Page 1 of 3

Diesel Shift Light

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:16 pm
by uzdnabuzd
Does anybody know of a shift light that can be used on a diesel??

Cheers

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:36 pm
by Tiny
um are you serious?? there is no real reason why you couldnt set one up but why

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:57 pm
by uzdnabuzd
Yeah i need one, with the set up i am running.

How do you rig them up on a diesel motor? what is it going to run off?

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:02 pm
by Zeyphly
shift lights i have seen have been part of a aftermarket tacho set up. Usually on the big pain in the arse 5inch monster tacho ones.

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:15 pm
by 80's_delirious
if the noise of a diesel revving its tits off doesnt tell you its time to change gears, something is wrong :lol:

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:22 am
by Spimon_NH
Could try one like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Raptor-LED-Shift ... 3ef5e2002a

Seems to require just a tacho input which your diesel should have anyway. Doesn't matter if it gets it from a dizzy, diesel pump or timing belt housing.


Shift lights are traditionally used to indicate a shift where the power (and thus acceleration) produced by the engine is the same before and after the shift. Can't think of an offroad situation where maximum acceleration is the most important thing...maybe sand drags - each to their own tho...

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:28 am
by hillbilliywheelchair
if you dont have a electric taco out put you can get one from your alternator

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 7:32 am
by ludacris
Spimon_NH wrote:Could try one like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Raptor-LED-Shift ... 3ef5e2002a

Seems to require just a tacho input which your diesel should have anyway. Doesn't matter if it gets it from a dizzy, diesel pump or timing belt housing.


Shift lights are traditionally used to indicate a shift where the power (and thus acceleration) produced by the engine is the same before and after the shift. Can't think of an offroad situation where maximum acceleration is the most important thing...maybe sand drags - each to their own tho...
You should head out and watch the comps. I cant say that there is a stage where rev limiter is not hit. :D

Cris

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 7:59 am
by thehanko
hillbilliywheelchair wrote:if you dont have a electric taco out put you can get one from your alternator
:?

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:28 am
by Red Dog 4x4
I have one on my TD42 Patrol i used a Freqency Swich kit from Jaycar and a auto meter light.

I dose help when four wheel driving if you just put your foot down like me a light in you face dose help to back off or pick another gear...

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:58 am
by uzdnabuzd
Cool, cheers.

So the frequency switch kit allows you to adjust your shift light to you r tacho??

Is it pre made from jaycar or do you have to solder it together?

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 10:29 am
by lay80n
I have a Pivot brand shift light in my Subaru. It works off the frequency so is compatible with all motors. I have comfirmed that it works on a diesel.


Layto....

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 10:35 am
by hillbilliywheelchair
thehanko wrote:
hillbilliywheelchair wrote:if you dont have a electric taco out put you can get one from your alternator
:?
and thats how i have the taco runing in my cruser and my rover

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 10:37 am
by bogged
I cant see how people need a light to tell them that the car is going no faster...

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:18 am
by KiwiBacon
bogged wrote:I cant see how people need a light to tell them that the car is going no faster...
:rofl:
Made my day.

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:07 pm
by Spimon_NH
ludacris wrote: You should head out and watch the comps. I cant say that there is a stage where rev limiter is not hit. :D
Cris
What I meant is that shifting too early will cause the rev's to drop out of the ideal power range and shifting too late will mean optimum power is not being made before the shift.
In something like drag racing where winning/losing comes down to hundreths of second, getting optimum power to the ground is critical.

You're right, I haven't been to a 4WD competition. I just had the idea that in 4WD competition (maybe high speed stages excepted) it was more about getting to the finish rather than fractions of seconds. :)

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:07 pm
by uzdnabuzd
Thanks for all the positive replys.

For the others, my question not for an opinion rather than where/how can it be done.

Cheers

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:57 pm
by bogged
Is it automatic?

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 6:01 pm
by thehanko
hillbilliywheelchair wrote:
thehanko wrote:
hillbilliywheelchair wrote:if you dont have a electric taco out put you can get one from your alternator
:?
and thats how i have the taco runing in my cruser and my rover
ignore me i missread

Re: Diesel Shift Light

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 6:10 pm
by 351ciofgrunt
uzdnabuzd wrote:Does anybody know of a shift light that can be used on a diesel??

Cheers
Don't forget about the underbody flouro's and pair of subwoofers :roll:

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 7:03 pm
by Hardcorr
uzdnabuzd wrote:Yeah i need one, with the set up i am running.

How do you rig them up on a diesel motor? what is it going to run off?
Curious, what is the set up?

Cheers
Corry

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:24 pm
by uzdnabuzd
bogged wrote:Is it automatic?
No manual.

The setup is a high reving diesel that i only want to rev to a certain rpm. As there is no power loss it is easy to get carried away.

Cheers

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:35 pm
by chimpboy
I don't know if your question is serious or not. But anyway, this kind of shift light is claimed to work well off the cigarette lighter socket.

http://autospeed.com/cms/title_HyperFor ... ticle.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/35MM-SHI ... 58870d8dee

I've never used one and don't know how reliable they are but they are meant to be able to calculate engine rpm by detecting the cyclical fluctuations in alternator output. You might want to research them a bit more before buying them as for all I know they suck.

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:55 pm
by TroopiePete
uzdnabuzd wrote:
bogged wrote:Is it automatic?
No manual.

The setup is a high reving diesel that i only want to rev to a certain rpm. As there is no power loss it is easy to get carried away.

Cheers
So it's not an Auto...

So I guess the Getto blaster is up way too loud!

But seriously it should be easy to install a shift light, especially if the motor is controlled by an ECU as it already has a motor speed sensor - or even a Taco provided it's Electronic - Even Jaycar sell kits for it.

Now for the Fluro's I would go LED lights much safer for 4x4 driving, if doing this install a couple of camera's under side to you see the things you are hitting as you clearly will not be hearing them over the Techno.

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:16 pm
by uzdnabuzd
was chasing something a bit more permanent than something for the cigarette lighter.

I dont hgave an ecu, it is mechanical.

Cheers

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:20 pm
by uzdnabuzd
already got neon lights under the car......... Cameras tooo. even got a subwoofer next to each wheel.
you can also hum on my n#ts princess :finger: :finger:

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:43 pm
by Dzltec
Maybe the big tach could trigger off the cam sensor or off the alterantor.



Good luck Zac



Andy

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 10:09 pm
by uzdnabuzd
Dzltec wrote:Maybe the big tach could trigger off the cam sensor or off the alterantor.



Good luck Zac



Andy
Cheers,

not worried about the tacho as i have a VDO one already. Just want to wire up a shift light.

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:45 pm
by bakerboy
ive yet to see a diesel in a 4wd that doesnt start to redline at 4500, must be pretty hektik

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:54 pm
by TroopiePete
uzdnabuzd wrote:
Dzltec wrote:Maybe the big tach could trigger off the cam sensor or off the alterantor.



Good luck Zac



Andy
Cheers,

not worried about the tacho as i have a VDO one already. Just want to wire up a shift light.
Ok we are getting somewhere - oh and the gear you already have - Geez how the hell did I know you were going ti say that :roll:

Ok you have a Tacho - if it's Electronic what is used to give it a signal from the motor?
What ever it is will develop a pulse directly related to motor speed, this is what you need as an input - all you need now is a device that can be set to trigger a Big Ass Blue or Red Light when the speed gets to your desired motor speed.
Do you know what to use, can you solder?