How To: Install A Tachometer

Brian MP5T · 07-12-2003, 06:59 PM

I've taken the time to write a kind of How To on a couple of subjects,

The first is how to install a tachometer adaptor on a 2002+ Protégé.

(THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I FOUND TO HOOK UP A BIG TACHOMETER OR SHIFT LIGHT) Others have found a wire from the ECU..

As many have noticed, the ignition system is a coil on plug system. Meaning instead of one coil charging up and feeding in this case four spark plugs, there are two coils independently connected to two spark plugs. When I first started out with my turbo install the stand-alone fuel management system needed a tachometer signal (usually a green wire). I thought that I could just connect it to the diagnostic plug mounted on the driver side strut tower, presto problem solved. Unfortunately the car is so new that all the old tricks have been replaced by technology. Basically here’s the solution. Autometer makes what is called a Tachometer Adaptor (PART #9117). It was $100.00 Canadian and was very simple to install. The unit is waterproof and has only four wires. Red, Red/Green, Black, Grey. On top of the engine are the two coils, you can’t miss them because they are covering two of the spark plugs and connected to the two other ones. Remove the split loaming and electrical tape that is covering the mess of wires leading to them. There should be three wires on each coil. A Positive, Negative and Trigger. The Positive is the wire that we want. It’s Black with a blue stripe. This is the same wire that feeds both coils. Cut the wire from the coils closest to the timing bulge on the cam cover. Be sure to disconnect both of them completely. The two wires still connected to the car both get connected to the Red wire on the adaptor and the other two still connected to the coils are connected to the Red/Green wire. Tape up your work and mount the adaptor away from the belts. Find a good ground for the Black wire and hook up your tachometer, shift light, or Tachometer Driven Stand alone fuel management system to the Grey wire. This is the only way to hook up a tachometer. If you bridge the wires to make one without the adaptor, you will fry the ignition system. If you only hook up one wire, you will only get half of the sparks being registered to your device. Motor at 2000 rpm = Tachometer at 1000 rpm. Included is a picture of the Tachometer Adaptor and the wiring schematic for the ignition system from the technical manuals. Feel free to ask me any questions. I’ve done my Turbo from scratch; many of the problems that I have already dealt with you might be dealing with now with no easy solution.
Later

good0177 · 07-15-2003, 10:01 PM

Hey, I was just going to ask about this because I plan on installing a Autometer Phantom Monster Tach w/ Shift light and was wondering about the coils. Can you perhaps include the wiring diagram and pics of your tach so I can get ideas of where to put it and how it looks in the car. Thanks for the write up man. Perfect timing. Peace.

paladin · 07-22-2003, 08:12 AM

i see the pic

looks nice

but no wiring schematic????

awesome job tracking that one down

ben

tolmanron · 07-29-2003, 09:50 PM

hi, i was wondering if i needed to use the tach adapter if i was just installing a tachometer w/o a shift light? i have a 2002 DX that did not come with a factory tach installed. couldn't i just hook the tach up to the wire by the diagnostic plug?

pdhaudio83 · 07-29-2003, 10:05 PM

i did that in my old sentra, except when i let off the gas, the tach went right to 0 rpms...

pdhaudio83 · 07-29-2003, 10:07 PM

give it a shot, cant hurt, easy install too. just make sure u dont put it in the wrong plug, it might fuck stuff up (like me and my fuses i blew) lol

MazdaProbeGT · 08-02-2003, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian MP5T

(THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HOOK UP A BIG TACHOMETER OR SHIFT LIGHT)
Later

Um, what do you mean "only way"???

I just hooked up my tach the other day using the purple/white wire leading into the "diagnostics" box by the driver side firewall.

Works like a charm.

tolmanron · 08-03-2003, 02:16 PM

Um, what do you mean "only way"???

I just hooked up my tach the other day using the purple/white wire leading into the "diagnostics" box by the driver side firewall.

Works like a charm.

****************************

i jsut hooked up my tach to the wire on the diagnostics box and it works just fine.

tolmanron · 08-03-2003, 02:17 PM

I just hooked up my tach the other day using the purple/white wire leading into the "diagnostics" box by the driver side firewall.

i just did the same thing and it works just fine as well!

SpicyMchaggis · 08-13-2003, 03:26 AM

so how do I hook up a tach? i have a 2002 DX as well..i need a tach..badly..

rosendo192000 · 09-24-2003, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SpicyMchaggis
so how do I hook up a tach? i have a 2002 DX as well..i need a tach..badly..

Hey tolmanron is right about that diagnostics box heres this thread i anwsed to.http://www.mazdamp3.com/vbb225/showt...threadid=31940

NetGuy · 12-10-2003, 11:57 PM

Hey,

Maybe you guys can answer something for me...what's the deal with the Autometer Tach on a car that already has a tach in the cluster? Is it just for looks, or are they really that much better than the factory one? I like the shift-light, but I never understood the tach.

rosendo192000 · 12-11-2003, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NetGuy
Hey,

Maybe you guys can answer something for me...what's the deal with the Autometer Tach on a car that already has a tach in the cluster? Is it just for looks, or are they really that much better than the factory one? I like the shift-light, but I never understood the tach.

well i my self never had the autometer tach , i just had the shift light. dont really care for the big ass 5" tach

Brian MP5T · 12-12-2003, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NetGuy
Hey,

Maybe you guys can answer something for me...what's the deal with the Autometer Tach on a car that already has a tach in the cluster? Is it just for looks, or are they really that much better than the factory one? I like the shift-light, but I never understood the tach.

I guess it's supposed to be faster or more precise. I think they are Rice. To each his own. I bought a Proform Shift light. Took it apart, stuck it under the dash and wired it so it would light up a set of yellow LED's in my guage cluster. It does the trick and the car isn't cluttered with all that shit on the dash.

Brian MP5T · 12-12-2003, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tolmanron
Um, what do you mean "only way"???

I just hooked up my tach the other day using the purple/white wire leading into the "diagnostics" box by the driver side firewall.

Works like a charm.

****************************

i jsut hooked up my tach to the wire on the diagnostics box and it works just fine.

I'm happy to hear of your luck. The tach adaptor works sweet too. For all of you that want info on it. if the thread is helpng, PM me.

Later...Brian

07-12-2003, 06:59 PM	#1
Brian MP5T Banned Donated: $5 MP5T / 944 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ottawa Ontario Posts: 11,799	Installing A Tachometer I've taken the time to write a kind of How To on a couple of subjects, The first is how to install a tachometer adaptor on a 2002+ Protégé. (THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I FOUND TO HOOK UP A BIG TACHOMETER OR SHIFT LIGHT) Others have found a wire from the ECU.. As many have noticed, the ignition system is a coil on plug system. Meaning instead of one coil charging up and feeding in this case four spark plugs, there are two coils independently connected to two spark plugs. When I first started out with my turbo install the stand-alone fuel management system needed a tachometer signal (usually a green wire). I thought that I could just connect it to the diagnostic plug mounted on the driver side strut tower, presto problem solved. Unfortunately the car is so new that all the old tricks have been replaced by technology. Basically here’s the solution. Autometer makes what is called a Tachometer Adaptor (PART #9117). It was $100.00 Canadian and was very simple to install. The unit is waterproof and has only four wires. Red, Red/Green, Black, Grey. On top of the engine are the two coils, you can’t miss them because they are covering two of the spark plugs and connected to the two other ones. Remove the split loaming and electrical tape that is covering the mess of wires leading to them. There should be three wires on each coil. A Positive, Negative and Trigger. The Positive is the wire that we want. It’s Black with a blue stripe. This is the same wire that feeds both coils. Cut the wire from the coils closest to the timing bulge on the cam cover. Be sure to disconnect both of them completely. The two wires still connected to the car both get connected to the Red wire on the adaptor and the other two still connected to the coils are connected to the Red/Green wire. Tape up your work and mount the adaptor away from the belts. Find a good ground for the Black wire and hook up your tachometer, shift light, or Tachometer Driven Stand alone fuel management system to the Grey wire. This is the only way to hook up a tachometer. If you bridge the wires to make one without the adaptor, you will fry the ignition system. If you only hook up one wire, you will only get half of the sparks being registered to your device. Motor at 2000 rpm = Tachometer at 1000 rpm. Included is a picture of the Tachometer Adaptor and the wiring schematic for the ignition system from the technical manuals. Feel free to ask me any questions. I’ve done my Turbo from scratch; many of the problems that I have already dealt with you might be dealing with now with no easy solution. Later Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Brian MP5T; 05-04-2005 at 08:41 PM.

07-22-2003, 08:12 AM	#3
paladin Ex MSP'r '03 evo Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ft Worth, TX Posts: 60	i see the pic looks nice but no wiring schematic???? awesome job tracking that one down ben __________________ '03 EVO

12-10-2003, 11:57 PM	#12
NetGuy Burnination! 2006 Subaru WRX Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 240	Hey, Maybe you guys can answer something for me...what's the deal with the Autometer Tach on a car that already has a tach in the cluster? Is it just for looks, or are they really that much better than the factory one? I like the shift-light, but I never understood the tach. __________________ Still much love for the P5. 2006 Subaru WRX - TurboXS 3.5" turbo-back exhaust - Defi-Link Boost, EGT, Oil Temp in CF dash hood. Coming soon: TurboXS UTEC Delta ECU

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07-15-2003, 10:01 PM	#2
good0177 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Eagan, Minnesota Posts: 254	Hey, I was just going to ask about this because I plan on installing a Autometer Phantom Monster Tach w/ Shift light and was wondering about the coils. Can you perhaps include the wiring diagram and pics of your tach so I can get ideas of where to put it and how it looks in the car. Thanks for the write up man. Perfect timing. Peace.

07-29-2003, 09:50 PM	#4
tolmanron Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 4	hi, i was wondering if i needed to use the tach adapter if i was just installing a tachometer w/o a shift light? i have a 2002 DX that did not come with a factory tach installed. couldn't i just hook the tach up to the wire by the diagnostic plug?

07-29-2003, 10:05 PM	#5
pdhaudio83 Banned Donated: $10 Forum Crybaby 2001 Mazda MP3 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sandusky, Ohio Posts: 11,132	i did that in my old sentra, except when i let off the gas, the tach went right to 0 rpms...

07-29-2003, 10:07 PM	#6
pdhaudio83 Banned Donated: $10 Forum Crybaby 2001 Mazda MP3 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sandusky, Ohio Posts: 11,132	give it a shot, cant hurt, easy install too. just make sure u dont put it in the wrong plug, it might fuck stuff up (like me and my fuses i blew) lol

08-03-2003, 02:16 PM	#8
tolmanron Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 4	Um, what do you mean "only way"??? I just hooked up my tach the other day using the purple/white wire leading into the "diagnostics" box by the driver side firewall. Works like a charm. **************************** i jsut hooked up my tach to the wire on the diagnostics box and it works just fine.

08-03-2003, 02:17 PM	#9
tolmanron Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 4	I just hooked up my tach the other day using the purple/white wire leading into the "diagnostics" box by the driver side firewall. i just did the same thing and it works just fine as well!

08-13-2003, 03:26 AM	#10
SpicyMchaggis Banned Donated: 5$ Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 7,709	so how do I hook up a tach? i have a 2002 DX as well..i need a tach..badly..