My stock tachometer needle sits at 100 with the engine off. Does anyone know if that throws it off by 100?

1955 312 T-Bird Warwick, NY

Have you tried disconnecting the drive and see if it goes to zero?  Maybe something in the cable.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

It's been a long time since I replaced the faceplate on my tach, nearly 20 years. But I don't remember the faceplate indexing to the gauge . I had to line it, the tach and the housing in the bezel to set the pointer at "0". Then redo it when I seated the bezel in the dash till I got it right. Jog anyone's else memory, or is this a foggy detail from another car?

FWIW, I didn't have the tach rebuilt, and it still reads within as close as you can tell with the rpm output the EFI shows. So it's accurate.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Indicating 100 rpm would be barely off the 0 mark. I would attach a good service tach and compare that to your original tach.   + or - 100 rpm's is probably the the best these mechanical tachs will provide.


64F100 57FAIRLANE500

Most tachs, whether electric or mechanical, are not dead-on accurate. Some are close, but others are way off. If you're within 100 rpm, regardless of road speed, I would say you're doing pretty well. 

Not trying to throw off topic, but does the mechanical tachs in the early birds have a place to lube? Something similar to the speedometer head? Mine is making intermittent noise. Cable has been replaced and lubed correctly.

Kent — Round Rock, TX
'56 F-100  | '56 Crown Vic  |  '57 Fairlaine 500  |  '57 Thunderbird

Yes - it's at the top of the gauge if I remember correctly.  May have to remove it to get at it.  I had to.  Use alight oil, like 3 IN 1





54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Thank you sir!

Kent — Round Rock, TX
'56 F-100  | '56 Crown Vic  |  '57 Fairlaine 500  |  '57 Thunderbird