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factory tach to msd 6al


ford1386

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Is this true for a 90 ranger as well?

Maybe I didn't need to add that after market tack.......
I dont know didnt tear my dash apart yet.......................
 


ford1386

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bump..................
 

1mean02hd

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For the 89-94s I know that the gauge clusters are all very similar if not identicaL, so I would assume this to be true. I tried using the MSD tach adapter with the factory tach and got skewed readings. So I ended up hooking an Auto Meter one up along with the factory and found that w/o the adapter, the factory tach read correctly. I was pretty tickled with that result since I really don't want all those extra nonsense gauges. The only extras I'll need are the oil pressure and water temp.
 

ford1386

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I hooked up my msd 6al to the factory tach using the black/yellow stripe wire, i cut it and butt spliced both ends of the black/yellow with my signal from the msd, and left everything else the way it was and started the truck today and the tach doesnt even move.....................according to the tech library i need to tie in to the black/yellow wire labeled "8 cyl" , i didnt see anything labeled that way but i used the black/yellow and it doesnt work???????????????????????????/
 

1mean02hd

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You have to physically remove the gauge cluster and find the "8 cyl" wire on the back of the tach. No Ranger ever came with a V8, so it is highly doubtful you will find the other end of this wire under the hood.
 

ford1386

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yea i removed the tach but there was no wires on the back of it just 4 pins that just plug in to the circuit board behind it and there is a plug right there close by that had a black/yellow wire in it that i used but it didnt work
 

ford1386

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bump.........................
 

Teddyzee

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Did you search "tach" on the v8 forum here and RPS? There are a number of articles that may help old and new dashes.
 

ford1386

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yea the tech library even says there is a V8 pin on the back of the tach that is not used that is a black/yellow but it didnt work, but i dont know if i was supposed to cut it and splice to just the part of the wire going to the tach or splice it back together with my signal from the msd?
 

ford1386

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ok just read on rps that i need to run the signal wire from the msd box to the signal wire on the tach and ground the "8 cyl" wire on the tach, so om gonna try it and see of it works.............
 

ford1386

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nope didnt work the tach needle still didnt move at all............................maybe i need to take the msd tech's advice and get their tach adapter?????
 
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1mean02hd

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I'll take some pics this week since it's nice. You really shouldn't need the adapter, but I still have mine if you really think you'll need it, I'll sell it to ya.
 

ford1386

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I'll take some pics this week since it's nice. You really shouldn't need the adapter, but I still have mine if you really think you'll need it, I'll sell it to ya.
well you have a 94 how did you hook yours up to make it work cuz all the factory tachs should work the same.......................
 

ford1386

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nevermind had a bad ground works fine now sorry.................
 

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