302 swap but trying to retain stock tach

[Hsmcorey]

I know Im probably going to catch hell for this but I have searched over and over and cant find an answer that helps in my situation. I have a 95 ranger that Im putting a 302 into using a holley 600 and an HEI distributor, is there any way you can connect to the factory tach and make it accurate? I have read a lot about connecting the tach when you are running EFI but I cant find anything about connecting when you're running a carb. If someone can send me a link to the info or if you can let me know how to connect it to the tach out from the HEI I would greatly appreciate it. You guys have been very helpful to this point and I thank you for getting me to this point.

 

[RonD]

The HEI distributor should have a "TACH" connector on it.

'96 was the first year the Explorer was offered with a V8, so Rangers, '96 an up, would have that tach option in the wiring.

Not sure on the '95, only 4cyl and V6s were offered, so pins for V8 probably won't be there.
Dakota Digital makes a universal tach adapter, the SGI-8 would work, not cheap, at $80, but not that over the top to keep stock dash and have a working tach

 

[Tominator]

I have an unused Accel tach adaptor if you are interested, but I'm sure one of the guys will be along soon with a fix.

 

[adsm08]

EFI or carb your only two options for retaining the stock look will probably be an adapter or an Explorer cluster. Ford changes the tach setting by switching between one of two ground pins. Since the Ranger has 4 and 6 cyl settings I doubt you will get it to read correctly to a V8. An Explorer cluster should have pins for 6 and 8, and should fit right in.

But all those setups are designed to be given a signal from a computer, not to take one directly off a sensor, which is more like how the HEI setup will work.

Now WTF would you put a toilet bowl under the hood of a vehicle that is already set up for a perfectly good EFI system?

 

[RonD]

Toilet bowl!.....toilet bowl!!

How can you say that about a manly device like a carburetor???
All those screw adjustments and linkages to play with.
EFI is a girly thing, no adjustments, on or off, where's the fun in that?

 

[adsm08]

Toilet bowl!.....toilet bowl!!

How can you say that about a manly device like a carburetor???
All those screw adjustments and linkages to play with.
EFI is a girly thing, no adjustments, on or off, where's the fun in that?

Where's the fun in more power for less fuel, lower maintenance, and better emissions?

I dunno about you, but I have more fun when things cost less and I don't have to spend hours dicking around to make them work right before I can play with my toys.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Toilet bowl!.....toilet bowl!!

How can you say that about a manly device like a carburetor???
All those screw adjustments and linkages to play with.
EFI is a girly thing, no adjustments, on or off, where's the fun in that?

Where's the fun in more power for less fuel, lower maintenance, and better emissions?

I dunno about you, but I have more fun when things cost less and I don't have to spend hours dicking around to make them work right before I can play with my toys.

 

[RonD]

Oh sure, better MPG, more reliable and smoother power band, all the girly, "I just want it to work", stuff.
What does your husband drive Mary?
Bet he's got a carb. AND distributor too, maybe even a manual choke.
LMAO

Just joking, EFI on a stock engine is the only way to fly, not a lot of upside in a carb., or distributor for that matter, just more fun to have the control back in your hands instead of a computer and a few sensors running things.


Sorry Hsmcorey, didn't mean to high jack.
Didn't some one make a inductance tach sensor, hooked up to one spark plug wire, so 1 pulse for each 2 RPMs?

 

[Hsmcorey]

Ron D, No problem I enjoyed reading the banter. lol

Adsm08 as for the reason why I'm running a carb is I cant afford the stand alone system Id prefer to run right now and I don't know where your getting your EFI set ups but the $150 I have invested in a professionally rebuilt carb is more with in my budget. Also I hate factory EFI systems because of the over use of redundant sensors, and expense of buying all new sensors or replacing something different every week isnt worth the mile or 2 I will loose, and adjusting a carb isn't all that hard with some practice.

Would the tach adapter work in my application?

 

[adsm08]

I don't know where your getting your EFI set ups

I just use factory parts.

And I have never had to buy all new sensors in one shot, or one a week for more than one week in a row.