Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2011 14:49:56 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: aftermarket tach
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I recently added a stock vanagon tach to an 85 that did not have one.
It's the green wire from terminal 1 of the coil that is the tach signal.
That green wire was present on connector T14 at the instrument cluster..
probably on the right pin for an 85 too ..
put it did not connect 'back there' like it should.
I ended up running my own wire from instrument cluster to Ign coil.,
As far as I know ...tachs first appear in Wolfsburg 84's ...I had an 84
Wolfsburg full Westy ...and the tach is all black face...which looks kinda
cool since all the other tachs are that green/orange pattern ..
which I like a lot too ...just nice to see something a little different.
Seems to me some 85's have tachs, and some don't. I had two Wolfsburg 85's
..A Westy GL and a Weekender ..both had tachs.
Most 86's and later have tachs, but not all.
When I am looking for an easy gauge install ..
without making a huge project out of it, I get a pod that the gauge fits in
, and mount it at the base of the windshield just to the right of the
instrument cluster cover.
That puts the gauge very close to normal line of sight ..
and ....it's easy to sneak a few wires a few inches from the corner of the
instrument cluster to the gauge pod. They barely show. No drilling , a
nice easy install. The pod sits on a pedestal that I silicone to the dash
top.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jonathan Edwards" <edwards151@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2011 9:21 AM
Subject: aftermarket tach
> Why would VW start installing tachometer's in '85 full campers, but not
> the
> Wolfsburg weekenders?? I'm lucky enough to have an '85 weekender with no
> tach, so I'd like to install an aftermarket tach. Picked one up at my
> FLAPS
> for $30. Wiring seems straightforward, but I've got a few questions.
>
> First off - do I need to run a wire all the way back to the coil, or is
> there a wire already from the coil to somewhere in the dash? (I only ask
> because I know some '85s came with a tach from the factory, so maybe that
> wire is part of a wiring harness?).
>
> Next question - I'm trying to figure out where to mount this thing so that
> it looks the cleanest, and is in good view. My first thought was on the
> dash, to the left of the instrument cluster right in front of the side
> window dash vent. Unfortunately, the mounting hardware that came with the
> tach won't allow me to tilt the guage up to compensate for the downward
> slope of the dash, so I'll have to fabricate something. Then I got to
> looking at the instrument cluster and noticed the space, dead center, that
> is directly below the idiot lights is about the size of my tach. I've
> never
> seen any lights come on in that space - it looks to be a cheesy 'fake'
> notification center or something. Has anyone here ever installed a tach
> (or
> any other gauge) in that space? Any reason not to? (assuming I have enough
> clearance behind to fit the depth of the guage, probably 2"). Click link
> for
> picture.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jon
> 85' Wolfsburg Weekender 1.9 4sp
>
> http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/edwards151/misc%20van/tach.jpg
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