Tachometer versus lights

[peteatgr]

Can someone tell me why when I turn on my headlight/parking lights and panel lights together my tach dies? The tach is not really registering correctly but I've been figuring that I may just need to lubricate the cable. At least it operates when both light switches are off, or when only the panel light switch is on, or when only the headlight/parking light switch is on. But as soon as I activate both switches the tach drops dead. I haven't messed with the wiring in any way around the tach or the light switches. Admittedly I'm not much of an electrician, but I'm dogged about such things and this one has me baffled.

 

[GregW]

Hi Pete,
Don't look for a tach cable for the BJ8, it's electric. I'd start with the ground wires, there is a double black wire on the back of the tach. Make sure that's making good contact. After that I'd check the main ground wires that go from the battery-cutoff switch-frame and the frame-transmission one.

 

[rjc157]

i would chech the connections at the fuse mine goes out every once and a while ,they might need cleaning ,i wouldn't mess with anything else if it worked before it should work again

 

[CanberraBJ8]

What is the health of your generator? Is the battery getting a full charge? I know that on my car that if the alternator is working hard to charge a tired battery the tach shows incorrectly...

 

[RAC68]

Pete,

Take a look at the ground connection at the tachometer. I expect it is hitting the hot panel light wire.

Good luck,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[peteatgr]

Thanks everyone. I'll step through all of the suggestions and I'm sure I'll find the problem as I do so. Thanks again for all your well informed help.