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Dauntless Tach Not Working

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by rejeep, Oct 25, 2018.

  1. rejeep

    rejeep Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    tried to hook up a tach this past weekend and i wasn't getting any tach signal.

    Pos/Neg on the gauge is simple.
    as should be the tach signal coming form the neg side of the coil...

    however, after wiring correctly I was not getting anything other than the needle bounce on first key crank.
    Any basic troubleshooting?
    its a points distributor with an external resistor, inter-web says that shouldn't be an issue..

    any thoughts?

    tach im using
    Amazon.com: VDO 333 959 Tachometer Gauge: Automotive
     
    rejeep, Oct 25, 2018
    #1
  2. Rich M.

    Rich M. Shoe salesman 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Setup for 6 cyl? Some brands you pull the housing and set dip switches.
     
    Rich M., Oct 25, 2018
    #2
  3. zinertia2

    zinertia2 "and which part are you keeping?" 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Issue with odd fire? I have added a tac to my build that uses the alternator (adjustable to different ones) to provide my RPM measurement based on cautions I have read.
    Possibly over cautious!
    :)
    Dennis
     
    zinertia2, Oct 25, 2018
    #3
  4. Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Howard Eisenhauer, Oct 25, 2018
    #4
  5. rejeep

    rejeep Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    rejeep, Oct 25, 2018
    #5
  6. Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    OK, can you confirm the switches are set on-off-on?
     
    Howard Eisenhauer, Oct 25, 2018
    #6
  7. rejeep

    rejeep Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Didn’t get a lot of time to fiddle with this, heading out to Vegas for conferences and SEMA....

    Dip switches were set correctly and at first glance wired just as diagram indicated...

    Deff a head scratcher at this point.
     
    rejeep, Oct 27, 2018
    #7
  8. Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    I had issues 30+ years ago with getting tachs to play well with the odd-fire Buick engines. They worked fine with the HEI even-fire Buicks around 1975 era. I can't remember what brand finally worked correctly.
    -Donny
     
    Keys5a, Oct 27, 2018
    #8
  9. 47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    I have HEI on my dauntless and I just bought one and plugged it in. Worked right away. Settings for 6 or 8 on the tach. thats it for me.
     
    47v6, Oct 28, 2018
    #9
  10. rejeep

    rejeep Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    OK, back at this now that I'm home...

    is anybody running a tach with the stock ignition on their motor.
    i don't fully understand how being an odd fire makes it any different than an even fire motor since the tach picks up the signal before the distributor..
     
    rejeep, Nov 5, 2018
    #10
  11. FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    I run a simple 4 wire tach - it works fine. I think you already know all this but: one wire (red) is from 12V source through the key ignition start. Green wire is to (-) coil. White for light bulb and goes to headlight switch to come on when headlights are on. And black is ground. I think the tach kind of averages out the 'odd' fire gap without too much issue for a simple tach reading - might not be good enough for some computer processed signal like EFI etc. The tach gauge always seems to be a bit higher than my handheld meter for dwell, timing etc says - which is what I use for tune-ups. I've run the same tach with points and now with pertronix with same set-up - no problems other than the slightly higher rpm reading (an idle rpm of 850 on the handheld meter looks more like 950 on the guage).
     
    FinoCJ, Nov 5, 2018
    #11
    heavychevy and Beach66Bum like this.
  12. rejeep

    rejeep Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    so i have still not been able to get my 52mm VDO tach to work with my motor.. despite checking wires, etc..

    can somebody send me a link to a known compatible tach with the Dauntless engines...
     
    rejeep, Dec 12, 2018
    #12
  13. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Test it on another vehicle. It sounds like you have a faulty unit.
     
    ITLKSEZ, Dec 12, 2018
    #13
  14. rejeep

    rejeep Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    tried 2 already...
     
    rejeep, Dec 12, 2018
    #14
  15. 45es

    45es Active Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    What did VDO say when asking about the issue?
     
    45es, Dec 12, 2018
    #15
  16. Hellion

    Hellion Regurgitated

    I'm running the cheapest pedestal mount tachometer I could find, and I have points ignition.

    Simple hookup--one wire to the coil and another to the hot wire of the ignition and a ground too, I think.
    It's variously called a Dragon Gauge 3.75" tachometer.

    Programmable shift light (wheee!) and 7 color mood lighting :clown:
    It uses LEDs.

    [​IMG]
     
    Hellion, Dec 12, 2018
    #16
  17. 1967 CJ5A

    1967 CJ5A Mike 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    I have a super cheap parts store "Sunpro Super Tach". Worked great for a couple years... until I let it get rained on a few too many times. I used it with points, then pertronix, and finally HEI. Never had any issue.
     
    1967 CJ5A, Dec 12, 2018
    #17
    Vanguard likes this.
  18. NCRenII

    NCRenII yellow fever

    NCRenII, Dec 12, 2018
    #18