poopeye

Hi, I have this tach I would like to install in my Vista. Anyone know how to wire this, or know where I can find a wiring diagram? Thanks.

rocketraider

It's a 63 Starfire tach.

The red post with male spade terminal wires up to your coil (-) terminal. You will have to ground the tach case to car body somehow.

The hole above the red post is the light socket. You should be able to find a suitable light socket at the parts store. Use a #1893 or similar bulb and wire it to your dash lights (gray wires behind dash).

Up front, these tachs are not the most responsive or accurate in the world though they do look cool.

poopeye

Thanks. I tried what you said, the needle works at idle, but won't go past 1000 rpm. Tach bad?

don71

Hmm...that's a cool looking old tach. Its a good sign, that it wants to work at least a little.

If I were an optimist, and handy at finicky old electronics, I would take it apart, somewhat. I would first want to see if something physically is holding the needle from moving. Carefully observing the general condition internally.

That's a gamble.

If you're not that guy and its really important to you, have it sent to an expert. It's proabably fixable. Is just how much you wanna spend.

I'm not familiar with that tach at all, but I think rocketraider summed it up pretty good. If you can repair it, it won't model modern units.

poopeye

Thanks Don. I'm not focused completely on accuracy, just like it because its cool. I would like to build a small center counsel and fit it just under the dash. It's just the right size. Anyway... I have to make sure it works before I go thru all the work building the counsel. I never saw a tach that has this type of wiring, all of the "regular" ones I've dealt with have a power in wire, the wire that goes to the negative side of the coil, and the light. It seems strange there isn't a power in (trigger) wire.

RandyS

The face of that Tach looks a bit similar to the early model 442 console tachs (64-65). They don't have a positive wire either, just Coil -, Ground & Panel Lights. Being 50 years old, there may well be some slight obstruction keeping it from advancing past 1000 rpms. You can carefully remove it from it's housing and check it out. Don't attempt to disassemble the works - ask me how I know..... very, very delicate..........

don71

What are you saying? you only have three wires?

You should have four.
red-power to ignition
white- for the light lamp
green -goes to the coil
black- goes to ground.

Ahh..see what Randy is saying. Its different.

poopeye

Yep. Only 1 spade, and the light. The 2 nuts below ground out to the tach case.