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I’ve got a problem with my rev counter on my 912 uls engine. The Rotax rev counter has worked fine for years bud now the latest moths it has started to get nervous at around 3500 rev and higher. I think I need some good advice to cure the problem.
The blue/yellow wire from the sensor is connected to the rev counter on the gauge, the white/yellow is connected to the minus on the gauge and to ground and the red one to power / fuse.
If I check the power from the sensor just before it goes in to the gauge (engine on) I receive on
2200 revs 1,4 V
2400 revs 1,6 V
3000 revs 2,0 V
3500 revs give 2,5 V and now the needle on the gauge starts to get “nervous”
If I check the “mags” at this revs they behave ok they sink with roughly 50 revs
If I increase the power on the engine up to 2,7 V the needle goes up to 7000 and stays there
If I switch of one of the “mags” the rev counter behaves normal.
If I change to the other “mag” the problem above starts.
I’ve checked all wires from the sender to the rev counter for any kind of play and haven’t found any.
If I connect my electric adjustable propeller (Woodcomp) the rev counter on the display shows stable values all the time.
When I’m airborne the electric propeller works up and down all the time and I have to go to the manuel regime and to calm it down.
Anyone out there who has any idea of how to solve this.

As I can understand there are some things that can affect the rev counter to act like this.
1 the gauge is out of order
2 The sender is out of order
3 the distance between the sender and the wheel is not ok, in the heavy manual I can read the distance 1H02 anyone who knows what this means in mm?

I have also heard that you can put a resistance in the line of the rpm signal, anyone who knows anything about this?
  • Re: Rev counter problem

    by » 9 years ago


    It sounds like you have interference in the tach signal. It is just a millivolt signal and it can be overwhelmed by radio, magneto or generator noise.
    Try this:
    1-Replace the tach wire with twisted shielded pair and ground the shield away from other grounds. M27500-20TG2T14 available at any avionics shop.
    2-Move the tach ground away from other grounds.
    3-If all you engine wires are bundled together remove the tach wires and run them separately.
    4-Last resort is to put a resistor across the trigger coil terminals or across the instrument terminals. It will change the indicated RPM so a correction card may be required.

    Thank you said by: Peter Varmfors

  • Re: Rev counter problem

    by » 9 years ago


    Hi Peter

    The trigger coil gap you asked for is 0.3 mm - 0.4 mm for the new type of coil,or 0.4 mm -0.5 mm for the old type.

    I would guess yours will be the newer type but only you will know that.

    If it has just started happening out of the blue, I would suggest a cable has started to fail due to vibration or corrosion at a connection. Can you connect the tacho straight to the trigger with a couple of wires to check its not the tacho.

    Cheers Mark

    Thank you said by: Peter Varmfors

  • Re: Rev counter problem

    by » 9 years ago


    I have tested everything you boys have suggested except to put a resistance across the sensor which will be my next step. It feels like giving the patient a head ace pill without knowing why?
    I have also tried shifting the wires, made all new connections, measured distances, nothing seems to help. What I don’t understand is:
    Why it behaves normal on mag 1 and get erratic on mag 2
    I mean that this is an alone standing instrument and shouldn’t be affected by the ordinary electrical system.
    Why my rev counter on my electric adjustable propeller works fin and shows (hopefully) correct values, I have to add that I always have the propeller rev counter unconnected when I try to get the Rotax rev counter to work. Although the propeller pith is affected when I’m airborne
    How and way can this appear so suddenly, when it has been working fine for several years before? Something in the system must have been changed?

  • Re: Rev counter problem

    by » 9 years ago


    Hi Peter,

    If mag #2 is the one affected then that is where I would focus my attention. I would bet if it is only mag #2 it is a poor connection. Could be a bad ground connection on that side too.

    Roger Lee
    LSRM-A & Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
    Tucson, AZ Ryan Airfield (KRYN)
    520-349-7056 Cell


    Thank you said by: Peter Varmfors

  • Re: Rev counter problem

    by » 9 years ago


    Yes I would agree about the ground connection problem, I have been thinking of if that could be the problem. What I can understand is, if it would be a ground connection problem, the rev counter ought to go to cero instead of maximum. Anyhow it’s not always easy to understand the way electricity takes.
    I have now checked every ground connection and also changed both the mag. wires from the box to the breakers including the ground wires, without finding any problems.
    I have done all the measures of the voltage and resistance without finding any problems.
    I spoke to the dealer, and asked him if he had any idea of what it could be. He said never heard of such a problem, electricity problems like this is hard to crack. Asked him if he could call the factory or mail them for an advice. He said I can but I would not get any answer????
    So the factory isn’t prepared to help or support their customers and dealers? or do they think that they make engines without problems?? Maybe Rotax has been alone on the market to long; I think some more competitors would help.
    So what was my solution then? I hooked up an oscilloscope to take a look at the current. The curve that I noticed was far away to the one that is in the manual. I placed a resistance over the sensor and suddenly the curve on the oscilloscope looked like the one in the manual and the rev counter behaved as it should. Fixed?? No the problem is still there somewhere but maybe I’m not coming any longer in my investigations.
    Yes I have been thinking of that before (putting in a resistance), because you gave me the tip, but I thought that after 170 - 180 hours without any problems, there must be a reason. Well I couldn’t find it. I’m glad it works now.
    I also thought that that by installing the resistance I would solve the problem with my electric regulated propeller but no. The cure for that one was to changes the hysteresis.
    Like wrote before, it feels like giving the patient a head ace pill without knowing the reason.
    Thanks boys
    Peter

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