Kooky idea??? Using a distributor to trigger a tach signal...

[Gizmoman]

Kooky is right. You would also need to add an ignition coil and power it for it to work.

Not true if he used a sensor on the distributor rotor and ground off three of the four lobes. I don't think he was planning on using a distributor with points. He would still need a way to convert the signal from the sensor into a valid number though.

[Jetmugg]

I have come to the realization that the idea is too Kooky to be practical.  I would have gladly run an electronic distributor and coil, just for the purposes of triggering a tach signal.

I'm building a dedicated race truck that will see very few miles.

The Ford (or equivalent) magnetic sensor looks like a pretty solid idea.

The optical sensor measuring at the cam sprocket seems OK, too.

Right now, I'm seriously thinking about buying one of those digital tiny tachs.

Steve.

[vanbcguy]

There was someone on here who used an optical sensor and a couple of white marks on the IP pulley - the sensor had its own light source and picked up the reflections.  You could also mount a couple of magnets to the IP pulley quite easily if you wanted to go the magnetic route.

[srgtlord]

http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/CheapTricks/Tachometer/index.shtml

[vanbcguy]

http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/CheapTricks/Tachometer/index.shtml

Bingo. That is exactly the setup I was thinking about.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[R.O.R-2.0]

I have come to the realization that the idea is too Kooky to be practical.  I would have gladly run an electronic distributor and coil, just for the purposes of triggering a tach signal.

I'm building a dedicated race truck that will see very few miles.

The Ford (or equivalent) magnetic sensor looks like a pretty solid idea.

The optical sensor measuring at the cam sprocket seems OK, too.

Right now, I'm seriously thinking about buying one of those digital tiny tachs.

Steve.

i dont like having the sensor that close to my timing belt. ive already had one sensor come apart on me, i dont want it to be able to come apart, and break my timing belt..

getting the reading directly from the crank with an external sensor is a little less prone to failure, if you ask me.."

my crank trigger tach idea was based off the photo-electric tach.. but highly modified..

all i had to do, was tach 2 nuts on my crank pulley, build a bracket for the sensor, and run wiring..

plus, you can use this method to drive almost any gasser 4 cylinder tach..

[CRSMP5]

racer.... libby help me...

i know for one snap on sold a contraption you inerted in the glow plug hole... to run a timming light.. a normal old school timming light.. old early 80s tech.. only seen used 1 time...

why libby... i know he is using something like this for a timming light... you no need 4 glowplugs on a racer... install the tool as a tach signal you can also use to set ideal pump timming...