1967 911 Tach not Working with MSD unit -after Rebuild?

[gruen911]

Guys,
I installed an MSD 6AL and blaster coil setup last Winter, and the performance difference has been great. However, since installing the new system my tachometer no longer functions (no movement al all). I tried using the MSD adaptor and still no luck. Finally, I sent the tach out to N. Hollywood Speedometer who rebuilt the unit to function with the MSD.
After getting the freshly rebuilt tacho back I reinstalled it this morning, and still no signal. What the ****???!!!
Now, it seems that I left with no other option but to assume that I am making some type of mistake in my wiring.
Can anyone walk me thru which wire goes directly to the tachometer from the MSD?

[gruen911]

Well, I finally got it working after plugging a wire from the side outlet of the MSD unit directly into the tach. Now it looks like I will need to run a line from the engine compartment all the way to the trunk behind the dash. Anyone have any thoughts on how to do this without drilling any holes and minimizing the spaghetti wire?

[platas]

Gruen where did you buy your msd 6 a l ?

[gruen911]

Hi Platas,
Got mine on EBay in the USA. Price was around $275.00 new. It was another $35 for the blaster coil. Couldn't find one for anything close to that price in Europe. Everything for early 911's seems twice as expensive here.
How is life in Espana these days?

[gruen911]

Well, I finally got it working after plugging a wire from the side outlet of the MSD unit directly into the tach. Now it looks like I will need to run a line from the engine compartment all the way to the trunk behind the dash. Anyone have any thoughts on how to do this without drilling any holes and minimizing the spaghetti wire?

Even better, does anyone know where I can find the purple/black striped wire in the engine compartment area that runs to the #1 terminal on the tach? This is the original wire that connects to the tach. I have to assume that this wire feeds back to the engine compartment area somwhere and all I would have to do is splice it to the MSD wire instead of running whole new wire front to back. Anyone?

[nick-moss]

The purple/black striped wire was originally attached to the distributor, possibly with a link wire, so look just under the electrical panel on the left inner wing

[gruen911]

Good advice Nick. I will check it out tomorrow when I have more light and the weather climbs above freezing...

[gruen911]

Purple and black striped found in the engine compartment. A previous owner wrapped it in electrical tape and tucked it in the corner next to my taillight wires. Connected it to my MSD box and watched my tach needle come to life.
Nothing like freshly rebuilt gauges!

[Bobs 67S]

In Sundays paper (CheckerAuto.com) Checker Auto has a MSD6AL for $229.99.
Haven't seen them for that price till now. Ad say's it's good thru Dec 24.

Gruen911, tell me more about the North Hollywood mod to your tach, time, cost and did it eliminate the MSD adaptor?

Bob

[gruen911]

Hi Bob,
By rebuilding your tachometer, you know longer need the adapter. It plugs right into the tach.
North Hollywood charged me $150 for the rebuild, and another $60 for cosmetic cleanup and a new 7,300 redline faceplate (they said they had one original early S faceplate left - so I snapped it up!). They turned it around in 3 days time. They were very professional and the tach works great.
Apparently the whole internal components of the 67 tach have to be changed over to accept the impulse waves for the MSD. Apparently, because none of the original pre-69 911's (S or otherwise) used a CD Box, all of the early tachometers with ignition systems using a CD box need to be changed over in order to work.
I hooked mine up last week and took it for a test drive. I installed a MSD 7,000 pill (MSD version of a rev limiter) and once the car was warmed up properly I rev'd the engine/tachometer to 7k and it worked like a charm.
The guy at North Hollywood is named Hartmut.
It's nice to finally have a tach that works and is accurate.