Tach stopped working on my 1GM

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Joe Myerson
Posts: 2216
Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 11:22
Location: s/v Creme Brulee, CD 25D, Hull #80, Squeteague Harbor, MA

Tach stopped working on my 1GM

Post by Joe Myerson »

Hi all,
Like Dick Kobayashi (see post below), i have an original-equipment i GM, which is professionally maintained. I maintained it myself for many years, but squeezing into the so-called engine room gets harder as I grow older.

I had a delightful light-air sail on Buzzards Bay yesterday afternoon, but my tach doesn't seem to be working at all.

When I open the throttle up, it might reach 5,000 rpm, even though I know by the sound and my SOG that I'm running much faster than that.

This raises two questions:

FIRST: Is it safe to run the engine without the tach, relying on the noise and SOG from my chartplotter?

SECOND: Is this a simple repair, or should I wait until haul-out and have the yard fix it?

Thanks,

--Joe
Former Commodore, CDSOA
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80

"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
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Joe CD MS 300
Posts: 995
Joined: Jul 5th, '05, 16:18
Location: Cape Dory Motor Sailor 300 / "Quest" / Linekin Bay - Boothbay Harbor

Re: Tach stopped working on my 1GM

Post by Joe CD MS 300 »

Joe, maybe the sending unit at the engine or a bad connection either at the engine or gauge panel?

Joe
Better to find humility before humility finds you.
Keith
Posts: 576
Joined: Sep 14th, '12, 20:01
Location: Moon Dance 1979 CD 30C Hull # 134

Re: Tach stopped working on my 1GM

Post by Keith »

Hi Joe,

first check with analog gage is always to give it a good tap with your fingers while it is running. Mine sometimes sticks ar the beginning of the year.

Keith

PS I assume that you meant 500 RPMs not 5,000
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Joe Myerson
Posts: 2216
Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 11:22
Location: s/v Creme Brulee, CD 25D, Hull #80, Squeteague Harbor, MA

Re: Tach stopped working on my 1GM

Post by Joe Myerson »

Keith wrote: I assume that you meant 500 RPMs not 5,000
Whoops! That's right, of course.
Former Commodore, CDSOA
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80

"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
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