Home/Gauges & Instruments/Tachometers & Panel Mounts
Tachometers & Panel Mounts
Standalone tachometers, shift-point tachs and recall tachs for street, strip and marine use — over 250 parts, most of them universal-fit rather than vehicle-specific.
A tachometer has to be told what engine it is reading. Cylinder count and ignition type set the pulse rate, and a tach configured for an eight-cylinder distributor will read wrongly on a four-cylinder coil-on-plug engine. Most modern units are switchable; check the range covers your ignition before ordering.
Decide what the tach should remember. A recall tach stores peak rpm so you can check after a pass or a hard pull; a shift-point model drives an external shift light at a set threshold, which is more useful than a needle when your eyes belong on the road. Pedestal mounts sit on top of the dash or column; in-dash sizes replace a factory instrument and want a panel cut for them.
Common questions
What is a panel mount tachometer?
A gauge designed to sit in a flat panel or a custom dash rather than a pillar pod or cup mount. The mounting style is what the name describes, not the reading.
What size tachometer do you need?
Common diameters are about 2-1/16, 3-3/8 and 5 inches. The size is set by the opening you are fitting it into, so measure the hole before choosing the gauge.
Do aftermarket tachometers work on any engine?
They need a signal the gauge can read — a coil, an injector pulse or an ECU output — and diesels and coil-on-plug engines often need a specific version. Check the signal type the gauge expects.
What is a shift light for?
A light that fires at a set engine speed so you can shift without watching the needle. It is set by the driver rather than by the engine, so it is only as useful as the number you pick.
