Read RPM, no tachometer?

Need to run engine 9 minutes at 3 times idle speed or 2000 RPM for carbon cleaner procedure. No tachometer on my 2003 2.4l. Easiest and cheapest method.

 

How are you dispensing said cleaner? Dump in the gas tank? Spray in intake? I hope it's not Seafoam. Seafoam doesn't have PEA.

 

It’s the STP Intake Valve Cleaner. Straw inserted into hose near throttle body. Clamp it tight, release the trigger, let it spray in for 9 minutes at 2000 rpm. Good reviews by many.
Just saw a $12.98 strobe rpm reader on eBay. I believe I have a volt meter somewhere. You attach black clip to negative battery terminal and the red clip to the ignition coil green wire coming out of coil using a paper clip. Only… I don’t know where that’s located on my 2003 2.4l. Then you set the meter to 4 cyl and multiply the reading by 10.

 

Sound match it to another vehicle with a tack. That will plenty close enough.













so

 

Do you have an OBDII scan tool? They can read RPMs

 

Just use your ears. A modest foot and rev is 2000.

 

Even just one of those cheap OBDII dongles you can get on Amazon for $20 will work, connected to something like the Torque app on your phone. They have a free version that should still read RPM

 

Ya. Doesn’t have to be exact. If I could get a shop to read 2000 rpm for free, I could probably just memorize how far down I pushed the pedal and memorize engine sound.

 

Its pretty easy to judge 2000. Its right when the engine starts to make noise. If the engine starts to make a high-pitched noise, that's too far.

 

Check your spark plugs before & after. Most likely will need new ones after

 

I agree. You should have one anyways to check engine codes. Even the cheap ones read live data. I still have my first code reader - an Autozone model I got for $35 some 15 years ago.

 

Not if everything isn’t cruddy so bad that it fouls the plugs while the treatment burns off moderate buildup. I mainly want to clean both ends of the throttle body and flap…and remove any moderate buildup on the intake valves. And no, I don’t want to have to remove the throttle body to clean the backend.