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mechanical/spring type tachometer


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Simplicity314
Posted
Stange...I read threads on tachometers here, but a seach turned up nothing with tachometer in a subject line. Anyway, curious about everyone's experience with the round spring, non-digital (read "cheap") tachomoters. Are they accurate? Will they hold up to using them about 2X a year on 4 or 5 machines? Thanks in advance. --Jim
Posted
I don't have experience with tach's on small tractors, but you might look at these instead: http://www.tinytach.com/tinytach/index.php
Posted
I bought what Briggs sold me called a Vibra-tak 30 years ago and I'm still using it. Search for vibra-tak. It's been discussed here before.
Posted
I have both the spring and digital (Tiny-Tac) type tachometers. Each work but I prefer the Tiny-Tac because it will indicate actual rpms whatever it may be as opposed to letting out the wire on the spring type for a specific rpm and adjusting the engine speed to match the resonant frequency of the spring. The Tiny-Tac also has the advantage of an hour meter, which is great for keeping track of required oil changes, etc.
Posted
I have only a Vibratach. I bought it from a WEB site that was recommended by Maynard. It was sold as a Tecumseh tool. The ones sold by B/S are the same tach, just a different package. They are very reliable as long as you take reasonable care of them and don't put any kinks in the wire. I pulled garden tractors with SVTPA for nearly 20 years. The vibratach is the standard measurement device that they use to check max governed rpm on stock tractors. These will work on both the one and two cylinder engines. I think the cost less than $20.
Posted
I have both the Vibratach and the Tiny-Tach, but I use the Vibratach the most. It's just faster to grab that and use it. The Tiny-Tach must have the ground wire attached and another wire twisted around the spark plug wire. Just too much trouble unless you plan to leave it attached on one tractor. As Rod said, the Vibratach from Tecumseh and Briggs are the same. The price is very different. Tecumseh part no. 670156 is $10.61 at Jack's Small Engines. Briggs part no. 19200 is $20.87
Simplicity314
Posted
Well, went to the local power equipment store and they wanted $50 for a tiny-tach with the Kohler name stamped on it. I suppose it's cheaper than burning up a motor.
Posted
Jim: I have the Vibra-tach and I'm very happy with it, but I never tried the electronic types. I think it would last you many years at 10 uses a year. Just as Rod said
quote:
They are very reliable as long as you take reasonable care of them and don't put any kinks in the wire.
And contrary to what was stated, you can ascertain what RPM the engine is running at, with a Vibra-tach, as opposed to just preselecting your RPM value and turning the engine until the wire vibrates. You simply hold the tach firmly on the engine (watch your knuckles on the flywheel screen!) and "bracket" the RPM range until the wire vibrates. I mean, you know it's running somewhere b/w 400 and 3,600 RPM, say, so you simply twist the dial on the Vibra-tach, while holding the base, and watch the wire. When it oscillates to it's widest point (which varies, with engine speed), read the dial. That's how fast the engine is going. You are not restricted to setting the RPM's to a pre-selected value on the Vibra-tach. I think I paid $18.00 for a "Briggs" model, from my crappy, local dealer. Mine says it was "Made in West Germany" so apparently, they haven't changed the design much, as I bought it well after the Berlin Wall came down--lol! I like it b/c I can just grab it and go, and use it on a variety of machines. While it does not give a value in numbers, the lines on the scale are fairly fine, and are marked in increments of 50 RPM's, so I feel I can "guestimate" down to the nearest 25 RPM if I stare at it hard enough, though I've never attempted to cross-check it against an electronic tach. I just used mine today, on this Arien's I'm tweaking. It's funny, but I've noticed that the Vibra-tach will show me when the speed of an engine is varying even though, despite what I consider to be a knowledgeable ear, I was unable to detect a subtle speed change. I guess resonance doesn't lie...lol. All the best, Peter
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