tach went dead

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durecell
Member
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:41 am
My tercel:: 83' 4wd the copper top
Location: Spokane Wa

tach went dead

Post by durecell »

so ive had this problem since I got the car last spring. ill be driving along at high way speeds and the tachometer goes to 0 and stays there for awhile and then it comes back. hasn't done it ever driving in town. the car will drive fine and doesn't die. I pulled over the first time it happened and shut the car off and it started fine but with a dead tach. then after awhile it came back. haven't really worried about it. I just figured since I have access to this site with so many smart tercel lovers I would ask and see what I get.

my thoughts are the gauge it self or the printed circuit board on the back of the instrument cluster. I took it out and looked at it but it seems physically fine. I have a spare but didn't want to just swap the whole thing. I want to keep my mileage reading. think I might just change the tach gauge or the circuit board depending on what you all have to say. thx
83' 4wd tercel (daily driver)
86' 4x4 Toyota pickup (backup daily driver)
85' GMC Sierra Classic (gutted and restored)
05' Ford Focus (wife's daily driver)
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dlb
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 7447
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: tach went dead

Post by dlb »

i would swap your spare in and drive it at highway speeds just for a day or whatever to see if it is in fact something in the cluster. if that fixes it, i agree you could swap just the tach and/or the flexible circuit board. if it doesn't fix it, the problem is likely in the distributor. might be a dirty or marginal contact or something that can't pick up a signal past a certain rate.
durecell
Member
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:41 am
My tercel:: 83' 4wd the copper top
Location: Spokane Wa

Re: tach went dead

Post by durecell »

hey thanks dlb. that's what I wanted a little input. appreciate it. if its in the distributor. do you know which wire is for the tach?
83' 4wd tercel (daily driver)
86' 4x4 Toyota pickup (backup daily driver)
85' GMC Sierra Classic (gutted and restored)
05' Ford Focus (wife's daily driver)
User avatar
dlb
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 7447
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: tach went dead

Post by dlb »

no, i'm not sure but IIRC the dizzy only has a single green plug so it must be in there. check the wiring schematic in the back of the FSM, it might have something useful in it.
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