Cleaning/Servicing OET tachometer?

[ValiantV]

The original tach on our '92 Catalina 30 has at least two known issues - the hour meter stopped working long before we bought it. (Long enough that one of the PO's added a Hobbs meter) and when the engine is shut down, the meter "hangs" at ~500 rpm - never drops to zero.

These two issues lead me to suspect that the indicated RPM when the engine is running is also likely off by at least a bit.

Question is - am I likely to be able to fix any if these issues by pulling the tach, putting it on the bench and attempting to clean and possibly "lube" it? It's be basically a meter movement, right?

I'm guessing that bugs, spiderwebs, dirt-dauber nests or some other such crud has caused these problems and that cleaning them out may give this thing a new lease on life.

Of course, if it's a disaster inside (or if I hose it up) I'm really no worse off than if I just outright replaced it.

The original panel is from Catalina, though I've seen "Universal" ones that the engine manufacturer supplies as well, so guessing this baby is 25 years old.

BTW, I do have a fair amount of experience rebuilding alternators, starters and other stuff one would find on cars of this vintage - so I feel pretty able to pull this off.

Just curious if anyone has poked around inside old tachs and can offer advice.

[ValiantV]

Yikes. That should be "OEM".

Oy. Measure twice, cut once.

I blame my smartphone....