Autometer Tach disassembly????

[bovey]

82071

Hey guys,

I have a race this week-end and I'm doing work - the "simple" job was to replace a blown light in my tach. Kinda useless at night...

82070

Anyway. I figured if by taking the 3 bolts off the back it would come apart. ????? Is the lens frame crimped on or does it screw on? Am I missing something or just not being forceful enough??

When I remove the 3 nuts the inside tach mechanism and face move around but the shell still seems highly held together.

82069

P.S. I also can't seem to find anything from Autometer to suggest how to take it apart.

Thanks in advance.

[Steve Chryssos]

Sorry, it's crimped on. It does not come apart.

[bovey]

Thank you for confirming. I figured but was hoping there was another way. It is a gift from my dad, from almost 20 years ago. Would like to save it - I'll get it apart somehow. Again, thanks.

[David Pozzi]

An oil filter cutter might work, but I don't know how you'd put it back together.

[Jim Nilsen]

If you have a lot of patience you can start with a small jewelers screwdriver and start prying the lip up and keep going around in a circle until you are under the lip enough for a bigger screwdriver. Keep going till it pulls apart. To get it back together you will have to open the lip up a bit more if it snapped out. Put in back together with a little ballpeen hammer or body hammer.
Remember that light and short prying will not leave as much of a mark. It is best to put a piece of plastic like a credit card or a piece of paper to keep the marks from getting there.

Good luck, It can be done.

Bet it takes you an hour or 2

[bovey]

David. Jim. Thanks. I am fairly good with my hands and was going to attempt to do some delicate cutting. Had no idea oil filter cutter existed and I am curious to try the prying method. Will report back. And I see some oil filter surgeries in my future just for fun.

[David Pozzi]

Try prying on it to see how hard it is.
You could chuck it in a lathe & cut the bezel off.
If you knew just where to cut an access hole, you could drill a 1/4" hole in the side, insert a nibbler & cut a larger hole or slot, like 1" or 1 1/4", fix the bulb & make a cover plate.

I got this nibbler at radio shack. http://www.skygeek.com/aircraft-tool-supply-64823-hand-nibbler.html?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_content=aircraft-tool-supply-64823-hand-nibbler&utm_campaign=froogle&gclid=CICA5e2dx7kCFcN_QgodSA4AHg

A nibbler like this if kept upright would allow the pieces to fall down so they wouldn't stay inside the tach.

[Zspoiler]

Is there a local Speedometer or instrument shop nearby . Or possibly Call AutoMeter themselves .

[Steve Chryssos]

If it's a sentimental thing, send it to Auto Meter. They'll cut off the ring service the innards, and put a proper ring back on. Anything else will probably just ruin it.

[bovey]

Thanks guys. I'm going to attempt surgery once the truck is away for winter. I've tried to deal with Auto Meter on this subject and they have not responded. I will report back when I sort it out. Again, thanks!

[wizbang]

I can testify to the use of a small screwdriver and prying up the bezel lip holding the bezel to the gauge cup. I've done this a number of times on other automotive type gauges and vintage motorcycle tachs & speedometers. These things were never meant to come apart and be serviced in the field. With some patience and perseverance you can get it apart. The best advice I can give is to not bend/distort the bezel any more than necessary to slip the gauge cup out from the bezel.

Best of luck.

Jim