• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

TR2/3/3A Tachometer vs rpm analyzer?

GTP1960

Jedi Knight
Offline
While my '60, 3A. Starts very well and seems to idle pretty well.
There is approx. 700-900 rpm discrepancy between the tach & the meter.
( so I'm wondering which one to believe.)

she is still running rough between 2k-3k rpm on the tach.
( hesitates & misses) but. Runs well above about 2700.

no vacuum leaks, timing seems good.
i plan on rebuilding my H6 carbs, because I don't know when it was last done & want to get a base line history going.

I' m going to try to attach a short video. Though I might try uploading to YouTube if this doesn't work.
https://youtu.be/C01qFqNVzAY

hopefully the engine sound will come thru also, because i've adjusted the valves and have a bit of clatter going on. I would like to know if I should try to adjust the valves again, or if a little clatter is ok.

your opinions are appreciated
 
OP
GTP1960

GTP1960

Jedi Knight
Offline
Some clatter is okay IMO.

Was that meter indicating 450 - 650 RPM? Sounded much higher to me.

Yes, the meter was indicating approx. 450-650.
I think your right. The meter must be way off, & I was setting my idle according to it.
the tachometer may be off too, but not that much.

think I'll hook the meter up to my truck and compare.

thx George.
 

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
Gold
Offline
Agree with you there. Engine sure sounds to me like it's running close to 1500 rpm as the car's tachometer shows. I wonder if your digital analyzer is failing the "auto ranging" function; it sure jumps around, even tho' the engine seems relatively smooth.

The "clatter" sounds like my old TR3, so seems normal - altho' audio on a youtube video leaves something to be desired.

Say, could you give more details on the "multimeter" you're using to measure rpm's? I've never seen one with a tachometer function. I think I should move up from my 1970s vintage analyzer.

Thanks.
Tom
PS - you can imbed a video here by just removing the "s" from "https" in the link you get from YouTube.
 

sp53

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
Better a little loose than too tight, but they do sound loose. My Vehicle Tach is right on, but some say they are off at the low end. The dwell will effect low idle. Try setting the dwell with a meter and then the timing and see if the engine comes down some. I think they dwell at 60 degrees and that is supposed to .15, but with my eyes that is just a hair. I find getting the idle down is tricky with these cars because if the idles is too fast then the timing is going to advance some plus the fuel today is different than they were designed to run, so I back the two off together on the road until I get the idle around 900. One thing that made a difference to get my idle down was I purchased an NOS distributor. It made a difference. I see that BPNW sells a brand new one for I think around 125.00. I will try that on this next project if I have idle and performance problems.
 
OP
GTP1960

GTP1960

Jedi Knight
Offline
Better a little loose than too tight, but they do sound loose. My Vehicle Tach is right on, but some say they are off at the low end. The dwell will effect low idle. Try setting the dwell with a meter and then the timing and see if the engine comes down some.
I've got the new flamethrower 111 , and a 45k v coil ( maybe that's my problem.)

Say, could you give more details on the "multimeter" you're using to measure rpm's? I've never seen one with a tachometer function. I think I should move up from my 1970s vintage analyzer.

i'll post pics and info tomorrow, but there were several to choose from on Amazon
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
B tachometer cable has a hole in it Restoration & Tools 7
F TR6 Tachometer lighting Triumph 8
S Engine or Tachometer Odd Problem Austin Healey 7
M Tachometer not working following ignition upgrade Austin Healey 10
Magyar Rebuild Speedometer & Tachometer - mechanical or electronic? Spridgets 17
S For Sale Early Sprite & Midget Speedometer/Tachometer/Generator etc. Spridgets Classified 2
E Oil leaking from the Tachometer cable Austin Healey 5
E MGB Tachometer 65 mgb MG 5
vette Just a note to Bill Young about his work with the electronic tachometer. Austin Healey 2
RAC68 Calibrate Smiths Tachometer Austin Healey 12
B For Sale MGA JAeger Fuel Gauge, Dual Safety Gauge, Speedometer and Tachometer MG Classifieds 0
B For Sale Austin Healey 100 Smiths Fuel Gauge, Dual Safety Gauge, Speedometer and Tachometer Austin Healey Classifieds 0
B For Sale Triumph Tr3 Fuel gauge Temp gauge Oil pressure gauge, speedometer tachometer Triumph Classifieds 0
T TR2/3/3A Noisy tachometer Triumph 9
S Intermittent operation of tachometer Austin Healey 9
Lin Tachometer/Dwell Meter Austin Healey 10
N Tachometer?? Spridgets 6
1 MGB Speedometer and tachometer on '66 MGB are not working MG 8
W Tachometer reads high when engine compartment heats up Austin Healey 3
D TR2/3/3A curious tachometer take-off Triumph 5
NutmegCT T-Series Tachometer repair MG 15
Boink Tachometer seize? Spridgets 11
Michael Oritt Electric tachometer connections--No Healey content Austin Healey 7
M TR2/3/3A Tachometer Malfunction Triumph 7
drooartz Geeking out over a tachometer Spridgets 15
C tachometer for XJ6 Jaguar 0
S TR4/4A Tachometer Triumph 5
Roger Lotus Elan S3 - Rev Counter [Tachometer] needed Lotus 4
5 Lazy Tachometer Spridgets 14
P I need a non-working electric tachometer for parts Spridgets 0
DanLewis Electronic tachometer for Bugeye Spridgets 18
J Mechanical tachometer to electric Austin Healey 11
J WTB: Bugeye Tachometer Blanking Plate Spridgets 11
B Smiths RVI Positive Ground Tachometer Bench Test ? Austin Healey 24
T BJ8 Tachometer and Fuel gauge stopped working. Austin Healey 27
Marvin Gruber Tachometer reading too high Jaguar 4
A Need Help with a Tachometer -- the drive portion. Austin Healey 1
M Quick tachometer wiring question on a '65 Spridgets 10
D Tachometer Triumph 9
L BJ8 Tachometer problem Austin Healey 6
P Tachometer versus lights Austin Healey 5
apbos Tachometer ID Smith's Rn1412/00 Spridgets 5
pkmh BJ8 Tachometer, "sparking" Austin Healey 35
G T-Series Tachometer and ignition switch MG 16
I Reproduction tachometer drive quality? Spridgets 4
K TR2/3/3A TR3 Dist Pedastal Tachometer Attachment? Triumph 3
K tachometer question Spridgets 9
B MGB MGB tachometer erratic, engine cutting out.... MG 11
F Ignition System/Electric Tachometer Triumph 9
F Spitfire Spitfire Electric Tachometer Problems Triumph 5

Similar threads

Top