This is the old tach that came with the tractor
The angle drive
The new tach hooked up and the tractor at full throttle and it wasn't screaming either
Tachometer issues
Tachometer issues
Good Day. working on the next problem on my major power super tractor lol. The current tachometer doesnt work but the hour counter does.....but the hours count backwards. I figured if that works they just installed the wrong type of tach. So I went and Ordered one that goes clockwise. Well it showed up today and I installed and tried it out. The needle moved the right way but went right off the scale maybe 3000 or so rpm. I know my tractor isnt running that high without blowing up. Am I missing something?
This is the old tach that came with the tractor
The angle drive
The new tach hooked up and the tractor at full throttle and it wasn't screaming either
This is the old tach that came with the tractor
The angle drive
The new tach hooked up and the tractor at full throttle and it wasn't screaming either
Re: Tachometer issues
Let me first claim no expertise in this issue other than my own experiences with the tach on my PM. First I ordered a tach on eBay from an Indian company. The first one would register 1600 RPM @ low idle (Oil lamp would not come one). Contacted them and they sent another one which now registers 900 RPM just at the oil light's margin. This again is too high but I figured it would work for the time being. If it were me I would contact the company where you bought the tach and see if they will replace it.
Like I said I'm no expert but you definitely got a lemon.
PS - I'm pretty sure the first tach was for a Dexta and, if so, the hour meter was counting backwards (87.9 hours) since installation.
Like I said I'm no expert but you definitely got a lemon.
PS - I'm pretty sure the first tach was for a Dexta and, if so, the hour meter was counting backwards (87.9 hours) since installation.
'59 Power Major
Ancient Smurf
Ancient Smurf
Re: Tachometer issues
talked to the company that I bought it from and I guess I ordered the wrong tach. ordered one for power/super major and not just new major. ugh another 4 weeks for shipping for the new one.
Re: Tachometer issues
Interesting .... both tachs "should" be calibrated identically as they use the same drive. The hour meters are different - 1150RPM/Hr vs 1412RPM/Hr - but otherwise there shouldn't be any difference. However, I could be wrong 
'59 Power Major
Ancient Smurf
Ancient Smurf
Re: Tachometer issues
Good Day
As you have a Power Major with a pneumatic governor Fuel Injection Pump (Not the later Minimec with Mechanical Governor FIP) your rev counter should be a "clockwise" one. There are two makes of rev counter fitted to Fordson Majors, Power Majors and early Super Majors (exceptions are some export ones where they have km, not miles), one made by Smiths, the other by AC. On the correct Smiths one, the needle goes clockwise from 0 RPM at about 8 o'clock on the dial, around to about 4 o'clock at 2,400 (may be 2200rpm). On the correct AC one, the needle goes from about 7 o'clock (0 RPM) clockwise around to about 5 o'clock (2,400RPM).
You appear to have had the later Super Major and New Performance Super Major one, which goes anticlockwise, hence the hours going backwards and little else. The drive for this type normally comes from the rear of the Minimec FIP. The drive for the earlier (your) FIP is taken off a little rev counter drive from the timing gears as shown in one of the photos above. The rev counter you show as being originally fitted looks like a poor copy of an AC anti-clockwise rev counter. Your new "Indian" replacement one is an even poorer copy of the correct clockwise Smiths one.
I am afraid the quality of these cheap, pattern-part rev counters is to say the least, extremely poor. I had a total of 7 fail on my tractor, all of them failing within 20 minutes of being fitted. The types of failure were similar to what has been described above and some others as well. I sent each one back and got a replacement, that failed again and so on. I am afraid the only solution I found in the end was to find an ORIGINAL Smiths rev counter that is in restorable condition. (ie not smashed up, rusted out etc) Send it to Speedograph Richfield in Nottingham, UK and they will rebuild it for you. The reason I suggest Smiths is that Speedograph Richfield are experts at Smiths instruments and tend to have the spare parts for them. Even though they will have a go at an AC one, they are usually beaten by the non-availability of AC spare parts.
I hope that is helpful.
Tim E
As you have a Power Major with a pneumatic governor Fuel Injection Pump (Not the later Minimec with Mechanical Governor FIP) your rev counter should be a "clockwise" one. There are two makes of rev counter fitted to Fordson Majors, Power Majors and early Super Majors (exceptions are some export ones where they have km, not miles), one made by Smiths, the other by AC. On the correct Smiths one, the needle goes clockwise from 0 RPM at about 8 o'clock on the dial, around to about 4 o'clock at 2,400 (may be 2200rpm). On the correct AC one, the needle goes from about 7 o'clock (0 RPM) clockwise around to about 5 o'clock (2,400RPM).
You appear to have had the later Super Major and New Performance Super Major one, which goes anticlockwise, hence the hours going backwards and little else. The drive for this type normally comes from the rear of the Minimec FIP. The drive for the earlier (your) FIP is taken off a little rev counter drive from the timing gears as shown in one of the photos above. The rev counter you show as being originally fitted looks like a poor copy of an AC anti-clockwise rev counter. Your new "Indian" replacement one is an even poorer copy of the correct clockwise Smiths one.
I am afraid the quality of these cheap, pattern-part rev counters is to say the least, extremely poor. I had a total of 7 fail on my tractor, all of them failing within 20 minutes of being fitted. The types of failure were similar to what has been described above and some others as well. I sent each one back and got a replacement, that failed again and so on. I am afraid the only solution I found in the end was to find an ORIGINAL Smiths rev counter that is in restorable condition. (ie not smashed up, rusted out etc) Send it to Speedograph Richfield in Nottingham, UK and they will rebuild it for you. The reason I suggest Smiths is that Speedograph Richfield are experts at Smiths instruments and tend to have the spare parts for them. Even though they will have a go at an AC one, they are usually beaten by the non-availability of AC spare parts.
I hope that is helpful.
Tim E