Speedo Problems

[Vicenç Feliú]

Hey guys,

My speedo has died on me.  I want to ask a couple of questions before I start chasing gremlins around and breaking more things on the way.

I haven’t pulled the grease cap on the wheel to check on the cable itself.  The needle was stuck at 55 and the odo is not moving.  I disconnected the cable from the back of the speedo and moved the needle back to zero.  I guess I could get a cable, hook it up to the speedo, attach it to a drill and check to see if the speedo is working before I start taking out the old cable.   My first question is: does the fact that the needle was stuck at 55 indicates that the speedo is broken or could it be the cable?  The second question: Should I be using a 2070mm bus cable or a 2460mm bus cable?  Last question:  If I got to replace the speedo, does anyone know what the best replacement would be?

Thanks in advance!

V.

 

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

[scubasteve]

The speedo on my LR went out last year and they are easy to trouble shoot. You might get kind of oily, though.

1)You’ll need to remove the grease cap from the front hub. Make sure the hole in the grease cap is nice and square.It’s made out of very hard steel, so it probably will be. If it’s rounded, replaced it.

2)While still attached to the speedo and give the inner cable a spin. Check to see if the speedo pointer moves. If not, disconnect from the speedo, spin again to check if the speedo end moves, too. Because the inner cable may be partially broken, hold on to the tip and give the wheel end another spin. If you can hold onto the speedo end while spinning the wheel end, the cable is stretched. Replace it.

3) This is the hard one.If everything seems to be whole, the speedo itself is stuck. You’ll need to remove the speedo from the dashboard,(a feat in contortion) and from the housing itself. I had to tease it from behind the bezel and glass face to get it out. The speedo unit itself is a real credit to German engineering and simplicity. It’s just a donut magnet that spins inside a coil of wire. The faster the magnet spins, the more the needle moves. Just like a generator.  Give it a spin to make sure it moves freely.I found mine would bind a little and keep the needle from moving. A little 3M oil and lots of spins did the trick. Put it back together and while it’s outside the car give the cable a test spin. If the pointer moves, you can put the whole assembly back together. If not, the speedo will need to be replaced.

As far as how LONG a cable you need, you’ll need to measure the one in your car to know for sure. An easy way to measure is take some string and while the cable is still in place, lay the string along the path of the cable, from dashboard to firewall, then move to the “engine compartment”, and continue to the wheel. That will give you a close estimate.

Here’s a link you can check:http://www.mamotorworks.com/VW/product/313218.

Click on the “Documents” tab. Either will work, since they go to the same instruction pdf. All parts needed can be found at Jbugs.com

Hope this helps.

 

 

• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by scubasteve. Reason: forgot some info

Amor Conquista Todo

[Vicenç Feliú]

Thanks, Steve!

 

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

[edward ericson]

That should do it.

When you check the cable, check the path from speedometer to hub. Look for kinks or sharp bends. Mine had one and I’m pretty sure that’s why it failed. I re-routed the new one more carefully and it’s been good since.

[Vicenç Feliú]

Hi Ed,

I checked the path and it looks good.  I think it failed as a result of the beating the car took in the towing down here from PA.  I should have flat towed or shipped but it’s too late now to cry over spilled milk.

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

[Vicenç Feliú]

So it’s definitely the speedo.  @toller has one that he is sending me an old one he has so I will try to replace it.  Can anyone give a hint of how to go about removing the old one without causing too much damage?  I’ve looked at it but can’t figure it out.  Below is a pic of what it looks like now.  Thanks in advance!

 

• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Vicenç Feliú.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Vicenç Feliú.

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

[Dbanta]

Probably two nuts holding a “U” clamp that is keeping the speedo in the dash. You also have a light and of course the speedo cable that will have to be removed.

In wine there is truth, in water health.

[billnparts]

The majority of gauges are installed like this…

http://st.hotrod.com/uploads/sites/21/2010/07/1007cct_17_z-custom_dash_gauge_install-gauge_illuminator_wiring.jpg

Its just a matter of getting your hand back in there.

Good Luck.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by billnparts.

Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"

[Vicenç Feliú]

Thanks guys.  I got the old gauge out.  Dave has already shipped his old gauge to me and it should be here around the 27th.  I’ll let you all know what happens next.

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

[Vicenç Feliú]

@Toller’s gauge came in over the weekend.  We were out of town but when we got home last night I was able to put the gauge in without any problems.  It’s working now.  Thanks all for the help and advice and thanks to Dave for sending the gauge out to me.

No pics, it didn’t happen:

Toller’s gauge installed with 1.3 mile test.

 

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

[Dale Schumacher]

Nice

Way to go Dave – Vicenc – You the man.

How is it in Florida? Liking it?

[Vicenç Feliú]

Hey Schu!  Loving it down here.  Haven’t had a day below 60 yet.

 

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

[edward ericson]

Wow! Less than 5,000 miles on that TDr! It’s practically brand new.

[Dale Schumacher]

Got me thinking. ..

Florida or Texas?

[scubasteve]

Paraphrasing a line from Top Gun,”I feel the NEED for SPEED(o)”!

• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by scubasteve. Reason: misspelling

Amor Conquista Todo

[Scott Mefford]

I don’t know if this string is still alive or not, but thought I would give it a try as I also have a speedo problem.  Pulled the wheel, removed cable from speedo and tested it and cable seems good.  I think the trouble is in speedo.  I have a “VDO” model speedometer.  I removed the speedo from the dash, and removed the two nuts and the washer from the stem so the speedo is loose in the housing.  SCUBASTEVE above indicated he had to “I had to tease it from behind the bezel and glass face to get it out.”  I can twist the bezel, with difficulty,  and the speedo is free inside, but can’t get the bezel and glass off.  Anybody know any tricks to doing this so I can get at the mechanics in the can?  Also, if this can’t be fixed, anybody have any recommendations for a replacement.  This is obviously not OEM VW.  MG Magic carries a speedo but I can’t find the diameter and it apparently runs on some sort of “sending unit”.  Not sure how that works, would really like to get the one I have working.

Scott

[scubasteve]

I got the bezel off by using a pair of SMALL needle nose pliers from the back side(so it wouldn’t show) and flatten the lip on the bezel. Then I sort of “screwed” the glass lens out.You’ll need to remove the knob from the trip meter and the glass should come right off.

As to the sending unit you refer to, it’s for the digital trip meter. The original trip meter works off a worm screw attached to the speedo cable. For the diameter,you can call MGMagic and ask the staff. They are very friendly. Also check                http://www.jbugs.com/store/merchant.mvc?q=speedometer+gauge&Screen=SSEARCH

and also                                                                                                                                                                                http://www.mamotorworks.com/VW/newsearch.aspx?S=gauges,%20speedometer&Y=&G=&C=

Hope that helps!Good Luck!

Amor Conquista Todo

[Dbanta]

I believe Classic makes a VW cable driven speedo. So if the one you have actually has gear damage you can probably find a replacement. They make a 3.38″ version. You can check some of the dune buggy parts supliers or the standard Jbugs, cip1 (http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C14-3992), etc. Should be a pretty simple swap. Good luck!!

In wine there is truth, in water health.

[Vicenç Feliú]

Ex post facto of getting Toller’s gauge installed I found a place in Fort Lauderdale that will repair the old VDO speedos like the one I have (see pics above).  It’s not cheap but it’s something to consider.  Here’s their website if you’re interested:

https://www.lspeedo.com/

 

Vicenç - (bee sense)
Pembroke Pines, FL
1986 Aston - BCW Model 52 - "Montse II"

(1983 FiberFab MiGi II - "Montse")

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