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Electric Tacho wiring

Discussion in 'Motorcycle Tech Talk' started by NeilP, Feb 4, 2012.

  1. NeilP

    NeilP Active Member

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    I bought a second hand Tacho, to fit to my O4 883 sportster.

    I have been looking at the wiring diagram in the Clymer manual, and it shows the Tacho with more than three wires connected, but my tacho has only three wires.

    So it appears to be incompatible, unless anyone can tell me how to wire it up.

    Neil
  2. baggerpaul

    baggerpaul Well-Known Member

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    12 volt switched power on red . earth ground on black . last wire on trigger side of coil . should be good to go !!! extra wire on some tachometer is for light . some are internally wire on switched 12 volt for light all the time good luck ! and hope this helps . aussie . cherrs mate
  3. NeilP

    NeilP Active Member

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    That sounds great...I'll try that combo and see what happens..just machined a new axled for the front end, and the wheel seems about a quarter inch offset..so need to do that little job and then sort handle bars and basic bar wiring out

    Cheers for info

    Neil
  4. baggerpaul

    baggerpaul Well-Known Member

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    any time for sure !:cool:
  5. NeilP

    NeilP Active Member

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    OK, hi guys. This has been a few years in getting aroudn to putting by bike back together. almost 4 years...:( It has been stuck in the shed with a blanket over it all thsi time.

    So now back to it..got to get her rolling again. I had forgotten about posting this thread it was so long ago...I just looked at the tacho again and the same question cropped up as when I first posted this thread.
    Fitted new handle bars and brake resevoir now

    Not much cash (as usual) so do not want to trash this RPM gauge I bought.

    Paul said about using the red wire for 12 volt,...makes sense, black is alreayd grounded, and the other for the coil trigger side.

    Problem is...this tacho has three wires black pink and orange.

    I do not want to risk trashing it by crossing the 12 volt and the trigger signal up the wrong wires, so although I am guessign the trigger is likely to be 12 volt too I'd rather ask first.

    So in harley wiring , what will the color coding be ?
    Pink?
    Orange?

    I will be doign further research myself online now, but hoped some of you chaps may know.

    Thanks
  6. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Pink is the trigger wire
    Black is Ground
    Orange/White is to power

    at least thats how I remember, and Pink is the trigger
  7. NeilP

    NeilP Active Member

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    Thanks.

    From further reading, looks like I may be able to feed that pink from a pin on the speeedo plug..pin 3 it seems. Pull a blanking 'pin' out the speedo plug and insert the kit , pre terminated wire in to the hole...but I do not have a 'kit' speedo with the pre terminated ends..so may have to find a scrap plug and salvage some pins

    I'll let you know

    Got battery on charge now...though hioldin gout virtually no hope of it working..been sat for 4 years :( but we can at least give it a go..it had some voltage ..no harm in trying ...ever the optimist!
  8. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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  9. NeilP

    NeilP Active Member

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    That might very well be the one I need.

    I started digging through the parts box and found print out from fitting other kits, that I had printed off 4 years ago...but they were all kits with more wires on the taco.That kit seems to have only the 3 wires that my tacho has,though the speedo is different.

    Will have to see tomorrow. time here is now 2245, I just left the workshop at223o. wanted to hear the bike run tonight. ...and I did..first time fired up in 4 or 5 years.
    had to run it on 100octane Low lead (Avgas) and a 3 series LiPo battery (12volt) from a model boat, supplemented with the farm truck / tractor booster charger!! but I got her fired up

    Home now with a beer. feeling satisfied.
  10. NeilP

    NeilP Active Member

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    OK, so an update.

    I fitted the pink to the front coil feed and al seems to work.....but I do have an RPM related question..which I will start a new thread for, as it does not really fit the topic title.
  11. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Good to hear


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  12. NeilP

    NeilP Active Member

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  13. NeilP

    NeilP Active Member

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    After all this, looks like my first instinct that this could not really be used on this bike was correct.....there is the potential that I have a 'Dual Fire tach'
    68941-99

    I was not aware of this dual fire / single fire difference before..

    Might be able to make up an adapter to take the output from the ICM single fire as I have to run the dual fire tach.
    http://www.dflund.se/~jokke/tach/
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2016
  14. NeilP

    NeilP Active Member

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    I have had a reply from a mate that works for an online HD store.
    Looks like my tach was from :
    Model (8):
    DYNA SUPER GLIDE T-SPORT - (FXDXT) - 2001
    DYNA SUPER GLIDE T-SPORT - (FXDXT) - 2002
    DYNA SUPER GLIDE T-SPORT - (FXDXT) - 2003
    SUPER GLIDE SPORT - (FXDX) - 1999
    SUPER GLIDE SPORT - (FXDX) - 2000
    SUPER GLIDE SPORT - (FXDX) - 2001
    SUPER GLIDE SPORT - (FXDX) - 2002
    SUPER GLIDE SPORT - (FXDX) - 2003



    and from looking at a few of them...http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/phot...arley-Davidson-FXDXTDynaSuperGlideT-Sport.htm

    it seems that they are Single-Fire ignition. so this tach should be giving the correct reading ..;phew..
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2016

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