No rev counter with electronic ignition.

Jake RAH

Well-Known Forum User
OK here's something I picked up on in the Nov 2nd copy of classic car buyer. In the article on Z's. Fourways mention that if you use electronic ignition you lose your rev counter. I didn't realise this and thought my Z just needed the rev counter fixing or replacing, I'd even gone as far as buying a spare in case mine was stuffed when I got round to sorting it out over the winter. So I guess my real question is, is the a way to get around this? I don't want to lose my electronic ignition but I really would like the original rev counter working.
Any ideas?
 
That can't be correct, surely. Most Zeds will have electronic ignition these days. I have, and a working rev counter.
 
Rubbish, there must be more to Fourways comment than that.

My cars that have/had electronic ignition also have working rev-counters.
 
That can't be correct, surely. Most Zeds will have electronic ignition these days

That was what I thought! :confused:

Rubbish, there must be more to Fourways comment than that.

They say and I quote "If you do go the electronic ignition route, though," warns Fourways, "you'll lose your rev counter and we've actually been asked to revert cars to their original setup for this reason." :confused:

I'm not the sharpest pencil when it comes to car electronics & mechanics so I'll leave it for some of you chaps to explain if this is correct or incorrect. ;)
 
MSD do two types of tacho adaptor, so it might be worthwhile investigating those.
 
Am I right in thinking that if the wires to the coil are the wrong way round the rev counter won't work?
 
OK here's something I picked up on in the Nov 2nd copy of classic car buyer. In the article on Z's. Fourways mention that if you use electronic ignition you lose your rev counter. I didn't realise this and thought my Z just needed the rev counter fixing or replacing, I'd even gone as far as buying a spare in case mine was stuffed when I got round to sorting it out over the winter. So I guess my real question is, is the a way to get around this? I don't want to lose my electronic ignition but I really would like the original rev counter working.
Any ideas?

Have you checked the speedo drive worm in your transmission?

The teeth on mine were worn which stopped the rev counter working and had to order a new one from Mike Feeney.
 
Am I right in thinking that if the wires to the coil are the wrong way round the rev counter won't work?
Yes I think that's true - I can't remember the details, but I think there's couple of wires coming out of the loom by the coil that can connect to the -ve terminal and make it run, but one of them bypasses the rev counter.
 
I fitted a 280zx dizzy to my car and rev counter worked fine
 
I fitted an E12-80 electronic dizzy from a 280ZX in my 260Z and it needed a slight modification to the distributor wires to get the tacho to work.

There is a wiring diagram that Sean Dezart supplied within the thread below that gives detail on what you need to do.

http://zclub.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26033

Not sure if this is needed for any other type of electronic ignition.
 
Tacho is inductive loop. Wire from ballast resistor enters the loom, goes all the way to the tacho and returns as the +ve lead to the coil. Usual mistake is that this loop gets by-passed, particularly if eliminating the ballast resistor.
 
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