putting a diesel engine in my petrol 325i e30 and wondered if i could get original rev clock to work on the diesel engine ?

engine is an old vm marine engine, the engine was fitted in a range rover and that had rev clock. ive looked on the engine and cant see any cables to run to a manual rev clock so assuming it was electric somehow.
an help much appreciated.

 

couple differant ways
modern stuff usualy takes fron the tdc sensor or ecu
older stuff usualy take the pulse from a phase sensor on the alternator
its more likely the alt option for you as this can be added to any engine easily
and marine stuff is usualy very basic so wont have a crank sensor etc

 

engine is very basic. how does it run from the alternator then ?

 

The output from the aternator is labled "W" for the auto choke or rev counter, obviously only rev counter in your case.
This is assuming you have either a bosch or lucas alternator, it uses a single phase of the three that make up the alternator charge circuit and gives out 7 to 8 volts on this terminal.
tabetha