[paragsachania]

DIY: Installation of Ritz Tacho for Swift LDi

Around 3 weeks before, We successfully installed the Tachometer of Ritz into a Swift LDi belonging to BHPian Sushrutha. Incidentally, his is the last post on this thread before I updated today .

The right wire for Tachometer signal

This wasn't easy. Using a Multimeter and safety pin we checked usual suspects (Brown looking wires) behind the instrument console but realized there was no wire that supplied Tacho signal.

Went through various posts here and learnt that the other best source to tap the signal was from the Electric Power Steering Unit. Also had a quick call with BHPian audioholic who confirmed that the EPS unit will be receiving "Engine Speed Signal" which is nothing but the Tachometer signal but what wire would that be, we weren't sure.

The EPS unit for the Gen 1 Swift Diesel is located right below the center console on the floor. To access that same, you need to remove the panel attached to the center console.

We then tested each wire on the socket attached to the EPS unit. The brown wire displayed voltage of 6.xx Volts while the rest were either blank or 12.xx volts. This was tested with the car in Idle position.

To test, we connected the brown lead as input to the Tachometer and VOILAaaaaaaa.... the Tachometer needle climbed up and rested between 800-900 and as we increased the throttle, it climbed up accordingly.

That's it - Rest of the job was super easy & we installed the Tachometer right on the Dashboard. Few pictures of this installation along with Videos.

Using a T-Tap connector, we pulled out a wire from the ESP unit for signalling the Tachometer.

The Electric Power Steering Unit (EPS) of the Swift LDi:





Tachometer placement & illumination:

Video that shows the functioning of the Tachometer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX0EVmRDw78

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC1AjJgOBww

[swiftnfurious]

That's a neat job there and the tacho sits flush. Did you have to drill the dashboard to route the wire? Would be interested to see any pics of the tacho mounting on the dash.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

That's a neat job there and the tacho sits flush. Did you have to drill the dashboard to route the wire? Would be interested to see any pics of the tacho mounting on the dash.

Thought there won't be any questions for this DIY mainly because we have too less LDi Swifts on roads but will certainly answer your questions . Pardon me as I don't have photographs ready of that mounting but will ask Sushrutha to send me few of the mounting and I update that here.

• The Tachometer is placed right on the dashboard & It is resting on an adhesive (Araldite Instant)
  
  
• A single hole (10mm) is drilled on the Dashboard but that is to route the wires and nothing else
  
  
• The Tachometer's base (clips) had to be cut using a hacksaw blade to get a fully flat surface without any protrusions
  
  
• It took 3 minutes of holding the Tachometer in place before the adhesive dried up completely
  
  
• There was no residual adhesive left around on the dash after the installation

By the way, I have installed Ritz Petrol tacho few years back on my WagonR that also underwent similar amputation of its legs and is holding on like a rock on the dash with the same adhesive.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Pardon me as I don't have photographs ready of that mounting but will ask Sushrutha to send me few of the mounting and I update that here.

No photographs when someone is busy with intense Yogasana in the footwell

That apart, I am surprised why the engine speed signal was not found in the cluster. Though it is the LDi, there are other reasons why the signal should be there. Anyways, instead of searching for it, the PS controller is a sure location to find it. It should have been a eureka moment seeing the tacho fire up. Another surprise was I had told Parag and also posted sometime back that it was a 5V signal and he replied that there are no 5V signals available at the connector. Will get back to the manual and post details for the benefit of others.

[GTO]

Thanks for sharing, Parag! Moving your DIY to its own thread, so that other Swift LXi / LDi owners find it easily.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by audioholic

No photographs when someone is busy with intense Yogasana in the footwell

Tell me about it and Yogasana is the right word there for all the efforts put to locate the right wires and even after that, to route and fix these wires using Zip ties.

That apart, I am surprised why the engine speed signal was not found in the cluster. Though it is the LDi, there are other reasons why the signal should be there.

Myself included. In fact the connector behind the cluster was the first one I opened to check the right wire but indeed none of them was supplying tachometer signals. This was in contrast to what I have in my WagonR. I simply located the right wire as part of the cluster and wired it to the Tacho.

Anyways, instead of searching for it, the PS controller is a sure location to find it. It should have been a eureka moment seeing the tacho fire up.

Well, the moment was not exactly when we found that one wire was producing 6.xx volts as I was under the impression that after starting the car and revving up, the voltage will vary but it never did. It stayed where it was and that is exactly when we almost abandoned the project.

However, as a last try, I said to Sushrutha - " Lets just try that cable as input to Tacho" and just when we cranked the car after that Sushrutha who was looking at the device smiled and said "this is it"!

Another surprise was I had told Parag and also posted sometime back that it was a 5V signal and he replied that there are no 5V signals available at the connector. Will get back to the manual and post details for the benefit of others.

It certainly was displaying voltage north of 5V for sure.

Originally Posted by GTO

Thanks for sharing, Parag! Moving your DIY to its own thread, so that other Swift LXi / LDi owners find it easily.

Thanks GTO. Whoever gets benefited out of this now.

Since this has been moved to an all new thread, I will add a few more pointers:

• The Tachometer has 4 wires : Red - 12V, Black - Ground, Yellow/White - Tacho Signal, Yellow/Blue - Backlight
  
  
• Originally, the Tachometer comes with a coupler that has these 4 wires. For this installation, we cut the coupler, skinned these wires, soldered each of these and used Heatshrink tubes to insulate the joints
  
  
• You can also retain the coupler, group the 4 wires originating from various sources (explained in next point) and buy a female coupler and attach the 4 wires and connect the Tachometer to this
  
  
• Due to lack of Fuse Taps we had to power up the Tacho through the accessory socket. However, a more suitable, fool proof and far more reliable (what if the accessory fuse blew off, it will stop powering the Tacho then) method would be to wire it like these: Two Fuse Taps - For Power and Backlight and one Ring Terminal - Ground it to any part of the body

Here is how you should be wiring it:

• RED - To an empty fuse socket via Fuse Tap
  
  
• YELLOW/BLUE - To an empty fuse socket via Fuse Tap
  
  
• BLACK - Bolted to the body through a ring Terminal
  
  
• YELLOW/WHITE - Goes to the brown wire (T-Tap connector) of the Power Steering Unit

[YoungSaint]

Thanks Parag! You are an inspiration. I also own 2013, LXi model swift DZire petrol and have always felt the need of a tachometer. Never thought that tacho can be picked from Ritz and installed on DZire. I have the music system, fog lamps of VDI and the only thing remaining was the tacho. I am not a DIY person and would not be doing this myself. But I would search a potent mechanic who can do it for me. By the way, how much money was shelled out in buying the tacho?

Also, thanks GTO for making this an independent thread! This would surely help many people like me.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by YoungSaint

I also own 2013, LXi model swift DZire petrol and have always felt the need of a tachometer. Never thought that tacho can be picked from Ritz and installed on DZire.

Make sure you pick the Tachometer for Ritz Petrol and not the Diesel one.

The below pic is that from my WagonR install few years back. You can refer to the part number as well from the Box (That's my daughter curiously unboxing it :-) )

By the way, how much money was shelled out in buying the tacho?

Not more than 1200 bucks if I recall. I don't know the exact price as but It didn't cost more than that.

[YoungSaint]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Make sure you pick the Tachometer for Ritz Petrol and not the Diesel one.

The below pic is that from my WagonR install few years back. You can refer to the part number as well from the Box (That's my daughter curiously unboxing it :-) )

Thanks, Parag for such a quick reply. I would talk to few mechanics in Pune and find out if they are confident enough of doing the installation. If yes, I would go and buy a unit for petrol and get it installed.

Feeling excited!

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by YoungSaint

I would talk to few mechanics in Pune and find out if they are confident enough of doing the installation.

Its indeed very easy. I would suggest you order Fuse Taps (2 units)from Aliexpress or eBay.

Locating the Electric Power Steering is again easy. You need to only remove the trim of the center console from the right hand side and you will see the EPS unit there. In that, the Brown wire that supplies engine RPM signal is easily identifiable.

Just tap the signal from here using T-Tap connectors (instead of skinning the wire) and remaining 3 wires are for Power, Backlight and Ground that any good electrician will be able to manage.

What you need to take are of if the routing of wires.

[sushrutha]

Thank you Parag, for compiling this thread.
Without a tachometer, I always felt I was missing something in the car.
Last time I successfully installed a Defi tachometer in my Zen VX (sold now)
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...ml#post3854780

Also an unsuccessful installation of additional tacho in my Civic (here I couldn't locate the correct RPM signal too for the aftermarket tacho)
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...ml#post2408656

Though this DIY is simple, but tapping the RPM signal was one hell of an Eureka moment.
Thanks to audioholic for helping us over the phone.
The installation looks complete OEM and the tachometer works flawlessly.
A big thanks to Parag for helping me out in installing the Tacho, not to forget the Yogasanas he did while installing.

Tacho price is Rs.1037 inclusive of all taxes.
It's a diesel tacho (note - petrol tacho will not work) with readings till 6K rpm.
Part number is 34200M83K10

Parag,
Next in the line will be installing a Turbo Boost gauge , BE READY :-)

[NiInJa]

Excellent DIY .. will show this to one of my friends who has a Alto and wants a tacho badly. Hope it will work on that car, Or will it ?

Also, can experts tell me if the same assembly can work on other brands, say the Kwid ?

[CGB]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

What you need to take are of if the routing of wires.

Parag, is it possible to set Ritz(petrol) tacho on jellybean Zen? Mine is 2007 model that came with facelift and has a MPFI engine and EPS.

Thanks in advance.

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by CGB

Parag, is it possible to set Ritz(petrol) tacho on jellybean Zen? Mine is 2007 model that came with facelift and has a MPFI engine and EPS.

Thanks in advance.

As long as it's a 4 cylinder Suzuki MPFi Engine, it is possible to fit Ritz Tachometer in Zen.

For a 3 cylinder engine - ALTO, one can try installing A-star tachometer.

[7heaven]

[quote=paragsachania;4065541]Make sure you pick the Tachometer for Ritz Petrol and not the Diesel one.

@ Sushrutha: It's a diesel tacho (note - petrol tacho will not work) with readings till 6K rpm.
Part number is 34200M83K10

Both of you are giving different versions to buy. Please clarify which one works actually. Petrol tacho or diesel tacho ?

That apart it was a great DIY. !

Actually Maruti can help it's car owners to do such things and earn more profit selling the extra spares.