Need to pull my speedometer

[FLYER15015]

Well fall is here and it is time to do stuff to the "baby" before the weather gets so cold, I can't work out in the barn.

First up is pulling a non working speedometer, to send out for repair.

Asking for tips and tricks to getting it out, without pulling the whole dash and crusty old OEM wiring out first.

Yes I know I should get a wiring harness, but it is not in the budget right now, and I would not want to spoil the wifey's Christmas present to me.

So...... Anyone who has been here before can chime in with how they did it. All help is appreciated........

Mike in Colorado

:)

[Guest outlaw car man]

Mike, can't be the first time you've pulled a spedo ? I know you better then that !

Get your son, grandson over there first. unhook the battery. Have him go upside down under the dash, unhook the spedo cable ( unscrew it) , any light connections, then the little bolts holding it in place, and remove. Be careful of the glass.

I did this myself on a 1972 Volvo ES Sportwagon a couple years ago, almost had to call the wife ( you've met her) to get me out, of course I'm a lot younger then you.

The 33 90 is pretty much the same as above, especially with the front seat out. Actually a real easy operation. The biggest problem is the cost of redoing the spedo. Can be $$$$$$$$$$. Possibly look for a working spare.

my buck 20-

Sandy

[FLYER15015]

OCM,

Yes I've been under there looking, and I can see the 4 nuts that hold the speedo to the dash. The two bottom ones will be easy, but the 2 top ones will be tough to get at. I thought maybe I could loosen the dash plate and tip it out far enough to get at the top nuts. Don't know for sure.

Just asking if someone who's been there before has any tricks they would like to share, as the OEM wiring is so brittle, I don't want to rummage around in there any more than I have to.

Mike in Colorado

[Guest Grant Magrath]

Put a smaller sized pillow on the pedals for your head, and invest in one of those head mounted LED lights! Hopefuly, you had the foresight to marry a contortionist. I was engaged to one once, but she broke it off .

Cheers

Grant

[1939_Buick]

Also worth checking the cable is not broken. Disconnect at the transmission and and the speedo. Turn by hand to check it turns (freely)

If you cannot disconnect from the transmission, try turning by a variable speed electrical drill from the transmission end

Having arms with 3 joints helps . Have fun !!

Edited November 2, 2012 by 1939_buick (see edit history)

[Guest outlaw car man]

Just go slow, do the best you can is about it I think. If you obligate to install a new front dash harness, might be a winter project. I did my G-90 with a kit from Harnesses Unlimited. As I remember the dash harness is it's own thing, then all else goes off it. With the front seat out, at least the cusion, it's a matter of nimble fingers ( my downfall)

I can shoot a picture of the back of a 33 spedo if you want, give you a front visual of what you are after- It's 33 tho, maybe someone here has the same for your year- - let me know I'll blast off a digital.

Sandy

[FLYER15015]

Thanks Guys,

I know the cable is good and lubed up w/ moly grease.

Speedo fliped up to 75 on a recent drive, and I was not going nearly that fast. With some gentle taps on the speedo chrome ring w/ a wood stick, I got it to ratchet down to about 30 on the dial, and that's where it is stuck (non responsive above or below 30).

So my question is can you tilt the whole engine turned face plate out far enough to get at the 2 top speedo mounting nuts ?

As stated before, I can get at the 2 bottom ones, w/ a 1/4" drive socket, but the uppers seem to be above and behind the main dash sheet metal, and no room to turn a wrench, with out fouling a bunch of crusty old wires.

Mike in Colorado

[Mark Shaw]

Mike,

I have an old flexible extension for my small socket driver. You might try to find one to reach those upper fasteners.

My $0.02

[FLYER15015]

Mark,

I too have one of those, but at first glance there seems to be part of the main dash sheet metal comming too far down to load the socket on the top two nuts.

That's why I'm asking if it would be easier to unbolt the engine turned panel from the dash and tilt it out a bit.

Mike in Colorado

[Guest outlaw car man]

Looks to me you have no other choice but to pull the dash out a bit. ? In 33 the instruments are all mounted in it's own pod. This whole unit come off the main sheet metal stamped dash, with two or thee bolts that are welded to the back side of the instrument pod.

Sandy

[Guest Grant Magrath]

Mike, I found the coupe's instruments were easy to get at through the radio speaker hole in the dash. I'm not too familiar with the 1940 dash, but is it an option?

Cheers

Grant

[FLYER15015]

Grant,

I'm not too thrilled with having to pull the radio and grille.

Your first idea (contortionist) was the best so far. Still have her number ? Willing to share ?

Seriously, I'll probably pull the seat out next weekend and start by going under the dash.

I do have a LED drop lite., and it is strong enough to sub for a headlite sealed beam.

I'll report back once I get in there and I'll post pic's as we progress.

Mike in Colorado

[FLYER15015]

Well, it's time to reactivate this old thread........

Now that the Salida car show is over, and the "baby" won 1st in '40's restored class AND the peoples choice award (nice big throphy),

I finally buckled down and pulled the speedo. Four nuts to loosen the dash panel a bit, and three nuts for the unit.

Grant never did give me his contorted lady's phone number, so I just threw a pillow under there and took things slow. I have no idea how I'm going to get it back in, but I had to take the 2 big black wires off the gas gage to dial it out, without mashing up the old wires that reside under there.

Now the question is where to send it, or should I tear into it myself ?

Symptoms are, we were on a road trip, and all of a sudden the needle bounced up to about 75 mph and stayed there. No we were not going down Monarch pass (Elev 11,550) but just cruzing at about 50mph. Upon returning home I tapped the speedo with a hammer handle and she came down to about 40 on the dial, and has stayed there ever since. The trip odo still works, and the cable is full of moly and very free.

So my question is........ Has anyone fixed one them self or do I send her off to "Bobs Speedo" in Mich. ? I'll wait for the crowd to jump in now.

Mike in Colorado

[danhar1960]

Mike, I'll send you over the AC speedometer manual (when I get home that is). It may be something simple. have a look see first now that it's out.

Danny

[FLYER15015]

Well All, this is a tough post.

Seems like the problem was my own fault, so to illustrate for those who follow, here goes.......

Seems that the speedo cable is wound in a direction that helps "pump" lube UP the cable.

That being said, seems like old dummy here greased the speedo cable last year, by pulling it from the speedo and Tx, removing the drive cable from the housing and pumping a good amount of moly grease into the top and reinserting the drive cable, wiping up the mess on the floor, and calling it good.

Well, over time, the cable, doing what it is supposed to do, pumped about a teaspoon of good moly grease into the speedo's little tin bell that the magnets fly around in. As you know, the tin bell is hooked directly to the speed needle, and the magnets are hooked to the drive cable, and when they wirrrrr around inside, they "drag" the tin bell with them, by magnetic induction, which shows your speed on the dial. Also, if you have a "bouncy" needle, this is where to look for dirt or grease.

Also, there is a really weak spring that returns the needle back to zero attached to the can.

So being very carefull of the FRAGIL numbered drums on the odo and trip odo, and ever mindfull of gravity, I cleaned the tin drum and magnet assembly with carb cleaner and a SMALL paint brush.

Enough to know they are "free" to do their thing. Wirrrr around that is. I only took the guts out of the housing with the 2 screws. I did not disassemble the whole unit. Cleaned the glass face inside, and stuck her back together. The cosmetics on mine are good, and just properly weathered for her age, so a "restoration" is not in the cards.

Need to get ready for a 2 day sales trip, (as I still work full time) so it will be this weekend before I reinstall the unit (oh goody). I did test it with a variable speed drill, and it seems to be fine, so I'm pretty confident of the fix.

Best Regards,

Mike in Colorado

AKA "Dummy"

Edited August 7, 2013 by FLYER15015 (see edit history)