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Installing a Tach
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pbajwabb
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 12:06 pm    Post subject: Installing a Tach Reply with quote

How hard is this? Do they come with instructions as to where the wires hook up?
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Randy in Maine
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The "sending unit" just goes on the green points wire.
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Cusser
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 12:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Need hole in dash/grille. One wire back from trunk/tach to coil negative side as posted above (I routed mine under the VW running board). One wire to ignition switch "hot" circuit. One wire to dashboard light circuit, and one to ground.
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ajcool930
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 12:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i installed a cheap little sunpro $25 tach and it was pretty easy.
the tach needs to go to a positive wire,anyone that is on when you turn on the key. it also needs to go to the negative side of the coil, this is the hardest part, because ther is no substitution for running a wire back to the coil. andthe tach will have a light in it most likely, and you just need to splice it into a wire that goes to the head light and ground it.

as for mounting it, thts up to you. i took out the metel panel to the left of the speedo and cut one out in the same shape with the prongs to mount it( so i didnt damage the original one) and mounted the tach to it so i could see it. i have also seen them mounted under the ashtray and above the stereo.
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Executivelevel
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 12:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I remember correctly, mine came with pretty detailed instructions, yours should too if you buy it new.

good luck.
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ajcool930
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 12:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cusser wrote:
.
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whats that vent above the speedo, my '70 doesnt have one, should it?
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Randy in Maine
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 2:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your 70 should not have that vent.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/70beetle.php
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Cusser
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 5:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The photo is of my '71 Convertible (Super Beetle with flat windshield). My '70 hardtop doesn't have that vent either.
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70bugken
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 6:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ajcool930 wrote:

whats that vent above the speedo, my '70 doesnt have one, should it?


Wow that's weird. My '70 has that little vent, but nothing "feeding" it. I think the P.O. must have replaced the padded dash pad with the wrong one.
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Joel
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 6:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

if u have a 72 on beetle with the diagnosis plug on the firewall u can use those wires for gauges cos afew of its wires run from the engine bay into the cabin under the backseat

bugken if u can just see metal dashboard behind it then yea its a later model dash pad

i had a 12/70 1500 parts beetle that was the first model in aus to get those vents but it didnt have the outside plastic ones behind each back window but we were pretty slow getting alot of upgrades in aus
US might have got them alot earlier
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jamesdagg
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cusser> That dash needs a little soap and water.

jim
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BillTard
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PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2008 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was wanting to install a tach, can you just pick up any tach say from autozone or do you need to mod/hack stuff to get it to work. i have a 1976 bug. as stated in my other posts i'm new to the whole car rebuild/restore so is there a guide or instructions on how to install a tach?

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Randy in Maine
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PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2008 10:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Usually people use something like this to do the install in a Beetle....

http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/viewproductdetail.php?keyword2=ISD0016&cartid=0521200846062479

Instructions on installing various gauges can be found here....

http://www.egauges.com/Instruct.asp
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Cusser
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PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2008 12:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just installed a SunPro tach from Pep Boys in my truck ($30); it had a switch for 4, 6, or 8 cylinders.
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neil68
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PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2008 1:58 pm    Post subject: tach mount Reply with quote

I have a tach mounted under my ashtray using a VDO tach and matching mount. This was so that I could keep my radio speaker intact and use oil temperature and oil pressure gauges on the right side (of the speedometer grill) Smile
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Last edited by neil68 on Fri May 23, 2008 5:52 pm; edited 1 time in total
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pbajwabb
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PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2008 4:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So did you guys run the wire that goes to the coil thru the inside of the car? Or did you run it under the car? Also, where would be a good place to run this wire, It looks impossible to get it to go through where the batter/regulator wires connect to the engine
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Joel
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PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2008 5:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

its not to hard to run a wire thro the quarter panel cavity
i certainly would never run it under the car
if the wire rubs thro anywhere and touches the anything metal the car will die and will be a nightmare to sort on the side of the road
and this is a likely scenario given the wire insulation would go hard and crack given time when out in the elements

ive used up all my engine diagnonis wires and had to run extras tho the cavity
its not hard my bug was full of foam there too which made it tricky to gouge it all out but u just need to feed a snake thro there
ive got a drain cleaner snake thing that works like a charm
just tape the wires to it and feed thro from the engine bay into the cavity behind the rear door panels

Hth
-Joel
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2002sportside
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PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2008 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Running the wires through the car is not that hard. All you have to do is follow the harness VW ran from front to back originally. You will need a snake or coat hanger to pass from passenger to engine compartment. While you're running one wire, run a couple extra for the gauges you don't even know you want yet. Much easier to do it all at once than have to do it again later.
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Cusser
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PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2008 8:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My wires for oil temperature, tach, and oil pressure gauge all run from trunk out through grommet, under the driver's side running board, then underneath and up as necessary. Cable ties are a good thing. Mine have had this wiring since 1976, no issues.
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delliott101
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PostPosted: Sat May 24, 2008 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No problem for me if I want to install one... everything is ripped out of my Bug right now so I can restore it!
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