HELP w/DUCATI PERFORMANCE TACHOMETER

COP TZR · June 12, 2010, 11:51:33 AM

Hi all. I just swapped out the stock speedo cluster on my 2000 M750 with a fancy dual guage speedo & tach Ducati Performance unit with the carbon fiber housing. It came with the idiot proof wiring harness that you plug into the black box beside the ign.coils. All the dummy lights work, but I'm not getting any readings from the tach. The needle sits at zero. Have I done something wrong? Are these tachs prone for failure. Does it need to be plugged into a specific black box? I've got it on the right side.

Any advice?

thanks

COP TZR · June 13, 2010, 05:20:50 AM

If I had a faulty black box, wouldnt the bike run rough like its on 1 cylinder? I'm just trying to rule out a defective black box. Bike feels like it idles smoothly.

ducpainter · June 13, 2010, 05:27:51 AM

Quote from: COP TZR on June 13, 2010, 05:20:50 AM
If I had a faulty black box, wouldnt the bike run rough like its on 1 cylinder? I'm just trying to rule out a defective black box. Bike feels like it idles smoothly.

Yes it would definitely run on one.

You can check by putting your hand near the pipe. If it's cold it's running on one.

Be careful with those black boxes. The connectors are fragile.

COP TZR · June 13, 2010, 05:36:21 AM

I guess I can try to plug the tach harness into the black box on the left sd of the bike and see if I get a signal from there. I'll try the cold/hot pipe to determine the 1 cylinder issue.

ducpainter · June 13, 2010, 05:38:42 AM

You might try checking the connector at the tach for power, and checking the harness for continuity.

The round DP tachs were OK AFAIK.

MongoReturns · June 13, 2010, 06:09:02 AM

I've got this setup, though mine's connected to the left box. I lost the tach signal a few years back, along with the front clyinder. Checked fuse, good. Jumped over fuse, everything worked again. Bad connection in the fuse holder. Wadded up a piece of wire into a buggar shape & stuffed it in there, then the fuse. Works great.

Are you sure you've got the connectors hooked up right? It's pretty obvious when only one cyl is running.

ID_DUC_MON · June 13, 2010, 06:57:38 AM

I have to agree, you would know it if it were only firing one cylinder. I bet the tach has issues. Should be three wires, hot, ground, signal. Since it lights up, the hot and ground are good. Time to check up the signal wire. maybe loose wire, or the tach is just plain shot. I just put the DP LED tach on mine, whole new riding experience watching the revs go up and down.

MongoReturns · June 13, 2010, 03:43:18 PM

Another thing - mine got a bit squirrely a few years back; I tightened the screws on the back (of the tach) & all was well again.

COP TZR · June 13, 2010, 06:55:07 PM

where is the the "fuse" located? My tach harness does not have any sort of inline fuse. As mentioned all the dummy lights and back lighting works. I just dont get any signal from the tach. Needle sits at zero, but if I rev the bike a little it jumps up a couple of hundred RPM but I think this is happening from pure vibration (if possible). I'm almost dead positive that its all hooked up correctly. It can only get installed one way.

Oh and another thing, my speedo cluster has a lit triangle light (hazard light). what the heck is that for? How can I eliminate that?

ID_DUC_MON · June 14, 2010, 02:20:51 AM

Quote from: COP TZR on June 13, 2010, 06:55:07 PM

Oh and another thing, my speedo cluster has a lit triangle light (hazard light). what the heck is that for? How can I eliminate that?

Mine goes out what the kick stand goes up.

COP TZR · June 14, 2010, 03:05:52 AM

Quote from: ID_DUC_MON on June 14, 2010, 02:20:51 AM
Mine goes out what the kick stand goes up.

I dont think my previous gauge cluster had a triangle/hazard light. I've removed the sidestand switch from my bike and just joined the two wires on the bikes harness end together. Is there a relay that does something for it?

MongoReturns · June 14, 2010, 07:40:23 AM

Does your tach look exactly like mine?

Mine didn't have a lamp in the harzard triangle - I put my Gorilla alarm blinking light back there (since gone). Also, the idiot lights are controlled by the round connector in the middle of the cluster - the wires from the ig box only control the tach signal. My inline fuse is located on the harness next to the black box connector.

Woohoo I posted a pic! I've got a headache now. Hope this helps.

COP TZR · June 14, 2010, 02:20:03 PM

Quote from: MongoReturns on June 14, 2010, 07:40:23 AM
Does your tach look exactly like mine?

Mine didn't have a lamp in the harzard triangle - I put my Gorilla alarm blinking light back there (since gone). Also, the idiot lights are controlled by the round connector in the middle of the cluster - the wires from the ig box only control the tach signal. My inline fuse is located on the harness next to the black box connector.

Woohoo I posted a pic! I've got a headache now. Hope this helps.

Yes, I have the exact same cluster.

MongoReturns · June 14, 2010, 04:43:55 PM

Ah good - I was thinking you might have a 2002 (FI) one - some other dude's trying to use one of those, and having problems.

I'd try hooking the tach harness up to the left box, then if no go (and you're sure both cyls are firing) give the brass screws on the back of the tach a little turn. I'm not sure if those screws are for adjusting or what, but tightening them a bit fixed my tach when it got squirrely.

If you haven't taken the housing off the cluster yet, you're in for a treat - the bolts holding it together are the most retarded bolt design I've ever seen. bolt on back, rubber in the middle, then screw on the other side. A retarded well nut if you will. Rubber in the middle broke, so I had to engineer some new ones.

And if the lighted triangle bugs you, I'd take out the lamp.

COP TZR · June 14, 2010, 04:55:27 PM

Quote from: MongoReturns on June 14, 2010, 04:43:55 PM
Ah good - I was thinking you might have a 2002 (FI) one - some other dude's trying to use one of those, and having problems.

I'd try hooking the tach harness up to the left box, then if no go (and you're sure both cyls are firing) give the brass screws on the back of the tach a little turn. I'm not sure if those screws are for adjusting or what, but tightening them a bit fixed my tach when it got squirrely.

If you haven't taken the housing off the cluster yet, you're in for a treat - the bolts holding it together are the most retarded bolt design I've ever seen. bolt on back, rubber in the middle, then screw on the other side. A retarded well nut if you will. Rubber in the middle broke, so I had to engineer some new ones.

And if the lighted triangle bugs you, I'd take out the lamp.

I had feared you were going to give me some complicated answer in opening the darn thing up. I was going to attempt to open the cluster when I first got it, but felt like the bolts were going to snap so I just left it alone. Now after installing the darn thing I run into tach problems. I'm going to try the left black box and hopefully that will do it. If not then I guess I got to gamble in opening up the cluster.

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HELP w/DUCATI PERFORMANCE TACHOMETER