Hi guys,
Has anybody tried to add an external tachometer to a diesel tractor? Since I'm new to this tractor thing, I'd like to have some sort of indication of what my RPMs actually are. There is no hour meter as well.
The guy who sold me my Ford 5000 tractor said that the tachometer cable (of the instrument cluster) is not connected to anything because, it used to be - supposedly - connected to the generator, which he replaced with a modern alternator, because he didn't want to pay the extra money for an original part; the AC/DC converter box is also missing, so the charging fire goes to the battery directly from the alternator.
On the other hand, I see that my parts catalogue refers to some "Pump to Tachometer Adapter" (items 124, 125, 126 on page 09E02 inlet), so maybe the guy was wrong, and the tach cable is connected to something else? I can't really get a clear view of the front of the engine.
I see that there are tachometers / hour meters on the internet that have an external weatherproof display, but most of them are for gas engines, i.e. work off the ignition impulse. There are some devices that feature a magnet sensor, but those that I've found are not weatherproof.
Suppose I find a tach with a magnet sensor. Where would I install it though? On the alternator / power steering pump wheel? Then how would I calibrate it then? I thought I could buy a laser RPM meter, attach the light reflecting sticker to the PTO use it as a reference (knowing the known crankshaft-to-PTO ratio).
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Jaroslav
[img:15b87c2579][/img:15b87c2579]
Has anybody tried to add an external tachometer to a diesel tractor? Since I'm new to this tractor thing, I'd like to have some sort of indication of what my RPMs actually are. There is no hour meter as well.
The guy who sold me my Ford 5000 tractor said that the tachometer cable (of the instrument cluster) is not connected to anything because, it used to be - supposedly - connected to the generator, which he replaced with a modern alternator, because he didn't want to pay the extra money for an original part; the AC/DC converter box is also missing, so the charging fire goes to the battery directly from the alternator.
On the other hand, I see that my parts catalogue refers to some "Pump to Tachometer Adapter" (items 124, 125, 126 on page 09E02 inlet), so maybe the guy was wrong, and the tach cable is connected to something else? I can't really get a clear view of the front of the engine.
I see that there are tachometers / hour meters on the internet that have an external weatherproof display, but most of them are for gas engines, i.e. work off the ignition impulse. There are some devices that feature a magnet sensor, but those that I've found are not weatherproof.
Suppose I find a tach with a magnet sensor. Where would I install it though? On the alternator / power steering pump wheel? Then how would I calibrate it then? I thought I could buy a laser RPM meter, attach the light reflecting sticker to the PTO use it as a reference (knowing the known crankshaft-to-PTO ratio).
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Jaroslav
[img:15b87c2579][/img:15b87c2579]