I am in the process of installing a stock tachometer for my 1965 Cutlass. Researching the assembly manual it tells me to connect the brown wire from the tachometer to the negative side of the coil. Well, here is the issue. I do not have a coil. I must have an electronic ignition? If this is the case, what are my alternatives for resolving my problem,

 

If its an HEI coil in cap distributor, then there is a tach terminal in the cap next to the power terminal.



The terminal below the red circle that says tach.

 

Show a pic of your distributor please.

 

Thank-you Eric!

It is an HEI distributor and I appreciate the pictures. Very helpful!

 

2 Questions about a console mounted GM tach from the 60's that I am thinking of buying and adding to my '67 442. FIRST? The pic I see of it shows 3 wires; a brown w/ in line fuse holder, black, and gray. I do not have an assembly manual but reading the above initial post from WYTEON he states the brown goes to the neg side of coil but where do the gray and black wires go? I would assume the gray is for back lighting and the black to be the ground. Where does it get its power? Looking online at after market tachs they seem to all have 4 wires which include hot wire. Is the GM tach missing a wire? SECOND ? When mounting the tach to the console does or is the Olds logo at top end of console able to be removed to facilitate installation of the tach so that if I ever wanted to remove the tach and go back original do so without permanent damage to console or do you have to drill holes and ruin the console for ever. Thanks, Mike

 

The Olds tachs use only 3 wires, and you are correct about their function. Brown to coil (or HEI), black to ground and gray is lighting. The emblem has 2 screws that hold it on to the console top plate, and the tach will mount in those same 2 holes..

 

Thank you RandyS for fast response to my post and for answering both parts with info I wanted to hear. You guys are the greatest. Now all I have to do is get it and do it, but an after thought I should have asked about the size of the fuse needed on the brown coil wire? Thanks again, Mike

 

the fuse is a 2 amp
AGA 2

 

"gray is lighting"? Can you be more specific on this. Where to specifically?
Thanks
Wayne

 

If you look at a schematic for your car, you will see that all dimmable instrument and panel lighting is powered by a gray wire.

 

So to the fuse panel or another gray wire?
Wayne

 

Often there is an unused gray wire with a terminal on it hanging under the dash. You can try to use that, or as a last resort you can splice in to one.

 

Randy, thanks for the help. I forgot to mention this is for a Sidewinder Tach. I would assume the instructions are the same.
Wayne

 

Yes

 

What Eric said......

 

OK, great.
Thanks
Wayne