Installing tachometer on odd-fire V6

I've been doing some "Googling" and can't find anything about installing a tach on a odd-fire V6. The only info I find refers to installing MSD. Is there something different about installing a tach on an odd-fire? I bought a standard tach at PepBoys and it didn't seem to work right. When testing it (before final install) I hooked up the 3 leads as directed and when I fired up the motor the needle spun 360 and stopped! I replaced the points after the fact...don't know if this helped because I have the top of the engine off right now.

 

I've had one on my odd fire V6 for many years. It was made by a company called Faria (long gone now, I think). It seems fairly accurate and it has been in the jeep for 40 years.

I seems like I remember a fellow in Las Cruces that raced Jeeps. He swore by his Stewart Warner tachs.

John

 

Any tach that will work with a 6 cyl motor will work fine... The only count the pulses from the tach, every 6 pulses is an RPM IIRC. I have a SUNPRO Tach on mine from Autozone. I flipped the switch on the back to 6 cyl and hooked it to the coil, and works great.

 

I also have a Sunpro tach that has been in two Jeeps, and the only thing I notice is that it is a little jumpy till 1500, then it smooths out. Pretty darn sure this is the fault of the odd fire, and it is still easy to read, so I don't worry about it.

Are you sue you got the thing wired in right, going full sweep make it sound like the signal input got a full 12 volts or something (positive side of coil instead of negative?) That is my only thought.

 

i agrree that any tach for a 6cyl will work just fine..... i have used many styles over the years, and some were el chepos, and some were very expenzive..... the only diff i have seen is the real expensive ones were very smooth......

 

I'm about 98% sure I connected it to the negative side of coil, unless the coil is marked incorrectly but I doubt that. Positive side of coil runs straight to the distributor, right?

As soon as I get the motor back together I'll try again with the new one I swapped at PepBoys. My points were in bad shape the first time I hooked the tach up and the engine ground was a little loose. Maybe the new points will make the difference.... I'll keep you informed. Thanks for the responses everyone!!

 

and now we know the rest of the story,coil is marked correct,but it is hooked up backwards ,+ should be your power source,and - should go to the points and - is where your tach should pickup its signal

 

My Sunpro doesn't jump anywhere on my Oddfire... probably the tach.

 

the real rest of the story.... that other 2% took control of my brain. The distributor is hooked up to the negative side. The power is connected to the + side of coil. I had it backwards in my head! R) Well I get my carb back tomorrow so maybe I'll have time to try the new tach.