Tachometer

[RagTopTruck]

I how do I hook a tach into my Tornado, the coil is sealed?

[brute4c]

Interesting question...not sure I recall anyone putting a tach on the stock motor...I am guessing this is a 230 with the military ignition setup...

There is a large hex screw on top of the ignitor housing that is over the coil. It is intended to allow access to the primary post of the coil for timing light purposes.
I can see that one could get a wire through that location to go to coil negative and thereby trigger the tach...though leaving the large hex screw out completely ruins the waterproof aspect of the unit...
Maybe find a new hex screw to fit in there, drill a hole in that one to run the wire through and hopefully keep it from chafing and/or kinking would work?

Its #4 in this image:


#1 in this exploded view:

[Barrman]

The military had an ignition service kit for working on the waterproof gasoline engines. That kit has a lead that screws into the hole Jon mentioned with a water proof o-Ring on it. I got one of those kits off eBay decades ago for working on my Gasser M35. I haven’t looked in a while but I would imagine they are still out there.

[RagTopTruck]

Thank you! Both great ideas, I will see which one I can find first and try it. Thank you for a quick response!

[RagTopTruck]

Brute4c your post raised another question about the hex nut… Can you hook a timing light up to that instead of a spark plug wire? (I’ve never done timing before) I read the posts about cutting back the shield so you can clip the timing light to it. Is there a way to hook it to the coil instead? I do not have an extra spark plug wire.

[RagTopTruck]

Brute4c you also helped me with a turn signal conversion, your diagrams and instructions made the process flawless! Thank you for your help!IMG_2502.jpgIMG_2497.jpg

[Barrman]

The timing light has to go to the number 1 spark plug wire. The kit I mentioned has a wire adaptor to put in the spark plug wire and then hook a timing light in. Playing with a regular engine spark plug wire you can make a pig tail go in between a military spark plug and the military spark plug wire that will work. Many of us have done it.

[RagTopTruck]

Thank you!