual
181,000 Miles
(Currently for sale)
I found a dash cluster with tach from an automatic in the wrecking yard for $15 from an S10 Blazer, pulled my old cluster out, pushed this one in and it worked. Nothing extra needed. HOWEVER, I realized later on when driving that the tach would not go over 2k RPM. I quickly realized that the RPM is not reading right because this cluster was likely on a 4.3V6 originally. Question I have is: Can I cut a wire, swap something, add some resistor, or other electronic component to get this tach to read correctly on my 2.2 4Cyl?

[Jonny_00]

Quote: Originally Posted by Groby3238

Where is the ECM on a 4 banger? Is it in the engine bay or in the cab of the truck? And what wire is it?

its under the over the passenger side wheel

[deathphoenix99]

I have a 94 s10 with the 2.2 manual tranny with no tach. I installed a Sunpro2 tach on it almost 2 years ago. If you take out the gauge cluster, there is the female socket connect mounted to the dash. Pull it forward or go in from the bottom by the knee panels. There is a white wire, i was thinking it had a pink stripe...but I don't remember. I just know it was white, I sliced into the wire, and everything works perfectly. It idles at about 900 and i've seen it rev all the way to about 5500 rpm's. It still all works perfectly. I imagine its the same up to 97.

[fast_ede]

Hey it worked!

I had a small 2 1/2 Pro tach and I put it on my 95 sonoma. It was pretty hard getting the cluster out and then I just took the green signal wire and kept touching tips on the cluster plug until i got a signal. It was a beige wire as already pointed out. I used the stereo for power and ground. much easier then expected.

[99s104banger]

ok i did what the 1st message said to do...
the tach still didnt work..
can the tach be shot??? it is kinda old and looks like crap..
and when i hooked it up to the stereo like told and now the stereo doesnt work at all... WTF????

[ESP]

Alright i just did this in like literally 25 min. This WILL WORK with a 94 S-10

pop out the cluster, hold the side clips on the black connector and pull it threw to see the wires. Cut the white wire and run it to the Tach signal wire. (in my case it was the green wire. Sunpro)

then the others just spice in the matching colors behind the dimmer and headlight switch. only thing i noticed is that i might need to run a switch off my ignition signal wire( white)

thats it.

[ESP]

i'll do a write up if anyone thinks its a good idea and pics and stuff

Lemme know

[tg900]

anyone know how to fix the dimmer problem when you swap the incorrect years? As if when you have the headlights off, the display works, when you have leadlights on, the display turns off? I've seen this on my friend's truck and i'm wondering if anyone has any remedies

[ExtCab96S_Dime]

What do you mean swap incorrect years? As in gauge clusters?

[tg900]

Yeah swapping clusters from both ends of the 98-03 spectrum.

my friend swapped in a cluster from like a 02 or so into his 98, everything works fine except for when he turns his headlights on, the mileage display turns off. If it worked right, it would just dim. It seems like its a dimmer wire thing that could be resolved

[juicedondubs]

ok I need help i have 95 2.2 5 spd. I got a cluster from like a 95-97 blazer not sure, I but it in fire it up and the tach just goes to 0 so i pull the cluster out and test for ac voltage on the white (which feeds the tach, i traced it on the cluster) i get abot 1.5v at idle and about 2.8 when i rev it so its a low but valid tach signal it seems anyone else figure this out?

[deathphoenix99]

The tach won't work right because its for a 6 cylinder engine. I've read you can change out a resistor or something along those lines to make it work correctly. I don't know what the tach signal should be though.

[juicedondubs]

i understand that but it seems like it should move some though, I guess i'll search for the capacitor change thread. thanks

[turbos10ct]

55 answers for one question if you dont know a correct answer dont guess just shut up an learn . get rid of the stickies they suk they are bs and 99 percent of the people on here dont know jack. go over to jbody.org if you want correct info instead of guesses this is a friggin baby forum im out

[702s10]

Quote: Originally Posted by turbos10ct

55 answers for one question if you dont know a correct answer dont guess just shut up an learn . get rid of the stickies they suk they are bs and 99 percent of the people on here dont know jack. go over to jbody.org if you want correct info instead of guesses this is a friggin baby forum im out

Damn...somebody sounds raged

[turbos10ct]

ya i know im sorryjust this truck is breakin my stones lol

[juicedondubs]

yea i agree we should get our info from j body isn't that a cavalier? They definetly know about stuff like this b/c they have to have a tach to monitor all that horsepower they are creating. Its about as important as the wing they put on the back of their front wheel drive car. They have what a whole 130 hp maybe whoa we better keeps that under wraps. sorry i just hate stupid ricer kids. your mom gives you her old cavalier for you 16th birthday you cut the muffler off and buy a open air filter now your a automotive engineer. lol no offense to cavalier(great cars) owners unless your a prick.

[LBD44]

Quote: Originally Posted by STXS10

Sorry about the size of the tach pic

I got my tach off a friend of mine off another board. Its a 3.75in 8000RPM Autometer SportComp. I didnt get any bolts though to mount it correctly.



Heres the "dash" off. Once you get that, remove the 4 bolts that are securing the gauge cluster.



Once you get that off and unplug the harness from the cluster and you get....


the infamous white wire. (Yes its on the grey clip side, dont ask me why i took the pic with the blue clip facing the camera )







Splicing into the white wire WILL NOT WORK!! Do as Mt. Dew said and cut the wire. Then use either your wire strippers if they can handle that wire guage that small or do what i did and CAREFULLY remove the sheath with a razor blade. Continue run wires from your tach signal wire to the green wire of your tach. Dont forget about the other wires. I spliced the +12V power and ground wires from my aftermarket radio harness, and ran a wire to the ORANGE dimmer wire to the white wire on my tach. It dims with the cluster lights



Heres a night shot of the lights minus the flash...



And another night shot with the flash showing where it is "mounted." I still have to bolt it down.





i have to upload the vids on my yahoo briefcase now, feel free to AIM me @ Blue72VeeDub and I will send u the link


-Zeke

do u think u can email me these pics there not showin up on my comp dvorakd@live.com

[LBD44]

nvm got it hooked up and workin good

[sds 97S10]

I am looking this up for a friend, anyone that has done this have you had any problems?

[702s10]

Quote: Originally Posted by sds 97S10

I am looking this up for a friend, anyone that has done this have you had any problems?

Haven't had any problems with mine. It's been close to a year now since I put mine in I think.

[robert7412]

I have a 95 s10 and the cluster did not have a tach. I installed a sunpro 2.5" on the pillar, wiring everything up behind the fusebox. The tach wire IS in the plug for the cluster (plug plugs into cluster circuit board) . Best way to find it is turn the truck on and try testing with the most probable wire (tan/whiteish). It will not work smooth until the cluster is plugged in!

sorry if someone already answered, didn't feel like reading all the replies.

[deathphoenix99]

Did you just tap into the wire, or did you actually cut it and solder it fully to the tach's wire. i've read somewhere that sometime's tapping won't work and you should fully cut the wire and solder the two together. The cluster doesn't need the tach signal and doesn't use it, so i'd give that a try.

[What?]

I cut it since I can reattach if needed(Ex. decide to buy stock gauge with rpm, I can reconnect so it'll have reading through the connector to the stock gauge rpm)

[STXS10]

I wish I still had my old install pics