Tach for Avanti II

[tpaavantiII]

I am a newbie, just buying my 78 today. I am at the Tampa, Florida airport now waiting to go to Dayton, Ohio to pick it up.

I had it inspected this week and the car inspector said the tachometer is not working. Any ideas where I can get repair parts for this item? What might I need? He said that it always shows about 500 RPM and is non-functional.

As a side item, he said the clock is also not working. Any ideas on replacements for that?

I am very excited about my new Avanti II! I look forward to hearing from board members on this and other Avanti issues...

Matt G.

[Gunslinger]

Do a web search for clock repairs and you should find someone that can fix it without too much problem. See if anyone can convert it to quartz movement...it will be much more accurate and reliable.

It probably has a Stewart Warner tach, but I don't now that for sure. There should be repair services for that as well. Tachs are designed in a variety of ways in how they operate. It could have a seperate tach sending unit which usually looks like a big flat can. They do go bad and can be fixed. It could also be as simple as a bad connection. Since yours is a '78 it should have a GM HEI ignition. In some GM cars (Corvette's at least), they used a tach filter in-line due to the very higher voltage output. The filter can and does go bad. If Avanti was using a tach filter, look at it. It depends on who made the tach.

You can always simply replace all the gauges with new VDO or Autometer units. Besides being superior gauges you can really individualize your car with them. A bit more work but it can really add to the appearance and be a practical upgrade.

Best of luck and congrats on buying it!

[SBCA96]

You can always simply replace all the gauges with new VDO or Autometer units.  Besides being superior gauges you can really individualize your car with them.  A bit more work but it can really add to the appearance and be a practical upgrade.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have the opposite opinion about VDO and Autometer, they seem like a major

step down from Stewart Warner. Why not just get a SW replacement from stores

like NAPA? They still carried them last time I checked. A friend of mine years

ago replaced all his SW's with Autometer, and they looked so cheap in comparison

to the SW's. I have a box of them in my garage from after he totalled his car.

Chances are the Tach still works, I would bet that there is a disruption in the signal

and once thats cured it would be fine. Does the gauge move from 0 to 500 when

you turn on the key, or is it ALWAYS at 500 regardless? I remember that my

buddies Autometer used to stay at the RPM that he turned the key off at, but the

SWs should settle down to 0 when the key is off. If it moves from 0 to 500, then

its doubtful that its a bad gauge.

Tom

[RDadsAvantiII]

Hi! I am new to this , I have a 1980 Avanti,when I bought my Avanti the tach and the clock both didn't work, which seems to be pretty common,I replaced my tach with a new Stewart Warner Tach it is called a Deluxe model 82162-B,it looks like it belongs there an it works good, and as for the clock,I had a hard time trying to find a clock, which I never did find !so I replaced it with a electrical stewart warner deluxe oiltemperture gauge, for my auto transmission, just in case your interested,the gauge is model #82344, sender unit is #280ee-f,it was easy to install,if you have any questions I will try to help,I fiqured my stereo had a clock so I didnt need 2 clocks !

[Guest tim sheard]

Do a web search for clock repairs and you should find someone that can fix it without too much problem.  See if anyone can convert it to quartz movement...it will be much more accurate and reliable.

It probably has a Stewart Warner tach, but I don't now that for sure.  There should be repair services for that as well.  Tachs are designed in a variety of ways in how they operate.  It could have a seperate tach sending unit which usually looks like a big flat can.  They do go bad and can be fixed.  It could also be as simple as a bad connection.  Since yours is a '78 it should have a GM HEI ignition.  In some GM cars (Corvette's at least), they used a tach filter in-line due to the very higher voltage output.  The filter can and does go bad.  If Avanti was using a tach filter, look at it.  It depends on who made the tach.

You can always simply replace all the gauges with new VDO or Autometer units.  Besides being superior gauges you can really individualize your car with them.  A bit more work but it can really add to the appearance and be a practical upgrade.

Best of luck and congrats on buying it!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

About clocks, CLock Doc, 10 West Main St., Monteagle, TN, 37356, 1 800 256 5362, repairs old clocks to their original.

best of luck,

Tim Sheard, Brooklyn