Thread: tpi tech gauge does anyone have them, need help!!!!

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installed my tpi tech steamline guages, everything works BUT the speedo, the the gauge shows 000000.5 & when I hit the little button to go into programing , it doesn't work!!!! has anyone else had problem with the elec. speedo???????? called tpi tech, got a message they will be back after the nats.!!! & I'm trying to get there, some tech dept...........does anyone know if there is any way to get it working ? possible reset it?

HOTROD57:
I HAVE THE TPI GAUGES AND I COULD NOT SET THE SPEEDO EITHER . I TALKED TO THE TECH.AT TPI AND WHAT HE TOLD ME VERSES THE INSTRUCTIONS WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.I HAD HIM TALK ME THROUGH IT AS I WAS ACTUALLY DRIVING THE CAR. THE KEY WAS STOPPING THE CAR BEFORE ACTIVATING THE LAST BUTTON PUSH.

Don In Austin

don, just to make sure that I have the same problem. in the instructions it said "when you first turn on the ignition press the button for 2 seconds, it will then show the word "hello"" (which is the first step, it won't even go to that. if that was your problem don.; if you can remember any step it would help me alot. the nats are friday & ther tech is closed until after the nats!!!!

HOTTROD57:
STEP 5 IS CRITICAL.EXTERNAL GEN. SET ON L. TRY THIS STEP 5 BEFORE ATTEMPTING STEP 4.IF THIS STEP DOES NOT SHOW AS THE INSTRUCTIONS SPELL OUT ,THEN STEP 4 WILL NOT COMPUTE OR RECKONIZE.LOL.TRY AND GET BACK.

Don In Austin

don, I can't get to any of it,!!!! like I said, when i turn the ignition on ,the odometer comes on & shows 000000.5, when I hit the button it does nothing, I can't even get to step 1. where it is suppose to say "hello".
Could you get to any of the steps before you got ahold of the tech guy?

I am thinking the speedo is just junk. so far I am very disapointed with thr tpi tech gauge.& there service dept.

everything is connected corectly

Originally Posted by hottrodd57

don, I can't get to any of it,!!!! like I said, when i turn the ignition on ,the odometer comes on & shows 000000.5, when I hit the button it does nothing, I can't even get to step 1. where it is suppose to say "hello".
Could you get to any of the steps before you got ahold of the tech guy?

I am thinking the speedo is just junk. so far I am very disapointed with thr tpi tech gauge.& there service dept.

everything is connected corectly

Check your ground connection from the button.

You do have the button connected to the Blue wire and then to ground?

Also check continuity thru the button if you soldered the wires to the very small terminals on the button. It may have gotten too hot internally and no longer be functioning.

As has already been posted; you will probably have to go thru the procedure at the instructions at Step #5 and then go back to Step #4.

You are getting power to the speedometer since you do see a reading on the odometer when the ignition switch is turned on.

LIKE FRISCO SAID CHECK CONTINUITY ON THE BUTTON.IF NO READING YOU DON'T HAVE ANY POWER TO IT.IF YOU HAVE POWER TO IT SWITCH OUT THE BUTTON(AUTO ZONE ETC. SHOULD HAVE) IF YOU HAVE POWER AND THE SWITCH IS FUNCTIONING,TRY TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AFTER PRESSING THE BUTTON AND REPEAT TO GET THE HELLO TO SHOW.I WAS TO THE POINT OF RETURNING THE ELEC. SPEEDO AND GOING TO MANUAL TYPE.I KNOW YOUR FRUSTRATIONS AND IT AIN'T NO FUN,PARDON MY FRENCH.THE TECH PERSON SPOKE WITH SUCH AN ACCENT AT TPI THAT BEING FROM TN AND TX.I COULD NOT UNDER STAND HALF OF WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO TELL ME.I FINALLY JUST SAID HOLD TO ON TO YOUR PHONE WE ARE GOING FOR A RIDE.AFTER A WHILE WE FINALLY GOT IT TO CALIBRATE.LOL OH ANOTHER THOUGHT YOU HAVE TO REALLY ALIGN YOUR FOCUS TO THE LCD AS THE READING COMES UP.

Don In Austin

I will check the power to the switch via the blue wire, if there is no power in the blue wire is there anything I can? I hope it is the switch, I have a new box of those switch from a past project I will try them. really don't want to drive 275 mile with no speedo. I will let you guy know what I find out about the power. the gauge acts like the blue wire is not connected internally. as i said hope it is the litle switch.

Originally Posted by hottrodd57

I will check the power to the switch via the blue wire, if there is no power in the blue wire is there anything I can?

I do not believe there is supposed to be any power in the blue wire that connects to the button switch. The button is used to enable a temporary ground thru the button switch coming from the gauge to chassis ground. You should however have continuity thru the button switch when it is depressed if it is functioning OK.

Once again, go to step #5 and then back to step #4 and see if that works.

Here's the instructions if that helps......

does anyone recommed these guages?? I was thinking about getting them because I like some of the features that others do not seem to offer, but I haven't heard many people with them and this thread isn't very favorable. thanks

35ford I like the gauges,but tech help stinks.Once you get the speedo set up they work fine,the speedo LCD is a little hard to read because of the dash angle on the 34.

thanks for posting the instructions, called tpi today & ASK FOR THEM TO FAX OR EMAIL ME A COPY, they said it would take 4-5 days before they can fax them!!!!. the tech sucks, since I have been in the hotrod scene(16 years) they have the worst customer service of anyone, when you call the tech they act pissed to have & help you. also when I have talk to them about the speedo., how they tell you to set stuff up is completely differnt than the instruction sheets. I really do like the gauges & the options they have built in them

thanks for the input Don. i think i'll give them a shot and hope i don't have many problems getting them set up...if i do it wouldn't be the first time i've suffered through piss poor service

I have the TPI gauges and I like them, but the tech support is lacking somewhat. The problem I had was, as mentioned above, the little ground switch melted internally when I attempted to solder the connection. I threw it away and got a heavier duty switch (normally open, spring loaded toggle switch). That solved the problem. Also, I got my son to ride with me and do the programming while I drove.

The problem I have now is with erratic readings on the tachometer...