do you really use your tach?

X

xterra

Well-Known Member
 
I am wondering if everybody use the tach for changing gears. I usually do it by ear or when I notice the car is not accelerating anymore and THEN I look at the tach and say "oh yes, gear change". I see all cars have it. Wouldn't it be better just a shift light?
Is there anybody here who doesn't have it?
 
Racbaja

Racbaja

Well-Known Member
 
I think most of the veterans out there racing today shift by ear. I would be scared to death to look at at tach during a race with all those high RPMs.

Ron Plunkett
Plunkett Racing
 
cancinoj

cancinoj

Well-Known Member
 
its usefull to know if the ingnition coil is ok,. if the tach don't move,. there is no spark for sure,.
 
Demp

Demp

#mikesson
 
Being in a 12 car I shift by ear and feel also. You can feel the car start to not pull as hard. When im in rough areas I shift by ear, but if I can afford to look at the tach to shift then im all for it!
 
joe1369

joe1369

Well-Known Member
 
Just connect a shift light to the tach and put the shift light in front of your face, then there is no looking down or over at the tach, or just go by ear till she stops pulling!!!:D
 
hammer down racing

hammer down racing

Well-Known Member
 
Our old 1600 car had a tach that I never looked at, I don't even know for sure if it was hooked up.:D When we built our new car the motor guy was kinda pissy because we didn't put one in. I can feel when it's time to shift and to actually know what the rpms are sometimes might be scary.
 
DSRacing

DSRacing

Mini Metal MOD
 
When we re-built our 7s truck, I installed a tach. As others have already stated, after a couple of races I realized a few things,

The truck was constantly running in the upper RPM range (Rarely below 4,000rpm)
It really was easier to shift by ear than be distracted by looking at the tach.
 
X

xterra

Well-Known Member
 
wow, I never thought most of the driver's don't use it, looks like the most important info you might have, since it's always the biggest gauge and placed right in front of you. I guess I don't need it in my new car? what would you do? If everybody does by feel and sound I think it just distracts you from the road
 
Ol' Curmudgeon

Ol' Curmudgeon

.
 
No tach, when you hit the rev limiter, you know you should have shifted.
 
DOG ON

DOG ON

RDC's illegal immigrant
 
I also shift by ear, but having a Tach outside the racetrack has been proven useful to me to detect electrical anomalies in the low RPM range in my motor.

Having a Tach is a must to diagnose the nature of an engine problem inside the racetrack......I noticed with my tach my ECU was cutting the RPM way lower than before.
 
Cameron

Cameron

Well-Known Member
 
You only use a tach when you're out testing, not racing!!!
 
trent06

trent06

Mush
 
Cameron said:
You only use a tach when you're out testing, not racing!!!
Click to expand...

Exactly! I watch the tach the entire time out testing, to short shift, etc. saving the vehicle! The only time all season long I watch the tach is going down main street the first race of the year in Parker, after that first 100 yards I never look back at it all race long throughout the season!

It also helps with adjusting idle etc. but again all before testing prep, etc. never have I looked at it during a race aside from above....
 
WannaB-class5

WannaB-class5

Well-Known Member
 
I like my tach. Its tiny but there. Sure I shift by feel mostly but long straights or in the dunes its great to look down and make sure you're not pushing that little vw motor over its limit. Also, I had to tune my ear somehow right?
 
DOG ON

DOG ON

RDC's illegal immigrant
 
FullsizeFun

FullsizeFun

Well-Known Member
 
shift light can be annoying if you are in a sand wash in 2nd gear and the light is on but you cant pull 3rd and you just have to run it til your out of the wash
 
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