Tachometer addon

[Cyan]

My car does not feature any tachometer readings (not to mention that my fuel gauge is totally busted), what would I need to put in a my car to hook an add-on tachometer? How does one work, and what's it connected to?

How do I fix my fuel gauge, when I fill the tank it reads empty, and sometimes (for short periods) it will come up to about the middle and then go back (and stay) on empty for a long, long, long time.

Any help will be appreciated

Also: what do you adjust on a car with a timing chain, if the timing light is showing that the timing is off??

[DocEvi1]

jees buddy thats one poorly car.

The tachometer isn't hard to install, tho I'm not sure on the specifics....

The fuel could be a number of things, but I would hazard a guess that your bubble in the tank (not to disimilar to a toilet cistern's) is stuck, thats what happened on our car.

Timing chain, you mean belt? The best way is to get a Haynes manual for your car.

What make is it anyway?

Stefan

[Cyan]

It is a timing chain, I have a manual, it doesn't cover the in tank guage at all.

What'd you have to do to fix it? (or what did the mechanic (if applicable) tell you he did)

1985 Ford Thunderbird (Elan)
V8 5.0L
Automatic Transmission

I was also hoping that someone could tell me where my fuel pump is located, The book covers these but it doesn't say which car has which, I dont know if it's in tank, or external

My Haynes manual doesn't cover fine tuning the timing. Just how to find TDC

Edit: Never mind, I'm on crack, I skipped over it completely, I found the part that goes over timing adjustments.

Edit: Also, the higher the voltage output of the Ignition Coil... the better?

[effenger101]

Originally posted by Cyan


I was also hoping that someone could tell me where my fuel pump is located

Edit: Also, the higher the voltage output of the Ignition Coil... the better?

If it's a carberated engine, the fuel pump is on the drivers side of the engine, towards the front.

If it's a fuel injected engine, the fuel pump is in the gas tank.


Yes, the higher the coil output voltage, the better, but going over stock ( like with an after market coil ) isn't really worth the money unless you up the compression.

[Tick]

Originally posted by effenger101


If it's a carberated engine, the fuel pump is on the drivers side of the engine, towards the front.

If it's a fuel injected engine, the fuel pump is in the gas tank.

Not always! I have seen the Carbed cars with an electric motor under the body, Also with a FI Motor the fuel pump can be under the body near the rear wheel.

Tick

Not sure about Ford tho! Not to fond of the problems they have so I stay clear of the product!

Found On Road Dead!

Would rather Push a Chevy than Drive a Ford!

This is why I drive a Nissan!

[NJEnviroguy]

Installing an aftermarket tach is pretty simple. I think its somewhere between 4-6 wires...grnds, batt, and a lead going to the distrubtor/coil.

EDIT: Some companies sell/include a "tach filter" with the tach. In some applications it really should be mandatory. You might get a lot of needle jump, etc. without it sometimes.

[r8500]

Ok, lets try to get this right


on an 85 Ford, the fuel pump will be inside the gas tank. It doesn't matter if its carburated or fuel injected.

Its an auto, what do you need a tach for

To adjust the timing, you must lossen the bolt holding the distributor down. Then, with the car running, hold the timiing light on, and turn the distributor one way or the other until you get it in time.

And yes, its a chain. That year ford v8 had a chain drive timing assembly. If you keep losing time, or jumping time, it might be time to change the chain and gears.

[bushmaster]

you'll also need to disconnect the electronic spark control prior to setting your timing. I know for a fact that that info is in the haynes manual. And if you are getting a tank reading every so often it means you have an intermittent short in the wiring going to the sending unit. More than likely it's the ground wire coming from the tank. Another thing you'll want to do on that ford is to find all of your ground leads, undo them, clean them all up real good with a wire brush or something abrasive and then reconnect them. Theres a few right on the upper radiator support under that plastic cover on your right as you looking at the engine. Just search around for them and you'll find them all. Look on the inside fenders and on the firewall. Make sure your battery terminals are all clean as well.
Checking and cleaning all of those grounds I mentioned is something I always did 1st when I had to troubleshoot anything concerning the electrical system on an older vehicle. Bad grounds can give all sorts of erroneous signals to and from the sensors when somebody is trying to do a computerized diagnostic.
One would be suprised at the problems a corroded ground strap can cause.

[Cyan]

Thanks for the help I'll take a good look at all the ground leads, I replaced the battery wires as one of the first things I did to the car.

I'll also be upping the compressions in the car, by doing a total overhaul of the engine, It'll be my little "project" for the summer