I want to install a tach in my 1996 Ranger V-6. I "think" there is a green wire in the engine compartment that should connect to the tach and also I will need to connect the tach to a "key on" power source.

Can anyone verify where this green wire is located, or better yet, some kind of drawing that shows how to hook up the tach. I plan on mounting it either on the stearing column or on the windshield post.

 

No, no wire in the engine bay will have Tach signal in a 1996, "green wire" was when engines used a distributor and a single coil for spark, green wire was on "-" terminal of the coil
Your engine uses a Coil Pack so 3 coils, so no place to get an RPM signal from

There is a Tan/yellow stripe wire that runs from Computer pin 48 to Instrument cluster pin 15(C214), it has the tach signal you need

And you can use a 1996-2003 Ranger instrument cluster with built in tach if you want, its plug and play, although you should change odometer to correct miles and change odometer worm gear(failure ****) and all 6 back light bulbs(just best to do this)

The tan/yellow wire is there on all cluster wiring whether or not the clutser had the tach built-in or not, so pulling out the cluster would be the best way to splice into the tan/yellow wire for 3rd party tach
Also change the bulbs while cluster is out

 

Ron--Thank you so much for your response and info. I did change out the cluster right after I got the truck as the speedometer, odometer and trip meter were all hosed up (it's a long story, so don't ask)! I didn't get one with the tach (damn)!
I was hoping the wire I need would be easy to access. I don't cherrish removing the cluster again but I think that is what I will do and hopefully I can pick up a vacant spot on the fuse panel for the power.

Thanks again and have a great day.

 

If you are pulling the cluster then you can get the 12v, ground AND back light for 3rd party tach from the wires on the cluster, and of course the tach signal

diagram below

Fuse 11(red/yellow) or fuse 15(yellow) can be used to power the tach, you can install an inline fuse AT THE TACH location with a 5amp fuse, and then change the Ranger fuse to a 10amp, but it would probably be fine with 7.5amp

Ground is there every where, lol

The red/black stripe wire comes from dimmer module to adjust brightness if 3rd party tach has that option, some just power the light full time from the 12v, day and night, but it would be nice to have it dim-able

And then the tan/yellow wire for tach

You can just use "taps" on these wires, like the ones used for trailer light wiring, seen here: https://tech.bareasschoppers.com/wp-.../taps/taps.jpg

So you don't have to cut any wires, just "tap" into them