New Speedo Cable - different speed reading? |
Post Reply |
Author | |
cal.bar
Member Joined: 10 Sep. 2016 Location: So. Cal. Status: Offline Points: 752 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Posted: 23 June 2021 at 11:10pm |
OK gang - odd question. 4-5 years ago I hooked up my spedo with a new cable and it read fine for all this time until... it suddenly didn't. Gauge started flicking around wildly until eventually it ran over 60 mph and then stopped and read no further. So... I got a new cable and installed it on the same spedo. Now it reads 5 mph too fast. Any idea why?
Thanks,
|
|
Lee MN
Member Joined: 13 Aug. 2008 Location: Harris, MN Status: Offline Points: 4923 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Your old cable had drag on it, your new one runs free š®
Lee |
|
LEE
44 GPW-The Perfected Willys 49 2A āIf you wait, you only get olderā 67 M715 American Made Rolling History |
|
OnlyOneDR
Member Joined: 05 July 2016 Location: R Status: Offline Points: 456 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
The cable that was flicking just needs good lubrication, taking it off and dribbling a bunch of oil down the housing would fix that. The gauge may be damaged from the excessive whipping that the cable was doing, it was binding up and snapping free over and over so that really high speed twitching may have damaged the spring in the speedo.
|
|
Searching for time to put it all together...
1950 CJ-3A #37751 In Pieces 1969 Chevy Blazer Resto-Mod Waiting for its day... 2001 Nissan Frontier Crawler Adventure Rig |
|
Bruce W
Member Joined: 29 July 2005 Location: Northeast Colorado Status: Offline Points: 9611 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Did you lube the new cable? A small amount of ābinding up and snapping freeā might make it read high without visible flicking. To properly lube it the inner shaft needs to be pulled out from the top and cleaned, then lubed with proper speedo cable lube, not oil. Do not put any lube on the top 12 inches of the shaft, to keep cable lube from migrating into the head.
BW
|
|
It is NOT a Jeep Willys! It is a Willys jeep.
Happy Trails! Good-bye, Good Luck, and May the Good Lord Take a Likin' to You! We Have Miles to Jeep, Before We Sleep. |
|
cal.bar
Member Joined: 10 Sep. 2016 Location: So. Cal. Status: Offline Points: 752 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Yep - someone recommended sewing machine oil (which I happen to have) so a lubed up the inner cable pretty well with that very light oil. The new cable works and the speedo reads fine, but it's registering 5 mph faster than the old one. I will have to have a chase car follow me and see if the old was was too slow or this one is too fast. (I really suspect it is the latter) |
|
Rus Curtis
Member Joined: 25 Mar. 2010 Location: Alabama Status: Offline Points: 1733 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Does it read 5 mph when sitting still? Does it stick when you begin to move and then pop up to start registering?
Slapping around like you described makes me wonder if the needle was knocked off its mark. I've read that the speedo's themselves need lubing too. Also, I re-calibrated a speedometer in a different car using mile markers and a stopwatch. Physically, I don't see any way a cable can make the speedometer read faster except for the binding and unwinding explanation offered.
|
|
Rus Curtis
Alabama 1954 CJ3B Bantam T3-C |
|
cal.bar
Member Joined: 10 Sep. 2016 Location: So. Cal. Status: Offline Points: 752 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Astute question. Yes, at one point the needle was sitting at 5 mph sitting still. Then I started up again and when I came to a stop it (eventually) went back down to 0 i did buy another speedo just in case, but I kind of want to keep the odo miles I have on it since I started at zero with it. David |
|
Bruce W
Member Joined: 29 July 2005 Location: Northeast Colorado Status: Offline Points: 9611 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
I would not use oil, especially a very light oil, to lube a speedo cable. GM used a special grease in there. I was issued a tube of it when I was trained in that operation. Before that, we used White Lubriplate grease and donāt recall any comebacks.
BW
|
|
It is NOT a Jeep Willys! It is a Willys jeep.
Happy Trails! Good-bye, Good Luck, and May the Good Lord Take a Likin' to You! We Have Miles to Jeep, Before We Sleep. |
|
Mark W.
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 09 Nov. 2014 Location: Silverton, OR Status: Offline Points: 7923 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
NAPA sells two different kinds of lube specifically for lubing cables. I used the one that sprays in wet then drys leaving a dry Graphite lube the full lenght of the housing. I have used white lithium spray in the past with good results as well.
|
|
Chug A Lug
1948 2A Body Customized 1949 3A W/S 1957 CJ5 Frame Modified Late 50's 134L 9.25"clutch T90A D18 (1.25") D44/30 flanged E-Locker D25 5.38 Since 1962 |
|
Post Reply | |
Tweet |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |