Small engine tachometers - anybody use these?

[Dan50]

After cleaning the carb on my JD 425 and fixing my runaway issue (my fault - thanks guys) I need to adjust the engine r.p.m.'s. I could do this seat of the pants I guess, but I'd prefer to use a tach vs. launch a piston.

Has anyone used an affordable tachometer for this purpose? I figure I could use it on the rest of my small engines also. I've found a couple on ebay and thought I'd ask what you guys think of them or what you'd suggest.

Here's one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tachometer-Hour-meter-2-4-Stroke-Small-Engine-Spark-/180807722705?pt=Motors_Automotive_Too

This one is pretty cheap, it appears to operate by wrapping a wire around a spark plug wire.

Here's another type: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Handheld-Digital-Laser-Photo-Tachometer-RPM-Tach-Small-Engine-Motor-Speed-Gauge-/221013004645?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337566d165

This one appears to use a light to measure rotational speed. You put a reflective sticker on a rotational part of engine (flywheel?) and the light reads that. I'm not sure I could get that sticker on a good place on every engine I'd like to measure.

Any thoughts?

 

[red.green]

I received a photo type as a gift a couple of years ago mine came from Napa, it’s easy to use. I have used it on tractors, magnetos, snow blowers, fans, and probably things I forgot about. If you clean the spot where you put the tape, most of the time it sticks. I’ve been told that most any reflective tape will work but have not tried anything other what was provided. I have used scotch tape over the reflective tape where I couldn’t get a good stick, seemed to work ok.
I’m pretty sure this one was a little over $100.00.

 

[MNGB]

Hi Dan, I have both, the first one I have mounted on the 67 Sears Suburban it works good and I like the built in hourmeter. The other photo tach I use all the time when tuning engines and would not be without it. I use it on all engines lawn mowers garden tractor and big tractors great for carb tuning, setting governors etc.
GB in MN

 

[Anonymous-0]

Dan I have the Tachometer-Hour meter that wrapped around the spark plug wire. Its been on the garden tractor for six years. It seem to be good it shows that the 22 HP, Kohler is running at about 3,200 RPM at full throttle. I use the hour meter more for serviceing than I use the tach.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Tinytach makes several different ones, that might suit your needs, I just put one on an older lawnmower, with a carb. Tells me how far to push in the choke, to get max RPM'S!

 

[wisbaker]

I've got one from Northern Equipment it's got a
spring on the top you lay against a spark plug wire
I've had it for 10 years or so and it's always done
anything I wanted.

 

[LJD]

A hand-held vibration tach works fine and has no electronics. Will last forever unless you drive over it.

Briggs & Stratton sells them for $23. Available from many other sources also.

http://www.ereplacementparts.com/vibration-tachometer-p-614638.html

 

[Ray UK]

I have used a Briggs & Stratton vibration tachometer for a while now with very good results. I have used both contact and digital tachometers on small engines and have found that they are no more accurate than the vibration type but are more expensive to buy and can be more difficult to use.
Ray.

 

[Dan50]

I've gone ahead and ordered the tach where you wrap a wire around one of the spark plug wires. It was pretty cheap, $15. I figure I should be able to use it on all of my small engines. If it's not so hot, I'm only out $15 and maybe I'll get something else at that point. Thanks for all the responses. I'll let you know how it works after I test it out. :shock: