Speedo / Tach / Gauges: '55 Speedster Tach

[Dylan]

Hi, hope everyone is doing well. It's been a while since I have been on, nothing much is going on my '55 it has been parked due to the Hydro-Vac failing. I haven't been financially able to fork out the money to purchase the unit and the other items that are necessary for the operation. Fortunately I am now I ordered the unit on Thursday, and the (2) hoses, along with the check valve from Studebaker International. I should be seeing them within the next week so I can get her back on the road.

Since I have the car up on jacks and I have removed the hood for better working clearance, I would like to see if I can get the Tachometer working since I have had the car the Tach hasn't worked. Where should I start looking to test and see if its the connection problem or if its the actual gauge? Any advice is appreciated Thanks!!!





Dylan

[SN-60]

The usual 'drill' to get these fifty year old tachs to function once again is as follows: Take the tach head out of the dashboard, pull off it's rear housing (or motor housing) and lubricate the operating shaft with light oil or even ATF. Spin the shaft a few times, make sure needle is moving up the scale, then re-assemble and install back into dash. THEN service the cable that connects tach head to sending unit. Give it whatever it needs to make it 'like new' These cables develop insulation cracking problems, and their three wire cable usually needs to be replaced with a new three wire generic appliance cable. (soldering skills required here) THEN move on to the tachometer sender itself.....disassemble it, and look to see that it's three brushes still have some 'meat' left, and that it's three wire cable isn't cracked and shorting out. This cable usually also needs to be changed out. (soldering skills also required here) If new brushes are required, ones that can be made to work can still be had at better hardware stores. Do all of above, ....and those 'Pulsemotor' tachs usually come back to life. Good luck!

[Dylan]

Well after a few minutes and a few choice words I got the tachometer out of the dash and found that the needle was free. I went ahead and removed the head of the unit and found it to be clean, my next step I will be looking into the 3-wire that connects to the head. After that then I'm in an area that I'm not really skilled at looking into sending unit. What do I have to do to get to the sending unit? Will it affect the distributor/timing of the engine? I just don't want to get to deep and cause any other issues.






Thanks,
Dylan

[Speedster#201]

Dylan,
Pop the distributor cap and pull the sending unit straight up and off the distributor (after unplugging it from the three wire connector). It's indexed to the distributor and you can't mess up timing. In fact, you are able to put the distributor cap back on and it'll run fine. There are two screws IIRC, take 'em out and it'll fall apart -- be careful, here though and take care to notice that the brushes are spring-loaded and that it can be a challenge to fight those three little springs upon reassembly. I've been a fan of taking video of intricate operations such as these... Just a suggestion.

Where can we see more pics of your speedster?

[Dylan]

Dylan,
Pop the distributor cap and pull the sending unit straight up and off the distributor (after unplugging it from the three wire connector). It's indexed to the distributor and you can't mess up timing. In fact, you are able to put the distributor cap back on and it'll run fine. There are two screws IIRC, take 'em out and it'll fall apart -- be careful, here though and take care to notice that the brushes are spring-loaded and that it can be a challenge to fight those three little springs upon reassembly. I've been a fan of taking video of intricate operations such as these... Just a suggestion.

Where can we see more pics of your speedster?

Thank you very much for the help. I pulled the Tach out of the dash to find it free I didn't see any issues with the gauge I went ahead and pulled the sending unit, and realized that in my past experience when I use to race R/C cars we would rebuild the motors after each race. I realized it had brushes and a com I knew what to do. I cleaned the com up and found the brushes to have a lot of meat on them so I just cleaned them out as well and got it all put back together. Along with all that I checked the wiring and cleaned up the ends, I sprayed all the connections with electrical cleaner and fired the engine up before I re-installed the gauge. And to a surprise the gauge registered the RPM, I was so glad to see it working, all the gauges work on my dash I'm so very fortunate.

I don't have any other pictures posted on the forum of my Speedster, I need to get a few more uploaded. I have pictures from when I first started working on it and up to today, It shows the condition that I picked it up in and what it looks like today. It looks a lot better now than what it did in the pictures, I just recently have been working on restoring the chrome to at least a better appearance. Its amazing what #0000 Steel Wool and Chrome Polish will do, 100% difference, it sure did clean it up besides the pits in the chrome it sure does look nice.



Thanks again for the help!






Dylan

[kurtruk]

Dylan,

You received great advice here. And then you proceeded slowly, with thought and caution. And you were rewarded with a functioning tach. GOOD JOB!