'56 Tachometer noise

P

Philt

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Oct 18, 2017
Thunderbird Year
1956
the tachometer in my 56 has developed an intermittent whirring or roaring noise accompanied by erratic needle indications. I have disconnected it at the distributor to be sure this is the issue. Drive connections at the rear felt tight but thought to ask before I begin the painful process of removing the tach.
Phil in Tenn
 

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The removal is not as bad as you think. It is much easier on the '55 and '56 than the '57. Oh joy, are you cheered up? You may have a problem with the tachometer or not. You say a noise from the tach. Are you sure it is from the tach itself or from the cable. You disconnected the cable at the distributor. Did you try the other end to see if the cable may be the culprit? Did you try wiggling the drive cable around under the dash and in the engine compartment? If it is truly the tach still not the worst thing that can happen. I had my speedo repaired locally in Sacramento California. It ran about $130. The tach is a simpler device as it is purely mechanical. More often than not a tach problem is the cable rubbing in the housing rather than the tach. Good luck.
By the way I recommend you get a shop manual if you do not already have one. It is a great tool. To people who say the manual is too expensive; I say maybe you can't afford the car if you can't afford factory knowledge.

good luck and happy motoring, J.
 
Thanks , I have at least three manuals on this car but the bound Shop manual is next on my shopping list.
A friend had his 55 tach converted to electric...thinking that is probably my best solution.
Phil in Tenn
 
Thanks henro...Although the drive gear came away easily, the core was deep inside and unreachable..however..
I managed to force a thinned white grease down the cable using a baby syringe. A few miles and no screaming tach.
Phil
 
This is a problem I have seen here before but am still uncertain what to do. The tach started jumping around and making awful grinding noises. Bought a new cable, lubricated it and installed it. No improvement, same loud noises and gauge jumping around so much that the needle fell off. Removed the cable from the back of the tach and no noise. Any ideas? If I need to have it repaired does the tach come out from the front after I undo the nuts in the back and disconnecting the cable and the light. Thanks in advance for your help!
 
tbirdrf said:
This is a problem I have seen here before but am still uncertain what to do.
Click to expand...
Instead of creating a new thread, reply to the post you referenced. You will get more responses from people subscribed to that thread. I moved your post there.
 
Electric tachometers necessarily are not more accurate than a properly functioning mechanical tach. About six months ago, I read a comparison test of several electric tachometers of various manufacturers. Only one of them was close to being accurate. I would only consider using an electric tach in a 55-56 T-bird, if I were going to upgrade to a 57-up distributor/w mechanical and vacuum advance, and I could not find/afford a 57 tach-drive distributor. I doubt that a tachometer is necessary on a stock engine, but I would want a tachometer and rev-limiter on a modified engine that will see high rpm. As you know, the OEM tach limit is 5000 rpm. Watch out for those missed shifts/w manual transmissions.
 
I had thre same problem. Did the cable lubrication and didn't fix it. I found out that there is a oil hole in the back of the tach. I pulled the tach and used some light oil (3 in One oil) and it cleared up the problem.
 
What I've heard the speedometer also has an Oil cup on the '55&'56 s in a tight place. My '57 also has one at the distributer to lube the gears for the tach drive. If you go to a fabric store you can get good machine oil in a squeeze bottle with a flexible extendable hose to get into tight places. Also available on line with advanced oils to lubricate mechanical clocks of which I have a few.
 
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