nissan tach wire

I did a RS on a 2011 Nissan Cube, and the Virtual Tach is working like poo. Sometimes it starts great but most times not so great. So, I've decided that a permanent tach wire hookup will be inevitable. My question is, is there a reason why we have to go outside to the engine compartment when there is a tach right there in the dash?

Typically the dash gets its RPM signal over the CAN bus in modern cars. Very few modern cars have tach signals at the dashboard. Most Nissans have an ECU in the cabin that is a viable location for tach signals.Kevin Pierson

Well, if I don't have to go into the engine compartment, I'd rather not. What's the best way to check for a tach signal at the ECU? I've never had to before.

Well, there will probably be 150 wires there. You'll need a wire diagram or a service manual to tell you what color the tach wire is you are looking for. On Nissans I like to use fuel injectors for tach. The easiest way to test is to use a meter that reads frequency and use a set of leads that have bed of nails in them. Clip the positive lead on the suspect wire, ground the other lead and start the car. At idle you should be around 11hz for ~1,000RPM and as RPM doubles the frequency should double with it. All and all, it is probably just as easy to run the wire to the fuel injector and you have virtually no chance of screwing it up.Kevin Pierson

Well, like to keep it inside for 2 reasons if at all possible. 1: It's my personal vehicle and I don't like aftermarket wires in the engine compartment because if I ever have to take it in for warranty, you know the first thing they will do is blame whatever is aftermarket. 2: I'm paraplegic. So, trying to find a place to run a wire through the firewall isn't exactly an easy task. Most of the install I was able to do right from my wheelchair, so getting on the ground and bending around isn't exactly good for my back. With that said, I DO appreciate the suggestions. If I can't get ahold of the service manual to find the wire inside the cabin, maybe I can find somebody who will be able to run the wire into the engine compartment. Thank you.

Where are you located? Here is a manual for a '10: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Cube/2010/EC.pdf Unfortunately according to page 23 it looks like your ECU is in the engine compartment behind/next to the air box. The ECU wiring starts on 421. Kevin Pierson

KP is right, I couldn't get dashboard gauge tach on a 10 year old UK model recently, but the ECU WAS inside the vehicle. Ref: The disability comment, surely it's physically easier to get at an injector lead than the ECU?

slammedniss, What are you using to get around the car's immobilizer? Spare key in a box or a databus module? Most modules on the market today provide a tachometer output (obtained by monitoring the car's databus), which can be connected to your remote starter. Since you mentioned using Virtual Tach, I'm guessing you have a DEI-brand remote starter in there. Also, what's the car doing when Virtual Tach doesn't work right? I've installed a good handful of DEI starters with this feature, and it's worked well in almost every case. If you have (or can borrow) DEI's Bitwriter programming tool, you can fine-tune some of the virtual tach parameters, making it crank a little more or a little less. If you have any doubt about what's causing your problem, you could try resetting the unit for voltage sensing, with a 1.0 second crank time. You might not want to leave it that way indefinitely, but use it as a troubleshooting tool----put it in voltage sensing, live with it for two weeks or so, and see if it works any better.

Chris Luongo wrote: What are you using to get around the car's immobilizer? Spare key in a box or a databus module? Most modules on the market today provide a tachometer output (obtained by monitoring the car's databus), which can be connected to your remote starter. Since you mentioned using Virtual Tach, I'm guessing you have a DEI-brand remote starter in there. Also, what's the car doing when Virtual Tach doesn't work right? I've installed a good handful of DEI starters with this feature, and it's worked well in almost every case.

I'm using a DBALL bypass, which doesn't provide a tach output according to the install instructions. Yes, it is an Avital 4103 made by DEI. Sometimes it just doesn't turn the starter enough then stalls, then about 30 seconds later it retries and it usually then starts. I've used/installed DEI since 1993 and love their products, and rarely have problems. Of course I'd have to have one on my personal vehicle. When I get some time, I'm just gonna run a tach wire into the bay. I hate to do that, but it's gonna be something that bugs me until I do.