Honda Acty tachometer...

**unclejemima** · 09-05-2007, 11:05 PM

I would like to put a tachometer (yes i know, i dont need one

) on my 1991 honda acty. Because it is a 3 cylinder it is not as easy as going to the local auto store and picking up a tach...they are all made for 4,6 and 8 cylinder cars...mind you there are a few 3 cylinder cars like the pontiac sprint...
Anyone ever hooked one up to an Acty? Is there a tach signal?
I found this...
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/pr...romSearch=true
If i hooked this up, could i use any 4cylinder tach?
Thanks!
-mark

**Wolfman** · 09-06-2007, 08:11 AM

J.C. Whitney sells a couple of tachometers that will hook up to any engine, and can be selected from one to 12 cylinders.

**unclejemima** · 09-06-2007, 08:13 AM

Good to know, thanks for the info. I never knew that!
Do you know if there is a tach signal on the Acty?
-mark

**Wolfman** · 09-06-2007, 08:15 AM

My assumption would be that you would hook it up to the ignition coil. I installed a cruise control in my Hijet, and it picks up it's tach signal off of the coil.

**unclejemima** · 09-06-2007, 10:26 AM

Great, thanks for the info!
-mark

**unclejemima** · 09-09-2007, 09:23 AM

I purchased a Equus Tach, the same one that JC witney sells. Good from 1-12 cylinders.
I'm going to install it today, i'll post me results!
-mark

**Wolfman** · 09-09-2007, 04:05 PM

Cool. I'd love to see pics of the install. I'm planning on installing a tach in mine eventually as well.

**unclejemima** · 09-11-2007, 11:37 AM

Well, i went to hook up the tach last night, and i was going to use the inductive pickup off the spark plug, but the wire that it comes with was to short and can not be extended.
So i guess i'll have to go the old fashion way and find a tach signal. I'm supposed to hook up to the negative side of the ignition coil, and i not 100% to sure where it is!
I know where the distributor is, but where is the ignition coil?
Please have a look at the attached pic and let me know.
-mark

**Wolfman** · 09-11-2007, 12:46 PM

The easiest way to hunt down the coil, is to follow the high voltage wire back to it. You already know which three go to the engine, so it'll be the one left over. In my truck (Daihatsu), it was tucked away up high, under the bed behind the engine. The coil shouldn't be too far from the distributor, as the makers seem to like to keep the H.V. wire from the coil to the distributor fairly short.

**unclejemima** · 09-12-2007, 10:46 AM

Great!
Thank you again,
-mark

**unclejemima** · 09-13-2007, 09:26 AM

Well, not so easy as i thought.
I spent all night trying to find a tach signal, to no avail.
I found the coil, but was unable to find any signal off it. The coil is tucked under the box, where it is near impossible to reach, with very short wires, so splicing was not an option.
I tried to hook up to what thought was the negative (looked like a coil ground, had 2 black wires going to it screwed to bottom of coil) but was unable to get a signal off it.
Any other idea's?
I may have to use the inductive pickup (hook to sparkplug wire), and lengthen the wire, even thou I'm not supposed to. I just can not get anything off the coil.
-mark

**Wolfman** · 09-13-2007, 11:32 AM

Make sure you try both low voltage taps. I thought the black wire was the ground on mine. Cruise wouldn't pick up any signal. I changed over to the blue one on mine, and cruise works perfectly.

**unclejemima** · 09-13-2007, 12:36 PM

I will give it a shot! Thanks,
-mark

**unclejemima** · 09-14-2007, 04:04 PM

Yeah! I got it to work last night.
I'll post pics soon!
Thanks for the help!
-mark

**unclejemima** · 09-15-2007, 04:52 PM

Well, here's the pic i promised! It the most factory looking tach i could find. Black face with white letter. Only the needle color is not white.
These are one of the few tachs i could find that work with a 3 cylinder motor.
Very responsive and easy to read.
FYI, i tried to rev it good(when driving), and it doesnt really sound like it likes it past 6000rpm, so i bet the redline would not be far off 6800-7000rpm max.
-mark