dakota digital?

[dokarex]

Why does the Dakota site say their products can't be used on 86-91 Vanagons are they talking about gassers? is there something different about the alts or w-terminals on German diesels?The alt on my AAZ came with the 87 Doka from Germany and does have a W-terminal with red and black wire leading (I'm guessing) to the dash, I do have a taximeter installed in my dash, doesn't work, maybe it goes there.

So will these converters work regardless of what they say? And why wouldn't they?
I currently have no tach not even a gasser, so I want to hook up a cheap aftermarket tach or a junkyard gasser vw tach.

[Vincent Waldon]

If you're fine with aftermarket both VDO and Autometer make diesel-compatible tachs.

[blackdogvan]

The Dakota Digitals USED to be hit or miss (i have a DD box driving my vanagon tach, its worked fine for 7 years. It drives a 86 tach fine, wouldn't drive a 91' tach...) but my understanding is they have modified them to drive the vanagon tach consistently now. I'll call my buddy Warren who put a AAZ in his 85' last year & ask him what he did to make his work, I know it involved a call to dakota digital but its perfect now.

**EDIT** They haven't changed anything, he just used a pre 86 tach in his van which jives with my experience. So find a older tach & it should work ok.

[8v-of-fury]

If you're fine with aftermarket both VDO and Autometer make diesel-compatible tachs.

Now when you say diesel compatible, you mean it will read our W terminal signals and work properly right out of the box? pretty cool. sorry for being a NeWby lol

[54321chris]

I haven't been able to get mine to drive my 90 Corrado tach, although the DD unit is getting a signal.  May need to call and figure out what's going on.

[Vincent Waldon]

If you're fine with aftermarket both VDO and Autometer make diesel-compatible tachs.

Now when you say diesel compatible, you mean it will read our W terminal signals and work properly right out of the box? pretty cool. sorry for being a NeWby lol

No worries.... it's all very confusing, and I could have been clearer in my response for sure. The answer to your question is "yes and no"! 

VDO makes aftermarket tachs that can be driven from the W terminal... part numbers include 333-958, 333-959, 333-164 etc depending on face, RPM range etc.  Here's a typical install guide... you hook 'em up to the W terminal, set a couple of dip switches, and the fine-calibrate with a pot adjustment to your specific alt, pulley size, etc:

http://www.egauges.com/pdf/vdo/0-515-012-044.pdf

I had an older version of one of these on the dash of my 81 pickup... even had a max scale of 5000 RPM so perfect for diesel use. 

The Autometer versions (p/n 2888 for instance) has a small pickup that straps to any alternator.  Stewart Warner evidently makes some that have an alternator pickup as well.

Two different styles... either of which allow you to install an aftermarket tach on your diesel.

[DieselBalz]

If you're fine with aftermarket both VDO and Autometer make diesel-compatible tachs.

Now when you say diesel compatible, you mean it will read our W terminal signals and work properly right out of the box? pretty cool. sorry for being a NeWby lol

No worries.... it's all very confusing, and I could have been clearer in my response for sure. The answer to your question is "yes and no"! 

VDO makes aftermarket tachs that can be driven from the W terminal... part numbers include 333-958, 333-959, 333-164 etc depending on face, RPM range etc.  Here's a typical install guide... you hook 'em up to the W terminal, set a couple of dip switches, and the fine-calibrate with a pot adjustment to your specific alt, pulley size, etc:

http://www.egauges.com/pdf/vdo/0-515-012-044.pdf

I had an older version of one of these on the dash of my 81 pickup... even had a max scale of 5000 RPM so perfect for diesel use. 

The Autometer versions (p/n 2888 for instance) has a small pickup that straps to any alternator.  Stewart Warner evidently makes some that have an alternator pickup as well.

Two different styles... either of which allow you to install an aftermarket tach on your diesel.

Another old thread, but just need to clarify, if I were setting it for my Eco, I would use the 6000 rpm tach, and than set it to the second line of Diagram D (from the PDF) were the dip switches are set to off off on from left to right? That second table of numbers under the 6000 rpm column is throwing me off. Where it says 8-12, 12-17, and 17-24, Im guessing thats volts?

Help me ObiWan, youre my only hope...

[Vincent Waldon]

As I understand the spec sheet, those aren't volts actually... they are pulses per engine revolution.

Using the table you set the coarse calibration range, and then fine-calibrate with the potentiometer on the side of the tach.

The standard W signal on an AAZ alternator is around 6X what an ignition system is... and I always get confused with ignition systems if you've seen my previous posts on this... but lets say an ignition system is two pulses per rev.

2 x 6 = 12 pulses per rev... so assuming your tach has the 6000 RPM scale you're in the first column of that table, first box (6-12)... so your dip switches go OFF OFF OFF.

You won't hurt anything if you guess wrong... you'll just not be able to dial the tach into proper calibration at higher RPMs... if this happens just try the next dip switch setting.

Just my thoughts... been years since I played with my VDO aftermarket tach.

[DieselBalz]

Thats what I needed to know. I'm pretty sure I can figure it out. I eyeballed a cluster on ebay that is a diesel and has a tach, not sure if it is a ce1, and since mine is a 91, dont  wanna risk it (the guy wouldnt respond when I asked.) I also dont wanna go through the hassle of swapping the odometer. So I decided on the VDO tach to keep em all matching. I'll get pictures up in my original thread once they are all in.

Besides, I kinda like the clock.