[Ukrainian102]

I'm looking to get a tachometer for my 95 4-speed 7A-FE. I'm gonna go the junkyard and try to find a dash panel with a tach. Would that be hard to install? If you take off the dash is the tach cable there, even if my car didn't come with a tach stock?

Anyway if I don't find a stock panel with a tach, I'm thinking of getting an external tach. No 5" crap, something small, not ricey. Would you guys reccomend getting something like this off ebay? Would that be hard to install?

Help me out on this.

 

[Ostornadoe]

I doubt that there will be a tach cable, but the wire that the tach splices into isn't that hard to find, if you know what you're looking for. It's pretty hard to find a dash with a tach in it for a 95 corolla.
The one you were looking at on ebay isn't hard to install, if you know the wire to splice into. A shop would install it for you for around $60-80, but I would recommend doing it yourself. It'll take less than an hour, especially if the tach comes with instructions. If it doesn't, and you still want an aftermarket tach, let me know and I'll take some pictures of the wire that my aftermarket tach is spliced into.

 

[Ukrainian102]

Thanks for the reply man. Since the dashboard with a tach is hard to find, and the junkyard closest to me only has a few Corollas, I think I'll go with an aftermarket tachometer.

If you could take pictures for me, that would be great. I'm a total novice at this stuff with wires, so it'll help me out a lot. I really don't wanna pay another $60 to get it installed.

Also, do you know a good place online where I can get an aftermarket tach, or do you think just buying any ol' tach off ebay would be fine?

By the way, I checked out your car domain page, it's pretty nice. How's that short ram intake working out for you? I was thinking of getting one, but don't you just suck hot air? Also you have the redline on your tach set to 6500. I believe its only 6000 rpm on a 7A-FE.

 

[Ostornadoe]

First off, the redline is right around 6000, but it looks cooler the higher it is (You can spin the little red thing with your finger, it can be set at any redline you want, so I actually set it when I'm racing)
I bought my tach at Pep-Boys, which is just an auto store near where I live. The previous link you posted with the color changing tach was pretty neat, and I think as long as you buy from a respectable seller, that you can find a decent one on ebay. You just want to make sure the size isn't too big(looks bad) or too small(can't see it well enough). I'll get you some pictures tomorrow, actually today..... It's dark out and I don't feel like taking them right now.
I'm assuming that you would want to splice into the same wire I did, because your car is pretty much the same as mine.
I'll write up some details with the pictures, and do my best to help you save that $60 or so on the install.

 

[homeguard]

dude come on it is an auto.

 

[Ostornadoe]

Hmmm.... I din't even notice, is it an auto or a manual? If it's an auto, there's no point in having a tach....

 

[Ukrainian102]

Why's that man? You still wanna see how high you're revving. You can always downshift an auto if you need to.

Btw, I found a few junkyards that have the stock dash cluster with a tach, so I'm gonna try that.

 

[Ostornadoe]

The stock dash cluster is a better option than an aftermarket tach for an auto.... A tach's main point for me anyways is to know when to shift up or down if i'm racing up the mountain. I used to have to do it by sound, and you could tell if the rpm's were too high or too low from the sound....

 

[dlichterman]

hey im kinda interested in the same thing on my 98 corolla. if needed, i can host the images for you guys just pm me

 

[homeguard]

there is too much rice on this forum

 

[Ostornadoe]

there is too much rice on this forum

You think an aftermarket tach is rice? Most 93-97 corolla's didn't come with a tach, and with a manual, a tach makes a huge difference.

 

[Ostornadoe]

For everyone that's looking for a 93-97 gauge cluster with a tach, since they are rare, I saw this one on ebay.... 2 days left and the price is at about $25.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7916658870&category=33675

This is cheaper than an aftermarket tach and it won't clutter up your dash or whever you planned on putting an aftermarket tach.

Just thought I would post this link for everyone that was looking for one.

 

[Ukrainian102]

Thanks for the link man. I'm gonna get one from a junkyard nearby. So can you give me basic instructions on how to find the wire and how to install it?

 

[Ostornadoe]

Alright, for sure tomorrow I'm going to take pictures of it, the last ones i took did not turn out well.
Basically, you're gonna have to take your old gauge cluster out and disconnect everything first, then put in your new one and reconnect everything, then you're going to work on the tach. all it should be is splicing a wire into something.... which i'll get lots of pictures of. and you may have to run a power and ground, but those are simple.

just for future reference, do you know much about cars and electrical stuff? i would recommend having some type of directions for removing the dash cluster handy, cause it may be difficult, i've never done it.

i'll get the pics tomorrow

 

[bmw5002]

Couple of replys and Q's:

Q: Ive got a 91 corolla 5 speed stick, with no tach. I have to listen. But is the tach connection electrical, and do all models have the tach sensor? Cuz my speedo has a mechanical linkage to the panel, but I dunno about the tach. So could I electrically splice in a tach into my '91?



Replys:

just for future reference, do you know much about cars and electrical stuff? i would recommend having some type of directions for removing the dash cluster handy, cause it may be difficult, i've never done it.

I would reccomend the Chilton Toyota Corolla 1988-97 Repair Manual. Get it at your local auto parts store. Its got everything. It tells you how to take apart the entire car and put it back together. Very in-depth. It'll tell you how to take apart the dash.

 

[Ukrainian102]

I got the Haynes manual for 93-00 I think Corolla and 93-97 I think Prizm. I think they made a dumb move trying to save money by putting two generations of Corolla in one book. :hammer: It's kinda weird but the manual is alright.

Anyway maybe you had to splice wires cause you got an aftermarket tach which universal for many cars. Maybe theres a wire that will connect to the OEM tach, specifically for the Corolla. Anyway, pics would be appreciated. :thumbup:

 

[nitroamos]

i'm also interested in the progress of this thread as my 98 manual corolla doesn't have a tachometer... and i wish it did.

 

[Ostornadoe]

Sorry I've been slow about getting the pictures posted, I was in Atlanta for the weekend. I have the pictures, but I am hoping for an engine diagram or something to use to explain some things... I'm going to post the pictures tomorrow morning with the best possible explanation that I can, I'm working on photoshopping one or two of the pics, so that you can see exactly what I'm talking about. Sorry it's taken me so long to get these pictures on, first I had trouble getting them onto my computer, then had trouble hosting the pics. Check back tomorrow for pics and description of tach install.

 

[cobrajet25]

I just swapped a cluster with a tach into my '90 DX. My tach cluster came from a '90 LE. It is a plug-and-play swap...no extra splicing or wiring necessary. Not sure about the '93-up models, though. The cluster with the tach is also MUCH nicer looking than the tach-less one, IMHO. It looks alot more upscale. The tach is electrical, so there is no cable for it. Just a wire, which runs off of the electrical pulse generated by the ignition coil. I don't know if all Corollas are wired for the tach, or if it is just the DX and LE models. Can't imagine why they would not wire all models for it, as this would probably be quite a popular swap...even at the dealership level when these cars were new. Definitely worth the time given how easy it is, though. Regards, Aaron

 

[Ukrainian102]

I think I'm gonna take off my dash cluster and see if there's a wire there that looks like it it would plug in to the tach. If there is, I'll go to my local jukyard and get the new dash cluster.