The tech wiki states that "All North America (and perhaps all LHD) B210s have the tachometer wiring right there in the dash". It then gives the image below of the part that connects to the tachometer.


After taking of the dash cluster and looking for an hour, I couldn't find anything similar. The closest things I was an 8 pin connecter like the one in the picture, but white, located near the fuse box. It also didn't have any of the same colors or even same number of wires.




I'm worried that if I buy the tach, this won't be the wiring I need, and I don't have the knowledge necessary to make my own. The tachometer I wanted to buy is on ebay, and It really doesn't look like the same connector to me. Ebay Tachometer

Also, I couldn't find any connector with the right color wires as shown in the wiring diagram from the mechanics manual, which I have attached. Is there something I'm missing? Does the wiring exist in my car like the wiki says? I want confirmation with someone with more knowledge before I purchase anything. Below are a couple more pictures of the wiring around the dash area. I can take better or more specific pictures if need be. Thank you so much for any help you can give.







PS: I know she's looking rough right now but she's a work in progress. One day she'll be good as new.

* early B210s had simple rectangular connectors
* late B210s had locking connectors

going by your GX steering wheel, you have a 1976-1978 USA Coupe?

seem to recall the wiring colors and number of wires differed too

I have checked the VIN and ID number and the car is confirmed to be a 1976 Datsun B210 Coupe (USA). Would that mean that it should have a locking connector? And if the white 8-pin connector is a locking connector, then why would it be so close to the fuse box and not where the tachometer goes, like in the wiki? I just want to make sure that if I buy the tach I mentioned in the first post, that the wiring will be there in my dash.

not sure

yeah it's a bit confusing

from reading B210 Tachometer i gather:

* RHD and LHD tachometers are different in how they are wired, and differ in how they bolt to the dash

* All North America B210s have the tachometer wiring right there in the dash ... even if it didn't come with a tachometer originally

* For North America there are only two different tachometers: type H62 (1974-1975) and type H72 (1976-1978).

to check the year of your USA B210, check the door tag which has the build date. The underhood ID plate doesn't have the month or year, although the emissions sticker will state the model year

i don't know the difference in the two tachs as both appear to have the same wiring at the back of the tachometer. Three wires: BW signal wire, B ground wire, and a hot wire (R or BG)

These three wires plug into a mini harness with 3 wires on one end, and on the other a 6-pin connector. The harness includes the two lamp sockets that snap into the back of the tachometer

Are there variations of the mini-harness?
Are there variations of the dash harness? dunno

Attach file:

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  B210_tach_a Note bottom tab offset to left, which indicates it is a LHD tachometer.jpg (22.66 KB)


  B210_tach_b Showing 3 wres going into the tachometer.jpg (23.19 KB)


  Tachometer_B210_rear Note the bottom tab (two-hole tab) is offset to to the right side indicating it is a LHD tach.jpg (155.67 KB)


  Tachometer_B210_rear 3 wires plug into mini-harness (all the red wires).jpg (126.13 KB)

after thinking about this ...

i think this is the 6-pin connector in your dash photo

It's tucked out of sight in your photo, but those are the color wires


took some time to review the photos and old threads ... been a long time 2012 since we discussed it

Quote:The guy who posted that photo -- nine years ago -- never figured out the wiring harness. He bought a used tachometer and it came without the tachometer mini-harness, and only had the three tach wires



One wire had an adapter on it for some reason

He said what do I do with this? couldn't find any "matching" wires in his dash. Eventually he didn't use the factory wiring and he ran new wiring from the dash out to the coil and got it working

That is one way to do it. As long as it is a LHD tachometer, it will bolt in. The dash wiring can be used -- or the three tach wires can be connected manually to various points of the car like Ground, 12V and the coil-Neg post. If you have electronic ignition (1976 CAL) then instead of the coil it connects to the underdash "black box"

In his 1977 B210, here is the 6-pin connector (which he didn't end up using)



6-pin connector colors? looks like
BW L (Black w/White stripe, Blue wire)
RY B (Red w/Yellow stripe, Black wire)
GY R (Green w/Yellow stripe, Red wire)

Now these colors DO NOT MATCH the tach mini-harness connector colors. Yep, that's how Datsun did it. But two of the three main wires match colors (BW - tach signal, B - ground). The tach's signal wire (BG) connects to the mini-harness BG then on to the Dash Harness (probably the GY wire). The red and blue wires are for the gauge illumination (Blue (L) wires are typically LAMP wires on Datsuns)

about the 6-pin connector
* has locking tabs (nubs on the dash connector)
* has two round corners, so not a simple retangle
* has a slot in it after the first two pins (dash connector) to fit the divider (in the mini-harness connector)

here's details about the 6-pin connector on the 1976-1978 B210 USA

As long as the tach has the mini-harness still attached, it will fit your car

Attach file:

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  6-pin.jpg (67.68 KB)


  LHD USA tachometer (back) WIRING MARKED.jpg (118.33 KB)

here's photos from eBay, looks like a good unit. And best of all it has the adapter harness included

Attach file:

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  LHD USA tachometer advertised as 24855-H7200.jpg (65.69 KB)


  LHD USA tachometer (top with canted tab).jpg (105.73 KB)


  LHD USA tachometer (back).jpg (99.94 KB)


  1089898253_o.jpg (80.76 KB)


  1089898257_o.jpg (83.38 KB)


  1089898258_o.jpg (96.64 KB)


  1089898259_o.jpg (91.36 KB)

You were right about where the 6 pin connector was. For some reason it was sounded by tape so I couldn't see it. I just hooked it up and unfortunately it didn't work. The lamps didn't work either. I'm in the process of learning how to use a multi-meter so I can find the source of the problem.

So apparently the lamps did work and I'm just an idiot. However, the tach isn't giving off any readings. I think I've pinpointed the source of the issue though. I ran a multimeter on continuity setting from the black and white wire to both the negative terminal on the battery and the negative on the ignition coil, which should all be connected. They are not. I have now, however, narrowed it down to two possible issues. All data I'm about to state has been tested with a multimeter, but I'm not exactly proficient at using it, so it may be flawed.

The image below shows what I have tested. The wire highlighted in blue is the one giving me issues. The ignition coil to first coupling (drawn with green arrows) are working as far as I have tested. However, from the first coupling to the mini harness has a discontinuation in it somewhere (drawn with red arrows). There are 2 other couplings between the 1st coupling and mini harness, but so far I have not been able to find them (circled in red). I have spent hours trying to follow wires and it has gotten me nowhere. If anyone happens to know where they are it would be greatly appreciated.



Worst case scenario I'll try and run a new wire from the negative terminal of the ignition coil into a splice on the B&W wire in the mini harness that's in the dashboard, but I've never done anything like that so I'm hesitant.

https://imgur.com/pGzRhL8 (higher quality image)