Hey folks, I was going to install a remote start that I have had sitting in the shop for months, but I don't know if these diesels provide a good tach signal or not and where to get the signal from.

 

FWIW, I have installed 2 remote starts on CTD's and both times I was forced to buy a "tach signal generator" because there was no usable tach signal the the remote start could understand. I'm sure this varies among the manufacturers of remote starts as I have been told by others that the tach signal generator was not required. I was even told that one wire for the crank position sensor could be tapped but I tried that and got no usable signal. The tach signal generator was about $20 and is just a little shrink-wrapped sensor that lays near the alternator and picks up the magnetic field that the alternator generates and and in turn sends that to the remote start CPU. Hope this helps......I know not all remotes starts need this but it is a very simple and easy way to get a tach signal on our CTD's.

 

Thanks that is what I suspected I would have to do.

 

I've installed quite a few remotes and have never had to mess with a generator, just teed into the signal wire to the tach. Like said, models may differ.
Seems I recall the wire being a white with black tracer.

 

I think, for the most part you are correct, but the units I installed did not accept the tach signal - I tried. Since the remote start doesn't actually need to know engine rpm, just if the engine is running or not, other sources other than the factory tach wire can supposedly can be used - on some remote starts anyway!

 

They have a tach. This is from Directechs.com
DODGE, RAM PICKUP, 2001, Tachometer

Diesel tach wire is gray/black. The wire is located on the center of the firewall. There are two black plugs, the wire is in the top plug without the white insert. The tach wire can also be found at the ECM on the passenger side firewall in connector C-1, pin 8.

There ya go.