Speedometer / Odometer Repair

[wihaltom]

My odometer has not been working.
Yesterday, I was driving the 300 and heard a god-awful noise in the dash and noticed the odometer had started moving.
I am guessing something finally meshed or connected somehow and started the wheels turning, but the whining noise is horrible and changes pitch with speed changes.
I am wondering if it just needs lubrication or something.
What is the correct lubricant for speedometer/odometer parts?
And would you do this on your own or send it to someone in the business of repairing speedometers?
Any information on removing the speedometer pod from the dash?
Thanks for any info you can provide.

 

[polara71]

Not sure on your exact year but You should be able to access the cable from under the dash, pull it from the housing ( squeeze the clips) and use some lubricant on the cable , they say the graphite stuff works great.

 

[commando1]

My odometer has not been working.

Here is a pic of speedo end of the cable. You should be able to reach it from underneath, pull back on the clip and pull the cable out. Do NOT tug on the cable! Pull it out holding to the connector.

Before replacing it, pull it through the firewall, hold it straight up and spray bicycle chain lubricant down the cable or use liquid graphite. Reconnect and see.

Next step is to buy a new cable from RockAuto. They are cheap.

Install and see.

Next step would be a used one but but just about all of them by now need repair.

The ultimate reso;ution is to pull the speedometer and send it to Instrument Specilaties. For 400 dollars it will come back looking better than new and the rest of your instruments will look shabby in comparison.

You say just the odometer is not working. If the speedometer is working fine, then you should find a used speedometer and you can swap out just the odometer assembly of the instrument. The odometer itself is fairly durable.

 

[polara71]

Wow Stan, thats excessive

 

[Airstream]

Hi Guys.
I was going to ask the same today. my odometer has stop working the speedo works. but there a tick and the needle jump backward on the tick. so i say it the mash for the odometer.
how easy is it to replace the odometer. never seen one apart.
thanks .

 

[polara71]

I can do it in a 71 Polara in about two hours, a formal? Couldnt tell you.

 

[commando1]

Wow Stan, thats excessive

Well, you know me.............
And it's not excessive. If he's never done it before he doesn't know WTF your talking about....

 

[commando1]

Hi Guys.
I was going to ask the same today. my odometer has stop working the speedo works. but there a tick and the needle jump backward on the tick. so i say it the mash for the odometer.
how easy is it to replace the odometer. never seen one apart.
thanks .

Done it so many times I can tell you how to do it in an hour. If you never done it before and without the guidance of a spirtual leader with scars... give it all day. You can do it. I'll hold your hand step by step.

 

[polara71]

Well, you know me.............

Yup, doesnt surprise me in the least..

 

[wihaltom]

I don't think it's the cable.
The speedometer works well with no noise and pretty stable, but when the odometer and trip meter started turning, that's when the noise started.
I will lube the cable as a troubleshooting effort, but I think the problem is in whatever drives the odometer.
What kind of mechanism converts the movement from the spinning cable to turn the speedomter/odometer? Is there a type of centrifugal clutch mechanism or something akin to that?
I have seen replacement odometer gears on the TCI Auto site. That's where I got the new speedo gear to adjust the speedo when I get the new tires and wheels mounted.
I have worked on cars most of my life, since I was about 8 or so, with my dad, so lubing the cable is no big deal.

 

[commando1]

Typical Mopar setup. Picture is easier than words.

 

[polara71]

So it takes you an hour to pull it from the dashboard, replace the speedometer mechanism and reinstall in the dash?


:eusa_snooty:

 

[commando1]

Once again, you are right.

(Sent using Forum Runner)

 

[polara71]

You gotta do better than that

 

[commando1]

Better than hour? No. I've tried. Not that good yet. After 3 - 4 more times? Maybe.

(Sent using Forum Runner)

 

[D Cluley]

Not sure when they switched to the clip on speedo cable, but a '66 has a screw fitting at the speedometer end.

This is what a 65/66 one looks like once you tear into it.

The cable goes to the threaded fitting at the bottom. The odometer is a solid gear train. There is a horizontal plastic shaft/worm gear behind where it says "king-seely" that drives the visible vertical plastic shaft. The threaded fitting at the upper right is where the reset cable for the trip odometer goes.

The speedometer itself is a metal cup that surrounds a magnet that is spun by the cable. The magnetic attraction causes the cup to spin as well, but it has to work against a spring. The faster you go, the more force there is, so the needle moves farther.



Not sure about your noise, but what I've seen go wrong with these, is something hangs up in the trip odometer, and the plastic gears get chewed up.

 

[1978 NYB]

My road wheels have P225/75R15's on them. I see if the speedometer mph is closer to the actual speedometer reading once I've got them polished and painted. I have to find one center cap too.

 

[Fratzog]

With that rubber you should be close to stock diameter.

 

[carrman]

Be warned, pulling the cluster out of a '66 Chrysler is a *****, and your hands will find every sharp edge under the dash. Ask me how I know this, and why the second time I had to do this I was holding a battery powered Dremel with a sanding drum to kill all the sharp edges.

 

[1978 NYB]

With that rubber you should be close to stock diameter.

I ws thinking the same thing. I'll post results onc I have the road wheels on.