I hooked up this "Type R" http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...e=ADME:L:RTQ:US:1&viewitem=&item=180079236364 .
It sounded like a GREAT deal, but I am worried it's not compatible with cobra's or mustangs in general. I asked the seller specifically if it would be compatible with my "1998 Cobra" and they said Yes, it's comes with everything I need etc. I got that question out of the way BEFORE I purchased it.
Well, we spliced into the correct tach wire in the dash(tan) connected a good ground and spliced into a good power source. "In theory" your stock tachometer should read HIGHER than an aftermarket because ford sets it that way so you don't mess up your engine.
However, I have two problems:
1. The tach had 3 settings, 4 cylinder, 6 cylinder, and 8 cylinder. Obviously having a cobra I would opt for the "8 cylinder". The first problem is I can't set the shift light point beyond 5,100-5,200 rpms - even though the tach reads up to 11,000 rpms, the needle while on the v8 setting will not permit me to set the light beyond 5,000. So I tried to "trick" the POS tach by setting it to 6 cylinder and 4 cylinder(tried several ways) and get the needle as high as possible and hold the set button and switch it back to v8, but it will still drop right back to 5,200 rpm's TOPS.
2. Problem number two is the new tachometer is actually reading 100-200 rpms HIGHER than my stock tach and in higher rpms it could be as much as 500 rpms higher than what my stock tach is saying - which makes absolutely NO sense! It should totally be the other way around - meaning if my stock tach says 7,000 then the aftermarket may only read 6,700 rpms. This is not the case.
I contacted the seller who appears to have a good track record with ebay transactions and they said I would have to send back my entire tach and they would send a replacement.
I shot them back a pretty direct e-mail explaining that they either misrepresented the product and it is NOT compatible with my car, or they sent a bad tach, either way I should not have to dig back into my dash to disconnect the 3 tach wires, ship the thing back to Hong Kong or wherever it came from and then wait another 2 weeks to get a replacement. I said I will either send back the POS and dispute it with my credit card company, pay pal and or ebay and buy a tachometer that actually WORKS. My other alternative I offered the seller was to check with the manufacturer (who they claim it comes directly from) and this time specifically ask if it is compatible with a cobra setup. The reason I am being blunt in the e-mail is because I know most of these sellers will try and give you the run around so they aren't inconvenienced. The last thing I want to do is send back the tach I have now, get the new one, install it and it has the SAME problems!
2 questions: Is this expected of an aftermarket knock off - hence the saying "you get what you pay for" or do I have a right to be direct about how I want this to be resolved? I have spent 3 weeks now putting well over 3 grand into my car and I think its silly that a cheap tachometer is the final thing holding me back! Actually it will be over 4 grand counting the tires I get put on tomorrow!
The other question is "If" I have to send this tachometer back is there anyway to get around taking my instrumental panel off and unsplicing the wires and pretty much erase the hour and a half we spent wiring it to begin with? I mean can I send them back the tachometer, brackets , and then include the 3 colored wires that I just end up buying from a local store(and that way I don't have to dig back into my dash...)or do you think the seller might be a pain and make me pretty much start all over and dig the wires back out?
Give me an idea if these problems make sense, and if so do you think I am entitled to make the seller be the one to compensate for mistakes and not me...
Thanks guys!
P.S. I should have spent the $200 and got an autometer like I did on my saleen
It sounded like a GREAT deal, but I am worried it's not compatible with cobra's or mustangs in general. I asked the seller specifically if it would be compatible with my "1998 Cobra" and they said Yes, it's comes with everything I need etc. I got that question out of the way BEFORE I purchased it.
Well, we spliced into the correct tach wire in the dash(tan) connected a good ground and spliced into a good power source. "In theory" your stock tachometer should read HIGHER than an aftermarket because ford sets it that way so you don't mess up your engine.
However, I have two problems:
1. The tach had 3 settings, 4 cylinder, 6 cylinder, and 8 cylinder. Obviously having a cobra I would opt for the "8 cylinder". The first problem is I can't set the shift light point beyond 5,100-5,200 rpms - even though the tach reads up to 11,000 rpms, the needle while on the v8 setting will not permit me to set the light beyond 5,000. So I tried to "trick" the POS tach by setting it to 6 cylinder and 4 cylinder(tried several ways) and get the needle as high as possible and hold the set button and switch it back to v8, but it will still drop right back to 5,200 rpm's TOPS.
2. Problem number two is the new tachometer is actually reading 100-200 rpms HIGHER than my stock tach and in higher rpms it could be as much as 500 rpms higher than what my stock tach is saying - which makes absolutely NO sense! It should totally be the other way around - meaning if my stock tach says 7,000 then the aftermarket may only read 6,700 rpms. This is not the case.
I contacted the seller who appears to have a good track record with ebay transactions and they said I would have to send back my entire tach and they would send a replacement.
I shot them back a pretty direct e-mail explaining that they either misrepresented the product and it is NOT compatible with my car, or they sent a bad tach, either way I should not have to dig back into my dash to disconnect the 3 tach wires, ship the thing back to Hong Kong or wherever it came from and then wait another 2 weeks to get a replacement. I said I will either send back the POS and dispute it with my credit card company, pay pal and or ebay and buy a tachometer that actually WORKS. My other alternative I offered the seller was to check with the manufacturer (who they claim it comes directly from) and this time specifically ask if it is compatible with a cobra setup. The reason I am being blunt in the e-mail is because I know most of these sellers will try and give you the run around so they aren't inconvenienced. The last thing I want to do is send back the tach I have now, get the new one, install it and it has the SAME problems!
2 questions: Is this expected of an aftermarket knock off - hence the saying "you get what you pay for" or do I have a right to be direct about how I want this to be resolved? I have spent 3 weeks now putting well over 3 grand into my car and I think its silly that a cheap tachometer is the final thing holding me back! Actually it will be over 4 grand counting the tires I get put on tomorrow!
The other question is "If" I have to send this tachometer back is there anyway to get around taking my instrumental panel off and unsplicing the wires and pretty much erase the hour and a half we spent wiring it to begin with? I mean can I send them back the tachometer, brackets , and then include the 3 colored wires that I just end up buying from a local store(and that way I don't have to dig back into my dash...)or do you think the seller might be a pain and make me pretty much start all over and dig the wires back out?
Give me an idea if these problems make sense, and if so do you think I am entitled to make the seller be the one to compensate for mistakes and not me...
Thanks guys!
P.S. I should have spent the $200 and got an autometer like I did on my saleen
