KOSO DL Tach wiring question

[misiek93]

I recently bought one of the KOSO DL Tachometers, installed it on the bike, wired the signal wire to no.1 cylinder, started it up and all was working fine. I took it for a 20 min test ride and the tach worked fine for about 10 min. Then the RPM display went to 0 and wouldn't move. It would only move few times if I reved the engine over 4K RPM but that stopped as well.

I thought it might be a loose wire somewhere, so I went over the wiring again, checked every connection to make sure it's tight, and it is, but the RPM just keep showing 0. I tried doing some research and found that maybe the RPM signal wasn't strong enough from #1 coil, and to try #4. I did that and still nothing.

Does anyone have any experience wiring this thing to a vmax?

The temp display works perfect, it turns on fine, the only thing that I can't get to work anymore is the RPM display. It's stock at 0.

I have it set up to 2 cylinders, 1 piston, Hi Accel - it gave me correct RPM readings in the brief time I got it to work. Not sure if COPs have anything to do with it (I don't think so). I rechecked the ground connection and all the connections again last night but still nothing. I even tried every single setting on the stupid gauge but no matter what I do the RPM display just will not work.

Is it possible the gauge was deffective? or am I just wiring it wrong? Electrical is not my strongest area, lol.

Here's the link to what I have.
http://www.kosonorthamerica.com/new...yle-universal-tachometer-55mm-4/#!prettyPhoto[1585]/0/

 

[[email protected]]

Maybe try getting in touch with MaxMidnight. I believe he was experiencing some issues getting his Koso tach to work properly after installing a set of COP's. I think he had a different model of Koso gauge but it may still be helpful info.

 

[misiek93]

Maybe try getting in touch with MaxMidnight. I believe he was experiencing some issues getting his Koso tach to work properly after installing a set of COP's. I think he had a different model of Koso gauge but it may still be helpful info.

I contacted KOSO support, they told me, it sounds like a ground issue and I should try to ground it to the battery. I told them it was grounded to the frame and I stripped the paint even, but they said it still maybe not good enough.

I'll try the battery option and I'll contact MaxMidnight as well. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[gamorg02]

i have no idea on those but would love to have one one day. can you try swapping one cop for oem coils and trying that one?

 

[misiek93]

i have no idea on those but would love to have one one day. can you try swapping one cop for oem coils and trying that one?

I thought about it last night but it was too late to mess will all that. If grounding to the battery doesn't work I'll try the original coil next.

 

[Redbone]

Just wondering if you have Gannon's COP's wiring with the resistors?

 

[misiek93]

Just wondering if you have Gannon's COP's wiring with the resistors?

No I do not. I made my own wires with no resistor.

 

[Diablotin]

MaxMidnight didn't conclude his thread about it. He's using Gannon COPs.
I was thinking about getting one of those aftermarket tach/speedo but I keep quiet worried it won't work lol

 

[misiek93]

MaxMidnight didn't conclude his thread about it. He's using Gannon COPs.
I was thinking about getting one of those aftermarket tach/speedo but I keep quiet worried it won't work lol

The speedo works fine, very easy install no issues at all. It's the freaking tach that's PITA

 

[MaxMidnight]

Martin

Have received your PM but will respond in public as I hope it may benefit others.

To recap my situation:
I fitted an RX2n and used the original rev counter feed. It worked fine.

My problem only started when I fitted CoP's where the counter would perform as expected but would sometimes jump or double read - sometimes for a second or so, sometime for tens of seconds.

As the bike had been laid up for winter I wasn't able to try one of the other coils to provide a feed - and I don't really see why that would improve the situation.

I was sent one of the RPM Signal Adapters to try.
This device (I'm guessing) is designed to amplify the signal and either clamps around a coil trigger wire or is cable tied (in my case) to the CoP.

I tried the clamp around both the feed and return wires to the CoP without success.
I held it against the CoP and the counter gave a steady reading - no sign of the jumping I had before. Result thinks I.

The unit was cable tied to the coil but when I started the motor the counter wasn't working again. Bug*er!
The only difference from when it was working was that I had re-fitted the other half of the clamp to the unit. Taking this off brought back the rev counter function.
No, I don't understand either.

I have yet to ride the bike on the road but the initial outcome is positive.

So to your issue, Martin. It does seem different to mine in that your counter doesn't seem to be getting a signal whereas mine was getting an intermittent double signal.

Given that other functions are working then I would be skeptical that it is an earth issue.
I guess the dilemma is that is it a poor signal or defective unit?

You could try wrapping the RPM sensor (brown) wire around one of the CoP's - I would try to get as many round as you can - to see if that helps.

Alternatively you could ask for a replacement unit given that it was working or see if you can get a deal on the RPM Signal Adapter.

Hope that helps.

 

[misiek93]

Martin

Have received your PM but will respond in public as I hope it may benefit others.

To recap my situation:
I fitted an RX2n and used the original rev counter feed. It worked fine.

My problem only started when I fitted CoP's where the counter would perform as expected but would sometimes jump or double read - sometimes for a second or so, sometime for tens of seconds.

As the bike had been laid up for winter I wasn't able to try one of the other coils to provide a feed - and I don't really see why that would improve the situation.

I was sent one of the RPM Signal Adapters to try.
This device (I'm guessing) is designed to amplify the signal and either clamps around a coil trigger wire or is cable tied (in my case) to the CoP.

I tried the clamp around both the feed and return wires to the CoP without success.
I held it against the CoP and the counter gave a steady reading - no sign of the jumping I had before. Result thinks I.

The unit was cable tied to the coil but when I started the motor the counter wasn't working again. Bug*er!
The only difference from when it was working was that I had re-fitted the other half of the clamp to the unit. Taking this off brought back the rev counter function.
No, I don't understand either.

I have yet to ride the bike on the road but the initial outcome is positive.

So to your issue, Martin. It does seem different to mine in that your counter doesn't seem to be getting a signal whereas mine was getting an intermittent double signal.

Given that other functions are working then I would be skeptical that it is an earth issue.
I guess the dilemma is that is it a poor signal or defective unit?

You could try wrapping the RPM sensor (brown) wire around one of the CoP's - I would try to get as many round as you can - to see if that helps.

Alternatively you could ask for a replacement unit given that it was working or see if you can get a deal on the RPM Signal Adapter.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the info, when I called KOSO they did say they have a "filter" I could get but suggested I try few other things and call them back. I'm assuming that's what you mean by RPM signal adapter. I'm thinking there is something wrong with the tach itself but I have to do what they ask to prove it. I also think that since everything else is working fine the ground should be good but KOSO guy seems to think the RPM counted needs stronger voltage then the temp gauge to work. Don't know, I'll try his suggestion it's simple enough.

 

[misiek93]

MaxMidnight you're a genious!!!!!:biglaugh: BIG, BIG THANK YOU. I took your suggestion about wrapping the signal wire around the coil and as soon as I touched it the RPMs started to work!!!!!!!! IT WAS MAGICAL :rofl_200:

So the issue was the gauge was not getting strong enough signal, for whatever reason it doesn't work after the COPs (nothing to do with bad ground), all I have to do now is dressup the wiring with some electrical tape and I can proceed with removing all of OEM gauges :th_image003:

 

[MaxMidnight]

Martin - thanks for the feed-back and delighted it worked!

Perhaps some heat shrik tubing may a) Look better and b) Be more durable than vynil tape?

 

[Rollie]

I hava a different digital tach on the '98 with cops installed. Can either of you post a pic of your fix for an old guy who can't seem to get his tach right ? Thanks much.

 

[misiek93]

I hava a different digital tach on the '98 with cops installed. Can either of you post a pic of your fix for an old guy who can't seem to get his tach right ? Thanks much.

I'll take some pictures when I get home this afternoon.

 

[JonP1]

A lot of you know me from my company Vmaxbitz.com but I am also the main dealer in the UK for KOSO Gauges and do the tech support on the Koso Europe forum.

It unusual for a gauge to just stop operating my first thought was a connection problem in the RPM wire.

Does the gauge go through the self test on start up?

Have you got the main gauge power wires the correct way round?

Red should be the permanent live

Brown the switched live

Sometimes if those are incorrectly set it gives weird faults,

Failing that check both the buttons click as you push them in I had one (have sold 100's) that had a sticky button due to a rough casting on internal the plastic actuator.

Try connecting it to the original grey tacho wire.

Come back to me if you still have the problem, I presume you are US based so no point in returning it to me for testing Koso North America have the same test machine as mine so could easily test it for you.

 

[misiek93]

A lot of you know me from my company Vmaxbitz.com but I am also the main dealer in the UK for KOSO Gauges and do the tech support on the Koso Europe forum.

It unusual for a gauge to just stop operating my first thought was a connection problem in the RPM wire.

Does the gauge go through the self test on start up?

Have you got the main gauge power wires the correct way round?

Red should be the permanent live

Brown the switched live

Sometimes if those are incorrectly set it gives weird faults,

Failing that check both the buttons click as you push them in I had one (have sold 100's) that had a sticky button due to a rough casting on internal the plastic actuator.

Try connecting it to the original grey tacho wire.

Come back to me if you still have the problem, I presume you are US based so no point in returning it to me for testing Koso North America have the same test machine as mine so could easily test it for you.

All the wires are connected correctly, I tripple checked that per the instruction manual. The gauge does go through it's check and turns on fine 100% of the time, the temp gauges work flawlessly BUT the only way to get the RPM to work is to actually wrap the signal wire around the coil, nothing else seems to be giving stong enough signal. I tired the original tach lead with no success, I tried #1 and #4 coil wires both positive and negative (adjusting the gaguge accordingly each time). It will not work if I tap into the coil wire as per the instructions. I have the gauge set up as 2C, 1P, Hi Accel which seems to give me correct RPM readings. It's working fine now with the signal wire wraped around the coil. I have some heat shield material that I'll wrap around the coil with the wire just to make sure it doesn't arc to anything.

 

[misiek93]

I hava a different digital tach on the '98 with cops installed. Can either of you post a pic of your fix for an old guy who can't seem to get his tach right ? Thanks much.

It's all wired up and working flawlessly. Had to change few setting on the gauge to get the RPM to show up correctly but that was the easy part. Verified it with my stock RPM gauge and the SST shiftlight (it has an RPM gauge as well) and all 3 show the same RPM :biglaugh:

Pic 1 - shows the signal wire attached to coil. I just wrapped the bare wire once around the coil and taped it to the coil. I'm going to slide a heat shield over it (the one you can get for your sparkplug boots for a car) just didn't get around to it yet.

Pic 2 - shows it actually working.

Pic 3 - shows the settings on the gauge (2C, 2P, LoAct)

Whith this being done I can move on to other mods - fun never stops

 

[Rollie]

Thanks Misiek , I'm going to try that myself. Frustrating for a " good " tach not working correctly .

 

[misiek93]

Thanks Misiek , I'm going to try that myself. Frustrating for a " good " tach not working correctly .

It definitelly can be frustrating. For a while there I thought I'm going to have one very expensive temp gauge