• Mustang Forums
  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
  • Classic Mustang Specific Tech

got a RPM question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cobain03
  • Start date Start date Jan 10, 2007

Cobain03

Active Member
Aug 27, 2003
996
0
36
Lexington, Ky
Jan 10, 2007
#1
  • Jan 10, 2007
  • #1
i have a sunpro tach that is adjustable from 4 to 6 to 8 cylinders. what would happen if you are running it on a v8 with it in another setting? i have reason to believe that my tach is off and this is the only solution that i have come up with.
 

dodgestang

Active Member
Dec 15, 2003
1,360
0
37
Cecil County, MD
Jan 10, 2007
#2
  • Jan 10, 2007
  • #2
If it was set to 4 it would read 2x too high.
If it was set to 6 it would read 1.5x too high.
 

Cobain03

Active Member
Aug 27, 2003
996
0
36
Lexington, Ky
Jan 10, 2007
#3
  • Jan 10, 2007
  • #3
what if i said it was reading too low? i even have a dyno grap showing that the driver took the car up to a requested rpm (4200) while the graph shows around 5200.
 

Great68

Founding Member
May 16, 2002
691
0
16
Victoria BC
Jan 10, 2007
#4
  • Jan 10, 2007
  • #4
Cobain03 said:
what if i said it was reading too low? i even have a dyno grap showing that the driver took the car up to a requested rpm (4200) while the graph shows around 5200.
Click to expand...

Then that would mean the tach is pretty inaccurate
 
B

BornInAFord

Member
Apr 22, 2005
199
0
17
Bend, OR 97701
Jan 10, 2007
#5
  • Jan 10, 2007
  • #5
Dodgestang is correct... Personal experience: When I first got my 66, the PO had installed a tach that was set to the 6cyl setting instead of the correct 8cyl one. With the 3.00 rear, I calculated that I actually had a 4.11 comparing the tach readings vs the speedometer. When I was actually going 3000, the tach would read 4000 (and with the unfamiliar engine sounds I had no reason to doubt it). Being young and not so bright, I went ahead and bought a 3.55 track-loc as a replacement, thinking I was backing off on gearing... Although an expensive "mistake" I really enjoyed the new gears! Before I drove it, I counted the teeth on the old differential and realized my error. After a five minute corrective procedure, the tach has read accurately ever since. Not all tachs are accurate, though. For example, the mid-eighties factory tachs were notorious for not telling the truth.
Daniel
 

65ShelbyClone

Founding Member
Sep 9, 2000
4,675
38
119
Antelope Valley, SoCal
Jan 11, 2007
#6
  • Jan 11, 2007
  • #6
Cobain03 said:
what if i said it was reading too low? i even have a dyno grap showing that the driver took the car up to a requested rpm (4200) while the graph shows around 5200.
Click to expand...

Do you know how old your Sun tach is? Old electric tachometers are more likely to be off than the newer air core stuff like even the current $35 Super Tach II.

If it's a newer one, it's possible to adjust them by playing with resistor values inside, but it's not really an easy thing to do if all you want to do is fix a $35 tach.

On a side note, I took a newer Super Tach II and converted it to 1, 2, and 4cylinder operation. VDO gets $90 and Autometer charges $110 for tachs to do the same thing.
 

Cobain03

Active Member
Aug 27, 2003
996
0
36
Lexington, Ky
Jan 11, 2007
#7
  • Jan 11, 2007
  • #7
could you all pinpoint things that could cause this?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Ford truck engine swap issues
  • keel
  • Jul 7, 2026
  • Other Auto Tech
Replies
17
Views
455
Other Auto Tech Jul 13, 2026
General karthief
D
66 Coupe Progress Thread
  • DTCRAWLEY
  • Apr 19, 2026
  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
  • 2 3
Replies
43
Views
1K
1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk- Jun 17, 2026
DTCRAWLEY
D
Weber Carburetor tuning help
  • SchwarzStock
  • Jul 6, 2026
  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
Replies
4
Views
135
1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk- Jul 19, 2026
SchwarzStock
A
1987 5.0 speed density Foxbody crank no start
  • Alan2204
  • May 23, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
10
Views
377
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 30, 2026
Mcmahst
F
Fox 1990 Mustang GT 5.0 A9L – Engine suddenly shuts off but immediately restarts when key turned
  • FishermansFriend
  • Aug 9, 2026
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
Replies
16
Views
437
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- Aug 30, 2026
General karthief
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
  • Classic Mustang Specific Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?