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Looking to buy a handheld Tachometer for a Single Cylinder Engine for tune up purposes.
Can anyone suggest what to buy?

Thanks
John

I have been looking for one myself. I have a hand held mechanical one now but it is very hard to find a place to drive it. My grandson has one that you have to put a small peace of tape to read off and that is also hard to use. I worked in a dealers shop and they had one made by Fluke which ran off the spark plug pulse. Anything made by Fluke is $. I have been looking but have found that anything that test electronics and is top quality they are very expensive. Its all what you want to spend and for me will it pay for its self?

Maybe you could hold a Tiny Tach in your hand rather than mounting it.

Tiny Tach II - YouTube

SandburRanch said:

Maybe you could hold a Tiny Tach in your hand rather than mounting it.

Tiny Tach II - YouTube

Click to expand...

Sure looks like a good Idea but it says it doesn't work on a engine with points. As for myself I would need something that works on all engines and has to be portable.

Why dont you buy the briggs vibro tach part no 19200E.
It uses vibration from the engine and you lenghthen or shorten a wire to make it spin and you have a guage with rpm reading.
Not digital though.

I've been looking at buying a few of these:
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

Hours and RPM. Seems great for OCI checks.

pugaltitude said:

Why dont you buy the briggs vibro tach part no 19200E.
It uses vibration from the engine and you lenghthen or shorten a wire to make it spin and you have a guage with rpm reading.
Not digital though.

Click to expand...

I like the looks of this but really don't understand it. Just how does it work? It looks like you pull a wire out that vibrates and that some how can tell you the RPMs. How do you know when you have the wire out the right length? Would this also work on a large 4 or 6 cylinder tractor also?

reynoldston said:

I like the looks of this but really don't understand it. Just how does it work? It looks like you pull a wire out that vibrates and that some how can tell you the RPMs. How do you know when you have the wire out the right length? Would this also work on a large 4 or 6 cylinder tractor also?

Click to expand...

On the guage there are half moon shape white bits. They are the RPM readings.
Hold it against the engine and rotate the dial until the wire reaches it's widest sweep or circle motion.
As long as you have vibration it will work. Iv never used it on bigger tractors so never tested it.
I use it when bench testing starter motors to see motor speed and then a DC shunt to check amperage draw.

I have three types of tachs in my test equipment box. I've used a vibe tach for years but they only work on single cylinder and opposed twins, on V twins you get a false reading. I have a wireless tach which works great on modern ignition systems but not on battery coil/breaker point ignition systems. I also have two infrared non contact digital tachs and they work great as long as there is an exposed rotating part where a small piece of reflective tape can be stuck on so the light beam can reflect and give a reading.
The vibe tachs have a small reel in the center onto which a length of wire has been wound. The reel is turned exposing a variable length of wire which will vibrate sympathetically with the engine vibration. When the maximum sweep in the wire has been noticed, then read the dial to see the RPM. One needs to spend some time with a vibe tach to get a feel for determining the correct RPM as harmonics from different frequencies will sweep the wire as you turn the reel varying the length of the exposed wire.
I find that as time has passed I use the infrared digital tachs most of the time, but on equipment like chainsaws, trimmers, etc., the wireless tach which also is digital works best.
Mad Mackie in CT:biggrin::laughing:

Mad Mackie in CT