Tachometer Help! Please?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 792
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From: Louisiana, It's Always Party Time!
Tachometer Help! Please?
After replacing my alternator, I had to jump start the car. During a start attempt, the tach needle went complete to the red line peg and didn't come back. Is there any way to reset the needle? Please HELP! :eek:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Semper ubi, sub ubi
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Re: Tachometer Help! Please? (LABulldog)
Bulldog, we need more info, what year model is your car? Or, is it a mechanical or electronic tach? Mechanical tach works like a speedometer, so jump starting the car shouldn't have anything to do with it wrapping around. If you have an electronic tach, you probably have fried the circuit board in the tach.
You can order a new tach board from most Corvette parts resellers, Terry Rudy has a link on repairing your tach at http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/RebuildSpeedo.htm
You can order a new tach board from most Corvette parts resellers, Terry Rudy has a link on repairing your tach at http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/RebuildSpeedo.htm
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 792
Likes: 1
From: Louisiana, It's Always Party Time!
Re: Tachometer Help! Please? (Smokehouse69)
Hey Smoke, the car is an 80 model, L-48 engine. Everything was working fine until the alternator was replaced. It died on Saturday but I was out of state and had to drive 120 miles back home on the battery. Got in after dark and parked the car in the driveway. Today after work, I had to jump the car off to get it in the garage and the Tach worked fine. Pulled the old alternator, had it check (it was bad), got a new one and installed it. Since the battery didn't have enough juice to turn the motor over, I had to jump it again. On the first attempt, the tach acted ok but still not enough charge to turn the motor over. Waited a little longer for additional charge and tried again. Still not enough juice to start but that is when the needle jumped to the peg limit and didn't come back. Waited a few minutes longer and this time the engine started but the tach is still pegged out. That's the story in a nut shell. Any help is GREATLY appreciated! :confused:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Semper ubi, sub ubi
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Re: Tachometer Help! Please? (LABulldog)
It could be that the needle is just stuck, try rapping on the plastic bezel and see if it drops. You could have blown a fuse or a circuit braker. I'm not that famliar with the 80 wiring diagram, it is a lot more modern that the wiring in my old '69.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,142
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From: Englewood FL
Re: Tachometer Help! Please? (LABulldog)
Sounds like the tach circuit board has failed. They are mounted to the
back of the tach. To change it requires pulling the speedometer/tach
gauge housing from the car. New circuit board are readiy available for about
$60.
back of the tach. To change it requires pulling the speedometer/tach
gauge housing from the car. New circuit board are readiy available for about
$60.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 190
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From: Troy IL
Re: Tachometer Help! Please? (LABulldog)
Hey my Tach did that too. My needle went out of view! This happened right after I jumped the battery. I drove it on the highway hit about 75 and the needle came back. All has been good...4 months later. Try driving it around and see what happens. I have a 79 L-48.
Drifting
Joined: May 2000
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From: Long Island NY
Re: Tachometer Help! Please? (Phoenix79)
Bulldog,
Yep, same thing happened to my 80. Take the bezel off and gently help tach needle back to 0. If that doesen't work, then, yes you fried your tach board. All the mail orders sell them and not too hard to install. But try the manual fix first. Good Luck, L8TER, Paul.
Yep, same thing happened to my 80. Take the bezel off and gently help tach needle back to 0. If that doesen't work, then, yes you fried your tach board. All the mail orders sell them and not too hard to install. But try the manual fix first. Good Luck, L8TER, Paul.
