Installed a Tachometer

[LDUBS]

Well, I finally got around to installing the tach. I couldn't tell which wires were what color. Got Mrs Ldubs to confirm the gray and black/yellow wire pigtails at the remote. Reads pretty close to the idle spec's with motor running on the muffs. I'll see how it reads at higher rpm's next time on the lake. Gotta say twisting my old 71 year old body around the seat box and up under the dash was the toughest part.

 

[Axhammer]

Nice. I want do do the same thing. Did you buy a new tach, or maybe found a used one?

One that I’m looking at on EPAY cost about $88, and $38 for the harness.

I’m planning on buying them both online and be done with it.

 

[eeshaw]

I bought some used gages for my Mako project. I won't do that again. They're pretty brittle and you have to be really careful with installation or they can break. I'd like to be able to verify the accuracy of the tachometer with the engine running but I think that would require a "tiny" tack to do it.

 

[LDUBS]

Nice. I want do do the same thing. Did you buy a new tach, or maybe found a used one?

One that I’m looking at on EPAY cost about $88, and $38 for the harness.

I’m planning on buying them both online and be done with it.

I bought a new Sierra tach. Paid under $100 for it (can't remember the exact price). It doesn't have an hour meter which is OK because I use my fish finder for that.

 

[MrGiggles]

I've had that same tach on three different motors now for 5 years in total. Has never once had a problem. I recommend that model to everyone, they also offer it in several different colors and schemes, and have a full line of other gauges to match. Once you get one installed and have the groundwork laid, they tend to multiply.

Only three wires needed (5 if you want the lighting to be controlled independently, I just tie them in with the switched power/ground). It has multiple settings for any cylinder configuration out there.

 

[thill]

Faria is my fav. You can't go wrong with them. But I've used some of the tachs on Amazon for $20-$40, and they work just fine. I have one in my Princecraft right now, and it works perfectly for years now.

Ones like these:
https://www.amazon.com/ELING-Universal-Tachometer-8000RPM-Backlight/dp/B07GTCZCKFhttps://www.amazon.com/DunkTeam-Universal-Tachometer-Waterproof-Motorcycle/dp/B0C5MYXJHR
The thing about these is that you have to push a button on the back to set it for your engine. It's pretty easy to do, but sometimes the instructions are vague, and you have to try several settings to get it right.

Faria.com and Sierra have charts to help you know what to set your tach at. Most Evinrude engines are at the 6P setting, but not all of them, especially the small ones. Look at the chart, regardless of what tach you get.

 

[LDUBS]

After taking it out, it is clear I need to play with the pole settings on the back of the tach. Currently have it set at 4P. I think dividing that in half and going with 2P might work. I read that a couple model years earlier for my Honda BF50 required a rectifier to correct a wacky tach signal that these motors generate. I don't think I need that but have the link in my back pocket just in case.