tachometer installation

[JHenry]

I recently sold my '93 Dodge 4x4 3/4 ton, with Cummins engine, to a friend. I am asking this question for him. What is involved with installing a tachometer on this engine? Thanks. Jerry Henry

 

[dpuckett]

There is a flat 4-wire plug under the dash, near the steering column that is for either a Mopar (hah, good luck) or ISSPRO tach. Has 2 black wires, an orange, and a white, IIRC. It's been too long since I've been under there.



Dainel

 

[JGrefenstette]

jerry,

i just last weekend put an Isspro 4k rpm tach in my 93' W250. I bought it from USDieselParts.Com. they make a wiring kit for the 92-and up dodge cummins. the tach was a little over $100, wiring kit was bout $40. Very easy! just wire the tach to the wireing kit if you order it, and plug it in.



just so you know tho, the wiring kit they have available for the 92-up, cummins, has 4 wires wich you wire into the tach, and 5 wires, 4 of wich wire into the harness under the dash. there is a white and a yellow that come from the wiring kit end, they are interchangable for 2 different tachs. my intructions told me to use the white. i did. the tach fluttered real bad and would not give a reading untill 1500rpms. i called Isspro, the tech support told be to switch the white to yellow, and disregard the instructions, becuase it may have been done backward in the assyble of the kit. i did it, and its worked flawlessly.



just tell him to order a mount for it, unless he is really creative. i didnt order a mount... so my $160 tachometer setup is sitting very nicely in a high dollar Cheerwine soda can.



hope this helps, if you want the part numbers for the tach and kit, ill give em to ya.

 

[JHenry]

Thanks to both of you. I'll pass it on to him. I know this guy won't spend $160 for a tach. He is pretty tight with his money. But knowing where the connector is will be a good start. JH

 

[JGrefenstette]

he's tight with his money? haha... he better get used to spending some on that truck. granted these old cummins hold together dang good, but every thing around it... when stuff goes, it AINT cheap.

 

[tugboatphil]

The steering column, single pod mount found in Geno's catalog for 94 Dodges will work for the Isspro tach. I am using that right now.

 

[Philip]

Some of the Isspro tach's will not fit that gage pod tugger is talking about. I ran into that problem a couple of years ago. Tugger give him the number of your tach if you remember it. I don't have my old tach so I don't have its number.



That gage pod will only work on a tilt column also.



Don't waste your time calling Isspro to see what tach's of theirs will fit that pod eather. They have no idea. I asked them before I bought my tach. All they want to do is sell you one of their mounting cups.

 

[JGrefenstette]

i no the number of my tach is, R8503 its the 2 1/16" 4K rpm.



will that one work?

 

[Philip]

Measure how long it is and post the lenght. I still have my column mount I can measure it for depth for you.



I just went out and measured the pod. You only have 2" of depth for the gage on the top side of the pod. It slops away towards the bottom of the pod.

 

[DCottrell]

Tach Installation

My tach is an R-8503 and I purchased the column mount from Geno's. Because of the way the back of the mount slopes the tach will not go all the way into the mount. It sticks out at least a 1/4". I ended up putting it in an "A" pillar mount.

 

[JGrefenstette]

well i guess that answers that question...

does anyone know if the universal bullet mount will work with the R8503?

 

[dpuckett]

Most bullet mounts will work.



DP

 

[tugboatphil]

DCottrell, you can make the 8503 fit all the way in if you cut the tip off one of the bolts. :-laf Mine is flush with the front. Also per Greenleaf's advice, I colored the light bulb green prior to installing. Should have used a dark blue Sharpie. It's still really bright, even with the green coating.

 

[JGrefenstette]

phil... are you saying that the only thing that makes the R8503 not fit perfectly without modification is the long bolts in the rear??? if soo, that is a really easy fix. i think i might do exactly what you did.



is you light too bright?? mine is almost too dim... are you using the bulb they sent you or another one?

 

[tugboatphil]

I can't remember exactly what I did (I can rarely remember where I park) but I am only using one of the hold down bolts. I did cut part of one off... or did I cut off part of the bracket? If you look at the two together, you should be able to figure it out.

I am using the standard bulb that was with the tach. Maybe it's the angle I keep the column, but it is always shining in my eyes. I finally put a bit of duct tape over the spot where the light shone through the gauge face.

 

[DCottrell]

Tach Installation

On my 8503 I cut the bolts as the mount holds it tightly. It was the light socket that kept it from fully seating in the column mount.



As far as the lighting goes, I am using the bulb ISSPRO supplied with the tach and wiring kit, and it is really dim. In this tach the light shines around the gauge not thru the face. I tried a brighter bulb, but the only way to get a brighter bulb is to use a bigger bulb (physical size). When I did this lighting was good but it generated more heat and tach went screwy. Went back to original bulb and tach worked again. I even tried an LED bulb but the light was still poor.



If you find a bulb to give more light but less heat let me know.