Tach Cluster on CL (In) Not Mine........

[68Timber]

Those tachs with the fuel gauge at the bottom are the stuff, except that they only read up to 5,000 rpm. I talked to a gauge resto shop today to see if they could recalibrate one to read zero to seven or eight thousand rpm in the same sweep and keep the fuel gauge operational. I got my answer from a lady through the tech who didn't call me back before he left - he said he could silk-screen it to 8,000 rpm. But I never did get to ask him if he could make the factory tach read to eight in the stock sweep, because keeping the 6 PM fuel gauge operational is of equal importance.

They're supposed to call me back in the morning. I have an Auto Meter tach that'll get mounted where I like it if they come back with a fat price or if they don't answer at all. The 73-87 tach dash is nice but if it won't show rev's to 7K it's no use to me.

[toomanytoyz]

thanks for all the Input, Personally did'nt know all the Pros & Cons that were brought up..........

I just felt it was a Good Price & wanted to pas it on.........

Rick

[68Timber]

If you buy a tach cluster, is there any reason you can't remove only the tach and install it in your cluster? Like the one pictured here, will the fuel gauge read correct?

Thanks.

[powerdriver 1958]

overspeed is for the medium duty Governor controlled motors

[bigblock73]

Originally Posted by BRUISER

If you buy a tach cluster, is there any reason you can't remove only the tach and install it in your cluster? Like the one pictured here, will the fuel gauge read correct?

Thanks.

Nope, circuit boards are different

[87Bob]

Originally Posted by bigblock73

Nope, circuit boards are different

This is true but you can trace down the wiring and install the the tach cluster in other years and trucks. I did that on my 85. I had the original stock cluster in my 85 with the large gas gage. I bought a tach cluster (of unknown origin had it checked out by a instrument shop and installed it in my 85. But I did check out each of the 18 wires in the plug on both to be sure they went to the same item.

I live about an hour from the guy selling the gages in question and I talked to him yesterday. He says he pulled them out of a 1500 and he may well have but it has the air gage which in my mind is a dead give away that they were originally in a truck with air brakes. It might not be a bad deal if you wanted to use them on a bagged truck you'd have a built in air gage. I almost went to see them with the intent to buy them, but I'm thinking of doing the Camaro Tach swap.

And to jump in on an earlier statement since the tach (at least mine) has 3 separate terminals (completely divorced from the printed circuit board) you may be able to add it to any other cluster (notice I said MAY) You need a switched 12 Volt source, a ground, and a lead to the tach connection on the distributor.

50.00 is not a bad price I paid 45.00 for my tach cluster. A little cleaning up and a few mods and a new lens you could be in business. I defiantly would get rid of that amp gage and go with something else in that position..

[68Timber]

Originally Posted by 87Bob

This is true but you can trace down the wiring and install the the tach cluster in other years and trucks. I did that on my 85. I had the original stock cluster in my 85 with the large gas gage. I bought a tach cluster (of unknown origin had it checked out by a instrument shop and installed it in my 85. But I did check out each of the 18 wires in the plug on both to be sure they went to the same item.

I live about an hour from the guy selling the gages in question and I talked to him yesterday. He says he pulled them out of a 1500 and he may well have but it has the air gage which in my mind is a dead give away that they were originally in a truck with air brakes. It might not be a bad deal if you wanted to use them on a bagged truck you'd have a built in air gage. I almost went to see them with the intent to buy them, but I'm thinking of doing the Camaro Tach swap.

And to jump in on an earlier statement since the tach (at least mine) has 3 separate terminals (completely divorced from the printed circuit board) you may be able to add it to any other cluster (notice I said MAY) You need a switched 12 Volt source, a ground, and a lead to the tach connection on the distributor.

50.00 is not a bad price I paid 45.00 for my tach cluster. A little cleaning up and a few mods and a new lens you could be in business. I defiantly would get rid of that amp gage and go with something else in that position..

That's what I was thinking, to wire the tach just as you would an aftermarket since it has labeled spades. But I'm wondering if that little fuel gauge would work without some wiring.

[b454rat]

Wiring the tach is simple, but it's the rest of the wiring or circuit board that poses the problem. Where the stock fuel gauge goes, there is all the circuits for the fuel and other gauges, so would have to get creative to make it work.

Best way is to find a tach dash that has the good circuits, then swap your gauges, maybe some overlays to make them match.