2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

what aftermarket Tach do you guys use?

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Old Nov 5, 2003 | 03:23 PM
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From: Dallas
what aftermarket Tach do you guys use?

Mine is broke. I need an aftermarket one, and I don't want anything too ricy like a huge Autometer one. Just curious what you guys used as an aftermarket tach.

thanks
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Old Nov 5, 2003 | 03:28 PM
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You can just get another gauge cluster and swap the tach into your cluster. Also, check the trailing coil. It might not be firing.
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Old Nov 5, 2003 | 03:49 PM
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i tried swaping gauge clusters. Didn't fix the problem. What's the best way to check the trailing coil?


so what aftermarket tach's do you guys use?
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Old Nov 5, 2003 | 04:07 PM
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You'll never get a tach signal if your trailing coil isn't firing. Grab a spark tester and check the coil. The tach signal is taken from the trailing coil.
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Old Nov 5, 2003 | 04:39 PM
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Poor Lil' Kid
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I wanna a different tach
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Old Nov 5, 2003 | 11:08 PM
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Originally posted by 5 point whoa
I wanna a different tach
Why? Who want's a big ricey tach screwed to their dash when the stock one is the same size and free?
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 12:07 AM
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I'm putting an 80mm SPA Tach/Speedo in my 20B project, along with a full set of SPA dual gauges. The gauge is very well made and has a European race look rather than a rice look, the three shift lights are programmable and each have an output to run external shift lights or other on/off functions based on rpm, and there is a peak recall. The speedometer reads up to 999mph or 999kph, and combined with the tach unit there is a function to measure your 1/4 mile time & ET, or user-defined acceleration times (0-50, 0-60, 40-90, etc.). They also sell just plain tachometers, or tachometers with boost or temperature displays.
http://www.spatechnique.com

Other options are the smaller in-dash 3 3/8" Auto Meter tachometers which you can easily find with the search function on the Auto Meter site. Note that the Carbon Fiber, Ultra-Lite, and Pro-Comp are better quality than the others.
http://www.autometer.com

Defi gauges are very good:
http://www.defi-shop.com

The RX-7 Store has Defi and other gauges commonly installed in RX-7s:
http://www.rx7store.net
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 12:10 AM
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I want a custom guage cluster with a 6" tach in the center, oil psi, water temp, and volts being on the driver's side in a triangle, then a round glass covered cut out viewing the stock speedo.
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 01:00 AM
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Originally posted by Makenzie71
I want a custom guage cluster with a 6" tach in the center, oil psi, water temp, and volts being on the driver's side in a triangle, then a round glass covered cut out viewing the stock speedo.
There are two problems with that:
1) The maximum gauge height inside the stock dash is about 5.25".
2) The stock gauges look terrible by themselves.

I made a PowerPoint Presentation to try out different gauge configurations on my car. The scale isn't exact, but close enough to get the main idea. Also, I scanned the SPA gauge manuals if anybody wants them. My dual gauges are the older models, but the stats should be pretty close to the new gauges. Those with Yahoo ID's can get these files from my briefcase, or those without a Yahoo ID can send me an email address via PM.
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/evilaviator
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 01:04 AM
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i like stock. its the bestest in the whole world. u dont need no fancy smancy one that u screw into you a piller or whever u put it.
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 01:33 AM
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...94% correct.
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From: High Texas
Originally posted by Evil Aviator
There are two problems with that:
1) The maximum gauge height inside the stock dash is about 5.25".
2) The stock gauges look terrible by themselves.
yeah...I meant 5"...lol. The only guage that will be stock is the speedo, and it'll have a white face to match the other guages. Everything else will be autometer.
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 04:53 AM
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I've got a huge 14" timex tach! bet you wish you had one!!!!

Actuallly no. Mine stares me down right in the middle of the guage cluster, its not aftermarket, i can read it as good or better than most aftermarkets, and it doesn't block my view of the road.
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 05:57 AM
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Originally posted by NZConvertible
Why? Who want's a big ricey tach screwed to their dash when the stock one is the same size and free?
I dont mean a big riceboy one, pretty soon when i get my engine in, I'm gunna start road racing, and I want to get a better tack, plus when i put in the new engine my car will redline at 8 because it's all s5.
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 05:59 AM
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mmm.. actually its a good point, if you've a modded engine that will be high (>7) revving, its nice to see at what speed the engine is. I suppose it has its advantages, but I'm not sure if something huge is needed,
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 09:17 AM
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The Apexi tach is really nice. Also STACK, but that's big bucks.
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 06:11 PM
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Originally posted by Makenzie71
yeah...I meant 5"...lol. The only guage that will be stock is the speedo, and it'll have a white face to match the other guages. Everything else will be autometer.
I was originally going to use a 5" Auto Meter tach and speedo in my car, but they were not willing to make me a custom speedo as implied by their sales pitch. Therefore, I sent my money to SPA instead, and I'm now glad that I did. Defi was a close second choice, but the SPA dual gauges made better use of the dash space, and the SPA tach is my favorite so far. Somebody on this forum posted a picture of the dual 5" Auto Meter setup in the 2Gen dash, and it looked great. The picture may still be on this site, but I couldn't find it with a quick search.

Originally posted by Mr. Eccentric
Also STACK, but that's big bucks.
The Stack Dash Display Systems are similar to the SPA gauges, but they have even more features crammed into them. Personally, I think this goes overboard for my purposes, but I'm sure that they are much appreciated in certain applications. They are not big bucks when you consider all of the features.

Originally posted by 5 point whoa
I dont mean a big riceboy one, pretty soon when i get my engine in, I'm gunna start road racing, and I want to get a better tack, plus when i put in the new engine my car will redline at 8 because it's all s5.
Warning lights and buzzers are very important in racing because you don't have much time to look down at your gauges. Be sure to get a tach that has some type of user-defined redline warning and/or shift lights.
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 06:14 PM
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yeah, thats what I meant
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Old Nov 6, 2003 | 11:55 PM
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Originally posted by 5 point whoa
I dont mean a big riceboy one...
Since the stock tach is about as big as they get, that means you'll need to get one smaller than stock, which seems like a step backwards to me.
...pretty soon when i get my engine in, I'm gunna start road racing, and I want to get a better tack...
Define "better"...
...plus when i put in the new engine my car will redline at 8 because it's all s5.
The stock tach reads to 8. Since you have no need to read any higher, it'll do just fine. If you really need to have a scale higher than you're going to rev, get an S5 cluster. Add a decent shift light and you're good to go. Something like the T-Sport sequential LED shift light.
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Old Nov 7, 2003 | 04:12 PM
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Originally posted by Evil Aviator

The Stack Dash Display Systems are similar to the SPA gauges, but they have even more features crammed into them. Personally, I think this goes overboard for my purposes, but I'm sure that they are much appreciated in certain applications. They are not big bucks when you consider all of the features.
You can get a plain STACK tach without all the digital stuff. They've got that stutter under 3K, makes your FC look like it means business.
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