Adding a tachometer/rev counter

[tapkaJohnD]

I have a Mk6 350 TD, 2011. I'd like to add a tachometer/rev counter, not by fitting a 'proper' tacho-containing dash from a Mondeo, but just in a pod on top of the dash.
I read that a tacho can be fitted to a diesel, by connecting it to the "W" terminal on the alternator, but my Halfords manual doesn't show a W on the alternator in the wiring diagrams.

Is there one on my van? Is this a much more complex wiring project than first appeared?

Thanks,
John

[knobby1]

I have a Mk6 350 TD, 2011. I'd like to add a tachometer/rev counter, not by fitting a 'proper' tacho-containing dash from a Mondeo, but just in a pod on top of the dash.
I read that a tacho can be fitted to a diesel, by connecting it to the "W" terminal on the alternator, but my Halfords manual doesn't show a W on the alternator in the wiring diagrams.

Is there one on my van? Is this a much more complex wiring project than first appeared?

Thanks,
John

2011 will be a Mk7 and they all had a tachometer....I suspect you have a 2001..?? There were Transits of that age with tacho's in the clocks, not sure if they're a plug 'n play thing though.

Fitting a "pod" type tacho may be an issue as there is no normal igntion source like a petrol engine...but Mk6 diesel Transits with a tacho get an rpm signal from the PCM/crank sensor I suspect.

Other chaps/chappettes may know better.

Lord Knobrot

[ned]

I have a Mk6 350 TD, 2011. I'd like to add a tachometer/rev counter, not by fitting a 'proper' tacho-containing dash from a Mondeo, but just in a pod on top of the dash.
I read that a tacho can be fitted to a diesel, by connecting it to the "W" terminal on the alternator, but my Halfords manual doesn't show a W on the alternator in the wiring diagrams.

Is there one on my van? Is this a much more complex wiring project than first appeared?

Thanks,
John

2011 will be a Mk7 and they all had a tachometer....I suspect you have a 2001..?? There were Transits of that age with tacho's in the clocks, not sure if they're a plug 'n play thing though.

Fitting a "pod" type tacho may be an issue as there is no normal igntion source like a petrol engine...but Mk6 diesel Transits with a tacho get an rpm signal from the PCM/crank sensor I suspect.

Other chaps/chappettes may know better.

Lord Knobrot

Mine was plug n play, you’ll just need to find the correct wire (s) on the back of the instrument cluster for the tach then take a feed off that wire.

[tapkaJohnD]

Thanks! Yes, my mistake, 2002, not '11!

Close examination of my Transit's alternator finds that Halfords' diagram almost exactly matches it! Large cable (for charging), three wires to multiway plug, Black, Red, Green/white. (Halfords shows two reds)
So no 'W' terminal, no hope of rigging a tacho to that.

If this model had no tacho, will it have an unused wire to the dash that would carry a tacho signal? Can anyone point me to a wiring diagram that would show that wire, if it exists, and let me find it behind the dash?
A link, please, if you can!

John

[knobby1]

Thanks! Yes, my mistake, 2002, not '11!

Close examination of my Transit's alternator finds that Halfords' diagram almost exactly matches it! Large cable (for charging), three wires to multiway plug, Black, Red, Green/white. (Halfords shows two reds)
So no 'W' terminal, no hope of rigging a tacho to that.

If this model had no tacho, will it have an unused wire to the dash that would carry a tacho signal? Can anyone point me to a wiring diagram that would show that wire, if it exists, and let me find it behind the dash?
A link, please, if you can!

John

I don't believe the alternator has anything to do with the tachometer.

Lord Knobrot

[Scooby doo]

My old mk6 was a basic spec, I tried around four different sets of Mondeo clocks before I found one that worked with my van, all plug and play and standard fit…

[ned]

Does this help?

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=6665#p52267

I know it says mk3 but it gives mondeo wiring colours which might be the same in the transit, tbh I can’t remember if they are the same.

[tapkaJohnD]

Thanks, ned.
But I note this comment in that post:
"You will not be able to put the tacho wire in because its not there. You will need to run a wire from Large plug pin 8 to the Coil -ve on a petrol and the 3rd terminal on the Alternator IF ITS THERE CHECK THIS FIRST"

And I have, it's not there.

Think I'm giving up on this project! Too much hassle for a bit of bling!
thnaks to all!
John

[ned]

Thanks, ned.
But I note this comment in that post:
"You will not be able to put the tacho wire in because its not there. You will need to run a wire from Large plug pin 8 to the Coil -ve on a petrol and the 3rd terminal on the Alternator IF ITS THERE CHECK THIS FIRST"

And I have, it's not there.

Think I'm giving up on this project! Too much hassle for a bit of bling!
thnaks to all!
John

Yes but that is referring to the mk3 transit not the mk6, it was the pin out for the transit/mondeo loom I was pointing you to, pin 8 on the instrument cluster plug should be for the tach on the mk6

What I would do is get the tach, take 12v and earth from the battery then with the cluster removed use a length of wire for the tach sender to pin8 on the cluster wire, start the van and if the tach jumps into life you have the right pin, then you can tap into the wire and fit the tach correctly using ignition live ect, simples

[tapkaJohnD]

OK, ned, you're an inspiration!
JOhn

[tapkaJohnD]

Ned,
I have the instrument cluster off, and there are two plugs into it from the loom. Large (long) on the left, shorter on the right.

If I identify pin 8 on the left/large plug and run the engine, should I see an output on that?
Will it be a voltage, or a pulsed, digital signal?

I could put a multimeter of the test wire, or else, with a bit more effort, use a Picoscope and my laptop.

Thanks,
John

[ned]

It’s been awhile since I messed with the mk6 wires to the cluster (not even got a mk666 anymore ) but iirc it is the big plug, not sure if you’ll see a pulse or not, it might be a case of try it and see, I’d have just got a cheap tach and plugged it in to see what happens but that’s just me.

Oil pressure/temp/boost gauges are really easy to fit, you can’t have too many gauges

As you can see here,

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=168296&hilit=Lucifer+in+progress&start=210#p1677799

I liked to be different oh how I miss that van.

[tapkaJohnD]

Wow, Ned! Thanks for the lightning reply!

Now my problem is that what I see behind the dash, and what is in the Halfords manual as "typical instrument cluster", don't correspond. I see two plugs, left/large with 16 sockets (two with no wire) and the right/smaller with 10 (2 no wire), total 22 wires. The manual has 19 wires, grouped into 6 and 13! Their colour codes are not in the order they appear in the manual. Even more confusing, the manual gives numbers to the connections, 1-27 with two 26s (?? "Alternator" and "Engine Management") , and they are in a random order on the diagram of their connections on the display. There isn't even one labelled "8"!

Your extra gauges must have looked great, but I'll be quite happy with a techo! I'm sorry to nag you, ned. If you can advise me on how to locate the appropriate wire, I'll be most grateful, but as you no longer have a Mk.6 Transit, I'll understand if you can't!
Bests,
John

[ned]

I wouldn’t trust the halfrauds or Haynes book of lies too much, on the back on the cluster I think or on the plug there are number, the first link I posted has wire colours on it whether they correspond with what your seeing I don’t know, I’m sure I have somewhere written down what colour wires does what, I’ll see if I can find it later, I spent a few days going through the cluster when I modified mondeo clocks to fit.