I want to set the idle on my car and I'm not versed enough in doing it by ear so I want to throw on a tachometer just to get it properly set. Iiiiii...don't know how to install a tach, though.

How do I do this so that I can just take it off and put it on whenever I want to check the idle (I know I should just install one permanently, but I'll get to that eventually)?

 

Installing a tach is super simple, and can be easily done for temporary use. They usually have 4 wires.
Red -> +12 volts (hooked to battery or starter solenoid)
Black -> Ground (pretty self explanatory)
Green -> Goes to the NEGATIVE side of the coil
White/Other -> Powers the backlight of the tach, you wouldn't need this for a temp install.

Most new tachs also have some manner or setting it for 4 6 or 8 cyl engine. Make sure that is set and your good to go.

 

Awesome, thank you. I appreciate the timely help.
A couple articles I read made it sound more difficult than that.

 

I have a small tachometer (Sun Pro - type to attach to steering column from Autozone) that I use for setting idle speed and checking timing vs RPMs. I simply installed a ring terminal on the end of the green wire for the coil and crimped on alligator clips to the red power and black ground wires. When I need to use the tach, pull the coil negative wire from the coil, install ring terminal over post and then reinstall the coil wire. I then attach the power alligator clip wire to the batter cable, and then attach the negative wire alligator clip to a body ground. I set the tachometer on the export brace and it hasn't fallen off yet. Hope this helps some

 

Not to thread jack but what tachs do you guys think look best? I need to add a tach for my T5 swap and I don't really want some cheap tach to stick somewhere.

 

hightower you read my mind. I wanna see what people are running. I am thinking of getting the A pillar Pods and putting a small tach there? but would like to see what others have.

 

I don't think I'd want an A-pillar tach because they're so small and not really in the center of your vision. I could be wrong though, I've never driven a car with a-pillar pods so it could be better than I expect.

At the same time I think the A-pillar pods might look better than a big old tach bolted to the steering column.

 

thats my thought dont really like the tach strapped to the steering column

 

And I don't really want to stick one up on the middle of the dash.

Perhaps there's a way to add a tach in place of the gas/alternator gauge.



I dunno though, that would be much better than using that center gauge thats blank. I'm sure it's a bit different for your '66. Does the '66 have any blank gauges?

 

None. gas oil water ammeter and the speedo in the middle