Handheld Tach

[WilBury]

Having my early Case 188 diesel engine rebuilt & was wondering how the heck I was going to check & set engine speed on startup 'cause it has no tach.
Asking every old-timing HD mechanic I could find if they had a handheld mechanical tach I could borrow or rent. $ 200 on Amazon!
Searching, searching...At first I ignored anything electrical, there being no spark or alternator on my engine. Then I realized they make & sell these laser/optical units now. Cheap too, maybe $20-$30. Didn't exist when I was a younger man...

 

[moresmoke]

Yes, get a photo tach. Ive had decent luck with the
Harbor Freight ones.

 

[WilBury]

I understand there are even apps for capable phones enabling them to be used as an photo tach!

 

[Dieseltech]

I have an Isspro light tach that was bought in 1983 that still works well. It uses reflective tape, a 1/2 inch square piece stuck on the pulley is all it needs. When I
ran out of the original tape I cut up some safety trailer reflective tape and use that now.

 

[WilBury]

Yep, I have some of that transport tape too. Probably better than the stuff they supply with the tach.

 

[DoubleO7]

And if you want a hard mounted dash type they make magnetic pickup tachs, cheap.

Like....

[/url]

 

[Russ from MN]

Called a revolution counter, but it's a tach if you have a watch. Really old school. You can hold it against the pto and adjust the governor up to about 550 for a 540 pto.

 

[J Hamilton]

If you were close to me, I would let you
borrow mine

 

[WilBury]

Now that's just plain cool Russ. Even the railways don't require you to carry a watch anymore & since I retired, I don't wear one either!

 

[WilBury]

Thanks J, but I ordered the one with AA batteries, will pick it up tomorrow.
I'll post results...

 

[John Deere D]

This has been a fantastic machine...
Made in Switzerland...

Bob..

 

[Dieseltech]

I have one like that too, but like the light tach better.

 

[WilBury]

Oh man, original case too. I drool over instruments like that. Would love to get an old theodolite.

 

[Russ from MN]

My dad had a Stewart Warner just like that, used it for setting the cylinder speed on the combine.

 

[chcase]

I have a tach like the one in your hand.My dad got it given to him when he bought a AC model 60 combine new in 1950 or 51

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I have one like yours. At least 50 years old if not older.

 

[DR. EVIL]

I've used pieces of reflective tape 1/8 x 1/8.The 2 strips included with the tach will last a long - L O N G time. I bought a RAYTECH photo electronic temp gun on the same order to Amazon, point & shoot, the red Lazer dot shows what you are taking the temp of, works within a couple inches to 3 feet. Helps you tell which bearing is getting loose, if a cylinder of an engine isn't firing, and if part of the radiator core is blocked from airflow or coolant flow. I don't use them every day, but they work GREAT when I need them.
I see all those antique rpm counters and just laugh at some of the comments made about how Bad? the new technology must be. So, for $18.99 you can measure 2-1/2 rpm to 99,999 rpm to within 1/10 rpm to 1 rpm.
Just make sure you pull the Double A batteries out before you put it away, if the cheap imported batteries leak it will be tough to get it working again. I've still got dozens of little squares of reflective tape on stuff I've checked rpm on. I'll probably check it again.