tachometer removal 1973

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Have owned one of these since new but never had to pull the instrument cluster out and feel like an idiot. I was pulling the brake booster off the 73 convertible that I got a couple months back and saw a rats nest of added wires for aftermarket radio, alarm system and other stuff I do not know what it is. So I decided to pull the instrument cluster and see if I could not eliminate all of the add on stuff that was not done too neatly. No problem getting the electrical side unplugged on the right but the two wires coming from the tach go straight into the main harness and have no connector that I can see. I pulled on the wire where it goes into the back of the tach but afraid I am going to break something does not move.

How does the tach wire unplug??? There is nothing in the Ford manuals that I can see. Cannot get a pic of the back of the tach just the one from the side.

Thanks,

David

 
Should be the same as the bulb sockets. 1/4 turn to remove.

Edit: That may be incorrect. I may be thinking of the alt light wire. I will check when I get home tonight and post back.

 
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There is a 2 wire plug about 6 - 8 inches away from the tach

 
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if this car has a factory Tach:

There is a 2 pin rubber plug connector that you pop apart you can reach it from the foot well area.

reach up underneath the dash and you can feel the back of the tach follow the wires and there is a rubber plug, just pop them apart and that will free the instrument cluster on the left side.

the right side has a main harness plug and the speedometer cable that can be fun to try and pop off.

removing the main harness plug (red) usually makes the circuit board that runs the dash fall apart so be prepared to replace that Mylar circuit board.

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if this car has an after market tach then no idea how it was wired in.

 
73%20tach%20plug.jpg


Make sure that you pull from both sides (main harness and tachometer) - you can break the connections in the tach if you pull too hard.

 
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Gosh I am blind don't see a connector just goes into the bundle of wires tap wrapped. I will cut some of the tape off but do not see the plug. The right hand side came out easy just squeeze the connector and it came right out.

Been blasting the brake booster for paint I will go back and look for the connector again.

Thanks,

David



Gosh I am blind don't see a connector just goes into the bundle of wires tap wrapped. I will cut some of the tape off but do not see the plug. The right hand side came out easy just squeeze the connector and it came right out.

Been blasting the brake booster for paint I will go back and look for the connector again.

Thanks,

David
Ok went back out and cut a couple of the retainers holding the main wire harness and where they had been adding wires they had wrapped the connector with the white wires you see in the pic so it was hidden. Now to figure out what all this stuff he added is.

Thanks for the help,

David

 
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There is so much stuff under the dash that has been added. Just going to start taking all wires not factory out. Go back with Factory Am/ FM take out the Pioneer that he put in. When he put connectors on he just used a pair of pliers not a connector crimper. You pull on a wire and it just falls out. Even the MSD is that way also nothing soldered just mashed with a flat pair of pliers. The previous owner for over 25 years was a sprint car racer, bet his car had issues if he turned the wrenches. Good thing I have a parts car convertible sitting right beside it. The vacuum hoses look all in a mess also with several places with open ends. It is a wonder the car even cranked and ran.

I am sure I will have lots of questions for you guys that tear these apart every day.

Thanks for all the help at least I got the master cylinder off and it was full or rust so will replace and I blasted and painted the booster while I was that far. This was just going to be fix a few things and drive it, lol. Never works that way.

David

 
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