Question regarding Bugeye tach and related topics

[Jimflorida]

I am cleaning up the gauges that came in a box for my Bugeye. On the back of the gauge body for the tach are three holes. The center hole is for the tach cable. One hole has a plastic cylindrical piece that sticks out about an inch out the back. Not sure what this is. There is another hole about this same size. I also have a bulb holder that goes in one of these holes. If this bulb holder goes in the open hole (that does not have the plastic bit in it, it seems to sit right behind the ignition indicator on the face of the gauge. So, the plastic bit must hold some type of illumination for the lighting. Is this correct?

Also, I am planning on probably just keeping the stock generator, as I am not going to run any fancy electronics. This way, I can just keep the mechanical tach. correct? Any disadvantages of sticking with this? Jim

 

[Jimflorida]

Wait, I think I see it. The plastic cylinder protrudes inward or into the tach body, so that the light that sticks in the other end of the cylinder is projected right to the ignition indicator. So, there must be another bulb holder somewhere that goes onto the other hole and provides the gauge lighting.

 

[smaceng]

Hi Jim,
The Rev counter has a red jewel at the middle bottom, with a bezel arrangement. That is for the high beam indicator light. The other offset hole is for the illumination bulb. The center hole is for the tach cable.
This is no disadvantage to keeping the mechanical tach other than the generators are harder to find, the cable gear box lasts about a fortnight, and the dirve cable lasts about twice as long. The advantage, is when you realize the tach is reading too low, that is the automatic warning indicator that the fan belt is slipping. If the tach quits working all together, the fan belt has probably come loose, and if you really, really squint and look at the speedometer, you will see the red generator light one, if hope.

Cheers and good luck...Scott in CA

 

[nomad]

The original tach drive gear boxes last quite well if the box and cable are lubed correctly. The replacement gearbox's are junk and if you are down to needing one you may as well scrap the mechanical drive tach system and convert your tach to electric internals or change to a later tach. Least thats been my experience.

Kurt.

 

[nomad]

The original tach drive gear boxes last quite well if the box and cable are lubed correctly. The replacement gearbox's are junk and if you are down to needing one you may as well scrap the mechanical drive tach system and convert your tach to electric internals or change to a later tach. Least thats been my experience.

Kurt.

 

[Jimflorida]

Thanks for the advice. I am not completely sure what all I have in various boxes sitting about, but I will at least plan on just keeping the original generator. Even if I keep the generator, I guess it is an option to go later with a electric tach if I need to. Jim

 

[smaceng]

My story about the tach drive is that I had heard the same information you gave Kurt, that the original gearbox units last, while the reproduction ones do not. So I searched for a factory one, found it, paid about $75.00, and relubed it. Put my engine in, buttoned up everything, then pulled the starter cable. Engine started, standing in front, reached down with a screwdriver to increase the idle speed, and a terrible sound occurred, and I saw something fly across the garage to my left, no more than 12" from my head! I ran to the dashboard, and turned off the key, but the engine did not shuck off. Then ran around to the coil and pulled off the 12V supply. So what had happened, the tach gearbox had seized, the generator now turning the gearbox and the tach outer sheath. Once enough turns, the gearbox unscrews from the generator, and it was projected into space. The tach cable was twisted like wet spaghetti. A wiring error with the generator light had prevented beeing able to turn the engine off with the key. I purchased a Moss units, as it has a warrantee for 2 years. One year and counting!
Scott in CA

 

[nomad]

Sorry to hear that! Did it just come loose or did the cable seize or what??
I'm running an original on my BE with original cable. When I got the car PO had fitted a new replacement which failed the first year. With the car came a box of parts that included another junk new replacement(gears shot) plus a original that the pinion would work out of. I put a piece of rubber in the drive hole in the gen to hold the pinion and used some blue locktite to hold the gearbox to the gen. Still using it with no problems several years later. I did pull the cable out of its sheath cleaned everything with solvent then let the cable soak in oil in the bottom of a 5 gal bucket. Very little effort to turn the tach now.

Kurt.

 

[nomad]

BTW I suppose, though unlikely, that the quality of the after market tach gearboxes could have been improved.
Very nice looking engine compartment, Scott. I imagine the rest of the car looks great as well!

Kurt.