Technical Installing aftermarket Rev Counter 1.1 panda

[2010ActiveEc0]

Hi all,

im looking to install an eBay rev counter worth around £15. However I have no idea what wires to splice and where.

if anyone has knowledge on how to do this then please let me know.

thanks!

 

[koalar]

Hi all,

im looking to install an eBay rev counter worth around £15. However I have no idea what wires to splice and where.

if anyone has knowledge on how to do this then please let me know.

thanks!

I will have to think about this

most of the old fashion analogue ones will not work correctly, Normally you splice into the return from the coil.. The Panda is odd in it fires twice per cycle one on compression and one on exhaust. Maybe a rev counter for a two cylinder car or should that be a 8 cylinder, head hurts

the stock REV counter gets it information from the ECU via the body computer all connected by the CAN network. Its pretty impossible to easily break into


thats the bad news out of the way.

there is two easy ways to add a rev counter

fist is to use the clocks from a dynamic and do a proxy realign. Mileage on the replacement has to be less than the original clocks

the second is cheaper is to use the obd2 connector

Plenty HUD around, just plug into the diagnostic port and your Good to go. Never used on so can't recommend a particular model. take a look on YouTube search "obd2 HUD"

 

[dagdromer]

It is possible depending on the output of the ECU to the coils. I have an old Ford Escort xr3i that had a single coil ignition and when I put the Ford Focus engine in it with wasted spark I had double the revs according to the rev counter. using the schematic in the thread here

https://passionford.com/forum/ford-escort-rs-turbo/471345-megasquirt-in-combination-with-rev-counter-problem.html

fixed the problem for me. But ford only uses 3 wires on the coil, switched live and ve1 and ve2 coming from the ECU.

 

[koalar]

It is possible depending on the output of the ECU to the coils. I have an old Ford Escort xr3i that had a single coil ignition and when I put the Ford Focus engine in it with wasted spark I had double the revs according to the rev counter. using the schematic in the thread here

https://passionford.com/forum/ford-...ed live and ve1 and ve2 coming from the ECU.

Thanks, look possible. But not straight forward. Splicing into the engine management wiring

unfortunately the ecu sends signal via the CAN network to the body computer along with loads of other data. S

you have to read and decode the data you can't splice at this point

keeps the wiring down. But sometimes I think it over complicates things.

there are other way such as painting a White strip and using an optical reader, but in my opinion the easiest way would be £20 HUD plugged into the OBD2 connector. Straight plug and play.

 

[dagdromer]

just be sure that the obd goes off when you power off the car. the el cheapo's tend to drain the battery when they are kept in.

I agree that you need to splice into the factory harnas with the above solution but you can do it at the coil plug. there is the signal analog (no canbus). most likely there is a 12v and the ECU pulls the pin to ground when the coil needs to fire, closing the circuit.

As an alternative you can also splice into the cam or crank sensor output and use something like an Arduino to create a rev counter. Al fun projects that keep you busy during covid lockdowns or the winter .

But the main question is, why do you need a rev counter in a 50hp car.

 

[koalar]

just be sure that the obd goes off when you power off the car. the el cheapo's tend to drain the battery when they are kept in.

I agree that you need to splice into the factory harnas with the above solution but you can do it at the coil plug. there is the signal analog (no canbus). most likely there is a 12v and the ECU pulls the pin to ground when the coil needs to fire, closing the circuit.

As an alternative you can also splice into the cam or crank sensor output and use something like an Arduino to create a rev counter. Al fun projects that keep you busy during covid lockdowns or the winter .

But the main question is, why do you need a rev counter in a 50hp car.

if properly designed it shouldn't drain the system. Power pin on the connector is switched with the ignition. There hundred of thousands of insurance black box flight recorder plugged in here. Or should that be back box drive recorders.

 

[koalar]

another option would be something like this



no wiring required as sent via Bluetooth

 

[dagdromer]

if properly designed it shouldn't drain the system. Power pin on the connector is switched with the ignition. There hundred of thousands of insurance black box flight recorder plugged in here. Or should that be back box drive recorders.

agreed that it should but I've seen it myself. Bought a Ford Fiesta with an electrical problem. Previous owner needed to jump start the car multiple times per week, suspected the battery, replaced that. Did not help but the alternator was charging fine. Probably due to low power it went crazy on the lights, radio and heater blower. They decided it was not save anymore and I picked it up for cheap. Threw in a freshly charged battery, drove it home without any problems. Left it at my house for a couple of days and tried to start it again, dead. Charged the battery, drove it around a bit and when I wanted to check the codes I found a ELM 327 connected in the socket. Took that out and since then the car would start every time. regardless if I had it sitting for several days or weeks.

Pin 16 on the obd is a permanent life and the ELM probably kept sending out a BT signal which killed the battery in the end.

 

[A3jeroen]

But why (I seriously ask myself) would one need a revcounter on a 1.1?....

gr J

 

[koalar]

agreed that it should but I've seen it myself. Bought a Ford Fiesta with an electrical problem. Previous owner needed to jump start the car multiple times per week, suspected the battery, replaced that. Did not help but the alternator was charging fine. Probably due to low power it went crazy on the lights, radio and heater blower. They decided it was not save anymore and I picked it up for cheap. Threw in a freshly charged battery, drove it home without any problems. Left it at my house for a couple of days and tried to start it again, dead. Charged the battery, drove it around a bit and when I wanted to check the codes I found a ELM 327 connected in the socket. Took that out and since then the car would start every time. regardless if I had it sitting for several days or weeks.

Pin 16 on the obd is a permanent life and the ELM probably kept sending out a BT signal which killed the battery in the end.

i think there a mismatch between the cause and the effect
plenty of batteries die without anything plugged into the OBD2
because the battery dies and there is something plugged into the OBD2 doesn't mean its the cause
thousands are fitted by insurance companies ever year
Even if it didn't switch of a working proper ELM interface at full chat is 33ma the body computer alone even in sleep is over 50ma
That isn't enough to flatten a battery in a month

thats not to say you can't have a faulty adaptor or poorly designed adaptor. If it jams up the canbus it will stop the body computer sleeping

I have two obd2 devices both of these switch off with the ignition. On 3x Pandas 05 06 and 2010.

 

[2010ActiveEc0]

But why (I seriously ask myself) would one need a revcounter on a 1.1?....

gr J

* Aesthetic purposes - Big fan of old school Japanese cars with gauges on the pillars and I was thinking of installing the rev counter there.

* Will be helpful to find where the redline is - when I take my car to Mexico and smoke other cars I’m sure there will be a bigger gap to the car I’m against if I know when to change gear than just changing early as it’s starting to get loud.

* why not - I got nothing better to do

 

[2010ActiveEc0]

I will have to think about this

most of the old fashion analogue ones will not work correctly, Normally you splice into the return from the coil.. The Panda is odd in it fires twice per cycle one on compression and one on exhaust. Maybe a rev counter for a two cylinder car or should that be a 8 cylinder, head hurts

the stock REV counter gets it information from the ECU via the body computer all connected by the CAN network. Its pretty impossible to easily break into


thats the bad news out of the way.

there is two easy ways to add a rev counter

fist is to use the clocks from a dynamic and do a proxy realign. Mileage on the replacement has to be less than the original clocks

the second is cheaper is to use the obd2 connector

Plenty HUD around, just plug into the diagnostic port and your Good to go. Never used on so can't recommend a particular model. take a look on YouTube search "obd2 HUD"

I was thinking of using the dynamic instrument cluster but would I need to change my stalks too??

 

[koalar]

I was thinking of using the dynamic instrument cluster but would I need to change my stalks too??

I don't believe so. You will have to look through the forum its been done before, maybe they are still on the forum and ask them if there was any problems. From memory its plug and play

MES proxy alignment will only works if your new cluster is of lower miles

you will need the right stalk if you want to access the trip computer function though.

 

[koalar]

this may help

Instrument Panel Upgrade | FIAT Panda (Mk3)

Hey folks. I was supposed to make a guide out of this since a few people have asked, but in the process of doing it I forgot to take pictures so I will briefly explain the steps below but you're better off with a Haynes. I have a Fiat Panda 1.1 Active Eco (2009) and as it comes with a very...

www.fiatforum.com

 

[DaveMcT]

Most aftermarket rev counters pick up the spark impulses. FIRE engines use two coils that fire twice on every power cycle. Alternate sparks are "wasted" on the exhaust stroke. You should be able to set the tacho for the number of pulses you engine makes. An older type with distributor and single coil will make the same number of pulses as one FIRE coil so it should work fine. If not there should be other settings to pick from.

 

[2010ActiveEc0]

this may help

Instrument Panel Upgrade | FIAT Panda (Mk3)

Hey folks. I was supposed to make a guide out of this since a few people have asked, but in the process of doing it I forgot to take pictures so I will briefly explain the steps below but you're better off with a Haynes. I have a Fiat Panda 1.1 Active Eco (2009) and as it comes with a very...

www.fiatforum.com

Thanks for sharing - I’m really interested going through with the dynamic instrument cluster. Only downside is I’m not willing to pay €50 for the proxy alignment.

if anyone is near Leicester and has the software to do the alignment. I’m willing to drive and pay for your service.

 

[DaveMcT]

MultiECUScan

Help, tips and advice for using MultiECUScan.

www.fiatforum.com

 

[2010ActiveEc0]

Well, I was about to buy a dynamic speedometer but just realised the eleganza has a much more sophisticated display. Cant find any with the updated dials

 

[DaveMcT]

100HP and Eleganza have similar electrical specs.

 

[koalar]

Well, I was about to buy a dynamic speedometer but just realised the eleganza has a much more sophisticated display. Cant find any with the updated dials

pandas are getting scrapped all the time. One will turn up eventually