boozbuster673

Hey all, I'm new to civicforums and this is my first post so hello to all the vets here. I've recently bought an aftermarket 52mm or 2" Tachometer because my DX does not have on in the cluster. Installation requires a tachometer signal wire or sender to gauge the RPM's from the engine. Where can i find this wire and what would be the best route to take installing my tach? Thanks and i appreciate all answers from everyone! PS. feel free to call me a noob or whatever because i cant deny the obvious. ;p

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

well unfortunately i cant answer your question as im not familiar with the older civic wiring, but usually the rpm wire is on the gauge cluster harness already. and more than likely you could swap in an EX cluster with tach from the same year and it will work no problem. that might be an easier solution and cleaner too. but you would have to find a cluster that has similar miles to your car. and remember coupes and sedans might have different backlighting color. ebay is a good place to start (search for '98 civic cluster').

MindBomber

6th gen cluster swaps are totally plug and play and it looks much cleaner since there are no extra gauge pods, but since you already have a tach.. there should be a blue wire behind the cluster thats for the tach.

On some models the blue wire is under the hood, it terminates near the master cylinder.

Stock 99

There are 4 screws on the back of the speedo and it pops out. Then swap in your original speedo and it's like nothing ever happened. Other then you have a tach. I'm doing this in a couple days.

boozbuster673

I'm familiar with EX/LX cluster swaps, but i am not interested in this method, and i have already removed my cluster yesterday, there is no tach signal wire behind it.

TiggerDX

iTrader: (1)

If it's anything like the previous generation the wire is there. It is just in one of the plugs, Not a separate wire that's loose.

I just did a cluster swap on a 94 DX to one that had the tach. I plugged in the same 4 plugs that were in my stock cluster and it worked great.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

there has to be a wire, otherwise there is no way to install your aftermarket tach either. see if the dealer will let you look at the electrical service book (not mechanical) for your year of car. i have the wires for 01-05 but not older models.

MindBomber

Did you look by the master cylinder like I said, because either there is a wire for the tach by the cluster or its terminated in the engine bay.

boozbuster673

well my cluster has three wires that plug into it, your saying it would be located already bundled up with one of those plugs?

MindBomber

Yes, the wire itself is actually in one of the clips, thats why cluster swaps are so easy. You need to locate the solid blue wire, remove it from the clip and attach it to the wire on the tach.

boozbuster673

will the blue wire itself be connected to the plug that plugs into my cluster? if so, will removal mess with my cluster?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

it should not mess up anything, since your cluster has no tach anyway

boozbuster673

hmmm well i read somewhere that there is a tach signal wire in the passenger side (i believe, may be driver side though) strut tower that i could use. ill look around.

Stock 99

you could also use one of those clips on the wire before it it goes into the cluster.

it's a plastic clip that has 2 notches in a metal strip. Put your new wire in one side and attach the cluster wire on the other. It snaps together like a plastic sandwich. If you want to remove it later it only leaves a tiny break in the wire insulation. It would be easier then threading a wire through the firewall.

MindBomber

Like I said twice, if its under the hood its near the master cylinder.

I'm 99.9% sure its in the cluster harness, which means you need to pull it out of the clips.

Kennykid2002

iTrader: (1)

Maybe he doesnt know where the master cylinder is

You should elaborate

Stock 99

I just did the cluster swap so I took note of where the wire was while I was in there. Note on the DX cluster the wire just terminates after the plug.

Mad Dog Tannen

I did this on my 6th gen...

Just like mindbomber said. There is a blue wire under the hood on the drivers side that goes no where.

You don't have to touch the cluster or plugs or any of that.

boozbuster673

okay guys, i did some poking around and found the tach signal under the hood, behind the driver side strut tower, it just terminated itself i presume because my cluster doesnt already have one. i just spliced into it with my tach harness wire and ta-da, readings. Programmed my tach to 4 cylinder mode and shazam. thanks for all the help guys really appreciate it! Great help by the way everyone!

noob

i'm currently doing this job for a friend, and its coming together ok, but how in the world are you connecting your red and white wires to the fuse box? i don't want to just share the slot with the fuse, what other option is there? thanks in advance

Cooleyboy

I have a 1997 honda civic dx with the d16y7 motor an mine dont have the rpm tach i want to install a aftermarket one in which blue wire under the hood does the green tach signal wire hook into?

Cooleyboy

does this also go for the 1997 honda civic dx ??

Mad Dog Tannen

Yes, that pic is a 97 dx.