Small engine Tachometer

Jiles

Well-known Member
I have been working on a lot of single and twin cylinder engines lately. Several times I have needed a tachometer to set max rpm.
Any suggestions as what to get?
 
I have a small tach that will work on 1-10 cylinder engines. You just hook it over a spark plug wire and it tells you the engine speed. It is an off brand that I bought at a local parts store. They had to order it. It was only $49. I have used it now for a couple of years.
 
(quoted from post at 06:16:49 01/02/11) I have a small tach that will work on 1-10 cylinder engines. You just hook it over a spark plug wire and it tells you the engine speed. It is an off brand that I bought at a local parts store. They had to order it. It was only $49. I have used it now for a couple of years.
Do you have a name and part number?
 
Years ago I worked for a company that used small engines to run squirrel cage fans. They had a tachometer that you just pressed to the end of the crankshaft. It had a rubber tip and it just spun the gauge. I don't know where they got it or if they are still made like that but it was pretty cool how it worked. Steven
 
Several options.
-Tecumseh"Vibra Tach",non electronic,gives rpm via engine vibrations.been around "forever"/
-Dickson"small engine tach.battery powered,hand hold..sorta like a walkie-ralkie.NO hookup,just hold probe/antenna neat plug/wire.
-Tiny Tach-matchbook sized digital tach/hr meter,designed to mount to tractor/engine,but easily adapted to "portable use".Internal battery,auto on off,pickup from coaxial wire lead wrapped around plug wire.
-Laser tachs,Various brands,"Harbor Freight"to NASA quality"Internal battery,cordless..generally require small tab of reflective tape attached to rotating part.Will give RPM/stroke reading on anything.
=Prolly others,but trying to explain basic types.
 
Hello Jiles,
Non contact tachometers ahve come down in price.
Thy is one was pricey at the time i needed one.
Blue point unit 0 to 50.000.
Claimed accuracy 1 R.P.M. or 1% ,its been to long to remember.
Guido.
a29108.jpg
 
My multimeter has an inductive pickup that attaches to a plug wire... but I don't know if it can be set for a 2 holer or not. It will do three... This is one of Napa's UltraPro high end meters that's made by Fluke...

Rod
 
The picture of the Grainger one sure looks like
a "Stewart-Warner", but it says, in the spec's,
"Made in China". Has another "old American
company" "bit the dust"
 
I have one of those. They're handy around the farm to check combine cylinder speeds, PTO speeds, etc.
 
I purchased a Digital Photo non contact Tach on e -Bay was about $25.00 works great, I also have the hand held contact type but there are time you can't get one of them on a turning shaft.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Digital-Laser-P...tDomain_0&hash=item483e681d5d GB in MN
 
Dad got one of them when he got the AC 60 combine, about 1949. I have it now- I believe Lufkin made it. Found a second one a few years ago is an auction box. Both work fine.
 
It's a copy of a Stewart Warner. Westward has a lot of tools. Most, if not all come, from overseas. They are mid grade tools for the most part. Google Stewart Warner and I'm sure you'll find their tach. Dave
 
Jiles: The one I have is a Advanced Tool Design Model ATD-5581 I was wrong about the cylinders. It does 1-8 not 1-10. It has four settings: Two stroke or four, and RPM by 100 or 1000.

I am attaching some pictures and also a link with one for sale on Amazon for $44.99
a29135.jpg

a29136.jpg

ATD 5581
 
(quoted from post at 05:09:28 01/03/11) Jiles: The one I have is a Advanced Tool Design Model ATD-5581 I was wrong about the cylinders. It does 1-8 not 1-10. It has four settings: Two stroke or four, and RPM by 100 or 1000.

I am attaching some pictures and also a link with one for sale on Amazon for $44.99
a29135.jpg

a29136.jpg

ATD 5581
Thanks JD---That looks like a tack that would suit my needs.
 

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