Can a tachometer break

[geofrog]

Hi, I just got my 87 fiero gt going good. I have driving it about 75 miles, which is almost double what it has been driven in 10 years. Not the point, the point is when it idles it idles between 12-14 hundred rpms. Not a whole lot above normal, but may indicate a vacuum leak somewhere. Again not the point. I was driving it today, really getting on it with the peddle to the floor. The car took off, i love it, but it didn't shift gears till way after red line. Makes me wonder if my tachometer is not working right. What do you guys think, is there a way to test to make sure, i think the idle sounds right, but reading high.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

TTFN
Frog

[Old Lar]

Get a second tach to check against yours.

[JayPizzle]

You kno im having a similar problem, my tach will work once in a while, then it will drop off to nothing. Later it will spring back up. Ive been told to check the sensor where it connects to the tranny.

[shmarkham]

it idles that high even when worm? but it has been known that the needles have moved or in my case just fell off! if you have access to a good timing lite they can tell you your rpms or get an after market tach and hook it in line! if the tach is jnk that you will need to replace the whole gauge cluster! if you find a way to check it then if it's just wrong take the front cover off and see if it is loose! just point it at what you know it ideals at while at idle and glue it back in! also some cars have had chips put in them that allow you to go over red line!!!!