[wantatlc]

I know this is a long shot, but I have an old Stewart Warner tach (SW Stage III model) that I like in my rig.

In an effort to verify if it is set correctly for 8 cylinder, I pulled it out as far as I could to check the setting.

Turns out it has an adjuster switch on the back that looks like this:




it has no indicators, clicks, positions, sticker that says 8, 6, 4, 2... nada.

So, I called SW tech support and they said that it is very old but that starting at the 12:00 position, 1 back off to counter-clockwise position (about 11:00) would be the 8 cylinder 'click'. Well, first of all there is no 'click' as the knob turns even and smooth through the entire adjustment range and second, there is no 12:00 as there is a stopper from about the 11-1:00 range.

By the time I got out the gauge and found this out, they are closed on east coast. It is kind of a pain to get to, so I want to get it back in ASAP so I can use it later this afternoon and not have to do it again.

anyone familar with this setup and know where the 8 cylinder setting is? maybe his "1 click back from 12:00" is actually at the higest point up against the stopper at about 11:00 as there is no option to go to 12:00. as it was set, the idle was claiming about 1000 RPM and if I turn the adjuster back to the highest stopping point where I think 8 cylinder is it drops to around 500 RPM. if I adjust the idle at the actual carb and lower it any lower it about stalls so I am thinking that the tach was set a little high giving me an inflatedly high RPM setting, but becuase it has no click or markings, I am not sure where the 8 cylinder setting is.

any thoughts/ideas?

[Poser]

Put it at the highest setting and run it....it sounds like you have figured it out.

[wantatlc]

Thanks Steve - kinda what I was thinking, but wondered if my logic was there.... and I want to button it up in the next hour (as the ocean is calling my name)

but it seems odd that SW tech support could not respond that it did not meet their claimed operation instructions/layout and why would PO have something farily crucial 500 or more RPMs off (i.e., essentially seeming to set it between 6-8 cylinders on the dial)????

I know I know.... who can account for half-assed PO's.

if someone believes differently, chime in.