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Speedometer Needle Bounces around...

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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 12:23 PM
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Default Speedometer Needle Bounces around...

Ok when im driving my speedometer needle bounces around a lot....like if im going 55 it will bounce from 50 - 60....

I have a l48 79 is there any easy fix?
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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 12:27 PM
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You might try lubing the cable and see if that solves the problem.
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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 01:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Jud Chapin
You might try lubing the cable and see if that solves the problem.
Although not real easy to fix since you will have to disconnect the cable housing at the back of the speedometer.
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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 01:02 PM
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Not too bad. I did my '76 in about 20 minutes. Just pull the seat and the a/c duct work and you are there.
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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 01:21 PM
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I've done it too. Sometimes those two prongs that have to be squeezed together can be stubborn.
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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 02:46 PM
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Don't wait too long to fix this...

I waited too long and the speedometer needle bounced around, went all the way over, and broke off. Now I have to get the speedometer fixed, too!
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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 02:56 PM
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Originally Posted by johnwhoss
Don't wait too long to fix this...

I waited too long and the speedometer needle bounced around, went all the way over, and broke off. Now I have to get the speedometer fixed, too!
Good point!
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Old Apr 26, 2008 | 08:19 AM
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What type of lube do you use?
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Old Apr 26, 2008 | 08:35 AM
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Originally Posted by scottw
What type of lube do you use?
Technically, I guess graphite is the best. However, when I lubed my cable, no pun intended, I used regular grease. When you do it, instructions call for not lubing the last few inches of the cable end near the speedo head.
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Old Apr 26, 2008 | 02:07 PM
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I don't think graphite is the right lube to use. It has some oil in it and as it dries out it can get packed together and lose its lubrication benefits. Put a light coating of white lithium grease on the cable; leave the last couple of inches of cable [at the speedo end] dry so that lube doesn't work up into the speedo. Use the grease that comes in a tube...not the spray stuff. If the cable has been chewing up the inside of the cable jacket, lubing may [or may not] help it...but that's still the first thing to try.
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Old Apr 26, 2008 | 05:53 PM
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Originally Posted by johnwhoss
Don't wait too long to fix this...

I waited too long and the speedometer needle bounced around, went all the way over, and broke off. Now I have to get the speedometer fixed, too!
Same thing happened to me, right after I bought it. Now I don't have any speedo... doh.
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Old Apr 26, 2008 | 09:11 PM
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Does your car have cruise control?

If it does, the lower cable is probably bad, or headed that way. As the cruise transducer wares, it puts additional pressure on the lower cable, until it eventually breaks. You could just replace the lower cable, to see if it fixes it.

In my '79, I put in a single cable.
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Old Apr 26, 2008 | 09:27 PM
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sill glide.......................thats what to use........
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Old Apr 27, 2008 | 09:04 PM
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Check out this thread for some advice from Willcox on the right and wrong way to lube speedo cables.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1998258


DC
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Old Apr 27, 2008 | 10:04 PM
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Originally Posted by blk79nj
Does your car have cruise control?

If it does, the lower cable is probably bad, or headed that way. As the cruise transducer wares, it puts additional pressure on the lower cable, until it eventually breaks. You could just replace the lower cable, to see if it fixes it.

In my '79, I put in a single cable.
yes and it doesnt work
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Old Apr 27, 2008 | 10:38 PM
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If the cruise doesn't work, I recomend that you go with a single cable. A mechanic friend told me that there used to be a coupler that you could use to connect the upper with the lower cable, but I have never seen on.

Disconnecting the cable from the speedo can be done without taking the dash appart. I was able to kneel outside the car, and reach under under the dash. I found the cable, and followed it up the speedo. There is a tab you push that will disconnects it. Go under the hood, and disconnect the upper cable from the transduscer, and pull it through the firewall, and the grommit will come with it. Put new cable through the grommit, and into the firewall. Reach under again, and the new cable 'snap' back onto the speedo. Put the gommit back into the hole. The other end screws onto the transmission, you will have to use ramps or jackstands, just make sure it's not touching an exahust pipes.

As a side note, I left all of the cruise control stuff there. Just in case I get the energy to attempt to get it going. However, this isn't very likely to happen.

This is an easy fix that should take about 15-30 minutes to do.


BTW, please fill out your profile and post some pictures of your ride. This forum loves pictures.

Last edited by blk79nj; Apr 27, 2008 at 10:42 PM.
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Old Apr 28, 2008 | 10:56 AM
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I bought one of the speedometer cable grease fittings that screws onto the end of the cable. I put new cables on and pumped them full of marine grease. It pumped full of grease but then you have to work the cable back into the housing because it pushes it all the way out. I had to dig some grease out afterwards because I was worried about it working its way into the speedometer. After reading the other post I probably screwed it up.

In the future I will probably just pull the cable out of the housing and wipe it down with grease and insert it back into the housing, I dont think they require the amount lubrication that I initially thought.
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To Speedometer Needle Bounces around...

Old Apr 28, 2008 | 12:22 PM
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My RPM needle bounces around also, is this a similar fix?
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Old Apr 28, 2008 | 03:24 PM
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Lance, what year are you talking about? 75 and later are electronic, so no cable to lube.
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Old Apr 28, 2008 | 11:33 PM
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Lance,

Your problem is not the same. Your tach is electronic and it can bounce from a bad or loose wire on the tach filter, distributor connection on the pulse wire and so on. Your tach is not mechanical and thus not the same in the way it functions.

e
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