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Tachometer questions

nilzlofgren

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Joined
Jan 30, 2007
Messages
121
Location
New Jersey
I'm buying a Massey Ferguson dozer to restore, It has a three cylinder Perkins. While researching new guages, I read that tachometers are specific to the number of engine cylinders. Is this really true? I found a nice set of gauges, but don't know if they will work now. Why does the number of cylinders have to matter?
 

OneWelder

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2007
Messages
483
Location
Derry, New Hampshire
You might want to put the brakes on this. Aftermarket Tachs are built mostly for hotrodders and racers. Electric Tachs like this monitor the coil impulses firing the spark plugs . The tach would then dived the number of times the coil fires by the number of cylinders. Your Perkins does not have coil or plugs.
I am not trying to be mean - but your questions sounds like you will be in way over your head . Do you have a knowledgeable person to help you ?
 

Steve Frazier

Founder
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Oct 30, 2003
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6,609
Location
LaGrangeville, N.Y.
Thee are two types of tachometers, mechanical and electrical. The mechanical type are usually cable driven and will work on any engine with a suitable connection point. Electronic come in various forms, one measures coil impulses as mentioned, another may measure impulses to one cylinder of a spark fired engine. These will work on spark fired engines only. There is another type which can have an auxiliary mounted sensor that would be mounted to the crankshaft, camshaft or other gear driven point which would then need to be calibrated to the number of revolutions the sensor point turns in relation to one revolution of the engine
 

mitch504

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Feb 27, 2010
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5,776
Location
Andrews SC
They also make electronic tachs that can detect impulses in the injector lines, these would have to know how many cylinders.

Cable drive tachs are made for different ratios between crankshaft revs and cable revs, depending where the manufacturer takes the drive from.
 

excavator

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
1,448
Location
Pacific North West
Most electronic tachs that I have installed can be fed from either the ignition or from the AC tap on the alternator. Find a Delco alternator that has the tach post on the rear and connect there. I just installed a VDO tach on a Deere engine doing this and it works great.
 

nilzlofgren

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Joined
Jan 30, 2007
Messages
121
Location
New Jersey
Most electronic tachs that I have installed can be fed from either the ignition or from the AC tap on the alternator. Find a Delco alternator that has the tach post on the rear and connect there. I just installed a VDO tach on a Deere engine doing this and it works great.
This tach just happens to be a VDO. In the description it mentions an "alternator signal." Maybe that's the answer.
 

mitch504

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
5,776
Location
Andrews SC
An alternator driven tach will read differently depending on the ratio of crankshaft speed to armature speed, determined by pulley size.
 

Greg

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
1,175
Location
Wi
Occupation
Excavating Contractor
none of my Cats have a tach.
 

motrack

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2003
Messages
332
Location
Ingalls Indiana
Occupation
field service tech
Back in the old days we used to sent mechanical tachs out and have them repaired. There are still a few companys around that repair tach and speedo heads.

The only real use I can see of having a tach on a dozer is if your engine RPM is low you know something is wrong with the fuel system..... needing a filter change, etc.

Also great for troubleshooting stall speed, torque converter problems.
 

s1100

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
17
Hi I have a 200 loader, also have a 2244 loader for parts, I am in south jersey, so i'm close. Do you just need the tach cable?
 

nilzlofgren

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2007
Messages
121
Location
New Jersey
Hi I have a 200 loader, also have a 2244 loader for parts, I am in south jersey, so i'm close. Do you just need the tach cable?
This is a 2244 dozer. I'm not sure what I would need, but its probably a lot more than a cable. The tach itself is there, but the whole face is wiped off of it, I can barely make out the numbers. I will re-size some pics that I took, and post them. I imagine most of those 2244 parts are interchangeable, but it will be close to a month before I have the dozer. Maybe you can post a list of what you have, as I am interested in parts. By the way, I live near Hammonton in Atlantic county.
 

s1100

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
17
Well it's got no engine and the transmission didn't work, so it's only good for small parts, I'm keeping the under carriage because it looks brand new though rusted up from sitting. It looks like the trans broke, since they had it apart they decided to put a new undercarriage (except sprockets??), but when they put it back together the transmission didn't work still so they just let it sit. When I got it the engine still ran, It's in my 200 now. So if you need any small parts let me know. If you decide your 2244 is to much let me know, Ive been looking for a six way blade forever. If you have any question about your machine just holler.

BTW I'm a few miles south of Millville, my brother lives on the edge of Hammonton by RT73.
 

s1100

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
17
Almost forgot, I think any tack out of a perkins three cylinder tractor or forklift will work, the trick is getting the right size cable, I think I stiil have the old one if you need a measurement.
 

nilzlofgren

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2007
Messages
121
Location
New Jersey
Well it's got no engine and the transmission didn't work, so it's only good for small parts, I'm keeping the under carriage because it looks brand new though rusted up from sitting. It looks like the trans broke, since they had it apart they decided to put a new undercarriage (except sprockets??), but when they put it back together the transmission didn't work still so they just let it sit. When I got it the engine still ran, It's in my 200 now. So if you need any small parts let me know. If you decide your 2244 is to much let me know, Ive been looking for a six way blade forever. If you have any question about your machine just holler.

BTW I'm a few miles south of Millville, my brother lives on the edge of Hammonton by RT73.

Thanks for the info, I sent you a PM.
 
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