# Using a tachometer **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 2, 2008, 10:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-tachometer/16132 "2008-07-02T10:08:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pafrock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@pafrock](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pafrock)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 10:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-tachometer/16132/1 "2008-07-02T10:08:38Z")
Have you ever adjusted the Idle control? I was wondering if you had to use a tachometer to do this? Let me know what you think. ---
**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 12:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-tachometer/16132/2 "2008-07-02T12:27:53Z")
Are you talking about a carburettor? Fiddling with each of those little screws? Yes, I’ve done it. Or are we dealing with a modern fuel-injected car… or a lawn mower? Just what is your project? What are you trying to do? ---
**Author:** ![Jeremy\_R\_Hoyt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jeremy_r_hoyt/32/37_2.png) [@Jeremy\_R\_Hoyt](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jeremy_R_Hoyt)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 2:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-tachometer/16132/3 "2008-07-02T14:37:33Z")
Yes, my motorcycle has a little nob that I can twist to adjust the idle speed. I wish I had a tachometer to help do this, but I don’t. I suppose I could buy one that clamps on to the spark plug wires for adjusting the idle. Why do you ask? ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-tachometer/16132/4 "2008-07-02T14:53:25Z")
For those vehicles that require idle speed and mixture adjustment (which excludes cars made in the last 25 years or so), the proper procedure is to use a tach. As Steve and Jeremy wrote, why do you ask?