Author Topic: ten dollar tachometer works  (Read 1010 times)

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Offline Wood Butcher

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ten dollar tachometer works
« on: November 20, 2014, 08:50:24 am »
Check it out:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Tach-Hour-Meter-Tachometer-Gauge-Spark-Plugs-Gas-Engine-Motocycle-ATV-v-/171548160133?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27f1113085&vxp=mtr

Yeah, it's kind of hokey, but here's the deal:

I'm not a professional and I own two Stihl's that I like to keep in good working condition. Just put a new carb on my recently inherited 044 and needed a tach.  The wireless ones were all around $100.  I've had one of these on my log splitter for about 12 years and it works.

Here's the only catch, you have to wrap the wire around the spark plug wire a few times.  I then wrapped it around the saw handle and let it dangle.  It's fine.  You can use a nyloc, but it's really not necessary.

Dialed the 044 in last night at 13,500 on the top end and 2700 on the low end.  No smoke and she's running sweet.  If I used a tach regularly, I'd buy a wireless, but for occasional use, this is the way to go.

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Offline sharkey

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Re: ten dollar tachometer works
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2014, 12:45:02 pm »
12 years out of it, sure cant beat that.  Have you ever changed the battery in the time you have been using it? 

I usually use our wireless; http://www.oppama.co.jp/eng/line/line1.html but I feel its time for a new battery as its 8 years old.  They say 20,000 hours on one battery, but I just dont think that is practical.

Offline Cut4fun .

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Re: ten dollar tachometer works
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2014, 01:15:52 pm »
I used one like that in very beginning. I refer to it as cheapie tach here.  http://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/stickys-of-how-to-basics/chainsaw-tachometer-choices/msg48341/#new

Offline Jim372xp

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Re: ten dollar tachometer works
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2014, 06:47:30 pm »
I only use a Tiny tac as that's the only one in have and find it an excellent bit of kit

Offline Wood Butcher

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Re: ten dollar tachometer works
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2014, 08:39:44 pm »
Sharkey, never changed the battery in 12 years. It's on my log splitter and that lives in a heated shop, so it doesn't see cold weather.  I use it primarily to track hours for maintenance and not as a tach.  But sure got that 044 dialed in nice with the el cheapo tach:  13,500 full out and purring nicely at 2700 idle.

Offline 3000 FPS

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Re: ten dollar tachometer works
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2014, 02:46:57 pm »
I quite tuning by tachs and only use them to document performance.   
If all your saws are stock then you can tune with them but all my saws are modified one way or another.
Acres shows the Poulan 3700 max rpm to be 8500.  I have one with a few mods that operates at 13000 rpm.
All it takes is a Muff Modd and the Tach is now a performance tool and not necessarily a tuning tool.

It can also give a repeat reference point if your documenting things about your saws.
If you have that reference point written down then it can be used as a trouble shooting tool. 
PP 505, 475, 445.

Offline 660magnum

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Re: ten dollar tachometer works
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2014, 04:21:35 pm »
With a lot of tuning experience, the tach doesn't do you much good.

Ted and I were timing my ported 066 the other week. We started with the mixture tuned to the two cycle - four cycle point with the saw cleaning up into two cycle in the cut. It was 2.2 seconds in the 15" bass cant.

At first the 066 was at 12000 with the 2 - 4 ear tuning. I went on to tune it to 13,000 and then 14,000 with a terrible slow refresh rate old Stihl orange tach.

The red light 066 still went through the cant at 2.2 seconds - no faster.

I need to touch up my chain?
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