TriStar tachometer issue

[marknanh]

I have an 1988 Mastercraft TriStar that has been working well until this past weekend when the speedo and tach busted in the same day. I know what's wrong with the speedo (wild wakeboard severing the pressure tube), but my tach has got me boggled.

When I start the engine, the tach hovers around 50 rpm, way to low. At full speed, it reaches no more than 1100 RPM, again wrong. Can't figure out what might have happened. Would appreciate some insight here.

Thanks,
Mark

[JimN]

If you have a test lead with alligator clips on it, connect it from the distributor to the block. If it starts working, you have a bad ground at the base of the distributor.