KX Riders

Maintenance & Technical => KX500 Original => Topic started by: stujordan on August 16, 2014, 02:02:40 AM

Title: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: stujordan on August 16, 2014, 02:02:40 AM
best tachometer for kx500?  Affordable and easy to install?
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: Brute on August 16, 2014, 03:22:38 AM
I have a 'Trail Tech Vapor' (http://www.trailtech.net/digital-gauges/vapor) on mine. it has a digital tach and a bar graph. Both are fairly small to read but once you get used to the bar graph you can 'kind of' guess where you are. The part I like best is the yellow light for warning or shift point and the red light for danger or redline. Both are programable. The gauge is pretty small over all. Not too bad on the hook up. It has temp and ODO also.
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: stujordan on August 16, 2014, 04:48:38 AM
How u hook up the temp gauge?  Does it come with a temp sensor?
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: alward25 on August 16, 2014, 09:30:20 AM
Temp sensor in line on your coolant hose, cut and splice.  Very straight forward.
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: demographic on August 16, 2014, 11:26:07 PM
I will be watching this thread with interest.
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: stujordan on August 17, 2014, 12:53:23 AM
Might be watchin for a while....havent $100 to spend on a tach/temp display this month
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: Brute on August 18, 2014, 04:42:12 AM
I originally bought the 'in the hose' adaptor but switched to the 'under the spark plug' style as it reads quicker. Had the choice when I bought it but changed my mind when it got here. Some folks here run both and have one for cylinder and one for head.
If you just want a tach 'Trail Tech' makes those also. One hot wire, one ground, one more wire that goes to the spark plug or coil for around $35.
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: stujordan on August 18, 2014, 09:41:27 AM
Which one reads the fastest...TTO from trail tech?

Did it come with the wires to connect to the spark plug or did u have to buy it seperate?
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: alward25 on August 18, 2014, 09:55:24 AM
Check out the website,  www.trailtech.net.   It will give you the answers you need
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: sandblaster on August 18, 2014, 10:14:50 AM
The head changes temps the fastest and is hotter then the water temps.
It comes with everything you need but the mount.
The head sensor has a O-ring that when you remove your spark plug, you slip the ring on the bottom of the plug and screw the plug back in... Simple...
Take the gauge and double face tape it to your mount... Simple...
Go ride  :-D

The Left gauge is the head temp, and the Right gauge is the water temp on the outlet.
I need a third on that shows me the water as it is exiting the head.
(http://www.oem-cycle.com/forum/download/file.php?id=794)
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: Rougedante on October 22, 2014, 05:07:12 AM
Old thread but interested in a guage...whats the average running temp for the head one? Ill prob order one of those and tht trail tech for a tach meter and hour meter.
Btw any analog tach meters fit the bikes
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: sandblaster on October 22, 2014, 07:05:42 AM
There are many factors that will make your head run from about 140 to 270.
Weather, humidity, fuel type, head mods, port mods, state of the cooling system, type of coolant, cooling system mods ect....
This is a great thread:

http://www.kxriders.com/forums/index.php/topic,11480.0.html (http://www.kxriders.com/forums/index.php/topic,11480.0.html)
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: Rougedante on October 22, 2014, 08:25:07 AM
What would be better to have the head temp or water temp from the head
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: sandblaster on October 22, 2014, 10:56:43 AM
Head temp responds the quickest to changes and is the easiest to do.
Water temp out of the head is more difficult because you have very little room from the head outlet to the radiator inlet.
So really, you need a temp sensor on the rad where the coolant is going in from the head or you need one on the head.
MY water temps are all after the coolant has been cooled.... which isn't great but it's better then nothing.
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: Rougedante on October 22, 2014, 11:01:19 AM
With my swap ill have longer hoses so it will be easier to install for me. Now im gonna read tht link when I get off work and can pay attention better. But the little bit I read makes nooo sense to me hahaha. I have no cooling system knowledge. I just figured bigger radiator to hold more coolant and better cooling capibilities due to the more fins....
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: sandblaster on October 22, 2014, 01:14:12 PM
Longer hoses isn't the problem... take a look at how close the outlet of the head is to the intake of the rad.... It's very close...
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: Rougedante on October 22, 2014, 01:26:19 PM
Im still lost...im going to be mounting a new diff radiator up top of the buggy behind the roll cage. Thus there will be a greater distance between the radiator and head. More room to install temperature unit...or am I just missing something? Lol
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: sandblaster on October 22, 2014, 02:13:40 PM
No, I missed something.... Didn't realize it was a buggy we were talking about  :oops:
The inline hose type would be the easiest.
Title: Re: best tachometer for kx500?
Post by: Rougedante on October 22, 2014, 02:16:28 PM
Haha my bad. Yea this was for my buggy swap project