Re: Tachometers, red-line, etc.

[PB Schechter <pb@domain.elided>]

>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 14:32:45 EDT
>From: <SLarsonIH@domain.elided>
>Subject: Re:  Tachometers, red-line, etc.
>
>Morning Digesters,
>
>All the factory mechanical tachs I've seen are driven off the distributor. My
>65 Vette was this way. Was the other end of the tach cable just hanging down ?
>What was is plugged into ? You need to go back and look at the distributor and
>see if there is a place to screw in the cable housing. If so, you'll probably
>have to take the distributor and use it. You might have to swap the guts on
>the two distributors in order to keep your same timing curve.
>
>This is my simple answer. The long and more detailed answers are on their way,
>coming soon to an e-mail box near you. ;-)

Well, I'm eagerly awaiting your long answer, but not all that hopefully.
There is little to no doubt in my mind that the tach cable was *not*
mounted to the distributor.  I couldn't see very well into the engine
compartment, but I followed the cable (with my hand) from where it went
through the fire wall to where it ended:  it was screwed on (just the
way it was screwed on to the back of the tach, and just the way the
mechanical speedo cable screws on to my 1966 Volvo) "somewhere" (I
couldn't see where, remember) at the back of the engine or the front of
the tranny.

I will be back at that junk yard (I have some more odds and ends to pick
up), and will try to remember to bring a flash light with me, and look
carefully at where it mounts.  I was just hoping (against hope, most likely)
that *all* IH V8s came with a tach drive at the rear of the engine (or
the front of the tranny).  I suppose I *could* always look in my shop
manual for some evidence of such a connector--but I thought it would be
much easier to get all the expert opinions here on the 'net....

Thanks.

--pb